ReportWire

Tag: skills

  • From high school to career: 6 CTE trends to track in 2026

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    Key points:

    Without a doubt, career and technical education (CTE) is priceless for high school students wanting to get real-world, hands-on job skills before they graduate and turn their interests into career paths. Increased support for CTE programs at the federal and state levels, coupled with evolving technology and new research-led learning approaches, has placed CTE programs on center stage for 2026. 

    There is growing evidence that CTE functions as an early talent pipeline for employers, not just a preparation program. It is with certainty, employers value CTE experience, actively hire participants, and see partnerships with CTE programs as a way to build a skilled workforce aligned to real business needs. As a result, states and employers are increasingly integrating CTE into broader workforce and talent development strategies. 

    Here are six CTE trends to watch in 2026.

    1. AI literacy becomes a baseline (for entry-level jobs). Practical exercises using AI tools will be essential in pathways like IT, engineering, and manufacturing, but not only those educational focuses.

    2. CTE programs increasingly align with national reindustrialization. Skilled workforce/trades are viable options to improve economic viability. Plus, many high-demand and high-paying careers now prioritize specialized skills, certifications, and hands-on experience over a general academic degree.

    3. Enhanced employability. Today’s companies value durable skills like critical thinking, communication, and collaboration just as much as–or even more than–technical skills. Look for more CTE programs to focus on these skills, and online learning platforms like KnoPro to sharpen these interpersonal and behavioral qualities essential for workplace success.

    4. Alumni trajectories. CTE providers will see an increased value in alumni trajectory studies that track graduates’ success in careers and further education, showing they often have higher graduation rates, better wages, and smooth transitions to work or college programs.

    5. Work-based learning (WBL) expansion. While fewer hiring managers think high school graduates are ready for the workforce. More states are incorporating WBL standards into their graduation requirements. Look for more students to take advantage of comprehensive job shadowing, worksite tours and internships to build skills, social capital, and informed career choices. 

    6. Dual enrollment and industry certifications on the rise. It’s no secret that dual enrollment is experiencing significant growth in American high schools, where students are earning college credits and industry-recognized credentials to accelerate their path to the workforce or a degree. Also, look for more students earning industry certifications to gain specialized skills, improve employability, and potentially increase wages and lower college debt.

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    Dirk Butler, NAF

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  • Your competition for the CEO role might be on your board | Fortune

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    Appointing board directors as CEOs was once a “break glass in case of emergency” strategy reserved for scandal, illness, or sudden resignation. While it remains a minority path compared with traditional internal promotions, it is no longer an anomaly.

    New data from Spencer Stuart highlights the shift. Of the 168 new S&P 1500 chief executives appointed in 2025, the highest annual total since 2010, 19 were drawn from their own company boards, the most since 2020. Spencer Stuart classifies directors as outsiders because they lack day-to-day operating responsibility. Even so, more boards are turning to them.

    The increase comes amid elevated churn. CEO departures in the S&P 500 reached roughly 13% in 2025, according to governance trackers, leaving boards to manage performance pressure and succession gaps simultaneously. Internal candidates, such as chief operating officers and division heads, still account for the majority of appointments. But in moments of strategic reset, boards sometimes look beyond executives associated with the existing plan. Meanwhile, several high-profile external hires have reinforced the risks of expensive searches that promise reinvention but deliver disruption.

    The insider-outsider advantage

    Against that backdrop, directors offer what board advisers describe as an insider-outsider balance. They understand the company’s strategy, capital allocation framework, and risk profile. Yet they are not embedded in a single operating silo. That distance can make it easier to reset priorities without discarding the broader plan.

    Recent moves show how the model is playing out across sectors. At Constellation Brands, Nicholas Fink was named chief executive in February 2026 after serving on the board since 2021. Match Group elevated director Spencer Rascoff to chief executive in 2025 to accelerate product and artificial intelligence initiatives.

    Other examples reinforce the pattern. Bed Bath & Beyond appointed Marcus Lemonis, its executive chairman, as permanent chief executive in January 2026 following the company’s emergence from bankruptcy. Science Applications International Corp. named James Regan permanent chief executive in February 2026, after he had served on the board since 2023.

    These appointments do not signal a collapse in succession planning. Internal promotions remain the dominant route to the corner office. Instead, boards are broadening the pipeline and building optionality into leadership plans amid elevated executive churn.

    The shift also reflects who now occupies board seats. A growing share of directors are active or recently retired chief executives with significant operating experience. That evolution has created a viable bench within the boardroom itself. Directors can be evaluated over years of strategy sessions and crisis deliberations before they are ever tapped to run the company. Governance advisers describe the approach as succession by design.

    What it means for C-suite contenders

    For aspiring chief executives, the competitive landscape has changed.

    The bar for readiness is higher. Internal candidates are no longer competing only against peers down the hall. They may also be measured against directors who have already run public companies and have established credibility with investors. In volatile periods, that experience can appear lower risk.

    Timelines are also compressing. If boards are informally cultivating potential successors in their own ranks, internal candidates must signal enterprise-level leadership earlier. Waiting for a formal succession process may be too late. Executives who want the top job need visibility in board discussions, exposure to enterprise risk, and a clearly articulated long-term strategy.

    There is an opportunity in the shift as well. Boards that elevate directors are often looking for leaders who combine operational depth with governance sophistication. C-suite executives who engage proactively with directors, serve on external boards, and broaden their scope beyond a single function can strengthen their case. The more an executive already operates like a chief executive, the harder it is for a board to choose someone else—even one of its own.

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    Ruth Umoh

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  • How early cognitive training leads to lifelong brain strength

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    Key points:

    As we continue to make strides in understanding the brain–its strengths and weaknesses, how it develops, and its incredible potential–one idea has continued to strike conversation: the profound benefits of cognitive training. Cognitive training involves exercises that target core skills like working memory, attention, and processing speed. While much of the research in this field has focused on its applications for the elderly, the greatest promise may lie in starting cognitive training early and establishing a foundation for lifelong brain health, rather than simply addressing decline later in life.

    Research consistently shows that daily cognitive training exercises can slow cognitive decline and boost overall brain function in older adults. A landmark National Institutes of Health-funded study, known as the ACTIVE trial (Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly), demonstrated that challenging brain activities help maintain mental sharpness and memory retention in people over 50, delaying the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

    While cognitive training benefits adults at any stage of life, the Handbook of Clinical Neurology indicates childhood as a uniquely pivotal opportunity for brain development. The research highlights that synaptogenesis (the creation of new synapses) peaks in childhood, making it a critical window for experience-dependent brain changes. If introduced during the formative schooling years, ideally between the ages of eight to 18, brain training has the potential to lay a strong foundation for sustained cognitive health well into adulthood, helping improve short-term cognitive skills and setting the stage for long-term mental fitness.

    Using the education system as a vehicle to introduce cognitive skill development to children and teens offers a promising route for ensuring these benefits become part of every young student’s growth journey. By incorporating structured cognitive exercises into schools through gamified, digital training platforms, educational institutions can create a holistic approach to learning that nurtures both academic success and mental well-being in a fun, innovative way. And, while there may be hurdles to overcome due to time constraints associated with training or the implementation of new technology, the results of improving test scores with these mostly self-guided programs should make this transition a no-brainer.

    Furthermore, the science shows that brain training programs have resulted in better schooling outcomes. One recent study published in Brain Sciences, an international scientific journal, investigated the efficacy of computerized cognitive training (CCT) on school-age children with learning differences. Teachers were trained to administer daily 20-minute sessions to students, monitor their progress, and provide guidance and support as needed. The findings ultimately concluded that CCT is efficacious in building core cognitive abilities that are critical to school success. Evidence also indicated that more CCT training leads to greater treatment effects. Research like this not only provides the assurance of positive results, but also demonstrates the feasibility of integrating technology-based cognitive training programs into school systems and educational organizations.

    Students today face unprecedented distractions from technology, social media, and academic pressures. Cognitive training can combat these distractions early on by reinforcing focus and attention–skills that are essential for navigating an increasingly complex world. Embedding cognitive training into school curricula ensures all students have equal access to developing critical brain functions, giving them the fortitude to thrive both academically and personally. Just as physical education evolved from a novel concept to a core part of school curricula worldwide, cognitive training should be viewed through the same lens–as an investment in lifelong success, resilience and overall well-being.

    The question is no longer whether cognitive training works–it does. With continued declines in national academic benchmarks, now is the time for homeschooling parents, public school systems, tutor centers, and other academic-adjacent institutions to get creative with solutions.

    Investing in technology for cognitive training in the classroom is an evidence-based approach to improving student engagement and performance in the short term, while building a lasting foundation for robust brain health in the future. Proactive integration, rather than retroactive intervention, during the formative years of life is key to redefining the trajectory of cognitive aging. This isn’t just about improving test scores today; it’s about safeguarding mental acuity and cognitive resilience for generations to come.

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    Dominick Fedele, Mastermind

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  • Acquisition.com CEO says leaders ‘have it backwards’ when it comes to hiring: She says she hires for emotional intelligence over technical skills. | Fortune

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    Now more than ever, it’s difficult to know what makes candidates in a competitive labor market. While layoffs and unemployment remain low at the start of this year, jobseekers face an uphill battle as AI eliminates entry-level roles and employers added just 50,000 jobs in December. One founder says more than technical skills, being a good person is the quality that makes job candidates more appealing to hire.  

    Leila Hormozi, founder and CEO of Acquistion.com, said she learned her guiding principle for hiring from the Ritz-Carlton. Their philosophy is: “We don’t hire people who know how to make beds. We hire people that are good people,” she said in a video on Instagram to her 1.2 million followers.

    “Our process was to hire the right people. Not just hire people but select people and then orient them, not just put them to work but orient them to our thinking,” said Ritz Carlton Hotel Company cofounder Horst Schulze, reflecting on how the global chain developed their high standard, in a 2019 interview with Chief Executive.

    Hormozi says she echoes this philosophy: “I want to hire people who have the natural traits that I just need to give them the technical skills.” Hormozi cofounded Acquisition.com with her husband, Alex, in 2021. Before starting the private investment and advisory firm, Hormozi worked as personal trainer and launched fitness companies Gym Launch and Prestige Labs, and a software company ALAN. By 28, her net worth passed $100 million, she says. Acquisition.com now has a $200M+ portfolio and partners with companies to scale and grow business.  

    “Your business is only as strong as the people you pick to lead it. The fastest way to destroy your business is to hire the wrong people.” Hormozi wrote in a caption on Instagram.

    Some leaders “have it backwards,” she added. “People overvalue technical skills and undervalue social and emotional skills.” 

    As AI masters technical skills used in administrative, human resources, finance, and logistics jobs, soft skills such as adaptability and creative and analytical thinking are growing in demand, according to research from LinkedIn. People with strong foundational skills, such as collaboration, adaptability, and basic math skills typically learn faster and acquire more complex skills over time, one 2025 Harvard study about about long-term performance and advancement shows. 

    Other business leaders share Hormozi’s philosophy.

    “My advice to people would be critical thinking, learn skills, learn your EQ [emotional quotient], learn how to be good in a meeting, how to communicate, how to write,” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said last month. “You’ll have plenty of jobs.”  

    Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has also long advocated for empathy and emotional intelligence as foundational skills in the workplace. 

    “IQ has a place, but it’s not the only thing that is needed in the world,” Nadella said in an interview with Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner in November. “And I’ve always felt at least as leaders, if you just have IQ without EQ, it’s just a waste of IQ.”

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    Jacqueline Munis

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  • This CEO laid off nearly 80% of his staff because they refused to adopt AI fast enough. 2 years later, he says he’d do it again | Fortune

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    Eric Vaughan, CEO of enterprise-software powerhouse IgniteTech, was unwavering as he reflected on the most radical decision of his decades-long career. In early 2023, convinced generative AI was an “existential” transformation, Vaughan looked at his team and saw a workforce not fully on board. His ultimate response: He ripped the company down to the studs, replacing nearly 80% of staff within a year, according to headcount figures reviewed by Fortune.

    Over the course of 2023 and into the first quarter of 2024, Vaughan told Fortune, IgniteTech replaced hundreds of employees, declining to disclose a specific number. “That was not our goal,” he told Fortune. “It was extremely difficult … But changing minds was harder than adding skills.” It was, by any measure, a brutal reckoning—but Vaughan insists it was necessary, and said he’d do it again.

    For Vaughan, the writing on the wall was clear and dramatic.

    “In early 2023, we saw the light,” he told Fortune in an August 2025 interview, adding he believed every tech company was facing a crucial inflection point around adoption of artificial intelligence. “Now I’ve certainly morphed to believe that this is every company, and I mean that literally every company, is facing an existential threat by this transformation.”

    Where others saw promise, Vaughan saw urgency—believing failing to get ahead on AI could doom even the most robust business. He called an all-hands meeting with his global remote team. Gone were the comfortable routines and quarterly goals. Instead, his message was direct: Everything would now revolve around AI. “We’re going to give a gift to each of you. And that gift is tremendous investment of time, tools, education, projects … to give you a new skill,” he explained. The company began reimbursing for AI tools and prompt-engineering classes, and even brought in outside experts to evangelize.

    “Every single Monday was called ‘AI Monday,’” Vaughan said, with his mandate for staff that they could work only on AI. “You couldn’t have customer calls; you couldn’t work on budgets; you had to only work on AI projects.” He said this happened across the board, not just for tech workers, but also for sales, marketing, and everybody else at IgniteTech. “That culture needed to be built. That was the key.”

    This was a major investment, he added: 20% of payroll was dedicated to a mass-learning initiative, and it failed because of mass resistance, even sabotage. Belief, Vaughan discovered, is a hard thing to manufacture.

    “In those early days, we did get resistance, we got flat-out, ‘Yeah, I’m not going to do this’ resistance,” he said. “And so we said goodbye to those people.”

    The pushback: white collar resistance

    Vaughan was surprised to find it was often the technical staff, not marketing or sales, who dug in their heels. They were the “most resistant,” he said, voicing various concerns about what the AI couldn’t do, rather than focusing on what it could. The marketing and salespeople were enthused by the possibilities of working with these new tools, he added.

    This friction is borne out by broader research. According to the 2025 enterprise AI adoption report by Writer, an agentic AI platform for enterprises, one in three workers say they’ve “actively sabotaged” their company’s AI rollout—a number that jumps to 41% of millennial and Gen Z employees. This can take the form of refusing to use AI tools, intentionally generating low-quality outputs, or avoiding training altogether. Many act out because of fears that AI will replace their jobs, while others are frustrated by lackluster AI tools or unclear strategy from leadership.

    Writer’s chief strategy officer Kevin Chung told Fortune the “big eye-opening thing” from this survey was the human element of AI resistance.

    “This sabotage isn’t because they’re afraid of the technology,” he said. “It’s more like there’s so much pressure to get it right, and then when you’re handed something that doesn’t work, you get frustrated.”

    He added Writer’s research shows workers often don’t trust where their organizations are headed.

    “When you’re handed something that isn’t quite what you want, it’s very frustrating, so the sabotage kicks in, because then people are like, ‘Okay, I’m going to run my own thing. I’m going to go figure it out myself.’” You definitely don’t want this kind of “shadow IT” in an organization, he added.

    Vaughan said he didn’t want to force anyone.

    “You can’t compel people to change, especially if they don’t believe,” he said, adding belief was really the thing he needed to recruit for.

    Company leadership ultimately realized they’d have to launch a massive recruiting effort for what became known as “AI innovation specialists.” This applied across the board: to sales, finance, marketing, and elsewhere. Vaughan said this time was “really difficult” as things inside the company were “upside down … We didn’t really quite know where we were or who we were yet.”

    A couple of key hires helped, starting with the person who became IgniteTech’s chief AI officer, Thibault Bridel-Bertomeu. That led to a full reorganization of the company that Vaughan called “somewhat unusual.” Essentially, every division came to report into the AI organization, regardless of domain.

    This centralization, Vaughan said, prevented duplication of efforts and maximized knowledge sharing—a common struggle in AI adoption, where Writer’s survey shows 71% of the C-suite at other companies say AI applications are being created in silos and nearly half report their employees have been left to “figure generative AI out on their own.”

    No pain, no gain?

    In exchange for this difficult transformation, IgniteTech reaped extraordinary results. By the end of 2024, the company had launched two patent-pending AI solutions, including a platform for AI-based email automation (Eloquens AI), with a radically rebuilt team.

    Financially, IgniteTech remained strong. Vaughan disclosed the company, which he said was in the nine-figure revenue range, finished 2024 at “near 75% Ebitda”—all while completing a major acquisition, Khoros.

    “You multiply people … give people the ability to multiply themselves and do things at a pace,” he said, touting the company’s ability to build new customer-ready products in as little as four days, an unthinkable timeline in the old regime. In the months since, Vaughan told Fortune in an early 2026 statement, the company has only kept growing its headcount, recruiting globally for AI Innovation Specialists across every function, from marketing to sales to finance to engineering to support.

    What does Vaughan’s story say for others? On one level, it’s a case study in the pain and payoff of radical change management. But his ruthless approach arguably addresses many challenges identified in the Writer survey: lack of strategy and investment, misalignment between IT and business, and the failure to engage champions who can unlock AI’s benefits.

    The ‘boy who cried wolf’ problem

    To be sure, IgniteTech is far from alone in wrestling with these challenges. Joshua Wöhle is the CEO of Mindstone, a firm that provides AI upskilling services to workforces, training hundreds of employees monthly at companies including Lufthansa, Hyatt, and NBA teams. He recently discussed the two approaches described by Vaughan—upskilling and mass replacement—in an appearance on BBC Business Today.

    Wöhle contrasted the recent examples of Ikea and Klarna, arguing the former’s example shows why it’s better to “reskill” existing employees. Klarna, a Swedish buy-now, pay-later firm, drew considerable publicity for a decision to reduce members of its customer support staff in a pivot to AI, only to rehire for the same roles.

    “We’re near the point where [AI is] more intelligent than most people doing knowledge work. But that’s precisely why augmentation beats automation,” Wöhle wrote on LinkedIn.

    A representative for Klarna told Fortune the company did not lay off employees, but has instead adopted several approaches to its customer service, which is managed by outsourced customer service providers who are paid according to the volume of work required. The launch of an AI customer service assistant reduced the workload by the equivalent of 700 full-time agents—from roughly 3,000 to 2,300—and the third-party providers redeployed those 700 workers to other clients, according to Klarna. Now that the AI customer service agent is “handling more complex queries than when we launched,” Klarna says, that number has fallen to 2,200. Klarna says its contractor has rehired just two people in a pilot program designed to combine highly trained human support staff with AI to deliver outstanding customer service. 

    In an interview with Fortune, Wöhle said one client of his has been very blunt with his workers, ordering them to dedicate all Fridays to AI retraining, and if they didn’t report back on any of their work, they were invited to leave the company.

    He said it can be “kinder” to dismiss workers who are resistant to AI: “The pace of change is so fast that it’s the kinder thing to force people through it.” He added he used to think if he got all workers to really love learning, then that could help Mindstone make a real difference, but he discovered after training literally thousands of people that “most people hate learning. They’d avoid it if they can.”

    Wöhle attributed much of the AI resistance in the workforce to a “boy who cried wolf” problem from the tech sector, citing NFTs and blockchain as technologies that were billed as revolutionary but “didn’t have the real effect” that tech leaders promised.

    “You can’t really blame them” for resisting, he said. Most people “get stuck because they think from their work flow first,” he added, and they conclude AI is overhyped because they want AI to fit into their old way of working. “It takes a lot more thinking and a lot more kind of prodding for you to change the way that you work,” but once you do, you see dramatic increases. A human can’t possibly keep five call transcripts in their head while you’re trying to write a proposal to a client, he offers, but AI can.

    Ikea echoed Wöhle when reached for comment, saying its “people-first AI approach focuses on augmentation, not automation.” A spokesperson said Ikea is using AI to automate tasks, not jobs, freeing up time for value-added, human-centric work.

    The Writer report notes companies with formal AI strategies are far more likely to succeed, and those who heavily invest in AI outperform their peers by a large margin. But as Vaughan’s experience shows, investment without belief and buy-in can be wasted energy. “The culture needed to be built. Ultimately, we ended up having to go out and recruit and hire people that were already of the same mind. Changing minds was harder than adding skills.”

    From the vantage point of early 2026, Vaughan reflected in a statement to Fortune, monthly all-hands meetings look nothing like they used to: “We killed the format of reviewing goals and metrics. Now teams demo what they built.” He wanted to stress something else: Despite the drastic actions he took to restructure, he still doesn’t think he’s ahead of the curve.

    “We’re just not getting run over from behind yet,” he said. “The pace of change in AI is relentless. If we don’t keep pushing, keep learning every single day, we’re toast.”

    For Vaughan, there’s no ambiguity. Would he do it again? He doesn’t hesitate: He’d rather endure months of pain and build a new, AI-driven foundation from scratch than let an organization drift into irrelevance.

    “This is not a tech change. It is a cultural change, and it is a business change,” he said, adding he doesn’t recommend others follow his lead and swap out 80% of their staff.

    “I do not recommend that at all,” he said. “That was not our goal. It was extremely difficult.”

    But at the end of the day, he added, everybody’s got to be in the same boat, rowing in the same direction. Otherwise, “we don’t get where we’re going.”

    A version of this story was published on Fortune.com on August 17, 2025.

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    Nick Lichtenberg

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  • Decision Education: A new approach to driving STEM workforce readiness

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    Key points:

    STEM workforce shortages are a well-known global issue. With demand set to rise by nearly 11 percent in the next decade, today’s students are the solution. They will be the ones to make the next big discoveries, solve the next great challenges, and make the world a better place.

    Unfortunately, many students don’t see themselves as part of that picture.

    When students struggle in math and science, many come to believe they simply aren’t “STEM people.” While it’s common to hear this phrase in the classroom, a perceived inability in STEM can become a gatekeeper that stops students from pursuing STEM careers and alters the entire trajectory of their lives. Because of this, educators must confront negative STEM identities head on.

    One promising approach is to teach decision-making and critical thinking directly within STEM classrooms, equipping students with the durable skills essential for future careers and the mindset that they can decide on a STEM career for themselves.

    Teaching decision-making

    Many educators assume this strategy requires a full curriculum overhaul. Rather, decision-making can be taught by weaving decision science theories and concepts into existing lesson plans. This teaching and learning of skillful judgment formation and decision-making is called Decision Education. 

    There are four main learning domains of Decision Education as outlined in the Decision Education K-12 Learning Standards: thinking probabilistically, valuing and applying rationality, recognizing and resisting cognitive biases, and structuring decisions. Taken together, these skills, among other things, help students gather and assess information, consider different perspectives, evaluate risks and apply knowledge in real-world scenarios. 

    The intersection of Decision Education and STEM

    Decision Education touches on many of the core skills that STEM requires, such as applying a scientific mindset, collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. This approach opens new pathways for students to engage with STEM in ways that align with their interests, strengths, and learning styles.

    Decision Education hones the durable skills students need to succeed both in and out of the STEM classroom. For example, “weight-and-rate” tables can help high school students evaluate college decisions by comparing elements like tuition, academic programs, and distance from home. While the content in this exercise is personalized and practical for each student, it’s grounded in analytical thinking, helping them learn to follow a structured decision process, think probabilistically, recognize cognitive biases, and apply rational reasoning.

    These same decision-making skills mirror the core practices of STEM. Math, science, and engineering require students to weigh variables, assess risk, and model potential outcomes. While those concepts may feel abstract within the context of STEM, applying them to real-life choices helps students see these skills as powerful tools for navigating uncertainty in their daily lives.

    Decision Education also strengthens cognitive flexibility, helping students recognize biases, question assumptions, and consider different perspectives. Building these habits is crucial for scientific thinking, where testing hypotheses, evaluating evidence objectively, and revising conclusions based on new data are all part of the process. The scientific method itself applies several core Decision Education concepts.

    As students build critical thinking and collaboration skills, they also deepen their self-awareness, which can be transformative for those who do not see themselves as “STEM people.” For example, a student drawn to literacy might find it helpful to reimagine math and science as languages built on patterns, symbols, and structured communication. By connecting STEM to existing strengths, educators can help reshape perceptions and unlock potential.

    Adopting new strategies

    As educators seek to develop or enhance STEM education and cultures in their schools, districts and administrators must consider teacher training and support.

    High-quality professional development programs are an effective way to help teachers hone the durable skills they aim to cultivate in their students. Effective training also creates space for educators to reflect on how unconscious biases might shape their perceptions of who belongs in advanced STEM coursework. Addressing these patterns allows teachers to see students more clearly, strengthen empathy, and create deeper connections in the classroom.

    When educators come together to make STEM more engaging and accessible, they do more than teach content: they rewrite the narrative about who can succeed in STEM. By integrating Decision Education as a skill-building bridge between STEM and students’ everyday lives, educators can foster confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging, which helps learners build their own STEM identity, keeping them invested and motivated to learn. While not every student will ultimately pursue a career in STEM, they can leave the classroom with stronger critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills that will serve them for life.

    Creating that kind of learning environment takes intention, shared commitment, and a belief that every student deserves meaningful access to and engagement with STEM. But when the opportunity arises, the right decision is clear–and every school has the power to make it.

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    Mary Call Blanusa, Alliance for Decision Education

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  • Choosing a career? In a fast-changing job market, listen to your inner self – counselor

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    by Kobus Maree, University of Pretoria

    The world of work today, in the 21st century, is far more unpredictable than it was in the 20th century. Jobs come and go, roles change constantly, and automation and digital disruption are the only constants. Many young people will one day do jobs that don’t yet exist or did not exist a few years ago. Change is the new normal.

    In this world, career counselling focuses on navigating repeated transitions and developing resilience. It is about employability and designing meaningful work-lives – not about finding a single “job for life”. It recognises that economic activity is part of wider social realities.

    At its heart is the search for a sense of purpose.

    As a career counsellor and academic, I’ve been through decades of innovation, research, and practice in South Africa and beyond. I have found that the work of US counselling psychologist Mark Savickas offers a useful way to understand how people build successful and purpose-filled careers in changing times.

    His career construction theory says that rather than trying to “match” people to the “right” environment, counsellors should see their clients as authors of their own careers, constantly trying to create meaning, clarify their career-life themes, and adapt to an unpredictable world.

    In simple terms, this means in practice that career decisions are not just about skills or interests, but about how we make sense of our lives. They are about our values and how we adapt when the world shifts.

    In my own work I emphasise that career counselling should draw on people’s “stories” (how they understand themselves) as well as their “scores” (information about them). This is why I developed instruments that blend qualitative and quantitative approaches to exploring a person’s interests.

    I also think career counselling should be grounded in context – the world each person lives in. For example, in South Africa, young people face multiple career-life transitions, limited opportunities and systemic constraints, such as uneven and restricted access to quality education and schooling, lack of employment opportunities, and insufficient career counselling support. My work in this South African context emphasises (personal) agency, (career) adaptability, purpose, and hope.

    This goes beyond “what job suits you best”, into a richer, narrative-based process. Clients recount their career-life story, identify “crossroads”, reflect on their values and purpose, and design their next career-life chapters. Essentially, this approach helps them listen to themselves – to their memories, dreams, prospects, values, and emerging self- and career identities – and construct a story that really matters to the self and others.

    I also believe that career counsellors should try to help people deal with their disappointments, sadness and pain, and empower them to heal others and themselves.

    Tips for career builders

    Adaptability is a central theme in current career theory. It has four dimensions:

    • concern (about the future)
    • control (over your destiny)
    • curiosity (exploring possibilities)
    • confidence (in your capacity to act).

    When you develop these capacities, you are better equipped to manage career-life transitions, redesign your career appropriately and promptly, and achieve a meaningful work-life balance.

    I have found that in practice it’s helpful to:

    • reflect on key “turning points” in your career-life and earliest memories
    • integrate self-understanding with awareness of what’s happening in an industry, technology and the economy
    • draw on “stories” (subjective information about yourself) and “scores” (objective data)
    • develop a sense of mission (what the job means for you personally) and vision (your contribution to society, not just your job title).

    I invite you to reflect deeply on your story, identify the key moments that shaped you, clarify your values, and decide what contribution you want to make. Then (re-)design your way forward, step by step, one transition at a time.

    If it’s possible, a gap year can be a good time to do this reflection, learn new skills and develop qualities in yourself, like adaptability.

    One of the best pieces of advice for school leavers I’ve ever seen was this: “Get yourself a passport and travel the world.”

    How a counselor can help

    One of the key tenets of my work is the belief that career counseling should be beneficial not only to individuals but also to groups of people. It should promote the ideals of social justice, decent work, and the meaningful contribution of all people to society.

    For me, the role of practitioners is not to advise others but to enable them to listen to their inner selves.

    To put it another way: in a world of uncertainty, purpose becomes a compass; a North Star. It gives direction. By helping you find the threads that hold your life together and your unique career story, a counsellor helps you take control of your career-life in changing contexts.

    There’s also a shift of emphasis in career counseling towards promoting the sustainability of societies and environments on which all livelihoods are dependent.

    Career counseling is more vital than ever – not a luxury. It’s not about providing answers but about helping people become adaptive, reflective, resilient and hopeful.

    Kobus Maree, Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Pretoria

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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    The Conversation

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  • How to Help Your Employees Get College Credit for Their Jobs

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    On the job training is in focus because of the rapid rise of AI technology and a widening gap between management expectations and the actual skill levels of many workers are now required to use AI. Hence there’s lots of talk of “upskilling” or “reskilling” the workforce. But education and work match up in different ways too, as a new report from the University of Phoenix and the Harris Poll reminds us. It turns out that nearly two in three U.S. workers who don’t have a college degree are unaware that their ongoing and former experiences at work can actually count toward earning one.

    The gap in understanding on this issue is actually pretty big: the study also found that 45 percent of employed Americans aren’t aware that their on the job training can map into college credits, even though 90 percent of workers are currently developing their skill sets in some way, science news site Phys.org notes. 

    More interestingly, the Harris data also show that over seven in 10 workers have turned down options for professional development, with 35 percent saying this was because of cost issues, 32 percent because of schedule issues and nearly one in five people saying their employers weren’t supportive. The scheduling issues marry up with at least one other report that showed recently managers aren’t taking professional development opportunities because they’re just too busy and too tired out to learn new skills — a problem that also likely afflicts many nonmanagerial workers. 

    The question of costs is interesting here, especially since the study found over half of workers have paid out of their own funds for training that wasn’t covered by their employers, and 23 percent have done this more than once. At least for the issue of AI training, this aligns with several reports that say workers are sometimes bringing in their own AI tools to the office, partly because their employers don’t offer any and partly because the ones on offer are inadequate—some of this self-propelled AI use probably involves workers covering their own training costs. A recent study pointed out that Gen-Z workers, in particular, would like their employers to spend more on training. 

    The study also dug into what experiences people think count as college degree credits, and highlighted some surprising details. For example, 59 percent of the over 2,000 adult respondents to the survey didn’t think life experiences could count as credits, 46 percent doubted professional experience mattered, and 43 percent thought professional training courses weren’t credit-worthy. And while overall a third of respondents didn’t realize previous college coursework could carry forward, Gen-Z (the workers most recently in college) was more likely to think this way than older generations.

    Why is this important to your company?

    Firstly, it’s a reminder that in-work education is valuable, both to the employers and to employees themselves. And if your workplace training program doesn’t include mention of the fact that it may count as college course credits, it’s probably worth reminding your staff of this fact. The U.S. workforce is constantly training too, the Harris data show, with 90 percent of the survey respondents saying they get some training time every month, and 18 percent saying they spend over 20 hours a month in training. 

    Secondly, recent reports highlight a skills gap between recent college grads and the kind of expertise and knowledge that businesses — particularly smaller ones—are looking for in new hires. Offering your workers the chance to further their education with college-level training is a complex issue, since it raises questions of workers taking time off periodically for college studies, or even sabbatical periods. But offering meaningful perks to your workers like this may be more important than ever, studies show, since the workforce’s needs and expectations are evolving, and they may also boost workers’ engagement and efficiency in a period where worker performance may be dipping under many sources of stress.

    The final deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, December 12, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

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    Kit Eaton

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  • Students must intentionally develop durable skills to thrive in an AI-dominated world

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    Key points:

    As AI increasingly automates technical tasks across industries, students’ long-term career success will rely less on technical skills alone and more on durable skills or professional skills, often referred to as soft skills. These include empathy, resilience, collaboration, and ethical reasoning–skills that machines can’t replicate.

    This critical need is outlined in Future-Proofing Students: Professional Skills in the Age of AI, a new report from Acuity Insights. Drawing on a broad body of academic and market research, the report provides an analysis of how institutions can better prepare students with the professional skills most critical in an AI-driven world.

    Key findings from the report:

    • 75 percent of long-term job success is attributed to professional skills, not technical expertise.
    • Over 25 percent of executives say they won’t hire recent graduates due to lack of durable skills.
    • COVID-19 disrupted professional skill development, leaving many students underprepared for collaboration, communication, and professional norms.
    • Eight essential durable skills must be intentionally developed for students to thrive in an AI-driven workplace.

    “Technical skills may open the door, but it’s human skills like empathy and resilience that endure over time and lead to a fruitful and rewarding career,” says Matt Holland, CEO at Acuity Insights. “As AI reshapes the workforce, it has become critical for higher education to take the lead in preparing students with these skills that will define their long-term success.”

    The eight critical durable skills include:

    • Empathy
    • Teamwork
    • Communication
    • Motivation
    • Resilience
    • Ethical reasoning
    • Problem solving
    • Self-awareness

    These competencies don’t expire with technology–they grow stronger over time, helping graduates adapt, lead, and thrive in an AI-driven world.

    The report also outlines practical strategies for institutions, including assessing non-academic skills at admissions using Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs), and shares recommendations on embedding professional skills development throughout curricula and forming partnerships that bridge AI literacy with interpersonal and ethical reasoning.

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    ESchool Media Contributors

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  • How CTE inspires long and fulfilling careers

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    This post originally published on iCEV’s blog, and is republished here with permission.

    A career-centered education built on real experience

    One of the most transformative aspects of Career and Technical Education is how it connects learning to real life. When students understand that what they’re learning is preparing them for long and fulfilling careers, they engage more deeply. They build confidence, competence, and the practical skills employers seek in today’s competitive economy.

    I’ve seen that transformation firsthand, both as a teacher and someone who spent two decades outside the classroom as a financial analyst working with entrepreneurs. I began teaching Agricultural Science in 1987, but stepped away for 20 years to gain real-world experience in banking and finance. When I returned to teaching, I brought those experiences with me, and they changed the way I taught.

    Financial literacy in my Ag classes was not just another chapter in the curriculum–it became a bridge between the classroom and the real world. Students were not just completing assignments; they were developing skills that would serve them for life. And they were thriving. At Rio Rico High School in Arizona, we embed financial education directly into our Ag III and Ag IV courses. Students not only gain technical knowledge but also earn the Arizona Department of Education’s Personal Finance Diploma seal. I set a clear goal: students must complete their certifications by March of their senior year. Last year, 22 students achieved a 100% pass rate.

    Those aren’t just numbers. They’re students walking into the world with credentials, confidence, and direction. That’s the kind of outcome only CTE can deliver at scale.

    This is where curriculum systems designed around authentic, career-focused content make all the difference. With the right structure and tools, educators can consistently deliver high-impact instruction that leads to meaningful, measurable outcomes.

    CTE tools that work

    Like many teachers, I had to adapt quickly when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I transitioned to remote instruction with document cameras, media screens, and Google Classroom. That’s when I found iCEV. I started with a 30-day free trial, and thanks to the support of their team, I was up and running fast. 

    iCEV became the adjustable wrench in my toolbox: versatile, reliable, and used every single day. It gave me structure without sacrificing flexibility. Students could access content independently, track their progress, and clearly see how their learning connected to real-world careers.

    But the most powerful lesson I have learned in CTE has nothing to do with tech or platforms. It is about trust. My advice to any educator getting started with CTE? Don’t start small. Set the bar high. Trust your students. They will rise. And when they do, you’ll see how capable they truly are.

    From classroom to career: The CTE trajectory

    CTE offers something few other educational pathways can match: a direct, skills-based progression from classroom learning to career readiness. The bridge is built through internships, industry partnerships, and work-based learning: components that do more than check a box. They shape students into adaptable, resilient professionals.

    In my program, students leave with more than knowledge. They leave with confidence, credentials, and a clear vision for their future. That’s what makes CTE different. We’re not preparing students for the next test. We’re preparing them for the next chapter of their lives.

    These opportunities give students a competitive edge. They introduce them to workplace dynamics, reinforce classroom instruction, and open doors to mentorship and advancement. They make learning feel relevant and empowering.

    As explored in the broader discussion on why the world needs CTE, the long-term impact of CTE extends far beyond individual outcomes. It supports economic mobility, fills critical workforce gaps, and ensures that learners are equipped not only for their first job, but for the evolution of work across their lifetimes.

    CTE educators as champions of opportunity

    Behind every successful student story is an educator or counselor who believed in their potential and provided the right support at the right time. As CTE educators, we’re not just instructors; we are workforce architects, building pipelines from education to employment with skill and heart.

    We guide students through certifications, licenses, career clusters, and postsecondary options. We introduce students to nontraditional career opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed, and we ensure each learner is on a path that fits their strengths and aspirations.

    To sustain this level of mentorship and innovation, educators need access to tools that align with both classroom needs and evolving industry trends. High-quality guides provide frameworks for instruction, career planning, and student engagement, allowing us to focus on what matters most: helping every student achieve their full potential.

    Local roots, national impact

    When we talk about long and fulfilling careers, we’re also talking about the bigger picture:  stronger local economies, thriving communities, and a workforce that’s built to last.

    CTE plays a vital role at every level. It prepares students for in-demand careers that support their families, power small businesses, and fill national workforce gaps. States that invest in high-quality CTE programs consistently see the return: lower dropout rates, higher postsecondary enrollment, and greater job placement success.

    But the impact goes beyond metrics. When one student earns a certification, that success ripples outward—it lifts families, grows businesses, and builds stronger communities.

    CTE isn’t just about preparing students for jobs. It’s about giving them purpose. And when we invest in that purpose, we invest in long-term progress.

    Empowering the next generation with the right tools

    Access matters. The best ideas and strategies won’t create impact unless they are available, affordable, and actionable for the educators who need them. That’s why it’s essential for schools to explore resources that can strengthen their existing programs and help them grow.

    A free trial offers schools a way to explore these solutions without risk—experiencing firsthand how career-centered education can fit into their unique context. For those seeking deeper insights, a live demo can walk teams through the full potential of a platform built to support student success from day one.

    When programs are equipped with the right tools, they can exceed minimum standards. They can transform the educational experience into a launchpad for lifelong achievement.

    CTE is more than a pathway. It is a movement driven by student passion, educator commitment, and a collective belief in the value of hard work and practical knowledge. Every certification earned, every skill mastered, and every student empowered brings us closer to a future built on long and fulfilling careers for everyone.

    For more news on career readiness, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub.

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    Dr. Richard McPherson, Ed.D.

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  • Back-to-school success for all: Building vital classroom skills

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    Key points:

    As students and teachers prepare for a new school year, it’s important to remember that success in the classroom isn’t just about academics; it’s about supporting the whole child. From motor skills and posture to organization, focus, and sensory regulation, the right strategies can make the learning process smoother and more enjoyable for everyone. 

    While occupational therapy (OT) is often associated with special education, many OTs like me use and share the supportive tips and tools described below in general education settings to benefit all learners. By integrating simple, classroom-friendly strategies into daily routines, teachers can help students build independence and confidence and see long-term success. 

    Motor skills

    One of the most crucial areas to address is motor skills. Many children entering kindergarten have not yet fully mastered tasks such as cutting or forming letters and shapes correctly. Simple strategies can encourage independence, such as using a “scissor template” taped to a desk to guide proper finger placement or offering verbal cues like “thumbs up” to remind children how to hold the tool correctly. Encouraging the use of a “helper hand” to move the paper reinforces bilateral coordination.

    For writing, providing small pencils or broken crayons helps children develop a mature grasp pattern and better handwriting skills. Posture is equally important; children should sit with their feet flat on the floor and their elbows slightly above the tabletop. Adjustable desks, sturdy footrests, or non-slip mats can all help. Structured warm-up activities like animal walks or yoga poses before seated work also prepare the sensory system for focus and promote better posture while completing these tasks.

    Executive function

    Equally important are executive function skills–organization, planning, and self-regulation techniques–that lay the foundation for academic achievement. Teachers can support these skills by using visual reminders, checklists, and color-coded materials to boost organization. Breaking larger assignments into smaller tasks and using timers can help children manage their time effectively. Tools such as social stories, behavior charts, and reward systems can motivate learners and improve impulse control, self-awareness, and flexibility.

    Social-emotional learning

    Social-emotional learning (SEL) is another vital area of focus, because navigating relationships can be tricky for children. Social-emotional learning helps learners understand their emotions, express them appropriately, and recognize what to expect from others and their environment.

    Traditional playground games like Red Light/Green Lightor Simon Says encourage turn-taking and following directions. Structured programs such as the Zones of Regulation use color-coded illustrations to help children recognize their emotions and respond constructively. For example, the “blue zone” represents low energy or boredom, the “green zone” is calm and focused, the “yellow zone” signals fidgetiness or loss of control, and the “red zone” reflects anger or frustration. Creating a personalized “menu” of coping strategies–such as deep breathing, counting to 10, or squeezing a stress ball–gives children practical tools to manage their emotions. Keeping a card with these strategies at their desks makes it easy to remember to leverage those tools in the future. Even something as simple as caring for a class pet can encourage empathy, responsibility, and social growth.

    Body awareness

    Body awareness and smooth transitions are also key to a successful classroom environment. Some children struggle to maintain personal space or focus during activities like walking in line. Teachers can prepare students for hall walking with warm-up exercises such as vertical jumps or marching in place. Keeping young children’s hands busy–by carrying books rather than using a cart–also helps. Alternating between tiptoe and heel walking can further engage students during key transitions. To build awareness of personal space, teachers can use inflatable cushions, small carpet squares, or marked spots on the floor. Encouraging children to stretch their arms outward as a guide reinforces boundaries in shared spaces as well.

    Sensory processing

    Supporting sensory processing benefits all learners by promoting focus and regulation. A sensory-friendly classroom might include fabric light covers to reduce glare, or subtle scent cues used intentionally to calm or energize students at different times. Scheduled motor breaks during transitions–such as yoga stretches, pushing, pulling, or stomping activities–help reset the sensory system. For students with higher sensory needs, a “calming corner” with mats, pillows, weighted blankets, and quiet activities provides a safe retreat for regaining focus.

    The vital role of occupational therapists in schools

    Employing OTs as full-time staff in school districts ensures these strategies and tools are implemented effectively and provides ongoing support for both students and educators alike. With OTs integrated into daily classroom activities, student challenges can be addressed early, preventing them from becoming larger problems. Skill deficits requiring more intensive intervention can be identified without delay as well. Research demonstrates that collaboration between OTs and teachers–through shared strategies and co-teaching–leads to improved student outcomes.

    Wishing you a successful and rewarding school year ahead!

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    Linda Rini, OTD, MS, OTR/L, CLC, Touro University School of Health Sciences Occupational Therapy Program

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  • Why College No Longer Has a Monopoly on Success | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    For decades, college had no real competition. It wasn’t just an educational path; it was the most powerful brand in American life. Parents, schools and employers marketed it as the only safe route to the American Dream. Glossy brochures, billion-dollar ad campaigns, alumni prestige and rankings in U.S. News & World Report kept reinforcing the message: College equals success.

    But today, that monopoly is cracking. Aviation schools, trade programs and trucking startups are mounting their own branding campaigns — promising high pay, entrepreneurial freedom and faster, cheaper paths to prosperity. The reality is already here: Pilots, aircraft mechanics, electricians, independent truckers and others can earn as much or more than many college graduates. What lags is perception. And that’s why the branding war between college and the trades is just beginning.

    Related: Do You Really Need a College Degree These Days?

    The college brand: Once untouchable

    Universities built their dominance the same way top consumer brands do: with relentless marketing. From campus tours that feel like product demos to billboards touting alumni salaries, college was positioned as both a rite of passage and a must-have credential.

    For years, the competition barely showed up. Skilled trades and technical careers weren’t marketed at all — they were stigmatized. A student who skipped college was seen as someone who had “settled.” Even as tuition soared and student debt ballooned, the idea that “college equals success” remained sticky because it was backed by decades of consistent PR.

    But perception is shifting. A recent Workforce Monitor poll found that 33% of U.S. adults recommend trade school for high school grads, compared to just 28% who recommend a four-year degree. Parents and Gen Z may still default to college, but more are starting to see skilled paths as respectable, even aspirational.

    This shift isn’t just economic. It’s the result of smart PR and branding by industries that know they need to win the perception battle if they want to fill critical jobs.

    Aviation: Pilots and mechanics in the spotlight

    Nowhere is the branding battle more visible than in aviation. Airlines face a pilot shortage so severe that Boeing projects the need for 804,000 new pilots by 2037. To meet that demand, they’ve leaned heavily into PR and marketing.

    Take Thrust Flight’s “Zero Time to Airline” program. The name itself is a masterstroke of branding. It tells a clear story: You can go from zero flight hours to the cockpit of a regional airline in just two years. It’s essentially packaged like a startup accelerator for aviation careers — fast, focused and aspirational.

    Airlines themselves are part of the rebrand. In 2022, Delta made national headlines by dropping its four-year degree requirement for new pilots. That move wasn’t simply a policy change — it was a deliberate PR campaign designed to tear down the perception barrier that only college grads could fly for major carriers.

    The economics reinforce the messaging. The average U.S. airline pilot earns around $220,000 a year, and with recent wage hikes, new pilots can now recoup training costs in four years or less. For a teenager weighing options, the soundbite is irresistible: “$200,000 without college.”

    But it’s not just pilots. The aviation industry is also reframing careers for aircraft mechanics and technicians. With a median salary of around $75,000 and specialized certifications available in two years or less, mechanics are now marketed as tech professionals critical to safety and commerce. Rather than “wrench turners,” they’re positioned as guardians of billion-dollar fleets, a message designed to elevate status and respect.

    The combined narrative is powerful: Whether you’re flying planes or maintaining them, aviation offers high salaries, critical skills and prestige — without requiring a bachelor’s degree.

    Related: Trade School vs. College: Which Is Right for You? (Infographic)

    Trucking: From job to business ownership

    Trucking has undergone an equally dramatic makeover. For years, it was branded as hard work with modest pay and little respect. But startups like Billor and CloudTrucks are reframing it as entrepreneurship on wheels.

    Billor’s pitch is simple: lease-to-own programs that put drivers in trucks with no credit check, giving them full ownership in four years. That changes the narrative from “job” to “asset ownership” — a driver isn’t just hauling freight, they’re building wealth.

    CloudTrucks takes a tech-first approach. Branding itself as a “virtual carrier,” it equips independent drivers with the same back-office tools, compliance systems and load-booking capabilities that large fleets use. The economics are compelling: Independent drivers keep 82% of revenue, often out-earning company drivers while enjoying the freedom to choose their own routes and schedules.

    The contrast in branding is stark: A company driver is positioned as a steady employee, while an independent operator is sold the dream of being a small business owner. That story is working. The U.S. now has more than 900,000 owner-operators, more than double just a few years ago.

    The trades: From backup plan to entrepreneurial path

    Construction trades are in the midst of their own rebrand. Once considered fallback careers, they’re now marketed as modern, entrepreneurial and future-proof.

    Electricians illustrate the shift. The median wage is $62,000, with six-figure potential for those who advance. The field is expected to grow 11% over the next decade, creating about 80,000 openings each year. Unlike college, apprenticeships let people earn while they learn, avoiding student debt.

    Companies like Mobilization Funding add fuel to the story by helping subcontractors secure financing upfront, allowing them to scale and compete on larger projects. The implicit message: You’re not just a worker; you’re a business owner capable of growth.

    Meanwhile, social media influencers in the trades are helping to reframe these careers as skilled, respected and even aspirational. The stigma is fading — and branding has everything to do with it.

    Data as PR’s secret weapon

    Behind every one of these rebranding efforts lies data packaged as stories.

    • “Pilots make $220,000 without college.”

    • “Aircraft mechanics earn $75,000 with two-year certifications.”

    • “Independent truckers can own rigs in four years and out-earn company drivers.”

    • “Electricians are adding 80,000 jobs annually.”

    These aren’t just statistics; they’re headlines, crafted to challenge assumptions and shift public perception. For decades, universities mastered this playbook by touting alumni earnings. Now, trades and technical careers are using the same strategy — and it’s working.

    The perception gap

    Despite the progress, perception still lags reality. Gen Z students remain more likely to pursue college, and parents still see degrees as symbols of status. The economics of alternatives are clear, but the branding battle is far from over.

    Colleges had a century-long head start in marketing themselves as the default choice. Aviation, trucking and the trades are only now mounting a counteroffensive. But thanks to startups, social media and data-driven PR campaigns, they’re closing the gap faster than ever.

    Related: These Are the 10 Best-Paying ‘New Collar’ Jobs, Prioritizing Skills Over Degrees

    Why the branding war matters

    The American Dream has always been about opportunity. But opportunity doesn’t sell itself — it has to be framed, packaged and communicated. That’s what’s happening now in fields like aviation, trucking and the skilled trades.

    The branding war between college and alternative paths is still in its early rounds. Universities will keep promoting degrees as the safest option. But industries hungry for talent are telling a new story: one of accessibility, ownership and financial freedom without the burden of student debt.

    For entrepreneurs and marketers, the lesson is clear: Economics may create the opportunity, but branding determines how it’s perceived. If piloting can be positioned as a direct, high-ROI career path, if truckers can be reframed as business owners, and if tradespeople can be reframed as entrepreneurs, then any industry can reshape its image. The future of work will be defined not just by what jobs pay, but by which stories win.

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    Scott Baradell

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  • Building Tech With No Experience Taught Me This Key Skill | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In today’s world, not every founder comes from a technical background, and that’s no longer a dealbreaker. With AI projected to grow 28.5% by the end of the decade, even specialists are racing to keep up with emerging innovations. In such a fast-moving environment, the expectation that any one person, founder or otherwise, will master every detail is both unrealistic and counterproductive.

    The reality is this: You don’t need to code to build in tech, but you do need to translate. The ability to connect across disciplines has become the most important skill to develop — not just as someone building a company, but as someone leading one.

    If my experience in the NBA has taught me anything, it’s that every good team is made up of strong translators: people who understand both the locker room and the boardroom, coaches who can speak to data analysts and players, and leaders who can turn strategy into execution. Unsurprisingly, this is exactly what tech startups need, too.

    Related: Having No Experience Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Start a Business

    Clarity beats jargon

    When I started building Tracy AI, I quickly learned that trying to sound technical wasn’t helpful and actually slowed things down. Translating product decisions into clear, outcome-based language helped us move much faster. We didn’t always need to build models from scratch, but we did need to understand what those models were aiming for. That’s the real distinction between technical literacy and technical fluency: One is about credibility, but the other is about clarity. When everyone’s on the same page, people align, and products get better.

    Having this approach enabled us to bring in outside subject-matter experts, test assumptions early and avoid costly missteps that often come from internal echo chambers. Regardless of whether your team is fluent in Python, the ability to communicate clearly across complexity is what ultimately drives the company’s momentum.

    Hire smart

    I once read a quote from David Ogilvy that stuck with me: “Hire people who are better than you are, and then leave them to get on with it.” In tech, that means surrounding yourself with brilliant engineers, designers and product minds, and focusing your own energy on alignment, direction and decision-making.

    Building a company is about asking better questions, setting the right priorities and making sure your team is rowing in the same direction. That requires trust, communication and discipline, not technical depth. It also means knowing how to translate business needs into technical priorities, and vice versa.

    When it comes down to it, a founder’s job is to build bridges. Between vision and execution. Between product and people. Between strategy and reality. The most valuable skill in business isn’t your ability to code; it’s your ability to connect. Not being afraid of connecting strong, self-motivated individuals in your business is not only a recipe for success — it’s just good business sense.

    Related: How (Not Why) You Need to Start Hiring People Smarter Than Yourself

    Letting go

    Rapid-growth companies face a specific leadership challenge: knowing when to direct and when to step back. For founders, especially those without technical backgrounds, there’s a strong temptation to stay hands-on with every detail. According to a Harvard Business Review study, 58% of founders struggle to let go of control, often remaining stuck in what’s known as “founder mode,” even when the company is ready to scale.

    Being stuck in founder mode can slow down progress, stifle creativity and burn out the very experts hired to build. The job of the founder is to hold the vision and define the “what” and “why,” while trusting the team to figure out the “how.” That means giving engineers autonomy to explore solutions and trusting their understanding of the mechanics.

    At the same time, it’s important to stay connected to the people you’re building for. From my experience, I made sure to spend time with athletes, coaches and trainers — not just as a former player, but as a product owner committed to learning. That user feedback wasn’t just helpful; it became a compass for the tech. Just because we may need to let go of day-to-day, doesn’t mean we can’t get involved in other ways.

    At a certain point in any startup’s life, there is a transition from idea to alignment. Engineers speak in sprints and system architecture. Investors speak in ROI and risk. Users speak in frustrations, workarounds and outcomes. As a founder, your job is to be the connector between all of them, bridging the gap between engineers, users and investors, often speaking three very different languages in the same meeting.

    Related: Are You Running Your Business — or Is It Running You? How to Escape ‘Founder Mode’ and Learn to Let Go

    That means being able to explain what users actually want to your developers, breaking down technical constraints in a way your investors can understand and communicating a vision clearly enough that everyone in the business can see where they fit in. This is what makes a product usable, turns a group of builders into a team and ultimately transforms a good idea into a lasting company.

    In today’s world, not every founder comes from a technical background, and that’s no longer a dealbreaker. With AI projected to grow 28.5% by the end of the decade, even specialists are racing to keep up with emerging innovations. In such a fast-moving environment, the expectation that any one person, founder or otherwise, will master every detail is both unrealistic and counterproductive.

    The reality is this: You don’t need to code to build in tech, but you do need to translate. The ability to connect across disciplines has become the most important skill to develop — not just as someone building a company, but as someone leading one.

    If my experience in the NBA has taught me anything, it’s that every good team is made up of strong translators: people who understand both the locker room and the boardroom, coaches who can speak to data analysts and players, and leaders who can turn strategy into execution. Unsurprisingly, this is exactly what tech startups need, too.

    The rest of this article is locked.

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    Tristan Thompson

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  • Mental health screeners help ID hidden needs, research finds

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    Key points:

    A new DESSA screener to be released for the Fall ‘25 school year–designed to be paired with a strength-based student self-report assessment–accurately predicted well-being levels in 70 percent of students, a study finds.  

    According to findings from Riverside Insights, creator of research-backed assessments, researchers found that even students with strong social-emotional skills often struggle with significant mental health concerns, challenging the assumption that resilience alone indicates student well-being. The study, which examined outcomes in 254 middle school students across the United States, suggests that combining risk and resilience screening can enable identification of students who would otherwise be missed by traditional approaches. 

    “This research validates what school mental health professionals have been telling us for years–that traditional screening approaches miss too many students,” said Dr. Evelyn Johnson, VP of Research & Development at Riverside Insights. “When educators and counselors can utilize a dual approach to identify risk factors, they can pinpoint concerns and engage earlier, in and in a targeted way, before concerns become major crises.”

    The study, which offered evidence of, for example, social skills deficits among students with no identifiable or emotional behavioral concerns, provides the first empirical evidence that consideration of both risk and resilience can enhance the predictive benefits of screening, when compared to  strengths-based screening alone.

    In the years following COVID, many educators noted a feeling that something was “off” with students, despite DESSA assessments indicating that things were fine.

    “We heard this feedback from lots of different customers, and it really got our team thinking–we’re clearly missing something, even though the assessment of social-emotional skills is critically important and there’s evidence to show the links to better academic outcomes and better emotional well-being outcomes,” Johnson said. “And yet, we’re not tapping something that needs to be tapped.”

    For a long time, if a person displayed no outward or obvious mental health struggles, they were thought to be mentally healthy. In investigating the various theories and frameworks guiding mental health issues, Riverside Insight’s team dug into Dr. Shannon Suldo‘s work, which centers around the dual factor model.

    “What the dual factor approach really suggests is that the absence of problems is not necessarily equivalent to good mental health–there really are these two factors, dual factors, we talk about them in terms of risk and resilience–that really give you a much more complete picture of how a student is doing,” Johnson said.

    “The efficacy associated with this dual-factor approach is encouraging, and has big implications for practitioners struggling to identify risk with limited resources,” said Jim Bowler, general manager of the Classroom Division at Riverside Insights. “Schools told us they needed a way to identify students who might be struggling beneath the surface. The DESSA SEIR ensures no student falls through the cracks by providing the complete picture educators need for truly preventive mental health support.”

    The launch comes as mental health concerns among students reach crisis levels. More than 1 in 5 students considered attempting suicide in 2023, while 60 percent of youth with major depression receive no mental health treatment. With school psychologist-to-student ratios at 1:1065 (recommended 1:500) and counselor ratios at 1:376 (recommended 1:250), schools need preventive solutions that work within existing resources.

    The DESSA SEIR will be available for the 2025-2026 school year.

    This press release originally appeared online.

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  • To start the school year off right, invest in literacy

    To start the school year off right, invest in literacy

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    Key points:

    As a country, we are at a pivotal time. Recent national test scores found that our country’s eighth graders are still a full school year behind pre-COVID levels in their reading and math achievements. This is tough news to swallow, but I’m choosing to view this as motivation. 

    As the executive principal at the Emma Donnan campus of Adelante Schools in Indianapolis, I want my students to be successful. My goal is for students to gain essential academic skills and build a robust social-emotional toolkit so they are set up to thrive in an ever-changing world. At Adelante Schools, one of the key ways we’re pursuing that goal is by going all in on literacy. Reading is foundational to everything in a young person’s life–in and out of the classroom. 

    This year’s Indiana IREAD scores proved that far too many students–about one in five–are struggling to hit their grade-level reading benchmarks. However, these scores also showed that Adelante’s investments in literacy are working: The percentage of our third graders who passed the assessment increased from 57.5 percent to 71.9 percent in a year. 

    I’m proud we have implemented initiatives that are proving effective for student achievement. Here’s what we have done, and what I implore other school leaders to explore so we can all work toward student success together.  

    Invest in early reading and the science of reading in a holistic manner. Students are struggling to read, and it’s a crisis. Working with support organizations like We Are Lit and Relay Graduate School of Education, we have developed a professional development system to provide teachers with deep dives into the cognitive science of reading, individualized support, ongoing coaching, real-time feedback, and practice clinics. It’s not enough just to provide some one-time workshops–we must continually invest in building teachers’ skills. Teachers also observe and track the minute data of student reading skills that often go overlooked.  

    Bring data to life and prioritize planning. It’s important to dive into annual test scores and national reports, but if we want to be effective educators we need to be conducting real-time data analysis and adjusting as we go.  As a member of the Relay Leadership Leverage Institute Fellowship, I have the privilege of meeting with school leaders from all over the country to learn from experts and hone in on our leadership priorities. This year, data and planning have been at the forefront. One poignant recommendation is to engage in deep analysis of student work weekly. Not quarterly, not yearly. Weekly. This is not about just pulling up test scores but rather, looking at what students authentically produce to get into the weeds of what they know and don’t know. This will allow leaders and teachers to effectively identify brights spots or gaps in student understanding, plan to reteach the gaps, and build on the mastered concepts. When you’re on the road and you hit a roadblock, do you stop and turn around? No; you find another way to reach your destination. That’s what we need to do with our teaching. To implement effective instruction, we must be checking in regularly and planning based on real-time needs.  

    Build your A-team. As a school leader, I know I need to delegate. We have created and invested in specialized roles; we have a dedicated Chief Literacy Officer who is responsible for overseeing and driving the school’s literacy initiatives. We also have a chief mathematics officer. We know we need the right people who are committed and knowledgeable–this is especially pertinent for our staff and leadership. When we have this strong bench in place, we are better set up to support our teachers. When teachers are better set up for success, that trickles down to students. And aren’t students what this is all about? 

    I call on school leaders to look under the hoods of their schools. The start of the school year allows you to model best practices to set your staff, teachers and students up for success with renewed energy for the year to come. As we model teamwork for our students, let us school leaders learn from each other to ensure that every single student knows their school is providing them with an excellent education. 

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    Kendra Randle, the Emma Donnan Campus of Adelante Schools

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  • ORIGO Education Introduces ORIGO Intervention Essentials: A Game-Changer for Math Fluency

    ORIGO Education Introduces ORIGO Intervention Essentials: A Game-Changer for Math Fluency

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    Earth City, MO. — ORIGO Education, a leading provider of elementary math solutions from Pre-K to Grade 6, is thrilled to announce the launch of ORIGO Intervention Essentials, an innovative program designed to enhance math fluency for Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention students in Grades 3-8. By merging effective math strategies with robust professional learning, ORIGO Intervention Essentials offers a transformative approach to tackle math anxiety and build student confidence.

    Many students in Grades 3-8 experience significant math anxiety, leading to a detrimental cycle of avoidance and declining skills. ORIGO Intervention Essentials equips students not only with the tools to “do” math but also to truly understand it. This holistic approach empowers students to tackle challenges with confidence and develop essential problem-solving skills.

    Case studies reveal remarkable outcomes: more than 80% of Tier 3 students utilizing ORIGO Intervention Essentials demonstrated improved fluency, with nearly 50% achieving full mastery. These results underline the effectiveness of ORIGO’s evidence-based strategies.

    ORIGO Intervention Essentials is designed for easy integration into existing schedules. It can be effectively implemented in just 15 minutes daily or divided into two sessions of 30-40 minutes. This flexibility allows schools to tailor the program to fit their specific needs without disrupting existing instructional time. And that flexibility extends to implementation as well; the product can be implemented by teachers, coaches, and paraeducators, eliminating the need for additional staffing or pulling someone from their current duties. This streamlined approach maximizes resources while maintaining the educational continuity so important in intervention.

    With built-in progress monitoring tools, educators can ensure that students are consistently advancing, allowing for timely interventions when needed. Dr. Sara Delano Moore, vice president of content & research at ORIGO Education, said, “ORIGO Intervention Essentials not only addresses the immediate needs of struggling students but also fosters a long-term love for math. Our program is designed to empower educators and students alike.”

    For more information on ORIGO Intervention Essentials, reach out to s_calcott@origomath.com.  

    About ORIGO Education
    ORIGO Education is a leading provider of elementary math solutions from Pre-K to Grade 6. Created by educators for educators, the organization is committed to helping make learning mathematics meaningful, enjoyable, and accessible to all students and their teachers. ORIGO uses a unique spaced learning approach to help students retain content. Covering all facets of elementary mathematics education, from traditional printed products to digital interactive resources and professional learning throughout the world, ORIGO currently supports elementary teachers across 14 countries. To learn more, visit https://www.origoeducation.com/.

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  • 5 ways to use crafts to drive deeper learning  

    5 ways to use crafts to drive deeper learning  

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    Key points:

    Who doesn’t love arts and crafts? From the early days of kindergarten, teachers have used crafts as a way to foster students’ curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking skills. This type of hands-on learning is often more fun than sitting at a desk and taking notes. It can even boost student communication and collaboration when they work in groups.

    Still, classroom crafts have the potential to be something much greater. By adhering to five simple strategies, teachers can elevate the role of crafts in our classrooms, transforming them from simple, aesthetic activities into powerful learning experiences that drive deeper understanding and engagement.

    Let’s dive into the five key strategies that will help foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and the application of knowledge in ways that truly resonate with our students:

    1. Optimize: This first strategy is all about taking a simple craft and measuring how it performs. Instead of just making a model, push students to optimize their designs. For instance, rather than students creating a flower out of different materials, teachers could challenge them to design a hand-crafted pollinator that can transfer pollen as effectively as possible from one flower to another. Give the class specific criteria for success, as well as constraints under which they need to operate. This encourages creative thinking and helps students understand the value of efficiency.  
    2. Iterate: In engineering, iteration is everything. We want our students to embrace the process of designing, building, testing, and refining their projects. One common strategy is to have students build the tallest tower they can that will also survive a shake table’s earthquake. Students design a tower, calculate the cost of materials, record its height, and then evaluate how well it performs. Once the test has concluded, they go back and see if they can make the tower even better! It shows students that learning isn’t about getting it right the first time–it’s about learning through the process.    
    3. Explain: It’s crucial that students can articulate their reasoning and understanding behind their creations. When they design something, they should be able to explain why it works and how it relates to the concepts they’re learning. This involves teaching students to think like scientists–make a claim, provide evidence, and explain their reasoning. This process can be used in a variety of activities, from having students share why their tower survived the shake table, to why their artificial pollinator is the most effective. What matters is that it supports the development of strong communication skills and a deeper grasp of the subject matter. 
    4. Evaluate: Critical thinking comes into play when students evaluate their work and the work of their peers. By assessing their designs against specific criteria, they learn to think critically about what makes a project successful and how it can be improved. Like iteration, evaluation and self-evaluation give students an opportunity to refine their work and explore new ideas. The best thing a student can do is to always ask, “Why?”
    5. Impact: Finally, we want our students to think beyond the classroom and consider the real-world impact of their work. There are numerous examples of young people around the world who created astounding inventions to benefit their local community. By sharing these examples in class, students can learn that their knowledge is applicable to their own backyard. Whether it’s designing a solar-powered water heater or a braille printer from LEGO Mindstorms, students should understand how their innovations can make a difference. This strategy also encourages socially and environmentally responsible thinking.

    While there’s nothing wrong with traditional crafts, teachers can leverage these activities and develop the skills our students need to succeed in the 21st century. Now is the time to transform our classrooms with meaningful, hands-on activities that promote deeper learning through creative and thoughtful teaching practices. Let’s make every craft count!

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    Ben Talsma, Van Andel Institute for Education

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  • The Most in Demand Tech Skills Employers Are Looking For Now | Entrepreneur

    The Most in Demand Tech Skills Employers Are Looking For Now | Entrepreneur

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    The number of college students in the U.S. majoring in computer science hit 600,000 last year — a 40% increase from five years ago. Meanwhile, it’s simultaneously getting harder for these graduates to find work as they compete with career changers and fluctuating demand.

    A new study from software company Finoit aimed to understand the job market by finding the most in-demand skills across tens of thousands of job postings in the U.S. The findings can help job seekers discover which technical points to highlight on their resumes and give career switchers an idea of which skills to learn first.

    Related: Worried About AI Stealing Your Job? A New Report Calls These 10 Careers ‘AI-Proof’

    The researchers started with a list of tech skills, pinpointed exactly how many listings required them, and then matched the skills to average salaries from Indeed. They found that traditional programming languages like Java and C++ came up often, while emerging areas like quantum computing and blockchain didn’t make the list.

    Still, that doesn’t mean job seekers should neglect to study emerging fields.

    “The tech landscape is constantly evolving,” Finoit co-founder and CTO Mukesh Choudhary said, in a statement. “While developing expertise in high-demand areas like Python and SQL is crucial, it’s equally important to keep an eye on emerging trends and be ready to upskill accordingly.”

    Related: The AI Job Market Is Surging and Paying Up to $300K a Year. Here’s How to Snag a Role.

    Python and SQL, both used for data science, came up the most — with each named in about 24,000 job listings.

    Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Azure, with average salaries above $140,000, are also on the top 10 list, indicating that cloud computing skills are in demand. Robotics, a vaguely worded skill, ranked fourth.

    “Robotics’ high ranking is particularly intriguing,” Choudhary stated. “While it’s clear that companies are investing heavily in this area, the broad nature of ‘robotics’ as a skill set may lead to some confusion. Hiring managers and job seekers alike need to be more specific about the exact robotics skills required for each role.”

    Here are the top ten tech skills that employers list on job postings.

    1. Python

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 24,000

    Average salary: $126,673

    2. SQL

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 24,000

    Average salary: $92,457

    3. AWS

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 16,000

    Average salary: $140,733

    4. Robotics

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 15,000

    Average salary: $117,234

    5. Linux

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 13,000

    Average salary: $84,939

    6. Java

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 11,000

    Average salary: $92,177

    7. JavaScript

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 9,000

    Average salary: $111,620

    8. Azure

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 9,000

    Average salary: $140,733

    9. C#

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 8,000

    Average salary: $122,372

    10. C++

    Number of jobs containing the search term: 8,000

    Average salary: $126,129

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    Sherin Shibu

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  • Literacy First Expands its Early Childhood Literacy Program to Chattanooga, TN After Successful Pilot Program

    Literacy First Expands its Early Childhood Literacy Program to Chattanooga, TN After Successful Pilot Program

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    Austin, TX —  Literacy First, a program from The University of Texas at Austin’s Charles A. Dana Center dedicated to improving literacy outcomes for young learners, is excited to announce its expansion beyond Central Texas. In partnership with Chattanooga 2.0, Literacy First piloted its evidence-based tutoring program in Chattanooga, TN, during the 2023–2024 school year. 

    The Literacy First tutoring model supports children at Title I schools in grades K-2, providing personalized literacy instruction to address individual needs. Through high-impact, one-to-one tutoring during the school day, they close gaps in literacy skills and set students on a path to excel in school and life as they learn to read.

    Literacy First successfully piloted its program with first and second grade students at East Side Elementary. This marks the first time Literacy First has replicated its tutoring program outside of Central Texas. The positive impact on student literacy outcomes was evident, with over half of students in the pilot program reaching or nearing grade-level reading standards by the end of the school year, motivating the district to expand the services offered. 

    For the 2024–2025 school year, Literacy First, in partnership with both Chattanooga 2.0 and Hamilton County Schools, will extend the program to include 11 additional elementary school campuses and two District Lead Coaches. This expansion is part of Literacy First’s gradual release Capacity Building Model, where their expert staff trains and supports district staff and paraprofessional tutors over several years. The goal of this model is for the partner schools and organizations to implement the program independently with reduced support from Literacy First over time. 

    “We are thrilled to bring our proven tutoring model to Chattanooga and collaborate with partners dedicated to creating opportunities for all children to build a strong educational foundation in reading,” Literacy First Director, Dr. Claire Hagen Alvarado stated.

    Chattanooga 2.0 Director of Literacy and Student Strategy, Brandon Hubbard-Heitz added, “Literacy First’s tutoring model is a key strategy in Chattanooga 2.0’s effort to build a robust and aligned system of literacy supports for children beginning from birth at home, in school, and across the community. We were excited to launch the model in Hamilton County Schools and are even more excited to see the model’s expanded impact on K-2 students across the county.”

    Reading is essential to success in every academic discipline, which is why it was important to us to see Literacy First scale up as a tool to support students who need a little extra help,” says Dr. Justin Robertson, Superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. “I am excited about the partnership with multiple community partners to provide tutoring that will make a real impact in both the short and long term.”

    For more information about Literacy First and their mission, visit  www.literacyfirst.org.

    About Literacy First

    Literacy First teaches young children how to read, equipping them to excel in life and realize their dreams. Since 1994, Literacy First has partnered with public, Title I schools and community organizations to provide intensive and effective literacy tutoring in English and Spanish to K-2 students. Literacy First is an outreach program of the Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Learn more at  www.literacyfirst.org. 

    About Chattanooga 2.0

    Chattanooga 2.0 was established in 2016 and is a small nonprofit that works to change systems in order to impact generational changes in Chattanooga and Hamilton County, TN. The ultimate goal is to improve economic opportunity and quality of life — and Chattanooga 2.0 believes education attainment is the first step. From early childhood education to the attainment of a thriving wage career, the small team leads initiatives to remove systemic barriers and provide intentional supports to children, students, and their families. Chattanooga 2.0 convenes and leads community groups such as Early Matters, Great Teachers Great Leaders, the Out of School Time Alliance, and the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Children’s Cabinet. For more information visit  www.chatt2.org.

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  • 5 strategies to close the critical thinking gap

    5 strategies to close the critical thinking gap

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    Key points:

    Achievement discrepancies among U.S. students remain persistent and troubling–despite decades of targeted interventions and whole-school improvement programs. To make real gains, teachers need to address the underlying problem: the critical thinking gap.

    Focusing on core cognitive skills sets students up for success throughout their academic careers. These five critical thinking strategies can help.  

    Why focus on critical thinking?

    Most academic interventions focus on core knowledge and basic skills: Let’s practice two-digit addition. Review the parts of the cell. Learn these vocabulary words. Read these passages for fluency. These kinds of exercises can help students make marginal gains in reading, math, and general content knowledge, but they don’t address the root of the problem: learning how to think and how to learn.

    Growing evidence points to the role of critical thinking in educational achievement. Students need to activate higher-order thinking skills and metacognition to effectively master and retain new content knowledge, synthesize it with prior knowledge, and apply it to new scenarios and domains. However, most students are not explicitly taught how to do this.

    Colin Seale, author of Thinking Like a Lawyer: A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students (Prufrock Press, 2020), noted in an interview with ASCD: “When you start to look at how critical thinking looks in practice in K–12 classrooms, it’s often being treated as a luxury good. You’ll see critical thinking in an after-school mock trial program, or for an honors program that serves 8 percent of the school population, or for the special debate team or the selective entry school.”

    Teaching students how to activate critical thinking and metacognition will enable them to learn more efficiently and effectively. Fortunately, that can be done within the context of the existing curriculum. Here are some ways teachers can get started:

    1. Integrate critical thinking with content

    Critical thinking should not be something that is separate from and on top of everything else teachers are doing in the classroom. For best results, it should be fully integrated with the content that is being taught. Think about the standards you are teaching to. Most will have both a content knowledge component and a thinking component. For example, if the standard requires students to understand the causes of the Revolutionary War, they need to know specific content, but they also need to understand cause-and-effect thinking. Teachers can help students by explicitly calling out the type of thinking required–e.g., defining, classifying, part-to-whole relationships, sequencing, etc.–and making sure students know what that kind of thinking looks like.

    2. Give students a framework for thinking

    Once students understand the type of thinking required, they need a framework to support it. A visual framework supports the development of critical thinking skills. Making thinking visible and concrete helps students activate the type of thinking required by the task and organize their ideas effectively. While there are tons of graphic organizers out there, it’s most beneficial to have a consistent framework for thinking that spans grade levels and content areas. This supports the growth of automaticity in activating cognitive skills.

    3. Make learning active

    Models such as project-based learning and inquiry learning have been demonstrated to improve learning outcomes. But you don’t have to upend your entire curriculum or implement a complicated model to make learning more active. Building in time for debate and discussion and collaborative learning activities are simple ways to make learning more active and engaging. For example, students can work together to construct meaning using a thinking map. Look for learning activities that require students to go beyond simple recitation of facts and engage deeply with the content as they solve a problem, develop and defend a point of view, or create something original.

    4. Ask better questions–and teach students to ask their own

    Increasing the rigor of the questions we are asking is another way to support critical thinking. That means asking questions that go beyond basic knowledge and comprehension to require higher-order thinking skills such as application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. (See some examples in the image below.) Even better, teach students how to ask their own questions. After introducing new content, for example, pause for a class brainstorming session where students come up with as many questions as they can, including basic clarification questions and higher-order “why,” “what if,” and ‘what else” kinds of questions. Then, students can work together to start answering some of these questions using the active learning methods above.

    5. Get metacognitive

    One important aspect of critical thinking is metacognition, or “thinking about one’s own thinking.” Students who are skilled in metacognition are able to recognize how well they understand a concept, where they need extra help or support, and how to apply and adjust learning strategies. Metacognitive skills include planning for learning, monitoring understanding, and evaluating the learning process. Like fundamental cognitive skills such as cause-and-effect or sequencing, metacognitive skills can also be explicitly taught. The questions in the Tree Maps below can help teachers get started.

    These essential strategies can be applied across all grades and content areas. When we help students develop fundamental cognitive and metacognitive skills, learning becomes easier–and a lot more fun.

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    Sarah McNeil, Thinking Maps

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