Colleagues
Today’s topic includes the ability to learn. In watching the news this week, I am disheartened by the lack of a position of influence the United States has regarding the ability to learn. The lost of rankings across key performance indicators is alarming. Have we in the United States lost the ability to learn to make valuable contributions to move this country forward?
Often, faculty will attest to the endless challenges some students face in the demonstration of particular skills, particularly critical and refractive thinking. Instead of being leaders, I see many of my students as followers, where they take more of a passive role in their professional lives. Instead of being on the cutting edge, many students are woefully behind in many skills, from critical analysis to mathematical ability. Instead of leading their teams in looking toward being innovative and creative, they are content with simply following the pack. Many of my students tell me that they are frustrated in their careers where they are simply cogs in a wheel where they are managers, not leaders. Is this because we as a society have lost our ability to learn?
Think about how you maintain currency in your industry. Do you know what the latest research offers? Are you up on the current trends, strategies, and new models and strategies? When was the latest conference you attended? What is the last new strategy you tried? What was the last new idea you reflected upon?
Be sure to share your strategies with how you address maintaining the ability to remain a life long learner. We look forward to your stories. *Smiles*
With respect,
Cheryl
CoAuthor
