My new book: World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students
I am very pleased to announce that Corwin Press will release my new book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students in association with the National Association of Elementary School Principal (NAESP) next month, June 2012. The book is about preparing global, creative, and entrepreneurial talents. It is my attempt to answer a number of pressing questions facing education today. These questions are exemplified by two new stories that have dominated the media recently, one around the Facebook IPO and the other the debt and jobs of college graduates.
100 billion, 900 million, and 28 are three numbers that quickly summarize the story of Facebook Inc.: a 28-year-old CEO who co-founded a company with 900 million users world-wide and is now valued at over 100 billion dollars. The 28-year-old CEO and Co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, is worth nearly $20 billion dollars and one of the 30 wealthiest people on earth. He was named one of the 100 most influential people multiple times by the Time magazine. Along with Zuckerberg, Facebook has produced a few other young billionaires and created jobs for thousands of people.
1 trillion, 4.9 million, and 23,000 capture the essence three numbers for the latter story: over 1 trillion dollars in outstanding student loans and even some of the best personal loans for excellent credit, with an average of over $23,000, and 4.7 million who had gone or graduated from college are unemployed in the United States. According to a story in The Investors’ Business Daily on May 17, “for the first time in history, the number of jobless workers age 25 and up who have attended some college now exceeds the ranks of those who settled for a high school diploma or less.” An online diploma maker can empower individuals to present their qualifications professionally, opening doors to new career possibilities and helping them stand out in a competitive job market.
No question that Facebook stocks can go up and down, the company could be a bubble and even disappear after a while, just like many others, but at its current value, confirmed by my friend who works at BitIQ, 10 Facebooks or 50 Zuckerbergs can wipe out all the college debts. You may not like Facebook or its creator and you may question if Facebook is truly worth that much, but at this time, it sure would be nice to have a few more innovative entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg.
But how come we don’t have more Zuckerbergs? What led to the making of Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook? What’s the difference between Zuckerberg, who dropped out of college but created jobs, and the many millions who finished college but are looking for jobs? Is Zuckerberg a nice accident, a lucky anomaly like Steve Jobs? What role did his schooling play in his success, if any? Did Zuckerberg become Zuckerberg because of or despite his schools? Can we design schools to cultivate creative and entrepreneurial talents like Zuckerberg? If so, what does it look like?
“College and career readiness” is the mantra in the global education reform circle. Uniform curriculum, common standards and assessments, globally benchmarked practices, data-driven instruction, and high-stakes testing-based accountability are touted as the path to edutopia. PISA, TIMSS, and other similar type of international tests are regarded as the gold standard of educational quality and indicators of a nation’s future prosperity. But at a time when college degrees do not guarantee gainful employment or a meaningful life, what is the point of preparing someone to be ready for college? At a time when most of the careers for our children are yet to be invented, how could we prepare them? At a time when seven billion human beings living in vastly different societies that are intricately connected, how could “all children be above average” or winners of the global competition in a narrowly defined game?
This book is the result of my attempts to answer these questions with data and evidence from a variety of sources. Essentially, I reached the following conclusions:
- The current education reform efforts that attempt to provide a common, homogenous, and standardized educational experience, e.g., the Common Core Standards Initiative in the U.S., are not only futile but also harmful to preparing our children for the future.
- Massive changes brought about by population growth, technology, and globalization not only demand but also create opportunities for “mass entrepreneurship” and thus require everyone to be globally minded, creative, and entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurship is no longer limited to starting or owning a business, but is expanded to social entrepreneurship, policy entrepreneurship, and intrapreneurship.
- Traditional schooling aims to prepare employees rather than creative entrepreneurs. As a result the more successful traditional schooling is (often measured by test scores in a few subjects), the more it stifles creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit.
- To cultivate creative and entrepreneurial talents is much more than adding an entrepreneurship course or program to the curriculum. It requires a paradigm shift—from employee-oriented education to entrepreneur-oriented education, from prescribing children’s education to supporting their learning, and from reducing human diversity to a few employable skills to enhancing individual talents.
- The elements of entrepreneur-oriented education have been proposed and practiced by various education leaders and institutions for a long time but they have largely remained on the fringe. What we need to do is to move them to the mainstream for all children.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...
[…] his blog Zhao writes that the book is the result of his efforts to answer these […]
[…] http://zhaolearning.com/2012/05/25/my-new-book-world-class-learners-educating-creative-and-entrepren… […]
While I agree that the current ed reform movement is extremely harmful, I do feel that you tend to overstate the importance of Mark Zuckerberg types. The push to produce more entrepreneurs isn’t what’s essential. We need to create more thoughtful citizens, and I’m frankly wary when I read more worship about the corporate world and why we need to create more “creative” entrepreneurs.
Students who have received a fine liberal arts education can question and challenge their leaders, and make voting decisions that promote democracy. Students who follow the news, with the ability to read between the lines, and not be swindled by pundits and politicians who have been well-trained by extremely well-funded think tanks to promote policies that are destroying the public sphere.
Mark Zuckerbergs come and go; the thoughtful citizen is far more endangered and crucial than another Steve Jobs-Zuckerberg type, whose reach and control are troubling, to say the least. Come to think of it, isn’t Bill Gates (kind of a pre-cursor to Zuckerberg) one of the major voices in education reform? How much power do those men have to shape and control our schools? Seems to me, we need fewer Mark Zuckerbergs, and more enlightened citizens.
Thanks. Very good point. I certainly agree that we need enlightened citizens who will take actions to fight for a cause–these are social entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are redefined in the book and there are different types: policy entrepreneurs, business entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and social entrepreneurs.
Planning to read the new book as soon as it is available…pre-reading of excerpts points to a solid, carefully thought out point of view! The Middle School Principal’s Study Group of Tri-State Consortium has selected the book as its focus for the next academic year. KR
[…] World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students | Yong Zhao […]
I agree that the skills required to be an entrepreneur are important, however their needs to be a core set of standards that will help our 21st centruy students develop those skills. In addition I feel that we do need a core of non-entreprenural citizens (such as teachers) to foster a society that is well informed, reflective, creative and anxious to ensure the perpetuation of a futre generation composed of responsible citizens. I look forward to reading about the different kinds of entrepreneurs that will contribute in a positive way to our society’s future.
where can i buy your book in Nigeria.
Sorry, I don’t know about how to get it in Nigeria.
Just heard a speaker last week from Finland. The education system there focused on equity (access to quality education for all children) with no notion of mandated quality. The result was not only equity but quality education for all children.
This book promised to have us think out of the box…about a time in the US when we led the world in education. Interestingly enough during this time we valued education, taught children that success was directly tied to entrepreneurship and hard work (including study) and there were no mandated tests of children, teachers, teacher/leader candidates, etc. As a nation, we grew and prospered during this time. How did we lose that sprit? Can we reclaim it? How can those of us in teacher/leaders preparation in colleges and universities ensure that our graduates know how to teach/lead in new models and at the same time implement all the mandated policy measures associated with schools and schooling?
I am excited about the new book and look forward to hearing YZ’s thoughts about new models of schools and schooling.
[…] doing research for my book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students, I found a significant […]
[…] doing research for my book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students, I found a significant […]
This is an excellent summary of at key problem. And yes, I agree with previous comments that the issue continues to return over time. However, instead of thinking of educating more entrepreneurs (ie. Zuckerman) I am more concerned with educating more students who are able to work in this technologically advanced environment. Why is it that we have skilled jobs unfilled today? How can we improve the competencies of students to work in this new, globally competitive world? As Young said, another set of standards to solve this problem is afoot and I am concerned with not repeating the past. This will be an exciting talk and I look forward to it.
Yong, I missed out on a copy of your new book at the EMR Conference – they were in high demand. But I will pursue this as your work inspires me to continue the dialogue with my school community to support the creativity and curiosity in my students. Thank you for an amazing couple of days. In answer to your question, ‘How do we find out what we are not good at?’ I believe it’s by taking risks and making mistakes…. As educators we must foster this, particularly in a climate where conservative parents do not. Thank you.
@Vicki – how interesting that you see teachers as non-entrepreneurial! My favourite teachers are those willing to try new ideas, open to feedback, and flexible enough to meet the current environment; these are entrepreneurial skills to me.
[…] My new book: World Class Learners: Educating Creative and … […]
[…] hace en su libro “World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students” (Corwin Press, 2012) –que podría traducirse como “Los estudiantes de la clase mundial: educar […]
[…] is based on the massive amount of evidence from a variety of sources he gathered for his new book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students (Corwin, 2012) and his Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of […]
[…] is based on the massive amount of evidence from a variety of sources he gathered for his new book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students(Corwin, 2012) and his Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of […]
[…] is based on the massive amount of evidence from a variety of sources he gathered for his new book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students(Corwin, 2012) and his Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of […]
[…] at OTC12 (Online Teaching Conference) in June, and was so inspired by the keynote speaker, Yong Zhao. He charted a new path for global learning, entrepreneurial teaching, and teaching to INDIVIDUALS, […]
[…] enabling and assisting learners in developing an entrepreneurial spirit. Yong Zhao in his book, World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students, proposes that learner entrepreneurship should be integrated into school curriculum due to the […]
[…] Zhao Learning website, May […]
Book of similar research, profiling several entrepreneurs’ childhood and educaiton is Tony Wagner’s Creating Young Innovators http://www.tonywagner.com/resources/creating-innovators.
He also put forward the idea that we need to “graduate all students Innovation-ready”. I see Yong Zhao’s work as parallel and similar, works together. I read Y.Z’s Catching Up or Leading the Way–very compelling.
[…] response was so great I am just going to copy and paste it: Yong Zhao (World Class Learners) says “Entrepreneurship is fundamentally about the desire to solve problems creatively.” He […]
Just finished the book today. I liked it. Felt like there were two audiences for the book: Intro through chapter 6 was for policy-makers; Chapters 7, 8, and 9 were practical application for teacher-types; and chapter 10 was a good self-evaluation tool on what I’m doing as a teacher.
I do like the first part of the book, but felt like you were “Preaching to the Choir” with me. I am resigned to continue to teach in public schools in the US and recognize that the current standardization is based on fear. I refuse to let the “standards” be my minimum and desire to reach my students’ desires for making a difference. So, the standards are our minimum.
I appreciate the conversation about Project Based vs. Product Oriented Learning. I will try to share the application through my Twitter account. Today, I signed up for your Twitter. Maybe I’ll see you there.
Dear Dr Zhao,
Please try harder to get your book to the person in Nigeria.
It would be global minded, need a creative idea and an entrepreneurial push if you managed to do it.
[…] should be cultivating a sense of enterprise in students. Yong Zhao in his brilliant new book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students, points to the almost inverse correlation between perceived entrepreneurial capability and […]
[…] and Brown assert that “students learn best when they are able to follow their passion.” Yong Zhao says that giving students choice rather than prescribing their learning “helps preserve […]
[…] to renowned educator Yong Zhoa, high-stakes testing creates more problems than provides answers and it doesn’t match success in […]
[…] to renowned educator Yong Zhoa, high-stakes testing creates more problems than provides answers and it doesn’t match success in […]
[…] to renowned educator Yong Zhoa, high-stakes testing creates more problems than provides answers and it doesn’t match success in […]
[…] […]
[…] doing research for his new book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students Yong Zhao compared the results of the PISA Math scores and the GEM (Global Entrepreneurship […]
[…] doing research for his new book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students Yong Zhao compared the results of the PISA Math scores and the GEM (Global Entrepreneurship […]
[…] to renowned educator Yong Zhoa, high-stakes testing creates more problems than provides answers and it doesn’t match success in […]
[…] to renowned educator Yong Zhoa, high-stakes testing creates more problems than provides answers and it doesn’t match success in […]
Dr. Zhao is such an inspiring speaker. Can’t wait to see the Education Ministers take the initiative to embrace the creative Entrepreneurial concept in education. To encourage and develop thinkers.
I am of the opinion that we need a curriculum for direction. Standards are essential – the key is not to limit the student to curriculum but in fact create an atmosphere to encourage thinkers who have the freedom of expression. Every student is allowed to modify or step up the curriculum to suit their talents and creativity. This puts a whole demand for creative teachers.
We live in a world where mistakes are penalised by golden handshakes. Comes the next employee and the mistake is repeated with a different slant. We wonder why.
[…] (Read more about why the Common Core won’t result in out-of-basement readiness and what needs to be done in my book World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students). […]
I am not quite finished your book however I am far enough along to say something:))
I have been doing contract work in Singapore’s public school system for almost 9 years. (I live in western Canada.) My focus has been curriculum design, specifically on designing learning, assessment and teaching for understanding. This began 9 years ago as “Understanding by Design” however trying to overlay a western idea on an eastern education culture is, as you know, like nailing jello to a tree. I have adapted the model while maintaining most of the important parts of the idea.
During my times in Singapore I have learned a great deal about their education system from the folks on the front line. Many of the teachers I have worked with would be thrilled to have the opportunity to move away from intense coverage of the curriculum and actually teach for deep learning. But they are constrained by the continuing emphasis on exams. And that is only getting worse as the stress of ‘important exams’ trickle lower into the elementary grades. I have some colleagues in Singapore whose young children’s teachers begin intense study for the grade 6 leaving exam at grade 3.
The Ministry might want to abolish the current system (p. 139) but they are not starting in the right place in my opinion – the emphasis on high-stakes testing. They have tinkered around the edges of exams eliminating the very stressful practice of identifying schools that do well and those that do not. It was called ‘banding’. I had several experiences while doing workshops when the teachers in the school came back after lunch having been told their school performed poorly and it was their fault. But the biggest impact of the practice was on parents who wanted to move their kids from a ‘low banded school’ to a ‘higher one’. The Ministry is having a very hard time convincing parents that schools, outside of Raffles and a few other elite schools, are basically doing the same great job.
For as long as they and the parents, teachers and students believe that it is the exams that make kids successful in life and the exams remain in formats that demand intense coverage at the classroom level, not much will change.
Three trips ago (last November) there was an article in the local newspaper (Straits-Times) about the 1billion dollar a year tutoring industry in Singapore. The article stated that most of the students are doing quite well and very well in school but want to make sure they get the highest possible scores on A or O level exams (or the Primary School Leaving Exam in gr. 6). Parents are paying a small fortune to hire tutors. (At least one ex-teacher was making 1 million a year.)
I could not agree more with your premise that the kind of schooling that results in high PISA scores (or A and O level scores in the Cambridge system) kills innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit. In the same paper on my last trip (June 2015) there was an article titled “For Singapore to innovate, ambitions, values need to change”. The article cited the lack of ability of many in the country to see things differently, to innovate. The writer cited lack of risk taking in business and industry in the country. There were other ideas, all of which support your premise in your book.
I am wondering if you think the political systems in places like Singapore and China throw up some barriers to moving towards a western way of thinking about learning, innovation…? For example, in the first 5-6 years in taxi cabs in Singapore NO ONE would say anything negative about the government. That is loosening up a bit however that mind set around authority as ‘untouchable’ is very powerful in schools and other work places in the country.
Thank you for writing the book. It has helped me know that I am ‘not seeing things’. It is a struggle here at home to listen to educators sing the praises of countries that score high on international tests and aspire to the same. My last thought: 6 years ago an Irish mom showed up in one of my “UbD” workshops in Singapore. She and her husband had moved to Singapore for the kids’ education. They were very unhappy with the Irish system. She attended the series over the 14 months. Towards the end of the series she told she had moved the kids to an International school in Singapore because the public system was so terribly stressful on her them and they were not learning anything of value.
I am hoping to hear you in Vancouver at the end of this month.
Regards
Susan Clayton
[…] Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students, a book by Yong Zhao… http://zhaolearning.com/2012/05/25/my-new-book-world-class-learners-educating-creative-and-entrepren… What are Entrepreneurs really like? Originals, by Adam Grant […]
[…] to renowned educator Yong Zhoa, high-stakes testing creates more problems than provides answers and it doesn’t match success in […]
Feel free to comment:
The views expressed on this site are entirely my own. They do not represent my employer or any other organization/institution. All comments are subject to approval.Archive
07.29.24 AI Has Little to Contribute to Traditional Education: Problems and Possibilities
03.17.24 Focused: Understanding, Negotiating, and Maximizing Your Influence as a School Leader
02.25.24 What Happened to Global Competence?
08.05.23 Rethinking the time spent at school: Could flexibility improve engagement and performance for students and teachers?
01.17.23 Introduction to Improbable Probabilities: The Unlikely Journey of Yong Zhao
01.05.23 How Not to Kill Creativity?
08.19.22 Preface to Improbable Probabilities: The Unlikely Journey of Yong Zhao
02.05.22 Introduction to New Book: Learning for Uncertainty: Teaching Students How to Thrive in a Rapidly Evolving World
09.25.21 Side effects in education: Taxonomy of educational outcomes
07.13.21 Introduction to My New Book: Learners without Borders
03.09.21 New article: Build back better: Avoid the learning loss trap
02.18.21 New article: The changes we need: Education post COVID-19
09.15.20 Watch Ep4 Creativity in Crisis: How well is creativity understood? A Conversation with Barb Kerr, Haiying Long, Ron Beghetto, & Yong Zhao
08.15.20 Can Creativity be Taught? Ep 3 of Creativity in Crisis on August 28th 3:00-4:00pm Pacific Time
07.13.20 Speak a Different Language: Reimagine the Grammar of Schooling
Tag Cloud
Accountability achievement gap CCSSO China/Chinese Commissioner Common Core Standards education Educational Policy Education Reforms national standards New York NGA Singapore standardized testing Standards student performance
WP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck and Luke Morton requires Flash Player 9 or better.
Silverliningforlearning
Most Commented
Most Viewed
Views expressed on this site are entirely personal. They do not necessarily represent the official positions or views of my employer
Powered by WordPress | Log in | Entries (RSS) | Comments (RSS) | Arthemia theme by Michael Hutagalung