Education for the Knowledge Economy

Abstract

In the changes that have occurred in western education in the last two decades we have seen national education systems moving from what would have been called a liberal education, to what is, essentially, a technocratic and entrepreneurial education, preparing the young for work in the knowledge economy. As an exemplar, previously, in New Zealand technology education was done in science departments in the universities, in industry and in polytechnics and technical institutions, under day release or as part of an apprenticeship schemes. Now polytechnics have either become universities or offer university studies approved by the National Committee on Educational Achievements (the national degree awarding authority). Whereas, prior to the late 1980s, industry shared the cost of qualification, this has mainly been abandoned, and the cost of acquiring qualifications has been placed more fully upon educational institutions, including schools, and upon the learner.1 As a result the problems of entering the knowledge economy – knowledge and professional skills – have also been pushed back upon secondary, and perhaps primary education. This is part of the educationalisation of national, economic and social difficulties, if not problems. In this chapter my concern is with the strategies employed to initiate these changes in education rather than specifically with the content of such changes. As a premise the writings of Jean-Francois Lyotard (1984) characterized the type of knowledge that would be required in the emerging knowledge economies. It would be that of useful and saleable knowledge, and that the criteria for success across institutions would be that of performativity. These criteria will not be elaborated upon here but assumed in what follows. Returning to New Zealand, initially the new subject of technology was introduced into the national educational curriculum (1993) and what were known as practical subjects like sewing and cooking become, in the new terminology, fabric technology and food technology. As my late wife, a domestic science teacher, commented on such curriculum changes, children may not be able in future to sew