College Learning for the New Global Century - 2

"In the twenty-first century, the world itself is setting very high expectations for knowledge and skill. In this context, educators and employers have begun to reach similar conclusions— an emerging consensus— about the kinds of learning Americans need from college."

In the twenty-first century, the world itself is setting very high expectations for knowledge and skill. This report—based on extensive input from both educators and employers—responds to these new global challenges. It describes the learning contemporary students need from college, and what it will take to help them achieve it.

Preparing Students for Twenty-First-Century Realities
In recent years, the ground has shifted for Americans in virtually every important sphere of life—economic, global, cross-cultural, environmental, civic.The world is being dramatically reshaped by scientific and technological innovations, global interdependence, cross-cultural encounters, and changes in the balance of economic and political power. Only a few years ago, Americans envisioned a future in which this nation would be the world’s only superpower. Today, it is clear that the United States—and individual Americans—will be challenged to engage in unprecedented ways with the global community, collaboratively and competitively. These waves of dislocating change will only intensify. The world in which today’s students will make choices and compose lives is one of disruption rather than certainty, and of interdependence rather than insularity.This volatility also applies to careers. Studies show that Americans already change jobs ten times in the two decades after they turn eighteen, with such change even more frequent for younger workers. Taking stock of these developments, educators and employers have begun to reach similar conclusions—an emerging consensus—about the kinds of learning Americans need from college. The recommendations in this report are informed by the views of employers, by new standards in a number of the professions, and by a multiyear dialogue with hundreds of colleges, community colleges, and universities about the aims and best practices for a twenty-first-century education. Across all these centers of dialogue, a new vision for learning is coming into view. The goal of this report is to move from off-camera analysis to public priorities and action.

What Matters in College?
American college students already know that they want a degree. The challenge is to help students become highly intentional about the forms of learning and accomplishment that the degree should represent. The LEAP National Leadership Council calls on American society to give new priority to a set of educational outcomes that all students need from higher learning, outcomes that are closely calibrated with the challenges of a complex and volatile world. Keyed to work, life, and citizenship, the essential learning outcomes recommended in this report (see next page) are important for all students and should be fostered and developed across the entire educational experience, and in the context of students’ major

2 AAC&U | Executive Summary

College Learning for the New Global Century

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of College Learning for the New Global Century