The Global Search for Education: The New UN Agenda - What is the Role of Education?
"Educators have an opportunity to engage students in shared problem solving towards the goals, and the responsibility to instill in the next generation a deep understanding of the power of informed action and the perils of inaction. The students of today will be the emerging leaders in 2030." -- Karen Cator
"Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" has set a plan of action in 5 areas: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) and 169 targets represent a bold and ambitious universal agenda that aims to build on the Millennium Development Goals; to complete what these did not achieve and then go much further. The Agenda's key goal and "the greatest global challenge" of the SDG's is to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030, with the pledge that "no one will be left behind."
What role can education and learning play in achieving the critical goals for the new UN Agenda?
24 debaters from 11 countries will explore answers to the question in the Education Fast Forward live global debate on September 24. EFF Trustee and Education World Forum Director, Gavin Dykes, will chair the debate.
EFF guest speaker, Karen Cator, is President and CEO of Digital Promise and is a leading voice for transforming American education through technology, innovation and research. From 2009-2013, Karen was Director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education, where she led the development of the 2010 National Education Technology Plan. Prior to joining the department, Cator directed Apple's leadership and advocacy efforts in education. It is our pleasure to welcome Karen to The Global Search for Education.
Karen, what do you see as the key roles for education and educators building on the agenda of the "Transforming our World" summit at the UN?
Few would disagree that education is an urgent global priority for the health and prosperity of individuals, families, communities and nations. And, an enlightened and engaged education system will certainly support the attainment of the 17 new goals. To that end, students can be challenged to design solutions to problems associated with the goals. Problems are best solved through diplomacy, collaboration and the sharing of agendas, ideas, resources and solutions; and schools can and should help students develop the complex set of skills required for doing so. Educators have an opportunity to engage students in shared problem solving towards the goals, and the responsibility to instill in the next generation a deep understanding of the power of informed action and the perils of inaction. The students of today will be the emerginThe Global Search for Education: The New UN Agenda - What is the Role of Education? | C. M. Rubin:
