parents/guardians

1 in 2 graduates believe their college major didn’t prepare them for today’s market — from hrdive.com by Carolyn Crist
Respondents said they felt unprepared in numerous ways, especially finding a job after graduation and navigating student debt and personal finances.

As today’s college graduates struggle to start a steady career, 1 in 2 Americans say their college major didn’t prepare them for the job market, according to a June 18 report from Preply.

Beyond that, 1 in 6 Americans who went to college said they regret it. When thinking about their college experience, college graduates said their top regrets included taking out student loans, not networking more and not doing internships.

College graduates said they felt unprepared in numerous ways, especially finding a job after graduation and navigating student debt and personal finances.

From DSC:
The Career Placement Office at Northwestern University did not help build my skills to get a job, at all. I had no clue what I was doing. I had no idea what networking was even about, nor the power of it, and why it would be useful throughout my career. They provided conference rooms for interviews to occur…and that was about it, at least in my experience. In terms of my education, I didn’t get any real-world experience (such as apprenticeships, internships, capstone courses, etc.), nor did I pick up many practical or technical skills.

Driving Culture Change in Higher Education — from jeffselingo.com by Jeff Selingo

The call for transformation in higher education has never been louder, yet the path forward remains unclear for many institutions. Leaders often struggle with the “how” of meaningful change. This five-part playbook by higher education author and strategist Jeff Selingo as well as other experts draws on proven methodologies to provide clear, actionable guidance from mapping current institutional culture to sustaining long-term momentum.

Employers’ emphasis on skilled trades lost on Gen Z: Harris poll — from facilitiesdive.com
Young workers don’t realize going into the trades can offer good pay more quickly than pursuing a college-based career, the report says.

A mismatch exists between the importance employers are putting on skilled trades and how the generation that’s newly joining the workforce views those jobs, a Harris poll finds.

Gen Z, the oldest members of which are 28, is the age cohort least focused on skilled trades, in part because they’re misinformed about the jobs, says the report based on 2,200 respondents to survey questions posted online in June.

“Only 38% of Gen Z says skilled trades offer the best job opportunities today” and “only 36% strongly agree skilled trades offer a faster and more affordable path to a good career,” the report says.

What borrowers should know about student loan changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill [Turner]

On 07/27/2025, in change, colleges, community colleges, cost of getting a degree, funding / grants, higher education, parents/guardians, society, student-related, surviving, United States, universities, by Daniel Christian

What borrowers should know about student loan changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill — from npr.org by Cory Turner

If you’re a federal student loan borrower or about to become one, your head may be spinning.

On July 4, when President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law, he also greenlit a history-making overhaul of the federal student loan system — one that will affect the lives of many, if not most, of the United States’ nearly 43 million student loan borrowers.

And boy is it a lot to unpack, with new, tighter borrowing limits and dramatically reduced repayment options, to name just a few of the sweeping changes.

Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, borrowers in SAVE will have to change plans by July 1, 2028, when SAVE will be officially shut down. If they wait, though they currently can’t be required to make payments, they will see their loans explode with interest.

Some wisdom for us

On 07/27/2025, in faith, global, hearts -- matters of the heart, parents/guardians, relationships, religion, youth, by Daniel Christian

Matthew 16:15-16

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Psalm 112:5

Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.

Matthew 6:33

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

[Gifted article from NY Times] I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students. [O’Rourke]

On 07/24/2025, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, career development, change, colleges, communications, community colleges, cost of getting a degree, creativity, digital learning, education, education technology, emerging technologies, expectations, experimentation, faculty/staff, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, IT in HE, K-12 related, learning, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, liberal arts, Open AI, pace of change, parents/guardians, skills, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, technologies for your home, tools, United States, universities, vendors, writing, by Daniel Christian

I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students. — from nytimes.com by Meghan O’Rourke; this is a gifted article.

We need a coherent approach grounded in understanding how the technology works, where it is going and what it will be used for.

From DSC:
I almost feel like Meghan should right the words “this week” or “this month” after the above sentence. Whew! Things are moving fast.

For example, we’re now starting to see more agents hitting the scene — software that can DO things. But that can open up a can of worms too.

Students know the ground has shifted — and that the world outside the university expects them to shift with it. A.I. will be part of their lives regardless of whether we approve. Few issues expose the campus cultural gap as starkly as this one.ce

From DSC:
Universities and colleges have little choice but to integrate AI into their programs and offerings. There’s enough pressure on institutions of traditional higher education to prove their worth/value. Students and their families want solid ROI’s. Students know that they are going to need AI-related skills (see the link immediately below for example), or they are going to be left out of the competitive job search process.

A relevant resource here:

New Lightcast Report: AI Skills Command 28% Salary Premium as Demand Shifts Beyond Tech Industry — from lightcast.io; via Paul Fain
First-of-its-kind analysis reveals specific AI skills employers need most, enabling targeted workforce training strategies across all career areas

A handful of scripture verses for when you are going through some very tough times

On 07/14/2025, in Emotion, faith, global, hearts -- matters of the heart, parents/guardians, relationships, religion, society, youth, by Daniel Christian

Psalms 54:4

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

Psalms 55:16

As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.

Psalms 55:22

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

Psalms 57:1

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.

To Bullied and Bored Teens, North Star Offers ‘Unschooling’ — and a Cup of Ramen [Toppo]

On 07/14/2025, in Alternatives, education, education reform, ideas, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, more voice more choice more control, parents/guardians, student-related, surviving, United States, by Daniel Christian

To Bullied and Bored Teens, North Star Offers ‘Unschooling’ — and a Cup of Ramen — from the74million.org by Greg Toppo
‘We tend not to get your football player, cheerleader, sports team kids,’ says the school’s founder. ‘But we get all the kids they pick on.’

For 29 years, the private, non-profit center — don’t call it a school — has been a refuge for kids who chafe at the stress, loneliness or bullying of school. They spend a few months or a few years here, catching their breath as they prepare for life after graduation.

With an enrollment of 65, it offers rigorous, one-on-one tutoring; small, personalized classes in history, math, writing and the arts, and extracurriculars like weekly hiking club excursions. This year, young people designed and taught three courses on Dungeons & Dragons.

“You’re accountable to yourself. Is this the life you want?”

Kenneth Danford

While most mainstream educators would say letting young people “do nothing” for a year is out of the question, he sees it differently: In the unschooling world, he said, “there’s no such thing as ‘doing nothing.’ ”

This one is for the youth out there.

On 07/14/2025, in business, Daniel S. Christian, higher education, K-12 related, parents/guardians, productivity / tips and tricks, relationships, skills, society, student-related, surviving, United States, vision/possibilities, workplace, youth, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
This one is for the youth out there. Learn these lessons NOW, before you go too much further in your journey here on Earth. If you do, you will reap the benefits of this learning for the rest of your days.

As I mentioned to our own kids when I forwarded this article to them:

My dad passed along a bit of wisdom to me when he told me what *his* dad (my Grandpa Christian) had told him:

“If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.”

I’ve always remembered that and I *try* to do quality work.

The following article is worth your time. It touches upon a similar idea:
.

You’re Always Building Your Own House— from sahilbloom.com by Sahil Bloom; with thanks to Roberto Ferraro for this resource
.

I pass it along to help us *try* to do quality things and work…but NOT to load up unrealistic expectations on ourselves or create a harried, perfectionistic lifestyle.

Excerpt:

An old carpenter told his boss that he planned to retire. The boss was sad to lose the carpenter, but understood.

He asked if he’d stick around for one last job—to build one final house.

The carpenter reluctantly agreed, figuring he could get it done quickly. He cut corners, used cheap materials, and rushed through the work.

When the house was done, his boss arrived for the final inspection. But instead of walking the house, he reached into his pocket, and handed the carpenter the keys.

“This is your house,” his boss smiled, “My retirement gift to you.”

The carpenter was stunned. If he’d known he was building his own house, he would have done it differently. Now he’d have to live in a house he had built none too well.

The lesson: You’re always building your own house.

Building a fully interactive, scenario-based training video in 45 minutes + other items re: AI in our learning ecosystems

On 07/12/2025, in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, education, education technology, faculty/staff, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), instructional design, intelligent systems, IT in HE, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, liberal arts, Microsoft, Open AI, parents/guardians, pedagogy, productivity / tips and tricks, professional development, teachers, teaching & learning, tools, training / L&D, United States, universities, using teams, vendors, writing, by Daniel Christian

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Tech check: Innovation in motion: How AI is rewiring L&D workflows — from chieflearningofficer.com by Gabrielle Pike
AI isn’t here to replace us. It’s here to level us up.

For today’s chief learning officer, the days of just rolling out compliance training are long gone. In 2025, learning and development leaders are architects of innovation, crafting ecosystems that are agile, automated and AI-infused. This quarter’s Tech Check invites us to pause, assess and get strategic about where tech is taking us. Because the goal isn’t more tools—it’s smarter, more human learning systems that scale with the business.

Sections include:

The state of AI in L&D: Hype vs. reality
AI in design: From static content to dynamic experiences
AI in development: Redefining production workflows
Strategic questions CLOs should be asking
Future forward: What’s next?
Closing thought

American Federation of Teachers (AFT) to Launch National Academy for AI Instruction with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic and United Federation of Teachers — from aft.org

NEW YORK – The AFT, alongside the United Federation of Teachers and lead partner Microsoft Corp., founding partner OpenAI, and Anthropic, announced the launch of the National Academy for AI Instruction today. The groundbreaking $23 million education initiative will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all 1.8 million members of the AFT, starting with K-12 educators. It will be based at a state-of-the-art bricks-and-mortar Manhattan facility designed to transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States.

The academy will help address the gap in structured, accessible AI training and provide a national model for AI-integrated curriculum and teaching that puts educators in the driver’s seat.

Students Are Anxious about the Future with A.I. Their Parents Are, Too. — from educationnext.org by Michael B. Horn
The fast-growing technology is pushing families to rethink the value of college

In an era when the college-going rate of high school graduates has dropped from an all-time high of 70 percent in 2016 to roughly 62 percent now, AI seems to be heightening the anxieties about the value of college.

According to the survey, two-thirds of parents say AI is impacting their view of the value of college. Thirty-seven percent of parents indicate they are now scrutinizing college’s “career-placement outcomes”; 36 percent say they are looking at a college’s “AI-skills curriculum,” while 35 percent respond that a “human-skills emphasis” is important to them.

This echoes what I increasingly hear from college leadership: Parents and students demand to see a difference between what they are getting from a college and what they could be “learning from AI.”

This next item on LinkedIn is compliments of Ray Schroeder:

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How to Prepare Students for a Fast-Moving (AI)World — from rdene915.com by Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth

Preparing for a Future-Ready Classroom
Here are the core components I focus on to prepare students:

1. Unleash Creativity and Problem-Solving.
2. Weave in AI and Computational Thinking.
3. Cultivate Resilience and Adaptability.

AI Is Reshaping Learning Roles—Here’s How to Future-Proof Your Team — from onlinelearningconsortium.org by Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D., CEO, Online Learning Consortium; via Robert Gibson on LinkedIn

Culture matters here. Organizations that foster psychological safety—where experimentation is welcomed and mistakes are treated as learning—are making the most progress. When leaders model curiosity, share what they’re trying, and invite open dialogue, teams follow suit. Small tests become shared wins. Shared wins build momentum.

Career development must be part of this equation. As roles evolve, people will need pathways forward. Some will shift into new specialties. Others may leave familiar roles for entirely new ones. Making space for that evolution—through upskilling, mobility, and mentorship—shows your people that you’re not just investing in AI, you’re investing in them.

And above all, people need transparency. Teams don’t expect perfection. But they do need clarity. They need to understand what’s changing, why it matters, and how they’ll be supported through it. That kind of trust-building communication is the foundation for any successful change.

These shifts may play out differently across sectors—but the core leadership questions will likely be similar.

AI marks a turning point—not just for technology, but for how we prepare our people to lead through disruption and shape the future of learning.

.

“Why do we treat the syllabus like a liability waiver instead of a roadmap?” [Poff]

On 07/12/2025, in adjunct faculty, colleges, community colleges, computer science, content development, aggregation, repositories, digital learning, digital video, education, education technology, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, faculty/staff, Google, higher education, history, homeschooling/homeschoolers, ideas, instructional design, K-12 related, languages and translation, learning, Learning Experience Design, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning preferences, learning spaces, mathematics, parents/guardians, pedagogy, platforms, productivity / tips and tricks, programming, science, STEAM-related, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, technologies for your home, tools, United States, universities, writing, youth, by Daniel Christian

Speaking of items involving teaching and learning, also see:

Reflections on “Special Education Myth Busting” [Phillips-Krivicka]

On 07/11/2025, in Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), Daniel S. Christian, education, education reform, instructional design, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, neurodivergent/special needs, parents/guardians, participation, personalized/customized learning, student-related, teachers, traditional / tradition, United States, youth, by Daniel Christian

Special Education Myth Busting — from gettingsmart.com by Karla Phillips-Krivicka

Key Points

At least 85% of students with disabilities can learn and achieve on grade level.
14% of all U.S. students have a disability.

No belief is more damaging in education than the misperception that children with disabilities cannot really succeed and shouldn’t be challenged to reach the same high standards as all children.

Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education

From DSC:
One of our kids — actually, who is no longer a kid anymore — was born with Mosaic Down Syndrome. Looking back on her K-12 years, first through fifth grade went very well — which my wife and I were very grateful for. (We didn’t know what each year would bring and whether she would be able to move on to the next grade.)

But sixth and seventh grades were very rough. At the end of seventh grade, we decided to homeschool our daughter. The system she was in — like so many school systems across the nation — was meant to address the 80% of students who are neither gifted nor have special needs. The quickly-moving trains leave at such and such a time and then stop at such and such a time. One better keep up. This traditional system is a one-size-fits-all approach, and it’s something we do for administrative purposes — it’s not for the benefit of the kids within K-12 schools.

K-12 education in America is a like a quickly moving train that stops for no one.

After a few years of both homeschooling and Christian education, it turned out that our daughter was able to learn almost all of the subjects in high school. But she needed to learn ON HER TIMELINE…AT HER OWN PACE of learning.

We’re proud of her. She has had a couple of jobs already and is doing quite well overall. Her motivation has been very low at times, which made homeschooling very tough. But, overall, I would agree with Karla Phillips-Krivicka’s key point that at least 85% of students with disabilities can learn and achieve at grade level. That’s been true for our daughter who has some special needs.

Microschools’ Diversity of Educational Models [Soifer]

On 07/07/2025, in Alternatives, education, faith, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, learning preferences, parents/guardians, religion, society, student-related, teachers, United States, by Daniel Christian

Microschools’ Diversity of Educational Models — from microschoolingcenter.org by Don Soifer

The microschooling sector’s robust diversity of educational approaches is often described by the families who choose it as among its most appealing attributes. The wide range of approaches offered, and the many ways different approaches are combined within different microschooling models, offer families options usually not currently available in the communities they live.

And while many of these approaches, like project-based learning, are popular across all of American education, within the smaller, more personalized and responsive context of a microschool, educators are able to take advantage of their flexibility to delve more deeply into the possibilities of each than they were in the more rigid structures of most traditional schools.

According to 2025 research published by the National Microschooling Center, microschool leaders reported that project-based learning is the most popular educational approach used (72 percent). Respondents were asked to indicate all that apply, so microschools typically indicated incorporating multiple approaches.

“If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe.” [Newsom]

On 06/11/2025, in change, Emotion, ethics, game-changing environment, law schools, leadership, legislatures / government / legal, morals/values, pace of change, parents/guardians, society, sociology, trends, United States, youth, by Daniel Christian

California will keep fighting on behalf of all our people including in the courts.

If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe.

Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least… pic.twitter.com/7qXkrLopkc

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 11, 2025

From DSC:
And regarding this weekend, what an incredible waste of money to put the military on display (for his own birthday). This smacks of what arrogant dictators do. It’s big-time ugly.

If our justice system had done its job, this arrogant lawbreaker and convicted criminal would be in jail right now. No wonder he has no regard for the legal system, the Constitution, or the law — those things don’t serve his interests. They impede his interests. And thank God for that! In fact, may true leaders rise up within the Legislative and Judicial Branches of our government. The latter is our best chance of keeping our democracy, as the Republican Party has ceded all of their power — and responsibility — over to Donald Trump. They are not leaders in any sense of the word.

But whatever happens, ultimately, there WILL be justice.

Is America being humbled? Or is it being destroyed?

Trump Is Getting the Military Parade He Wanted in His First Term — from nytimes.com by Helene Cooper
There will be 28 Abrams tanks, 6,700 soldiers, 50 helicopters, 34 horses, two mules and a dog, according to the Army’s plans for the June 14 event.

In President Trump’s first term, the Pentagon opposed his desire for a military parade in Washington, wanting to keep the armed forces out of politics.

But in Mr. Trump’s second term, that guardrail has vanished. There will be a parade this year, and on the president’s 79th birthday, no less.

The current plan involves a tremendous scene in the center of Washington: 28 M1A1 Abrams tanks (at 70 tons each for the heaviest in service); 28 Stryker armored personnel carriers; more than 100 other vehicles; a World War II-era B-25 bomber; 6,700 soldiers; 50 helicopters; 34 horses; two mules; and a dog.

So much for saving the planet. Climate careers, and many others, evaporate for class of 2025 [Lanahan]

On 06/09/2025, in Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), career development, change, colleges, community colleges, parents/guardians, research, society, student-related, surviving, United States, universities, workplace, by Daniel Christian

So much for saving the planet. Climate careers, and many others, evaporate for class of 2025 — from hechingerreport.org by Lawrence Lanahan
The Trump administration is disrupting career paths for new graduates hoping to work in climate and sustainability, international aid, public service and the sciences

As the class of 2025 enters the workforce, the Trump administration has dismantled career pathways for graduates interested in climate and sustainability work, international aid, public service and research across the natural, behavioral and social sciences. Federal jobs are disappearing, and the administration is eliminating grants and agency divisions that sustain university research programs and nonprofits that are crucial to launching careers.

The National Science Foundation, for example, halved graduate research fellowships, canceled some undergraduate research grants, stopped awarding new grants, froze funding for existing ones, and eliminated several hundred grants for focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion. In March, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced 10,000 layoffs at his agency, the Department of Health and Human Services; earlier buyouts and firings had already cut another 10,000 jobs.

Astronaut one day, artist the next: How to help children explore the world of careers [Bussewitz]

On 06/09/2025, in apprenticeships, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, business, career development, education, engagement / engaging students, ideas, parents/guardians, participation, passions, skills, society, sociology, vision/possibilities, vocational / trades, workplace, youth, by Daniel Christian

Astronaut one day, artist the next: How to help children explore the world of careers — from apnews.com by Cathy Bussewitz

Sometimes career paths follow a straight line, with early life ambitions setting us on a clear path to training or a degree and a specific profession. Just as often, circumstance, luck, exposure and a willingness to adapt to change influence what we do for a living.
…
Developmental psychologists and career counselors recommend exposing children to a wide variety of career paths at a young age.

“It’s not so that they’ll pick a career, but that they will realize that there’s lots of opportunities and not limit themselves out of careers,” said Jennifer Curry, a Louisiana State University professor who researches career and college readiness.

Preparing for a world of AI
In addition to exposing children to career routes through early conversations and school courses, experts recommend teaching children about artificial intelligence and how it is reshaping the world and work.

These parents are ‘unschooling’ their kids. What does that mean? — from usatoday.com by Adrianna Rodriguez

“My goal for them is for them to love learning,” Franco said. “It’s realizing you can educate your child beyond the school model.”

Some parents say their children are thriving in the unschooling environment, fueling their confidence and desire to learn.

But not all students find success in unschooling. Some former students say the lack of structure and accountability can lead to educational neglect if parents don’t have the resources to make it work. Some kids who were unschooled feel they were left unprepared for adulthood and had fewer career opportunities.

What Is ‘Unschooling’ and Why Are More Parents Doing It? — from bckonline.com byTiffany Silva

Unschooling is a growing alternative education movement where children learn through life experiences instead of traditional classroom instruction. As more parents seek personalized and flexible learning paths, unschooling is gaining popularity across the U.S. and here’s what you need to know!

So, just what exactly is unschooling? Well, Unschooling is a form of homeschooling that breaks away from the idea of following a set curriculum. Instead, it centers the child’s interests, passions, and pace.

The belief is that learning doesn’t have to be separate from life because it is life. Unschooling functions on the premise that when kids are given the freedom to explore, they develop deep, authentic understanding and a lifelong love of learning.

Learning Ecosystems

Some wisdom for us

A handful of scripture verses for when you are going through some very tough times

“If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe.” [Newsom]

Is America being humbled? Or is it being destroyed?

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