Education in a Rapidly Changing World: Bridging the Generation Gap
By Lauren Bean

In the fall of 2002, during the buildup to the war in Iraq, the National Strategy Forum (NSF) hired me as communications manager and editor of the National Strategy Forum Review (NSFR). Working for a non-partisan national security organization during a tumultuous period in US history was a profound experience, especially for a green college graduate. On any given day, I interacted on a peer level with highly educated, experienced adults with a collective historical perspective going back to World War II. During NSFR editorial board meetings and NSF Forum events, I was privy to balanced, substantive discussions about US national security and foreign policy, which – much to my dismay – highlighted my knowledge deficit in the areas of geography and history. My day-to-day tasks exposed additional "areas for improvement." I learned quickly that I was not only ill prepared for the policy sector, but also the real world. Were other recent college graduates experiencing the same identity crisis?

This period of introspection was compounded by my brother’s deployment to Iraq in 2003. Suddenly, my personal and professional worlds converged. At the bars on weekends, I observed the generally lopsided discussions among young professionals and recent college graduates regarding the Iraq war, the Bush administration, and the lack of an American ethos. Much of what was said was regurgitated verbatim from whatever analyses were saturating the newspapers at the time. I listened to a lot of "I hate America!" Often, I was left with one thought: my generation (myself included) does not know enough about a lot. Rather than channeling my older colleagues to inform these discussions (When Truman was President…!"), I began contemplating this apparent information gap. This isn't to suggest my generation is disengaged, disinterested, or not entitled to an opinion, but the experience of an older generation can offer critical insights - warts and all.

There may be many factors that explain this trend, but I identified two major gaps during my employment with the NSF and have discussed them widely with my peers: (1) a generation gap between young and old in America and a resultant lack of information sharing; (2) a lack of understanding of the complexities of current events (the war in Iraq, globalization, anti-Americanism, etc.), particularly for my peers who have a narrow historical perspective (Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr.) and have limited or no personal exposure to the adverse effects of war.

The generation gap is not a new phenomenon. Today, however, it might be more cause for concern than it has been in the past. Younger generations are rushing onto a much different playing field in the globalizing world, and most are unprepared. We cannot halt a rapidly changing world (nor do we want to), but we can tap into our older generations’ wealth of knowledge to better prepare the next generation of US leadership. One of the best places to bridge this gap is in the higher learning environment.

College is the most formative period for young people who are fortunate enough to have the opportunity. For most young adults, it is the last stop before entering the professional world. Postsecondary institutions have a responsibility to engineer an adaptive, integrative model of learning that goes beyond traditional curriculum. The classroom provides an opportunity for the kind of generational sharing, or bridging, which can give young adults the balance of practical and theoretical information they need to prepare for their professional lives. And yet this opportunity is often lost, resulting in serious educational and professional gaps.

As a 20-something professional, I do not have the scope, the experience, or the expertise to dissect specific curricula. But I can offer insights regarding the fundamental gaps in postsecondary education that I identified while working with the NSF, sponging off of my older peers and wishing they had been teaching some of my college courses. These gaps include: critical thinking, writing, and common sense.

Critical Thinking

I did not understand, nor was I taught, that critical thinking is a disciplined thought process and skill that must be identified, honed, and exercised continually. My mentors taught me to break down every issue into its constituent parts, analyzing each of those parts, asking questions, and anticipating every possible consequence and outcome. From the broken copy machine to the North Korean nuclear threat, these regular problem-solving exercises enabled me to think pragmatically about more complex issues and act decisively.

Cultivating critical thinking at the college level, if not earlier, is imperative, especially for students interested in policymaking and national security. The absence of critical thinking in young adults can be severely limiting. Critical thinking can: (1) reshape how younger generations define their career paths; (2) yield the type of innovative thinking the globalized world demands; and (3) improve students’ effectiveness and marketability in the global economy.

Writing

I wrote countless papers in college, but it never occurred to me, nor was it brought to my attention, that I had sub-marginal writing skills. I do not purport to be the next Hemingway, but my writing skills have vastly improved since graduating from college. After six months with the NSF, I became desensitized to the sight of red ink on paper. But the rigorous regimen of writing, editing, rewriting, editing, rewriting (again), editing, and then reviewing prior to the next assignment, produced tangible results. My writing improved as my critical thinking skills concretized, and I began putting pen to paper when analyzing a complex policy issue. These two skills are mutually beneficial and should be a fundamental part of every young adult’s college curriculum.

It’s unfair and unrealistic to suggest that every professor spend three hours line-editing each student’s paper. However, it might be practical to develop an intensive college writing curriculum beyond "An Introduction to College Writing," similar to a second language curriculum. All first and second year students would be required to take writing courses, which would qualify them for "basic" level. The writing curriculum would then be specialized by major – political science, marketing, etc. Students would be required to qualify for intermediate and advanced certification in writing within their respective majors prior to graduation.

Common Sense

Most young people lack common sense, or perhaps they lack the critical thinking skills to make good use of their common sense – the information and understanding that comes with life and work experience. Regardless, filling the common sense gap simply requires balance: a warts-and-all account of life. The inclusion of common sense training in education would be particularly beneficial for new college graduates. Professors, for example, might share their individual experiences or anecdotes about their first job or their PhD. It is important to remember that young people need to know what it is really like in the real world.

Entering the workforce can be scary, because there are a lot of crazy and lazy people in this world, and they are not always tagged. In The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman argues that careers in science, engineering, and technology will be in high demand in the globalized world. I might include social workers and therapists in that grouping.

Prior to my position with the NSF, I had a brief stint as a legal assistant with the intellectual property division of a leading law firm in my hometown of Chicago. As a political science major, a position with a law firm seemed like the most logical next step, and most of my peers accepted similar positions. The job was a bust. I spent my time surfing the Internet (which was a direct order from my boss whose priorities did not include molding a recent college graduate into a capable, highly effective professional), doing data entry, and filing.

Three years after my time at the NSF, I left with a workplace education. But, like the rest of my generation, I am a work in progress, struggling some days and striding along others, and my experience was unusual - I was lucky. Not enough educators and managers invest the time to properly mentor fledgling young adults. Surviving in this increasingly competitive world necessitates this level of mentorship, which should become part of college curricula.

In a brave new world, filling the information gap for the younger generation is essential. Emphasizing critical thinking, writing, and common sense in education can mean the difference between capitalizing on a significant investment of time and money and convulsing at the mention of Sallie Mae. More importantly, creating a system for information sharing between young and old can inform and guide the academic community’s transition away from traditional approaches to anticipate the needs of future generations. Education is a shared responsibility for parents, educators, and employers. So, think of everything you wish you knew before, during, or after college and share this information with as many young adults as you can. It will benefit them in the long run and help them make better decisions for all of our futures. •

Lauren Bean is editor of the National Strategy Forum Review.