Connecting the Dots

A Gwendolyn Trotter Production

Connecting the Dots A Gwendolyn Trotter Production With a little help from her friends

Let’s start with our “Dot #1” – Dr. Joe A. Lee, President, Alabama State University (2006, August 16)

“There’s a mousetrap in the farmhouse.”

And his famous Einstein quote….

However, it is not only that if we keep doing what we have always done we will not move ahead. If we keep doing what we have always done, we are even unlikely to achieve the same success as in the past, as conditions change.

Thomas Friedman helps us to see the mousetrap and understand Einstein a little better… he helps us to

CONNECT THE DOTS

The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century Thomas L. Friedman Pulitzer Prize Winning Author New York Times Journalist

How Many of You Have Read This Book on Globalization?

Christopher Columbus assumed the world was round and that he could reach India by going west from Spain.

He miscalculated the distance and could not find a water route through the Americas. However, he was glad to make the Indians he met his slaves and to take their riches for Spain.

Thomas Friedman set out for India, from the US. He flew east, via Europe.

He, too, found Indians, but instead of seeking their gold, silver, silk, and spices, he found software, brainpower, knowledge workers, and call centers.

What Friedman found shook his faith in the notion that the world is round. He found Americans in India and Indians who had taken American names.

He found Indians doing imitations of American accents and running call centers, software labs, banking operations, accounting operations, etc.

He learned that in 2003, 25,000 US tax returns were done in India. In 2004, that number rose to 100,000. Last year it was estimated to be 400,000.

Next year????

There are currently about 245,000 Indians answering phones from all over the world or dialing out to solicit people for credit cards or cell phones.

In America, these were low- wage, low-prestige jobs. In India, they became high-wage, high-prestige jobs. India competes for them.

The Globalizing World When you live in China and are “one in a million,” there are 1,300 other people who are also “one in a million.” When you live in China and are “one in a million,” there are 1,300 other people who are also “one in a million.”

The Globalizing World When you live in China and are “one in a million,” there are 1,300 other people who are also “one in a million.” When you live in China and are “one in a million,” there are 1,300 other people who are also “one in a million.” India will soon top this figure. India will soon top this figure.

The Globalizing World In the US, 60% of the nation’s top science students and 65% of the top math students are children of recent immigrants. In the US, 60% of the nation’s top science students and 65% of the top math students are children of recent immigrants.

An Example from NASA Of NASA’s employees: 40% are over 50 40% are over 50 Those with 20 years of government service are eligible for retirement Those with 20 years of government service are eligible for retirement Only 4% are under 30 Only 4% are under 30

NASA is having difficulty hiring workers with the sufficient science, engineering, and technology skills

Why Is NASA Having Difficulty? The number of American 18 to 24 year-olds who receive science degrees has fallen to 17 th in the world. The number of American 18 to 24 year-olds who receive science degrees has fallen to 17 th in the world.

Why Is NASA Having Difficulty? The number of American 18 to 124 year-olds who receive science degrees has fallen to 17 th in the world. The number of American 18 to 124 year-olds who receive science degrees has fallen to 17 th in the world. In the US, 31% of university students seek science or engineering degrees, compared to 60% in China. In the US, 31% of university students seek science or engineering degrees, compared to 60% in China.

Why Is NASA Having Difficulty? The number of American 18 to 124 year-olds who receive science degrees has fallen to 17 th in the world. The number of American 18 to 124 year-olds who receive science degrees has fallen to 17 th in the world. In the US, 31% of university students seek science or engineering degrees, compared to 60% in China. In the US, 31% of university students seek science or engineering degrees, compared to 60% in China. The percentage of foreign-born Ph.D.s in science occupations in the US is now 38%. Those individuals can now work in their own countries with wages and conditions similar to here. The percentage of foreign-born Ph.D.s in science occupations in the US is now 38%. Those individuals can now work in their own countries with wages and conditions similar to here.

The world is flattening, if not already flat!

Natural resources and geographic location no longer determine a nation’s potential. A nation’s power no longer determines an individual’s potential --

The world is flattening, if not already flat! Natural resources and geographic location no longer determine a nation’s potential. A nation’s power no longer determines an individual’s potential -- education, creativity, vision, and drive do!

What does this mean for us here at Alabama State University?

My Job May Not Exist Five Years from Now –

My Job May Not Exist Five Years from Now – Yours May Not Either

Why My Job May Not Exist Technology may replace me with interactive teaching/learning over the Internet from professors in India or the Philippines who will work at 1/10 th of my wages

Why My Job May Not Exist Technology may replace me with interactive teaching/learning over the Internet from professors in India or the Philippines who will work at 1/10 th of my wages Unless they are exceptional, there may be far less demand for our ASU education students as teachers, therefore less demand for us to prepare them

Why My Job May Not Exist Technology may replace me with interactive teaching/learning over the Internet from professors in India or the Philippines who will work at 1/10 th of my wages Unless they are exceptional, there may be far less demand for our ASU education students as teachers, therefore less demand for us to prepare them The state and national economies may not be globally competitive and there may be far less money for colleges

SO WHAT DO WE DO? Friedman’s Five Categories of Action: Leadership Leadership Muscles Muscles Cushioning Cushioning Social Activism Social Activism Parenting Parenting

Leadership Explain to people the world they are living in Explain to people the world they are living in Explain what they need to do to thrive in it Explain what they need to do to thrive in it Inspire them to compete Inspire them to compete Educate – knowledge, skills, and dispositions Educate – knowledge, skills, and dispositions What does this tell us about advising our ASU students?

SO WHAT DO WE DO? Friedman’s Five Categories of Action: Leadership Leadership Muscles Muscles

Muscles Lifetime employability is not guaranteed Lifetime employability is not guaranteed Individual workers must manage their own careers, risks, and economic security Individual workers must manage their own careers, risks, and economic security Government must provide the muscles: Government must provide the muscles: Portable benefits Portable benefits Opportunities for education and lifelong learning Opportunities for education and lifelong learning What does this imply about advising here at ASU?

SO WHAT DO WE DO? Friedman’s Five Categories of Action: Leadership Leadership Muscles Muscles Cushioning Cushioning

Cushions Globalization, the flattening world, creates winners and losers -- some temporary, some more permanent Globalization, the flattening world, creates winners and losers -- some temporary, some more permanent Every worker has both general and specific skills Every worker has both general and specific skills When a worker is displaced from a job, the specific skills may no longer be applicable to other jobs When a worker is displaced from a job, the specific skills may no longer be applicable to other jobs There must be a cushion (wage protection and education) to allow the worker to learn new skills\ There must be a cushion (wage protection and education) to allow the worker to learn new skills\ How do we help our students to be able to be effective in the political arena to obtain such a cushion?

SO WHAT DO WE DO? Friedman’s Five Categories of Action: Leadership Leadership Muscles Muscles Cushioning Cushioning Social Activism Social Activism

Activism The balance of power between global companies and their individual employees is shifting in favor of the companies – look at WalMart and the oil companies The balance of power between global companies and their individual employees is shifting in favor of the companies – look at WalMart and the oil companies Social and environmental activists are needed to help to force companies to be more profitable while making the flat world more livable Social and environmental activists are needed to help to force companies to be more profitable while making the flat world more livable How can we prepare our students, and ourselves, to be more effective advocates?

SO WHAT DO WE DO? Friedman’s Five Categories of Action: Leadership Leadership Muscles Muscles Cushioning Cushioning Social Activism Social Activism Parenting Parenting

Parenting Helping individuals adapt to a flat world is not only the job of schools, companies and governments – it is also the job of PARENTS Helping individuals adapt to a flat world is not only the job of schools, companies and governments – it is also the job of PARENTS How can we prepare our ASU students to be successful in working with parents, and AS parents?

Some Related Comments from Friedman’s July, 2006 Speech at the “Campus of the Future” Meeting in New York Selingo, J. (2006, July 12). Rethink higher education for a changing world: Best-selling author tells conference goers. The Chronicle of Higher Education, np.

Rather Than Just Preparing Students for Specific Jobs, We Should Also Prepare Them to Be: Synthesizers

Rather Than Just Preparing Students for Specific Jobs, We Should Also Prepare Them to Be: Synthesizers Explainers

Rather Than Just Preparing Students for Specific Jobs, We Should Also Prepare Them to Be: Synthesizers Explainers Adaptors

Rather Than Just Preparing Students for Specific Jobs, We Should Also Prepare Them to Be: Synthesizers Explainers Adaptors Leveragers

Rather Than Just Preparing Students for Specific Jobs, We Should Also Prepare Them to Be: Synthesizers Explainers Adaptors Leveragers Localizers

Rather Than Just Preparing Students for Specific Jobs, We Should Also Prepare Them to Be: Synthesizers Explainers Adaptors Leveragers Localizers Collaborators

Rather Than Just Preparing Students for Specific Jobs, We Should Also Prepare Them to Be: Synthesizers Explainers Adaptors Leveragers Localizers Collaborators Passionate Personalizers

In short, we should prepare educational entrepreneurs….

These are not actions for Dean Trotter to take – they are for ALL of us to take, each and every day!

So, what commitments are YOU willing to make to assist our students in this rapidly globalizing world?