Why invest in post-secondary teaching and the cutting edge research universities do? How does such work affect your life? Economic growth and social advancement require knowledge and ideas, as well as a rising generation of new citizens to pursue and advance society. According to the Canadian chamber of commerce, "investment in higher education has among the highest pay-offs of any investment government can make in improving economic growth." Chris Kelly, superintendent of schools in Vancouver, says that research directly helps kids in schools across Canada because the results are the constant improvement of human society. In an increasingly competitive global society, how do the governance and funding of universities impact the knowledge creation that gives societies a lasting competitive advantage, and a higher quality of life for their people?
Guest MIchael Stevenson President, Simon Fraser University
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>July 2008 |
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Traditionally, it was expected that the elementary school curriculum would provide basic literacies and prepare children for high school. University or college attendance would in many cases follow. This raises the questions: Is the B.C. school curriculum preparing our students for the real world, as well as higher education? What skills and experiences, including those not measured by standardized tests, might our students need to develop to be ready for a complex world? What commitments have been made to ensure we are educating well-rounded students? What more can be done? How can parents help their children get a head start in making school a meaningful experience?
Guests:
Professor, Faculty of Education, SFU, Director, Imaginative Education Research Group
Gillian Judson Doctoral Student and Researcher, Faculty of Education, IERG Program
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