CHANGES IN SOCIETY AFFECTING SCHOOLING WITH SOME IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER EDUCATION

Abstract

It seems c1ear that we are in the midst of a major change of course for educational institutions. Predicting this change is made the more enigmatic by the recognition that the demographic trough passing through the system is not the only major change in process in our society. Bulcock invites us to consider not only the direct effects on education of such prospects as zero economic growth in addition to zero population growth; he calculates some of the effects of the interactions of these developments on education. Looking ahead to 2030, as educators of that era's workforce ought now to be doing, he draws from the forecast of a radical change in the ratio of dependents (old and young) to workforce in the population, the conclusion for teacher-trainers that our present acceptance of enormous talent-loss among youth going through the system is no longer tolerable. The efforts of teachers must change direction accordingly.