President Arthur Levine believes that a lot of the focus in recent educational reform efforts is focusing on returning to the "golden era, circa the 1950s" of Education. "There is this perception that we had a marvelous educational system, and somehow, we've lost it. If we had that educational system today, it would be horrendous," he said. "That system allowed large numbers of people to drop out. That was okay because we had jobs for them. They could work on assembly lines and earn enough money to support a family. Those jobs don't exist anymore."

Levine said that we need to provide variable processes and a common set of outcomes. "We are faced with a new world, and educational institutions that were created for an industrial society don't match the needs of an information age." Levine sees a much more individualized approach to education, enhanced with the use of technology.

The article, entitled "Arthur Levine: Creating an Education System for an Information Age" appeared in the October 2000 edition of Converge.

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Published Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2001