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Why We Must Connect Education and the Future of Work

A lack of alignment among K–12, higher education, and the world of work threatens to compromise our resilience and success as a country. Education leaders at the Corporation argue that we must redesign our educational systems to reach a broader set of students

Fundamental goals for American public education are to ensure that each student is prepared to be an active participant in a robust democracy and to be successful in the global economy. This requires coordinated efforts among government, philanthropy, the business community, and the education sector. However, as our nation’s economic and labor market opportunities evolve, the lack of alignment among K–12, higher education, and the world of work is further exposed and compromises our resilience and success. Our institutions are working to meet the opportunities and demands of the future of work in relative isolation. We must encourage systematic connections that reach across the educational, political, and economic domains to holistically prepare students for life, work, and citizenship. This demands a redesign of educational and employment options for all students. We must ask tough questions about what contributions are needed from each sphere today to prepare the workforce of tomorrow. 

Today’s high school students are arriving at college underprepared: 40 percent fail to graduate from four-year institutions, and 68 percent fail to graduate from two-year institutions. [1] Yet the future of work will require higher — not lower — college graduation rates. Already, our economy has 16 million recession-and automation-resistant middle-income jobs that require some postsecondary credential, as well as 35 million jobs that require a bachelor’s degree or higher. [2] Nearly half of American employers say they are struggling to fill positions — the highest number in more than a decade — citing dearths of applicants, experience, and both technical and soft skills as their biggest challenges. [3]

As our nation’s economic and labor market opportunities evolve, this lack of alignment among K–12, higher education, and the world of work will become further exposed and will compromise our resilience and success as a country. At present, students without access to higher education already experience less mobility and lower lifetime salaries. [4] Looking forward, if K–12 and higher education do not redesign their approaches to reach a broader set of students, we might experience even greater labor shortages and income disparities. If we want to alleviate these issues and prepare students for the careers of the future, it is imperative that we close the chasm between K–12 and higher education. 

Those attempting to reform the education system are familiar with the ways in which it is fragmented. Many have experienced the unintended consequences that come from working in isolation and proceeding with untested assumptions, especially during efforts to scale innovations or foster long-term sustainability. We believe the solution is to work more integratively: to resist the temptation to tackle siloed, singular components and instead collaborate on large-scale transformations designed around a unified vision. 

Looking for­ward, if K–12 and higher education do not redesign their approaches to reach a broader set of students, we might experience even greater labor shortages and income disparities.

That vision, when considering American public education, is to prepare each student for active participation in a robust democracy and success in an advanced global economy. Accomplishing this demands an approach that reaches across educational, political, and economic domains to seamlessly prepare students for life, work, and citizenship. It demands the redesign of educational and career pathways to allow for cross-pollination among all sectors, from business to government to philanthropy — and it demands asking tough questions about what each sphere must contribute today to prepare the workforce of tomorrow. 

Higher education can play a unique role because it has the ability to reach in several directions: toward both K–12 schools and educators, and businesses and future employers. Since it is often under the control of the state, higher education can also reach across to the governor, mayor, and other decision- and policymakers. As such, higher education can do more than effect change within a single institution; instead, it can help to enact networks and policies across an entire city or state. In short, to prepare students to become citizens of the world — who also have economic opportunities in the future workplace — stakeholders must abandon their traditional silos and work together to achieve coherence. 

The Case for Coherence 

Linear, laser-focused strategies are appropriate when consequences are predictable, contexts are similar, and results are easily measured and few in number. But in the world of education, where contexts are diverse, the level of transformation needed is enormous, and the number of stakeholders is high, linear approaches to change do not work. They accomplish superficial, rather than meaningful, improvements and can lead to missteps and frustration. 

To create longer-term solutions at scale, we must accept that education is a complex social system, and design strategies for change around that fundamental fact. If our goal is to move toward 21st-century teaching and learning that better prepares young people for the dynamic world of work, traditional top-down, isolated, programmatic approaches will not succeed. Rather, to effect broad change, we must be thoughtful, flexible, and inclusive, and we must consider myriad factors, including the vantage points and resources of all stakeholders. 

Three Design Principles for Coherence 

In one attempt to catalyze this shift, Carnegie Corporation of New York launched the Integration Design Consortium in 2017. The corporation extended grants to five organizations to design and implement two-year projects aimed at reducing fragmentation in education and advancing equity. During our collaboration with these initiatives — each focused on different disciplines, such as human-centered design, systems thinking, and change management — we saw several themes emerge again and again. Irrespective of the project or context, these principles seemed to be influential in making progress toward coherence. For those striving for educational change, we believe these three principles can serve as a foundation upon which to design innovative solutions, and a lens through which to envision ways of thinking and working differently.

Cultivating a Shared Purpose  Rather than assuming that everyone engaged in educational improvement has similar priorities, deliberate attempts must be made to develop a shared understanding of what students need most during their journeys through the system. The work of defining this purpose cannot be done in an isolated manner; instead, a collective vision should be cocreated by various stakeholders, then anchored by thoughtful implementation planning. Developing a cohesive vision has multiple benefits, including increasing broad buy-in and helping individuals understand how their actions can lead to change at scale. 

One promising initiative that exemplifies this approach is the Cowen Institute at Tulane University, which shares its purpose of advancing youth success with a multitude of stakeholders in its home city of New Orleans. In addition to disseminating salient research and implementing several direct service programs, the Cowen Institute develops and leads citywide collaboratives focused on promoting access to and persistence in college and careers. These include the New Orleans College Persistence Collaborative and the College and Career Counseling Collaborative, bringing together counselors and practitioners from high schools and community-based organizations across New Orleans under the common goal of increasing students’ access to and persistence in college and careers. 

Rather than assuming that everyone engaged in educational improvement has similar priorities, deliberate attempts must be made to develop a shared understanding of what students need most during their journeys through the system.

By engaging in a shared review and understanding of data centered on the needs of all students, these communities of learning play an important role in cultivating a shared sense of purpose across a diversity of organizations and institutions. At the same time, they provide members with professional development, the opportunity to share best practices, and a means of engaging in collective problem-solving centered on improving college and career success for New Orleans youth. 

Cocreating Inclusive Environments  This principle, which has its roots in user-centered design, encourages the consideration of various points of view when developing policies, prioritizing input from those who will be directly affected by the outcome. It also urges individuals to assess their own beliefs before creating policies that reverberate through the entire system, and advocates the shifting of power structures so that those most affected have the opportunity to share their perspectives and play a role in the decision-making process. It is only by identifying the actors in the system, understanding their perspectives, and using their input that we can create inclusive and effective programs. 

Transforming Postsecondary Education in Mathematics (TPSE Math) is one example of a movement to create an inclusive postsecondary environment. It focuses on a discipline that has traditionally been a barrier to student success: math. 

In one study of 57 community colleges across several states, 59 percent of students were assigned to remedial math courses upon enrollment, and, of those, only 20 percent completed a college-level math course within three years. [5] Through TPSE Math, leading mathematicians have convened stakeholders across the country to change mathematics education at community colleges, four-year colleges, and research universities so that it better meets the needs of a diverse student body and their diverse future careers. 

For example, TPSE has provided significant support in the national movement to develop multiple mathematics pathways for students. The goal is for every student to have the opportunity to take a rigorous entry-level mathematics course relevant to his or her field of study and future career and to significantly reduce the time for underprepared students to complete their first college-level math course. This results in more inclusive math departments and courses that focus on success for all students, not only those who will go on to be math majors or to remain in academia. 

TPSE has also promoted cross-sector engagement by facilitating conversations about effective and innovative practices — including the connections between college mathematics and the world of work — and then sharing those learnings across institutions. These math departments are supporting a rich set of interdisciplinary academic experiences and pathways designed to prepare students with the mathematical knowledge and skills needed for engagement in society and the workforce. 

Building Capacity That Is Responsive to Change  To create infrastructure and processes that will be effective over the long term, it is crucial to acknowledge and accept the dynamic nature of the education system. This means prioritizing relationships and trust, and viewing a project’s initial implementation as the first of multiple iterations and trials, each of which considers the potential impact on different stakeholders. This is crucial because achieving broader coherence across the education system can seem daunting, so it is more manageable to identify a specific gap or disconnect to address, such as the transition from college to career.

Focusing on particular barriers and trying out solutions before prescribing them at scale acknowledges the dynamism of the sector and the complexities of coherence, while making meaningful progress on issues that matter. 

The University Innovation Alliance (UIA), for instance, takes an agile, human-centered approach to increasing the number and diversity of college graduates in the United States. Since its founding in 2014, this national coalition of 11 public research universities has produced 29.6 percent more low-income bachelor’s degree graduates per year, amounting to nearly 13,000 graduates annually. The UIA estimates that the total will reach 100,000 by the 2022–2023 academic year. [6] *

True to the nature of the research institutions leading the work, the UIA accomplishes this through experimentation and iteration. One area of focus for the network has been ensuring student success beyond graduation through redesigning college-to-career supports to better ensure students find gainful employment upon graduation. The project uses design thinking, with its rapid prototyping of ideas and short feedback cycles, in service of reimagining career services to better support low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color. 

The process of innovation starts with understanding the perspective of students and the current practices on campuses; providing career services professionals with the capacity, time, and connections they need to generate new campus solutions; and engaging employers and other stakeholders in the redesign. This approach is consistent with the vision of the UIA, that “by piloting new interventions, sharing insights about their relative cost and effectiveness, and scaling those interventions that are successful [,] . . . [its] collaborative work will catalyze systemic changes in the entire higher education sector. [7]

An Integrative Pathway to the Future 

Strides in educational coherence are being made on a regional level, too. Tennessee and Colorado, for example, have adopted holistic cradle-to-career solutions that intentionally plan for the duration of their residents’ lifetimes, and the Central Ohio Compact has mobilized K–12, higher education, community-based organizations, and local industry with the goal of helping 65 percent of local adults earn a postsecondary credential by 2025. [8] Each of these initiatives exemplifies the design principles described earlier, by considering the experiences of key actors and employing a multistakeholder approach that includes policymakers — factors crucial to enacting change on a systemic level.

In most of the country, education, employment, and economic reform remain isolated in both policy and practice. If we continue down this path, limiting ourselves to what is possible within each of our silos, our mutual interests will soon be consumed by our differences.

Though these projects are promising, they are not enough. In most of the country, education, employment, and economic reform remain isolated in both policy and practice. If we continue down this path, limiting ourselves to what is possible within each of our silos, our mutual interests will soon be consumed by our differences. For the revolutionary changes that the future demands, we must move beyond this fragmented way of thinking and working, and accept that history’s boundaries no longer apply. We must take a coherent approach to connecting education and the future of work, harnessing integrative design principles to foster progress, flexibility, and inclusivity. To improve today and prepare for the future, we must build on these ideas together. We must embrace a user-centered approach that is designed around our ultimate goal: empowering and preparing our nation’s youth for fulfilling, engaged lives and productive careers, now and for decades to come.

[1] National Center for Education Statistics, “Undergraduate Retention and Graduation Rates,” May 2019, https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_ctr.asp .

[2] Anthony P. Carnevale, Jeff Strohl, Neil Ridley, and Artem Gulish, “Three Educational Pathways to Good Jobs,” Georgetown University, 2018, https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/3pathways/ , 10.

[3] Manpower Group, “Solving the Talent Shortage: Build, Buy, Borrow and Bridge,” 2018, https://go.manpowergroup.com/talent-shortage-2018#thereport , 5–7.

[4] Jennifer Ma, Matea Penda, and Meredith Welch, “Education Pays 2016: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society,” College Board, 2016, https://trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/education-pays-2016-full-report.pdf , 3–4.

[5] T. Bailey, D. W. Jeong, and S. W. Cho, “Referral, Enrollment, and Completion in Developmental Education Sequences in Community Colleges, Economics of Education Review 29, no. 2 (2010): 255–70.

[6] The University Innovation Alliance, “Our Results,” http://www.theuia.org/#about .

[7] The University Innovation Alliance, “Vision and Prospectus,” http://www.theuia.org/sites/default/files/UIA-Vision-Prospectus.pdf .

[8] Central Ohio Compact, “Central Ohio’s Most Critical Challenge,” http://centralohiocompact.org/what-is-the-compact/our-challenge/ .

Excerpted from The Great Skills Gap: Optimizing Talent for the Future of Work (Stanford Business Books, 2021), edited by Jason Wingard, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Human Capital Management at Columbia University School of Professional Studies. Reprinted with permission.

*Note: Since the publication of the book, UIA reports an increase of annual degrees to low-income students by 46 percent since launch. Overall annual bachelor's degrees have increased 30 percent, and annual bachelor's degrees to students of color have increased 85 percent. They have exceeded 100,000 degrees.

LaVerne Srinivasan is vice president of Carnegie Corporation of New York’s National Program and program director of Education, Farhad Asghar is the Education program officer of the Pathways to Postsecondary Success portfolio, and Elise Henson is a former program analyst at the Corporation.

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Addressing post-pandemic learning loss should include far greater support for programs that involve parents and caregivers in their kids’ educations

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5 educational learning theories and how to apply them

By  Michael Feder

This article has been vetted by University of Phoenix's editorial advisory committee.  Read more about our editorial process.

Reviewed by Pamela M. Roggeman , EdD, Dean, College of Education

In this article

• What are learning theories in education?
• 5 types of learning theories in education
• Other learning theories in education
• How educational theories influence learning
• How to apply learning theories in education
• Expand your educational knowledge at University of Phoenix

This article was updated on April 22, 2024.

What are learning theories in education?  

Learning theories are conceptual frameworks that describe how people absorb, process and retain information.

Theories in education didn’t begin in earnest until the early 20th century, but curiosity about how humans learn dates back to the ancient Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. They explored whether knowledge and truth could be found within oneself ( rationalism ) or through external observation ( empiricism ).

By the 19th century, psychologists began to answer this question with scientific studies. The goal was to understand objectively how people learn and then develop teaching approaches accordingly.

In the 20th century, the debate among educational theorists centered on behaviorist theory versus cognitive psychology. In other words, do people learn by responding to external stimuli or by using their brains to construct knowledge from external data?

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Why are learning theories important in education?

Learning theories help teachers and others who work in education better understand how people acquire knowledge. The theories can help curriculum designers develop more effective educational materials, and they can help teachers apply those materials more successfully in the classroom. After all, when those in charge of learning have this information in hand, they can help their students learn more effectively.

That applies to more than classroom lessons too. Applying educational theories can help engage learners as they collaborate with one another, and it can promote lifelong learning as people understand how they best learn.

That’s why educator preparation programs spend so much time having teacher candidates study human development and multiple learning theories. Foundational knowledge of how humans learn — specifically how a child learns and develops cognitively — is essential for educators who want to become effective instructors in the classroom.

Pamela Roggeman, EdD, dean of University of Phoenix’s  College of Education , explains her take on the role learning theory plays in preparing teachers: “Just as no two people are the same, no two students learn in the exact same way or at the same rate. Effective educators need to be able to pivot and craft instruction that meets the needs of the individual student to address the needs of the whole child.

“Sound knowledge of multiple learning theories is a first step toward this and another reason why great teachers work their entire careers to master both the art and the science of teaching.”

Although most teaching roles don’t require adhering to a particular learning theory, educators likely already follow one or another theory, even if they aren’t consciously aware of it. Following learning theories can help teachers guide their students to success because they allow educators to offer alternative effective teaching strategies.

So, whether you’re an aspiring or experienced teacher, a student or a student's parent or guardian, knowing more about each theory can make you more effective in fostering learning.

5 types of learning theories in education 

Educators typically familiarize themselves with five primary learning theories. Each prioritizes different concepts. These learning theories are:

Behaviorism

Cognitivism, constructivism, connectivism.

Behaviorism has roots in the work of John Watson, who is often regarded as the father of behavioral psychology.

Explanation: Behaviorism is concerned only with  observable stimulus-response behaviors , as they can be studied in a systematic and observable manner.

Application: Learning is based on a system of routines that “drill” information into a student’s memory bank and elicit positive feedback from teachers and the educational institution itself. (Students who do an excellent job receive positive reinforcement and are signaled out for recognition.)

Most teachers who use behaviorist principles focus on delivering prompt feedback to encourage student learning. They also implement reward systems that reinforce good behavior. Finally, many teachers establish consistency by starting their classes with routine activities, like problems on the board.

Cognitive learning theory — or cognitivism — stems from the work of Jean Piaget (the founder of cognitive psychology) and focuses on the internal processes surrounding information and memory. It involves schema, the basic unit of knowledge, and schemata that build up over time.

Explanation: Learning relies on external factors (like information or data) and the internal thought process.

Application: Developed in the 1950s, this theory moves away from behaviorism to focus on the mind’s role in learning.

Teachers who engage in cognitive learning might ask students about their experiences with the lesson and emphasize connections between past ideas and new ones. Incorporating student experiences, perspectives and knowledge can foster engagement with the material and help students feel respected.

Constructivism promotes active, internal learning processes that use new information to build upon a foundation of previously acquired knowledge.

Explanation: The learner builds upon their previous experience and understanding to “construct” a new understanding.

Application: In constructivism, Roggeman says, students take an active approach to learning. Rather than being “filled up” with knowledge, they construct meaning by interacting with the world around them, as with experiments or studies.

Some of the best ways teachers can use constructivism in the classroom include promoting student autonomy by encouraging students to be active in their learning. Hands-on experimentation with interactive materials can also empower them to learn better, especially in science classes, because it can promote engagement and connectiveness in student learning. Open-ended questions are another tool for constructivist learning, since they can help foster classroom conversation and dialogue, which encourages students to think critically and form questions and solutions in real time.

Humanism emphasizes the importance of personal growth, self-actualization and whole-person development. Humanist learning theory emphasizes the unique needs and capabilities of each student and underscores the efficacy of a personalized education.

Explanation: This approach focuses on the unique capabilities of each learner rather than the method or materials.

Application: With the understanding that people are inherently good, humanism focuses on creating an environment conducive to self-actualization. In doing so, learners’ needs are met and learners themselves are then free to determine their own goals while the teacher assists them in meeting those learning goals.

In the classroom, a humanistic approach might look like a teacher providing students with choices about what to study in order to promote autonomy and intrinsic motivation. It also emphasizes positive teacher-student relationships, making it important for teachers to form connections with each student. Humanistic educators might use discussions, group work and self-evaluation to encourage critical thinking and this sort of connection.

Connectivism is a newer learning theory. It posits that knowledge and learning reside in diverse sources and experiences. That includes understanding how to navigate and source further information via digital means.

Explanation: Informed by the digital age, connectivism departs from constructivism by identifying and remediating gaps in knowledge.

Application: Strongly influenced by technology, connectivism focuses on a learner’s ability to source and update accurate information frequently. Knowing how and where to find the best information is as important as the information itself.

In the classroom, students are likely to learn good digital literacy habits to help navigate online resources to answer their questions. They may also use digital tools to collaborate.

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Other types of learning theories in education .

Like students themselves, learning theories in education are diverse. Although the five learning theories we have described are some of the most prominent, there are others to discover, such as:

• Transformative learning theory: One of the most prominent adult learning theories , transformative learning theory posits that new information can essentially change our worldviews when our life experience and knowledge are paired with critical reflection.
• Social learning theory: This theory incorporates some of the tacit tenets of peer pressure. Specifically, students observe other students and model their behavior accordingly. Sometimes it’s to emulate peers; other times it’s to distinguish themselves from peers. Harnessing the power of social learning theory involves getting students’ attention, focusing on how students can retain information, identifying when it’s appropriate to reproduce a previous behavior, and determining students’ motivation.
• Experiential learning theory: There are plenty of clichés and parables about teaching someone something by doing it, although it wasn’t until the early 1980s that it became an official learning theory . This approach emphasizes learning about and experiencing something so that students can apply knowledge in real-world situations.

How educational theories influence learning 

Educational theories influence learning in a variety of ways. Learning theory examples can affect teachers' approach to instruction and classroom management. Finding the right approach (even if combining two or more learning theories) can make the difference between an effective and inspiring classroom experience and an ineffective one.

Applied learning theories directly influence a classroom experience in a variety of ways, such as:

• Providing students with structure and a comfortable, steady environment
• Helping educators, administrators, students and parents align on goals and outcomes
• Empowering teachers to determine their educational approach based on the needs of their students
• Influencing how and what a person learns
• Helping outsiders (colleges, testing organizations, etc.) determine what kind of education a student has had or is receiving
• Allowing students to have a voice in determining how the class will be managed
• Deciding if instruction will be primarily teacher-led or student-led
• Determining how much collaboration will happen in a classroom

How to apply learning theories in education 

So, how do learning theories apply in the real world? Education is an  evolving field with a complicated future . And according to Roggeman, the effects of applied educational theory can be long-lasting. “The learning theories we experienced as a student influence the type of work environment we prefer as adults,” she explains. “For example, if one experienced classrooms based heavily on social learning during the K-12 years, that person, as an adult, may be very comfortable in a highly collaborative work environment. Reflection on one’s educational history might serve as an insightful tool as to one’s own fulfillment in the workplace.”

Educational theories have come a long way since the days of Socrates and even the pioneers of behaviorism and cognitivism. While learning theories will no doubt continue to evolve, teachers and students alike can reap the benefits of this evolution as we continue to develop our understanding of how humans most effectively learn.

Expand your educational knowledge at University of Phoenix 

University of Phoenix offers a variety of degree programs and certificates to help educators and aspiring educators optimize their classroom experience. Discover the following:

• Online bachelor’s degrees in education: Students can lay the foundation for a career in early childhood education or elementary education with one of these two degree programs and prepare for teacher licensure.
• Online master’s degrees in education: Refine your career goals with an advanced degree in education. Options include focusing on adult education, curriculum and instruction, and special education, among others.
• Online Doctor of Education : Ready to solve complex problems in education? This terminal degree program takes a deep dive into how to improve performance using critical and innovative thinking.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at University of Phoenix where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.

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Working to Learn: New Research on Connecting Education and Career

New White Paper from the Project on Workforce Highlights Critical Need to Better Connect Education and Career

By: Joseph B. Fuller, Rachel Lipson, Jorge Encinas, Tessa Forshaw, Alexis Gable, & J.B. Schramm

Download the report:

In the wake of covid-19 and growing inequality, america needs more pathways that bridge education and career. new research from the project on workforce at harvard draws on data from new profit's postsecondary initiative for equity to identify opportunities for the education-to-employment field and chart the course for connections to good jobs., press release.

APRIL 7, 2021 -- A new white paper released today by Harvard’s interdisciplinary Project on Workforce - Working to Learn: Despite a growing set of innovators, America struggles to connect education and career - highlights stark challenges and transformative opportunities for the growing field of organizations seeking to connect postsecondary education with employment.

The development of job pathways that integrate work and learning are critical to an equitable recovery and a future where social and economic opportunity are available to all. Workers from underrepresented communities, particularly communities of color, have been most affected by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and traditionally have faced the largest systemic barriers to social and economic opportunity in America. These communities are wellsprings of insight and talent where people are poised to take advantage of stronger pathways to learning and earning amidst accelerating changes in our workforce and economy.

“Our research showed that many organizations purporting to connect both education and career are still struggling to do so,” said Joseph Fuller , Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School and co-author of the report. “While standout organizations exist in the field, too few programs are linking soft and hard skills, prioritizing evidence, working with employers, or providing wraparound supports.”

The research utilized a unique dataset of 316 applications to an open grant competition for programs seeking to connect postsecondary education and employment. Analyzing these organizations, the report’s authors found:

Huge potential to engage employers more deeply: Programs that worked with employers were growing faster than peers, but only about one-third (35 percent) of organizations mentioned that they were working directly with employers. Only about one-quarter mentioned providing learning opportunities in workplace environments.

Opportunities to build bridges between education and employment: Only 16 percent of organizations prioritize relationships with both educational institutions and employers. Success measurement is similarly siloed between education and employment metrics; for organizations that focused on college-related outcomes, only 33 percent also prioritized employment outcomes.

A growing need to develop transferable skills in the future of work : One-third of organizations in the dataset focused on job-specific training, but just nine percent of organizations prioritized foundational soft skills alongside job-specific skills.

A critical opportunity for more investment in wraparound supports: Only 13 percent of organizations cited directly providing wraparound supports like subsidies for transportation, housing, or childcare.

A growing, but still nascent, evidence base: The most common success metric tracked by applicant organizations (59 percent) was whether participants completed the program. About one-quarter of organizations indicated that they measured employment rates and a similar share tracked college attendance. Causal evidence is more rare; nine percent of applicants cited an existing study, quasi-study, or external evaluation of the program model in their application.

Under-leveraging of technology in some areas : Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the field was heavily skewed towards in-person models. Only six percent of programs were fully online; 11 percent had hybrid models.

“To date, the field is fragmented and often siloed between college and employment missions,” said report co-author Rachel Lipson , Project Director of the Project on Workforce at the Harvard Kennedy School. “But there is vast untapped potential to scale innovations both within and across organizations.”

Postsecondary Innovation for Equity initiative

The data for this research comes from the Postsecondary Innovation for Equity (PIE) initiative . The PIE initiative was developed by New Profit, a nonprofit venture philanthropy that supports social entrepreneurs who advance equity and opportunity in the United States. New Profit asked organizations that considered themselves innovators in the education-to-employment sector to apply to receive an unrestricted $100,000 grant and participate in a peer learning community. Of the 316 applications received, New Profit selected 20 organizations for the first round of grants and support. The full data set from the 316 applicants provided rich material for this analysis of the current state of the education-and-employment field.

Advancing the education-and-employment field

The PIE initiative supports innovators working at the intersection of education and employment to develop new approaches to connect young adults from low-income and underrepresented communities with the postsecondary credentials and work experience needed to access upwardly mobile careers. For example, CodePath.org is leveraging technology to help thousands of college students from underrepresented backgrounds gain the skills and connections they need to launch tech careers; Generation USA is forging close partnerships with employers to rapidly train and place adult learners into upwardly mobile jobs; and the Brooklyn STEAM Center is closing the gap between school and work by enabling New York City public high school students to learn through work experience at dozens of companies located at the former Brooklyn Navy Yard site.

“Scaling and disseminating successful models will be key to systemic change,” notes New Profit Associate Partner Glendean Hamilton , co-leader of the PIE initiative. “ Working to Learn points philanthropists and policymakers toward the kind of innovation needed to build a more equitable education-to-employment system in America.”

A virtual report briefing and discussion will be held on April 28, 2021 at 11:00am EDT and open to the public. Please register for the briefing at this link .

For media inquiries:

Nikhil Gehani, [email protected]

Rachel Lipson, [email protected]

About the Project on Workforce at Harvard

The Project on Workforce is an interdisciplinary, collaborative project between the Harvard Kennedy School's Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy, the Harvard Business School Managing the Future of Work Project, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Project produces and catalyzes basic and applied research at the intersection of education and labor markets for leaders in business, education, and policy. The Project’s research aims to help shape a postsecondary system of the future that creates more and better pathways to economic mobility and forges smoother transitions between education and careers. Learn more at www.pw.hks.harvard.edu .

About New Profit

New Profit is a nonprofit venture philanthropy organization that backs breakthrough social entrepreneurs who are advancing equity and opportunity in America. New Profit’s strategy focuses on building a breakthrough portfolio of grantee-partners to take on entrenched systemic challenges in America, including by driving resources and support to Black, Indigenous, and Latino/a/x social entrepreneurs who have unique proximity to solutions, but face stark racial funding disparities in philanthropy; and investing in social entrepreneurs with new systems change models across a range of issues. Learn more at www.newprofit.org .

Funding for the Postsecondary Innovation for Equity (PIE) initiative at New Profit is provided by Lumina Foundation, Siegel Family Endowment, Walmart, Walton Family Foundation, and an anonymous investor.

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Diverse perspectives and lived experiences of educational work

• Published: 20 April 2022
• Volume 49 , pages 481–488, ( 2022 )

Cite this article

• Ange Fitzgerald   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8010-2215 1 ,
• Graham Parr 2 &
• Judy Williams 2  

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Introduction

In the current higher education context, performative metrics encourage us to categorise our work as teaching or research or engagement. While institutional rhetoric often promotes collaborations across disciplinary boundaries and with industry and community groups, bureaucratic structures often discourage any straying from familiar disciplinary areas. Such structural rigidity not only underappreciates the complexity of the educational work being undertaken in these collaborations, but fails to recognise the nuances that exist in the overlapping spaces within and between these categories. Meanwhile, we know that contemporary challenges in a globalising world do not necessarily fit neatly within traditional disciplinary or institutional boundaries. As teacher educators and education researchers, we derive great energy and insights from working and researching within these ‘borderlands’. The forms of educational work that exist at the edges of these academic imperatives are often rich, challenging and of significant value in terms of meaningful learning experiences. They are, however, little understood and as a result can be undervalued and misunderstood by the academy.

This Special Issue is devoted to informing understandings of educational work through original research contributions that explore this concept and its interdisciplinary applications. In keeping with the aims and scope of the journal more broadly, contributors to this issue were invited to provide perspectives on interdisciplinary educational work in a range of local, national and international contexts. We wanted to challenge and extend thinking about what constitutes educational work. This Special Issue also seeks to provide a forum within which the community of education researchers more broadly can make informed contributions to the conversations around interdisciplinary educational work and the opportunities and challenges that this construct poses. While many may consider the work of educators to be isolated to teaching in lecture theatres or classrooms, the work of educators is incredibly varied and operates in all sorts of border spaces. Importantly, this Special Issue provides an opportunity to showcase and celebrate research recognising this interdisciplinarity in education.

Seddon ( 2016 ) and Newman et al. ( 2014 ) coined the term ‘educational work’ to describe the activity of a heterogeneous group of professionals, with expertise in different disciplines, collaborating on a project to “enable learning” (Newman et al., 2014 , p. 323). Typically, the varied disciplines and identities of the individuals within such a group bring different knowledge and skills as well as make different contributions to the educational work in which they are engaged. The work undertaken by the group is, simultaneously, shaped by the heterogeneous educational disciplines and identities that the individuals bring to it. However, as the literature shows, the challenges faced by heterogeneous groups collaborating on educational work should not be underestimated. The “spaces of orientation” (Newman et al., 2014 , p. 323) where the educational workers come together invariably involve complex negotiations as colleagues from different backgrounds seek to develop a shared understanding of the educational enterprise in which they are engaged.

Kraus and Sultana ( 2008 ) identify three areas of difference that typically complicate and enrich these educational work negotiations (see Table 1 ):

Different disciplines;

Different paradigms of knowledge; and

Different educational spaces.

Rather than framing such differences as obstacles to educational work, Bauman ( 2000 ) argues that they are a necessary precondition for what he refers to as “liquid modernity”, and in a sense they allow us to address new and emerging problems and issues in a globalising world. Newman et al. ( 2014 ) also note the richness of knowledge and learning that can emerge as heterogeneous educational workers “grapple with learning new tasks and identities in new places… in collaboration with others” (p. 322).

Our own journeys in interdisciplinary educational work

The initial catalyst for this Special Issue about interdisciplinary educational work was the shared experience of the three guest editors working in an interdisciplinary team for an interfaculty grant at Monash University (Fitzgerald et al., 2020 ). Before this grant, we had also collaborated on several projects and publications that involved engaging with others across discipline, social and cultural contexts (e.g. Fitzgerald et al., 2017 , 2018 ). Throughout these projects, we developed a strong belief that working within and across boundaries can generate important professional learning for us as individuals and as a team, as well as promoting opportunities for learning and growth for others, such as pre-service teachers, mentor teachers and academics. To illustrate the learning we have gained from these interdisciplinary experiences, we each present a brief narrative that positions our thinking in relation to educational work.

Ange: the power in language and numbers

My first introduction to the construct of ‘educational work’ was through an interfaculty project that I participated in with Judy and Graham over a couple of years before subsequently engaging in some research around that shared interdisciplinary experience (see Fitzgerald et al., 2020 ). This introduction ended up being an ‘ah-ha’ moment in my professional life. Through self-reflection, I started to recognise that the professional work that most energised me, that I was most proud of and that I grew the most from could, in fact, be defined as educational work. While I was very cognisant that the work I most valued and that was the most powerful in my career involved working on and crossing boundaries, this new connection helped me to better understand the purpose underpinning what I do and why it matters. Being able to grasp and articulate the ‘why it matters’ element is what is most important to me at this particular juncture. Having a construct like educational work to hang my professional hat on helps me to legitimise the non-quantifiable and marginalised aspects of my work by providing a space in which to connect with others who do and value the same type of work. It seems to me that there is a sense of safety and belonging not only through power in numbers, but a shared language.

Graham: more than we can imagine or achieve in our familiar spaces

‘We want to develop an international professional experience program in South Africa for our pre-service teachers in the final stages of their teacher education. Would you be interested in leading a pilot later this year?’ This initial conversation with the Associate Dean Education in our Faculty of Education in early 2009 was the launching point for a rich journey for me of leading and/or researching interdisciplinary, international professional experience programs. Such programs have evolved to the stage where Australian universities now typically collaborate not just with schools in international settings, but also with pre-schools, community-based organisations, industries and/or universities in various overseas countries. Each partner organisation, and each individual who works with them, brings a different mix of skills, experience, knowledge and cultures to the program, and these serve to enrich and complicate the experience of a teaching placement that a single faculty of education in a university could not have imagined on its own. Through collaborating with Ange and Judy on a number of interdisciplinary education projects since then, I have continued to appreciate how much I learn from my colleagues in these educational work projects, and how inspiring it is to work across disciplines and contribute to new knowledge and practices along the way.

Judy: crossing boundaries and working in unfamiliar spaces

Looking back on my career in education, I can see a thread that runs through most of my experiences as a teacher/teacher educator/researcher. This thread involves the frequent transitions between educational spaces and contexts, which I have made over this time. Much of my research has involved exploring the process of becoming a teacher or teacher educator in a range of new and often unfamiliar educational contexts: transitioning from school teacher to university-based teacher educator; working in university and in school classrooms, mentoring pre-service teachers during their professional experience placements, both locally and in international settings; working with a range of school-based mentor teachers during these placements; and working in collaborative projects with academic and school-based colleagues. All this ‘boundary work’ has involved the ‘complex negotiations’ that Newman et al. ( 2014 ) identified, and it has ensured that my work as an educator/researcher has been an ever-evolving learning experience. This learning has never been in isolation. It has been enriched by the people I have worked with, whether informally or within formal collaborative research projects or teaching roles, and by the spaces I have inhabited. Therefore, interdisciplinary and cross cultural spaces have been an integral part of my educational work and learning.

An invitation to interdisciplinary educational work

In seeking contributions to this Special Issue, we invited researchers and educators to experiment with narrative methodologies as they told their stories of engaging in ‘interdisciplinary educational work’. To assist, we proposed a number of categories, detailed below, as ‘hooks’ for their narrative. While the following list was not intended to be exhaustive, it acted as a guide for potential contributors in how to position their own research with respect to the theme.

Interdisciplinary work (e.g. between different disciplinary knowledges, methodological approaches, scholarly traditions, etc.);

Cross-faculty work (e.g. collaborations between different faculties, schools and departments, etc.);

Boundary work (e.g. between various spaces: academic/professional, school/university, public/private, etc.);

Educational workers coming from diverse contexts (e.g. informal learning settings—museums, zoos, etc.; outside classroom contexts—home schooling, hospital-based, etc.);

Challenges and opportunities posed by different spaces (e.g. international collaborations, school–university partnerships, industry links, etc.); and

Globalised experiences (e.g. study tours, work integrated learning, service learning, professional experiences, etc.).

To challenge contributors in their exploration of the concept of educational work, we also posed questions that might provide a shared context from which to grapple with lived experiences of this construct. The authors considered questions such as: what is interdisciplinary educational work?; how is it enacted in your particular context?; what challenges and opportunities have you encountered in interdisciplinary educational work?; why and how might individuals and groups in higher education collaborate across disciplinary borders to ‘enable learning’?; who benefits from interdisciplinary educational work and how?; and what policy discourses (at local, national or international levels) encourage and/or inhibit educational work?

The collection itself

The papers in this Special Issue are largely positioned within an Australian context, but there are also contributions from Canada and Portugal. It is evident across the papers that institutional and/or system support for the development and continuation of this work is paramount. The value of the collaboration is significant for the participants themselves as well as for other stakeholders. The participants gained enormously in their understanding of their own and others’ disciplines and professional knowledge, and in their own identities (Kraus & Sultana, 2008 ). As editors, this collection of papers reminds us that the domain of educational work is diverse, rich and complex, which acts to enrich our understandings of the role that education and educative experiences can play in enacting meaningful learning and personal growth.

Some of the papers in this collection present accounts of interdisciplinary educational work within single universities in Australia. They describe colleagues from different disciplinary backgrounds coming together to co-develop an interdisciplinary project within that institution. In one paper, Brandenburg, Smith, Higgins and Coursivanos reflect on the experience of working within a newly established interdisciplinary research group. Their paper reports on the contrasting aspirations and motivations of the group members, and the ways in which institutional policies, grant opportunities and mentoring support shaped those aspirations and motivations. In a study reported on in another paper, Colton, Mignone and Newport-Peace investigate the benefits and challenges of co-developing an interdisciplinary teaching and learning unit for undergraduate students in their university. They began separately by writing reflexive autobiographical narratives of their experience, and then employed dialogic writing practices to analyse the ways in which this project required them to negotiate what they call ‘nodes of tension’ in their collaboration.

Other papers show heterogeneous groups within a single school or a university reaching out to collaborate with industry professionals and community-based organisations. Their interdisciplinary educational work is typically driven by a social justice agenda that wishes to respect, learn from and contribute positively to the knowledge, culture and practices of these communities. Krishnamoorthy and Ayre explore their experiences as a school-based educator and a psychologist working together in an interconnected, cross-sectoral system of care that included health care, child welfare, juvenile justice, housing and other community services. They document and analyse their collaborative efforts to respond to the needs of young people in schools who are exposed to traumatic and adverse life experiences. Hill and MacDonald, from Canada, present an inspiring duo-ethnographic study, documenting their collaboration with members of the Indigenous Skwxwú7mesh Nation, with whom they co-designed two community-based Master of Education programs for postgraduate students. Using reflexive narrative methods, and problematising their identities as ‘White Settlers’ in a middle-class university, they seek to respect and make visible the material, cultural, relational and knowledge landscapes of their collaboration.

Another group of papers identifies educators in cross-institutional collaborations connecting with a range of stakeholders. Da Silva, Senra, Sampaio and Oliveira, from two Portuguese higher education institutions, worked for one year in a cross-disciplinary team of academics—from educational sciences, computer sciences and engineering—to develop a mobile app that assessed the educational quality of youth-related initiatives in the borderlands of Portugal. In their paper, they describe the experience of developing the app, learning more about these Portuguese youth, engaging with industry professionals who had expertise in developing apps or designing quality support programs for youths, and managing a whole spectrum of tensions in these interactions, as well as the tensions in their own team. Working across two Australian universities and an arts and social change organisation, Wise, MacDonald, Badham, Brown and Rankin, write about a range of interdisciplinary case studies where collaborations between the education sector, creative industries and community were established to contribute to social justice projects. Their analysis teases out the contrasting perspectives of schoolteachers, artists and creative content producers who collaborated on projects that sought to creatively address the multi-faceted challenges of youth in disadvantaged community settings.

Finally, working within a specialised ‘Faculty of Transdisciplinary Innovation’, Kligyte, Buck, Le Hunte, Ulis, McGregor and Wilson present a reflexive case study about a virtual Work Integrated Learning (WIL) project they designed and led for undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their paper engages with the conceptual lenses of liminality and third space to illuminate the different dimensions of transdisciplinary education work when university-based educators and industry-based professionals collaborated on the creation of this innovative virtual workplace simulation project.

This Special Issue draws on a wide variety of institutional, policy and cultural spaces to showcase the distinctive experiences and relationships that constitute and/or contribute to interdisciplinary educational work. Using a range of reflexive narrative-based methodologies and theoretical frameworks, the authors make visible a variety of ways in which individuals and groups in schools, higher education institutions, industries and communities are able to collaborate across disciplinary borders to ‘enable learning’ (Newman et al., 2014 ). In the process of this ‘making visible’, the papers collectively highlight the importance of respectful dialogue, persistence, flexibility, and institutional and system-wide structures and resources that must support this educational work.

The collection of papers stands as a powerful piece of advocacy for interdisciplinary educational work and all that it can contribute to knowledge and practice in higher education and related spaces. And yet the authors eschew the easier path of constructing idealised stories of interdisciplinary collaborations and partnerships. They pull no punches in their accounts, occasionally identifying challenges, tensions and frustrations encountered through the longer-term journey of building and sustaining relationships, practices and knowledge. Importantly, they also educate, raise questions and inspire hope in the possibilities of interdisciplinary educational work now, and into the future.

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Fitzgerald, A., Parr, G. & Williams, J. Diverse perspectives and lived experiences of educational work. Aust. Educ. Res. 49 , 481–488 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-022-00527-2

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Improving the Teacher Workforce

• Posted May 20, 2024
• By Elizabeth M. Ross

Mary Laski understands how vital effective teachers are. “I had the privilege of having great teachers and know how important that was for me getting here,” says the HGSE doctoral marshal whose mother was also a teacher. Inspired by her own positive experiences, Laski wants to help put more great teachers in front of more students.

For her doctoral dissertation called Essays on the Teacher Workforce , Laski wrote three separate pieces. Two of her papers have already been shared publicly, including research on lessons the teaching profession can learn from encouraging developments in the nursing field and an evaluation of a pilot teaching program in Mississippi .  The pilot allowed some school principals in the state to tackle teacher shortages by selecting in-house paraeducators and other experienced staff, who had not been able to pass Mississippi’s traditional licensing exams, to fill open teaching positions using provisional licenses. Because Laski found positive results with the program, Mississippi has moved forward with a performance-based licensure pathway for some teachers based on their success in the classroom. Laski’s third paper examined the role that principals play in the quality of teachers in schools.

“If you read the education news, all you hear about is how hard it is to be a teacher and how everything is going wrong with the teaching profession, and there's some truth in that,” Laski explains. “But I ended my research journey on an optimistic note. There are bright spots and places where we could be thinking more carefully about supporting teachers and getting great teachers in the classrooms.”

Laski recently reflected on ways to improve the teaching field and shared what she values most about her time at HGSE.

Where do you think the hope lies for the teaching profession, following the research that you’ve done?   I think the pandemic really put a spotlight on how hard it is to be a teacher and a lot of issues with the profession, so I think this is a prime moment now to be thinking more critically about this role that we all know is really important but is also really hard. It doesn’t have to be this way. Nursing has figured out a way to be a more appealing profession and there are ways that we could be thinking about teaching differently to make it more appealing. Also, principals clearly can be doing things to support their schools in their management of teaching. And we could be thinking more carefully about how to support principals in making the best decisions for their schools.

How has your time at HGSE helped you?   Six years is a long time and the amount of things that have happened is mind blowing to me. There was the global pandemic. I also became a parent, which was a huge personal change, so I feel like a very different person than I was six years ago. I feel very grateful for all of the opportunities I've had. I think I'm most grateful for my cohort of other doctoral candidates. We became really, really close our first year and I’m so glad about that because we were able to keep our community going when we all went virtual the second year [during the pandemic.] We had Zoom study groups and regular reading groups.  We were able to keep supporting each other continuously. That community, I feel, is the only way that I made it through this program so, I'm very, very thankful for them. 

How did you balance being a new mom and getting your Ph.D. at the same time?    Several of my friends also became parents for the first time so there's a group of new mom friends and having other people going through that big change with you or that have done it recently is very helpful. But yes, particularly managing being in a Ph.D. program, I could not have done that without many other women in my same program who helped me understand how to manage it.... I'm actually expecting another kid this summer. There are also some other people that are graduating pregnant. We have a good community of moms.

What does it mean to be chosen by your peers to be a Commencement marshal?   It’s really one of the most meaningful parts of graduation for me. I built lifelong friendships in this program. I learned a lot in my classes, but I think I maybe learned more from my cohort mates and that is really one of the greatest benefits of this program. I didn't even appreciate, before applying or starting here, how much I would benefit from having that group of colleagues who were thinking about similar things and so smart and so caring and going through the same things as me. I'm just very, very flattered and honored.

What are your future plans?    I actually have already started a position at Arizona State University as a research principal, continuing a lot of the same work, thinking about how we can be reimagining what teaching looks like to make it more sustainable and attractive to folks. Arizona State has this big initiative called the Next Education Workforce. It's basically getting teachers to work together in teams, sharing a roster of students, and distributing their expertise — really making the job look different, so that they're working together a lot more, collaborating. Everyone always talks about the first year of teaching being so hard, but when you're all alone in a classroom all day with kids and it's really hard, that just makes it even worse. The opportunity to have more support with your co-workers is something that we look for in a lot of professions. What I like about my job is collaborating with really smart, caring people and we don't always offer teachers that opportunity.

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• Software Developer/Engineer: Working on the technical side, software developers and engineers develop, build, and maintain educational programs, apps, and games.
• Graphic Designer: These are the folks who focus on all things visual, like images, fonts, page design, and more.
• Learning Experience Designer: This job focuses on creating effective, engaging experiences for learners, using instructional design principles, user experience (UX) design, and educational psychology.
• Edtech Researcher: Researchers ensure the products companies create are effective by conducting studies and analyzing data.
• E-Learning Specialist: Specialists combine several skills, including design, development, research, and user experience.
• Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) Developer: This is one of the newer edtech jobs, with developers responsible for creative immersive educational experiences using VR/AR technology.
• Data Analyst/Data Scientist: These people work with educators and schools to make data-driven decisions that improve learning outcomes.
• Product Manager: Product managers oversee the development and management of educational technology products and platforms.
• Sales and Marketing: These are the folks who promote and sell edtech products to schools, families, and other markets.
• Edtech Consultant: Consultants help schools and other educational organizations make smart choices about technology, offering guidance and training on effective edtech solutions.

Do you need a degree to work in edtech?

Some people working in edtech earn a degree in educational technology itself. However, many companies don’t require this; instead, they look for candidates with a degree in a related field and on-the-job experience working with edtech.

The type of degree you might need for an edtech job varies. If you’re interested in working on the technical side, you might need a degree in computer programming, computer engineering, information technology, or computer science.

Other edtech jobs focus on technical writing, user experience, curriculum design and development, and pedagogy. For these jobs, you may benefit from having a degree in education, English, technical writing, curriculum development, or graphic design.

Discover more about education technology degrees here.

Can former teachers transition into edtech jobs?

Absolutely! In fact, this is a popular option for teachers who’ve decided they no longer want to work in the classroom but aren’t ready to leave education altogether. Former teachers bring real-world experience to edtech jobs, helping companies ensure their products provide true value to educators and students.

If you’re looking to transition from teaching to edtech, learn how to make your resume stand out in the corporate world here . And don’t miss this big roundup of companies that hire former teachers .

Where can I find edtech job postings?

HolonIQ/Top 100 via holoniq.com

If you’d like to work in edtech, the next stop is finding a job that’s a good fit for you. You can use job posting sites like Indeed or ZipRecruiter, but you’ll often have better luck using sites dedicated to edtech instead, including:

• EdSurge : This site’s jobs boards are regularly hailed as one of the best places to find new jobs in edtech. They’ve got a weekly newsletter you can subscribe to as well.
• ISTE : The International Society for Technology in Education, known as ISTE, has very active job boards with new postings on a regular basis. Attending their annual summer conference can also be a great way to network with edtech companies.
• Ed + Tech : This simple site posts jobs in edtech and academia. It’s not as regularly updated as some other sites, but it’s still worth keeping an eye on.
• Work in EdTech : Browse posted jobs and sign up for their weekly newsletter so you can stay on top of new opportunities as they arise.

Another option for job seekers is to visit the websites of companies you’re interested in working for to see if they have positions available. This list of top edtech companies in 2023 will help you get started.

What tips do you have for former teachers searching for edtech jobs? Come share your advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, 50 legit side jobs for teachers who want to make extra money ..

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Looking for Remote Education Jobs? 10 Companies Hiring

Looking to redefine your teaching career with the flexibility of remote work? Remote education jobs open opportunities where your expertise and innovation can reach students beyond the traditional classroom . Ideal for educators and EdTech specialists, these roles allow you to impact learners regardless of your location.

Inside the remote education field , you’ll find a blend of teaching , content creation , and technology , all contributing to the evolving landscape of education. Ready to shift into the diverse world of virtual education jobs? Let’s dive deeper.

What Are Remote Education Jobs?

Remote education jobs extend beyond traditional teaching boundaries, embracing a variety of roles such as online tutors , instructional designers , educational content creators , and e-learning consultants. In a remote education role, you’ll not only instruct but also innovate in how educational content is delivered and experienced .

To excel in remote education, a blend of subject expertise, digital literacy, and creative instructional strategies is crucial. You’ll need to master various online tools and platforms to engage students effectively. The remote setup offers great flexibility, often allowing you to work from anywhere , but it also challenges you to maintain strong, meaningful connections with students and colleagues, often across different time zones.

10 Companies With Remote, Work-from-Home Education Jobs

Start your search for a remote education job by exploring these 10 work-from-home companies that have posted remote jobs in the education field.

1. Agora Cyber Charter School

Agora Cyber Charter School is an online public charter school and one of the fastest-growing educational institutions in the state of Pennsylvania . Serving children in grades K-12 , Agora Cyber Charter School is a full-time, tuition-free school.

Explore more remote education jobs hiring now here!

2. Discovery Education

An education technology company, Discovery Education supports technology-enabled, innovative classrooms that prepare future learners. A leader in standards-based digital curriculum , Discovery Education delivers practice resources, creative tools, digital lessons, and engaging content .

3. Edmentum

Edmentum is an education technology company that provides products and services to thousands of school districts across the United States. The company’s products include Study Island, Courseware, EdOptions Academy, Calvert Learning, Exact Path, BASE Education, Apex Learning, and Reading Eggs.

4. Fullmind Learning

Fullmind Learning is an e-learning company on a mission to ensure all children have access to an exceptional education. Fullmind partners with school districts across the U.S. to extend their subject offerings, provide additional teaching staff through live streaming, and combat the loss of instructional time.

5. MissionWired

MissionWired is an advertising services company that is on a mission to help its clients “change the world” by developing and delivering digital strategies that are innovative and effective.

6. Pearson Virtual Schools

Pearson Virtual Schools, formerly Connections Education and a division within Pearson, is a leading provider of accountable, high-quality virtual education solutions for K-12 students , schools, and school districts worldwide.

7. Study.com

Study.com was founded to reduce the financial burden of attending a traditional college and “bring tuition-free college to the community.” Study.com features over 200 instructors who deliver courses in a wide assortment of subjects, which are all available for GED credit, certificates of completion, or easily transferable to thousands of universities across the U.S.

8. Teaching Lab

Teaching Lab builds equitable schools using grassroots organizing and research -based, teacher -led professional learning . The nonprofit ‘s goal is to close the gap in educational opportunity by identifying and partnering with exceptional teacher-leaders, recruiting their colleagues, and supporting them as they work to improve instruction for underserved students .

9. Walden University

Walden University is an accredited online university established in 1970 by teachers Bernie and Rita Turner. With a student -centered philosophy, Walden University focuses on meeting the needs of working adults pursuing advanced degrees.

10. Western Governors University

Founded in 1997 by the governors of 19 states, Western Governors University (WGU) is an accredited online university offering a variety of competency-based degree programs to more than 40,000 students across the U.S.

More Remote Jobs Related to Education

• Remote Teaching Jobs
• Remote Writing Jobs
• Remote Editing Jobs
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Find Online Education Jobs from Home

No matter what area of education appeals to you— teaching or tutoring , working with K-12 or college & university students, working as a curriculum developer , or working in another capacity—there’s an online job out there for you.

Looking for online jobs from home ? Remote.co’s sister site, FlexJobs , can help you connect with legitimate remote jobs. New jobs are posted every day in more than 50 career categories, including full-time , part-time , temporary , and freelance jobs . No matter what you’re looking for— digital nomad jobs , stay-at-home mom jobs , or side gigs from home —there’s a remote job for everyone. Start your search today!

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Opinion | 70 years since Brown V. Board of Education and…

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Opinion | 70 years since Brown V. Board of Education and California still has work to do

Residential assignment is the practice of using school boundary lines to determine where a child goes to school based on their home address. In theory, residential assignment makes sense. Each family sends their child to the school closest to home. Unfortunately, it’s a lot less intuitive in practice. In California’s K-12 system especially, residential assignment helps maintain discriminatory fault lines . A solution that should be considered is the permanent erasure of these dividing lines for good, allowing every student, especially in California, to access any public school that works best for them.

The residential assignment boundaries used by our public education system often replicate redlined maps from the 1930s. These redlined maps were divided into four different colors. The parts of the map shaded red were considered hazardous and unworthy of receiving housing loans. The populations that were disproportionately affected by the low access to housing loans included Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Jewish families. These maps created segregated living patterns that permeated public schools, creating de facto segregation based on the factors of race and wealth that exist to this day. 

Multiple studies have analyzed the relationship between public school attendance zones and redlining, finding many of the maps are nearly identical . For instance, Oakland is one of the worst perpetrators, as its school attendance boundary has “strong spatial correlations with redlined neighborhoods in terms of both perimeter and area,” according to a study from the Urban Institute. The practical results are disastrous. Children who live in historically redlined areas are often denied a high-quality public school education, an outcome that can have consequences that extend far beyond their schooling years in the form of lower wages , poor health , and many other negative effects . 

It’s no surprise that many families turn to address sharing to secure better education options for their kids. Address sharing is when parents use an address other than their own to enroll their child in a preferred public school, and it’s illegal in California. Many public school districts have hired private investigators to find evidence that can lead to parents being charged with a felony and a four-year prison sentence. For any families caught in the practice, their children will be expelled and relegated to the residentially assigned school they were trying to escape.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Families who want the best public education for their children shouldn’t risk going to jail if they can’t afford a home address in a higher-income school district . Instead, we should expand open enrollment , decoupling access to quality schools from the ability to afford high dollar residential neighborhoods. 

70 years ago , the Brown decision made racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Now it’s up to us to honor the legacy of Brown V. Board by making the opportunity to attend a great public school available to every student by creating a K-12 system with no more lines. Erasing the public school boundary lines steeped in a dark history of bigotry by expanding open enrollment can make access to high-quality public education a reality for every child, no matter their background. This is the public education system we should have had in 1954, and it is certainly the one we need in 2024.

Cooper Conway is a recent alumnus of Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy, a Policy Advisor at 50CAN, and a State Beat Fellow at Young Voices, where he focuses on education reform. Follow him on Twitter @CooperConway1.

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Director of Development, Graduate School of Education (GSE)

🔍 graduate school of education, stanford, california, united states.

Main Work Location : Stanford Main Historical Campus.  Schedule: Hybrid work schedule (at least 2 days per week on-site).

To Apply:  Please submit a cover letter and résumé along with your online application.

The Stanford University Graduate School of Education (GSE) is seeking a full-time Director of Development to work with the Associate Dean for External Relations to lead development efforts and execution of campaign activities and fundraising goals for the school. The Director of Development will oversee major gifts and lead the team of gift officers supporting corporate and foundation relations, planned giving and leadership annual giving.

The Stanford University Graduate School of Education (GSE) is dedicated to solving education's greatest challenges. Through rigorous research, model training programs and partnerships with educators worldwide, we're pursuing equitable, accessible and effective learning for all.

The GSE is a top-ranked school of education, known for its prestigious faculty, rigorous graduate degree programs, and its impact on the quality of education across the world. The GSE is committed to developing leaders in education research, practice and policy. Our community includes over 60 faculty, 400 students, 200 staff, 14,000 alumni and countless people from the local and global communities we work with and impact. 

The GSE’s External Relations team promotes the people, places, and pursuits of the Graduate School of Education by illuminating the achievements and goals of the school; engaging supporters in philanthropic opportunities; and facilitating participation by alums, donors, and friends in the life of the GSE. The Director of Development is a member of External Relations’ senior leadership team and is vital in connecting the Graduate School of Education with Stanford University and beyond.  

POSITION SUMMARY Reporting to the Associate Dean for External Relations, the Director for Development will develop and execute major gift fundraising strategies and accomplish the GSE’s capital campaign and ongoing fundraising goals. This position will manage a portfolio of major gift donors while overseeing a team of gift officers whose portfolios are integral to the success of school-wide major giving. The Director of Development also will engage the school’s alumni by seeking their participation as volunteers, advocates and donors. 

In this role, you will: 

• Manage a major gift portfolio and direct the efforts of major and leadership annual gifts officers.
• Plan and implement the GSE’s major gift fundraising plans and strategies.
• Work with volunteers and faculty to develop goals and fundraising activities.
• Provide opportunities for professional growth focusing on retention to increase capacity and stability of the team.
• Inspire and motivate staff by fostering a work environment that encourages new ideas, risk-taking, team-based efforts, celebrating current achievements and setting/meeting philanthropic goals.
• Hire and retain staff, offer career coaching, encourage professional development and guide performance of direct reports.
• Ensure appropriate resources are allocated towards programs, and resolve internal allocation issues. 

Additional responsibilities include: 

• Personally manage a portfolio of high potential individual prospects through the discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship cycles. Forge long-term relationships with these individuals to cultivate their interest in Stanford that will lead to gifts in the seven- and eight-figure range.
• Provide strategic fundraising support to the Dean of the GSE and Associate Dean for External Relations and faculty leaders as appropriate.
• Supervise GSE’s development officers who focus on individual, planned giving, and corporate and foundation fundraising; lead staff to advance GSE relationships and solicitations, develop and support gift officer’s achievement of annual fundraising goals; leverage and ensure alignment of fundraising activities by gift officers.
• Convene regular team meetings and organize team-building activities to encourage collaboration and open communication; create a culture of celebration where accomplishments such as meeting fundraising goals are consistently acknowledged and celebrated.
• Monitor performance and offer mentoring and coaching options as requested by team members or suggested by the Associate Dean for External Relations.
• Facilitate and support capital campaign and fundraising activities by the GSE Advisory Council; facilitate relationships between potential and current GSE donors and volunteers; work closely with faculty leadership to build relationships between potential donors and faculty.
• Collaborate with other staff, academic leaders, and faculty to develop gift ideas and strategies and to foster relationships that will be productive for Stanford.
• Maintain a current body of knowledge about GSE priorities, particularly those elevated by the dean and faculty leaders.
• Become a go-to context expert on the GSE and its initiatives and serve as first author and strategist on complex, lead gifts.
• Other duties may also be assigned.

Preferred qualifications

• Ability to develop long-term relationships with major level donors and prospects, as well as a proven track record of success in personally cultivating, soliciting and stewarding seven- and eight-figure gifts.
• Creative problem-solving with strong critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Proven ability to achieve results working through others – facilitating and enabling others to act will be as important as actions taken directly.
• The credibility, sound judgment and capacity to engage, inspire and persuade faculty, university administrators, donors, volunteers and colleagues.
• Proven skills in managing several competing priorities and complex issues creatively and effectively. This may include long-range strategic fundraising, donor development, and volunteer engagement with the day-to-day operations.
• Demonstrated experience engaging and motivating groups of diverse individuals.
• Ability to meet deadlines and function effectively in an environment demanding a high energy level, discretion, flexibility, and superior work.
• Proven ability to make independent decisions.
• Experience working in an academic environment and staffing senior academic leaders on donor calls as well as at volunteer meetings and events is desirable.
• Previous experience in a campaign is also highly desirable.

The expected pay range for this position is $147,000 to $218,000 per annum. Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.

WHY STANFORD IS FOR YOU:  Imagine a world without search engines or social platforms. Consider lives saved through first-ever organ transplants and research to cure illnesses. Stanford University has revolutionized the way we live and enriches the world. Supporting this mission is our diverse and dedicated 17,000 staff. We seek talent driven to impact the future of our legacy. Our culture and unique perks empower you with:

• Freedom to grow . We offer career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or audit courses. Join a TedTalk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or global leader speak.
• A caring culture. We provide superb retirement plans, generous time-off, and family care resources.
• A healthier you . Climb our rock wall or choose from hundreds of health or fitness classes at our world-class exercise facilities. We also provide excellent health care benefits.
• Discovery and fun . Stroll through historic sculptures, trails, and museums.
• Enviable resources.  Enjoy free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, discounts and more!

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources at [email protected]. For all other inquiries, please submit a contact form .

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

• Schedule: Full-time
• Job Code: 4296
• Employee Status: Regular
• Requisition ID: 103374
• Work Arrangement : Hybrid Eligible

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Stanford's deep commitment to sustainability practices has earned us a Platinum rating and inspired a new school aimed at tackling climate change.

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Stanford's Innovative Medicines Accelerator is currently focused entirely on helping faculty generate and test new medicines that can slow the spread of COVID-19.

From Google and PayPal to Netflix and Snapchat, Stanford has housed some of the most celebrated innovations in Silicon Valley.

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Through rigorous research, model training programs and partnerships with educators worldwide, Stanford is pursuing equitable, accessible and effective learning for all.

Working Here We believe you matter as much as the work

I love that Stanford is supportive of learning, and as an education institution, that pursuit of knowledge extends to staff members through professional development, wellness, financial planning and staff affinity groups.

School of Engineering

I get to apply my real-world experiences in a setting that welcomes diversity in thinking and offers support in applying new methods. In my short time at Stanford, I've been able to streamline processes that provide better and faster information to our students.

Phillip Cheng

Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Besides its contributions to science, health, and medicine, Stanford is also the home of pioneers across disciplines. Joining Stanford has been a great way to contribute to our society by supporting emerging leaders.

Denisha Clark

School of Medicine

I like working in a place where ideas matter. Working at Stanford means being part of a vibrant, international culture in addition to getting to do meaningful work.

Office of the President and Provost

Getting Started We believe that you can love your job

Join Stanford in shaping a better tomorrow for your community, humanity and the planet we call home.

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Statement from President Joe   Biden on $7.7 Billion in Student Debt Cancellation for 160,000   Borrowers

Today, my Administration is canceling student debt for 160,000 more people, bringing the total number of Americans who have benefitted from our debt relief actions to 4.75 million. Each of those borrowers has received an average of over $35,000 in debt cancellation. These 160,000 additional borrowers are people enrolled in my Administration’s SAVE Plan; are public service workers like teachers, nurses, or law enforcement officials; or are borrowers who were approved for relief because of fixes we made to Income-Driven Repayment. 

Today’s announcement comes on top of the significant progress we’ve made for students and borrowers over the past three years. That includes providing the largest increases to the maximum Pell Grant in over a decade; fixing Public Service Loan Forgiveness so teachers, nurses, police officers, and other public service workers get the relief they are entitled to under the law; and holding colleges accountable for taking advantage of students and families. And last month, I laid out my Administration’s new plans that would cancel student debt for more than 30 million Americans when combined with everything we’ve done so far. 

From day one of my Administration, I promised to fight to ensure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. I will never stop working to cancel student debt – no matter how many times Republican elected officials try to stop us.

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The Ohio State University

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• 988-CareLine Training Series

The Ohio CareLine is an emotional support call line created by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and answered by Ohio community agencies. We are pleased to provide this 988-CareLine Development Training Series. These free trainings are designed for 988, CareLine and crisis call line workers. In a generous partnership with The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, The Ohio State College of Social Work is presenting a series of free, online training opportunities to crisis call line workers.

Our objective is to provide both live and self-paced trainings that will help provide opportunities for professional development, increase confidence, expand individual knowledge bases, and enhance the existing skills of call line workers.

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Scheduled Live Trainings

Free live webinars will be available through September 30, 2024. Stay tuned for more sessions coming soon! Please note that effective March 2024, to help foster an engaging learning experience with enhanced participation, starting in March, live 988 trainings will be capped at 300 participants per session. If you miss a live training, we will be converting live sessions into free self-paced courses that you’ll be able to take at your own convenience!

NEW – Reviving the Burned-Out Helping Professional MAY 31, 2024 | 9 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. ET

NEW – Perinatal Mental Health Care for Black Moms and Birthing Persons JUNE 11, 2024 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. ET

NEW – Managing Crisis: Practical Applications Using DBT Skills for De-escalation Over the Phone   JUNE 13, 2024 | 1 – 4:15 p.m. ET

NEW – Understanding the Intersection of Substance Use and Trauma JUNE 21, 2024 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET

NEW – Compassionate Conversations: Supporting Those Affected by Pregnancy and Infant Loss JUNE 26, 2024 | 9 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. ET

NEW – Supporting Individuals Grieving Overdose Loss JULY 26, 2024 | 10 a.m. – Noon ET

Free Self-paced Trainings

Free self-paced trainings (built from recordings of live webinars) are available below. You can browse individual self-paced trainings below or view our full catalog of 988-CareLine self-paced courses here !

Developed in 2024

NEW! –   Safety Assessments & Safety Planning: Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Suicide, and Homicide

NEW! –  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Adolescents

NEW! –  Communicating with Dysregulated Callers: Enhancing Calm Through an Understanding of State-Dependent Functioning

NEW! –  Wellness and Self-Care for Helping Professionals

NEW! –  Helping Skills Basics & Empathy-Building for Call Line Workers and Other Helping Professionals

NEW! –  Strengths-Based Assessment for Suicide and Self-Injury

NEW! –  Counseling Child and Adult Survivors of Sexual Victimization

NEW! –  Building Tolerance and Acceptance

Supportive Care for Suicide Loss Survivors

Trauma 101: What Crisis Workers Should Know

Supporting Clients Who Experience Complicated Grief

Companioning Grieving Children and Teens

Working with Latino/Latina/Latinx Populations

Supporting Clients who Experience Poverty & Homelessness

Developed in 2023

Caring for the Caregiver

The Not-So-Random Things Parents/Caregivers May Call You About on the Phone Lines

Creating Work-Life Equilibrium

Relationship Drama 101: Considerations for Supporting Callers Dealing with the Loss and Upsets of Dating and Marital Relationships

Understanding and Managing Stress in College Students

Spiritual Competence on the Phone Lines

Creating a Safe Space for LGBTQIA+ Callers

Safety Planning with Callers in Crisis: Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence

Intersectionality of Identity and Supporting Callers with Diversity-Related Stressors

Worried About Someone?: Helping Third Party Callers

Self-Injury and Suicide: Critical Implications for Risk Identification

Crisis Intervention & Advocacy for Survivors of Sexual Assault

Supporting Individuals with Chronic Health Conditions

Safety First: Practical, Creative Ways to Promote Client Safety

What’s Trauma Got to Do with It?: Understanding Client Behavior Through the Lens of Trauma and Unmet Needs

Perinatal Mental Health Complications: The Most Common Complication of Pregnancy and Childbirth

Understanding and Preventing Suicide in Older Adulthood

Surviving Infidelity: How to Help Callers Endure Relationship Turmoil

Strategies for Responding to Disruptive Callers

Substance Use Trends Among Adults

Healthy Boundaries for Helping Professionals

Mental Health Implications of Current Events for Kids and Teens

Family Conflict: Everyone Has It But When Does It Go Too Far?

Abuse in Later Life: Domestic Violence and Older Adults

“You Again?”: Setting Healthy Limits with Frequent Callers

Tough Talks with Teens

Developed in 2022

Identifying and Responding to Domestic Violence

Understanding Grief: Dispelling Myths and Offering Support

Promoting Whole Person Wellness in Older Adulthood: Challenges & Opportunities

Documentation: Beyond the Basics

Human Trafficking: Identifying Signs and Responding to Survivors in a Hotline Setting

The Bias in Me: Understanding the Impact of Implicit Bias

Behavioral Health Crisis Care Considerations for Children in Rural Appalachia

Helping During Times of Crisis: Strategies for Assessment and Intervention

How to Support Those who Suffer from Panic Attacks and Anxiety

Empathy on the Phone: Using Your Voice to De-escalate and Promote Safety

Documentation Basics

Strategies for Preventing and Addressing Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Vicarious Trauma

Call Management in an Unmanageable World

Strategies for Responding Effectively to CareLine Callers with Substance Use Disorder

Compassion Resilience and Self-Care

9-1-1 and 9-8-8: A Team Approach to Crisis Care

The Ethics of Self-Care

De-Escalating Individuals With Disruptive Behaviors

Helping Callers With Dual Diagnoses in Crisis: How to Support Callers With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health Conditions

Developing a Self-Care Plan

Helping Callers with Personality Disorders: Four Strategies for Effective Intervention

Developed in 2021

Suicide Prevention for Veterans, Part One

Suicide Prevention for Veterans, Part Two

Helping Veterans Through Mental Health Crises & PTSD

Boundaries and Self-Care for Helping Professionals

Brief Interventions to Help Coach Someone with Anxiety Over the Phone

Crisis Interventions & Ethical Dilemmas for Phone Line Staff

Active Listening – Connect with Anyone About Anything

Best Practices for Engaging with Youth and Adolescents

Working with the Anxious Client – Concrete Tools to Integrate into Your Practice

The Work of Racial Justice on the Phone Lines

Communicating with Clients with Developmental Disabilities

Culture Critique and Call Commentary – Sexual Violence Basics and Call Advocacy Theory and Techniques

What You Need to Know About Grief and Loss

“Thank you so much for clear and useful information that can be implemented into practice immediately.” -CareLine Trainee

Accreditation

• The Ohio State University College of Social Work, (Provider: RCST111747), is an approved* provider for The State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board. *All courses hosted by CSWCE are approved for this Board unless the course description states otherwise.
• The Ohio State University College of Social Work, (Provider: 50-24068), is an approved* provider for The Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals (OCDP) Board. *Courses that have been approved for this Board will note the appropriate content areas in the course description.

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