Look, I’m gonna say this straight up
I think we’re facing a quiet crisis in adult education. And it’s not pretty. I’ve been in this game for over 20 years, writing about learning, teaching, you name it. But lately, I’m seeing something that scares me. We’re getting dumber. Collectively. And it’s not because we’re not trying. It’s because the system is broken.
Let me take you back to 2008. I was at a conference in Austin, Texas. Met this guy, let’s call him Marcus. Marcus was a high school dropout who taught himself coding. He was brilliant. But he was the exception, not the rule. And that’s the problem.
First, the bad news
About three months ago, I was having coffee with a friend named Lisa. She’s a teacher. We were talking about her students. She told me, “They can’t write. They can’t think critically. They can’t even have a conversation without looking at their phones.” And that’s not just her. It’s everywhere. I see it in my own life. I see it in my friends. We’re losing our ability to learn. And it’s not our fault.
I mean, look at the numbers. A study by the National Center for Education Statistics found that adult literacy rates have been declining since 2003. That’s right, we’re going backward. And it’s not just literacy. It’s everything. Math, science, you name it. We’re getting worse.
But here’s the thing
It’s not all doom and gloom. There are people out there trying to fix this. I talked to a colleague named Dave. He’s working on this amazing project. It’s an online platform that teaches adults how to learn again. And it’s working. People are getting smarter. They’re learning how to think critically. They’re learning how to write. It’s incredible.
But here’s the catch. It’s not enough. We need more. We need a complete overhaul of the system. And we need it now. I’m not sure how we’re gonna do it, but I know we have to. Because if we don’t, we’re gonna keep getting dumber. And that’s not an option.
A quick tangent: the internet
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “What about the internet? What about all the information out there?” Yeah, yeah, I know. The internet is great. It’s a wealth of knowledge. But it’s also a distraction. It’s a time-waster. And it’s making us dumber. I mean, have you seen the comments section on dünya haberleri uluslararası gelişmeler lately? It’s a mess. It’s a dumpster fire. And it’s making us all dumber.
But it’s not all bad. The internet can be a great tool for learning. It’s just that we need to learn how to use it properly. We need to learn how to filter out the noise. We need to learn how to find the good stuff. And that’s where adult education comes in.
So what do we do?
I’m not sure. Honestly, I’m not. I wish I had all the answers. But I don’t. I do know that we need to start somewhere. We need to start having conversations about this. We need to start demanding better. We need to start holding ourselves and our institutions accountable.
And we need to start now. Because the longer we wait, the dumber we’re gonna get. And that’s not an option. So let’s get to work. Let’s fix this. Let’s make ourselves smarter. Let’s make our world smarter. Because that’s what we’re gonna do. Right?
I mean, I hope so. Because if we don’t, we’re in trouble. Big trouble. And that’s not something I’m willing to accept. So let’s get to work. Let’s make it happen. Let’s make ourselves smarter. Let’s make our world smarter. Because that’s what we’re gonna do. Right?
About the Author
Sarah Johnson has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s written for major publications on everything from education to technology. She’s passionate about learning and is always looking for ways to make the world a smarter place. When she’s not writing, she’s probably reading, hiking, or spending time with her family. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, two kids, and a dog named Max.
