Connecting the Dots. A Gwendolyn Trotter Production.

Connecting the Connecting the DotsDots


A Gwendolyn Trotter Production


A Gwendolyn Trotter ProductionWith a little help from her friends

Let’s start with our “Dot Let’s start with our “Dot #1” – Dr. Joe A. Lee, #1” – Dr. Joe A. Lee, President, Alabama State President, Alabama State UniversityUniversity(2006, August 16)(2006, August 16)

““There’s a mousetrap in There’s a mousetrap in the farmhouse.”the farmhouse.”

And his famous Einstein And his famous Einstein quote….quote….

However, it is not However, it is not only that if we keep only that if we keep doing what we have doing what we have always done we will always done we will not move ahead. If not move ahead. If we keep doing what we keep doing what we have always we have always done, we are even done, we are even unlikely to achieve unlikely to achieve the same success as the same success as in the past, as in the past, as conditions change.conditions change.

Thomas Friedman helps Thomas Friedman helps us to see the mousetrap us to see the mousetrap and understand Einstein and understand Einstein a little better… he helps a little better… he helps us tous to

CONNECT THE DOTS CONNECT THE DOTS

The World Is Flat: A The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Brief History of the Twenty-First Twenty-First CenturyCentury

Thomas L. FriedmanPulitzer Prize Winning AuthorNew York Times Journalist

How Many of You Have Read This Book on Globalization?

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus assumed the world was assumed the world was round and that he could round and that he could reach India by going reach India by going west from Spain.west from Spain.

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus assumed the world was assumed the world was round and that he could round and that he could reach India by going reach India by going west from Spain.west from Spain.

He miscalculated the He miscalculated the distance and could not find a distance and could not find a water route through the water route through the Americas. However, he was Americas. However, he was glad to make the Indians he glad to make the Indians he met his slaves and to take met his slaves and to take their riches for Spain.their riches for Spain.

Thomas Friedman set Thomas Friedman set out for India, from the out for India, from the US. He flew east, via US. He flew east, via Europe.Europe.

Thomas Friedman set Thomas Friedman set out for India, from the out for India, from the US. He flew east, via US. He flew east, via Europe.Europe.

He, too, found Indians, but He, too, found Indians, but instead of seeking their gold, instead of seeking their gold, silver, silk, and spices, he silver, silk, and spices, he found software, brainpower, found software, brainpower, knowledge workers, and call knowledge workers, and call centers.centers.

What Friedman found shook What Friedman found shook his faith in the notion that his faith in the notion that the world is round. He the world is round. He found Americans in India found Americans in India and Indians who had taken and Indians who had taken American names.American names.

What Friedman found shook What Friedman found shook his faith in the notion that his faith in the notion that the world is round. He the world is round. He found Americans in India found Americans in India and Indians who had taken and Indians who had taken American names.American names.

He found Indians doing He found Indians doing imitations of American imitations of American accents and running call accents and running call centers, software labs, centers, software labs, banking operations, banking operations, accounting operations, accounting operations, etc.etc.

He learned that in 2003, He learned that in 2003, 25,00025,000 US tax returns US tax returns were done in India. In were done in India. In 2004, that number rose 2004, that number rose to to 100,000100,000. Last year it . Last year it was estimated to be was estimated to be 400,000400,000..

He learned that in 2003, He learned that in 2003, 25,00025,000 US tax returns US tax returns were done in India. In were done in India. In 2004, that number rose 2004, that number rose to to 100,000100,000. Last year it . Last year it was estimated to be was estimated to be 400,000400,000..

Next year????Next year????

There are currently about 245,000 Indians answering phones from all over the world or dialing out to solicit people for credit cards or cell phones.

There are currently about 245,000 Indians answering phones from all over the world or dialing out to solicit people for credit cards or cell phones.

In America, these were low-In America, these were low-wage, low-prestige jobs. In wage, low-prestige jobs. In India, they became high-India, they became high-wage, high-prestige jobs. wage, high-prestige jobs. India competes for them.India competes for them.

The Globalizing WorldThe Globalizing World

• When you live in China and are “one When you live in China and are “one in a million,” there are 1,300 other in a million,” there are 1,300 other people who are also “one in a people who are also “one in a million.”million.”


• When you live in China and are “one When you live in China and are “one in a million,” there are 1,300 other in a million,” there are 1,300 other people who are also “one in a people who are also “one in a million.”million.”

• India will soon top this figure.India will soon top this figure.


• In the US, 60% of the nation’s top In the US, 60% of the nation’s top science students and 65% of the top science students and 65% of the top math students are children of recent math students are children of recent immigrants.immigrants.

An Example from NASAAn Example from NASA

Of NASA’s employees:Of NASA’s employees:

• 40% are over 5040% are over 50

• Those with 20 years of government Those with 20 years of government service are eligible for retirementservice are eligible for retirement

• Only 4% are under 30Only 4% are under 30

NASA is having difficulty NASA is having difficulty hiring workers with the hiring workers with the sufficient science, sufficient science, engineering, and engineering, and technology skillstechnology skills

Why Is NASA Having Difficulty?Why Is NASA Having Difficulty?

• The number of American 18 to 24 year-olds The number of American 18 to 24 year-olds who receive science degrees has fallen to who receive science degrees has fallen to 1717thth in the world. in the world.


• The number of American 18 to 124 year-olds The number of American 18 to 124 year-olds who receive science degrees has fallen to who receive science degrees has fallen to 1717thth in the world. in the world.

• In the US, 31% of university students seek In the US, 31% of university students seek science or engineering degrees, compared science or engineering degrees, compared to 60% in China.to 60% in China.


• The number of American 18 to 124 year-olds who The number of American 18 to 124 year-olds who receive science degrees has fallen to 17receive science degrees has fallen to 17thth in the in the world.world.

• In the US, 31% of university students seek In the US, 31% of university students seek science or engineering degrees, compared to science or engineering degrees, compared to 60% in China.60% in China.

• The percentage of foreign-born Ph.D.s in science The percentage of foreign-born Ph.D.s in science occupations in the US is now 38%. Those occupations in the US is now 38%. Those individuals can now work in their own countries individuals can now work in their own countries with wages and conditions similar to here.with wages and conditions similar to here.

The world is The world is flattening, if not flattening, if not already flat!already flat!


Natural resources and Natural resources and geographic location no geographic location no longer determine a longer determine a nation’s potential. A nation’s potential. A nation’s power no nation’s power no longer determines an longer determines an individual’s potential --individual’s potential --


Natural resources and Natural resources and geographic location no geographic location no longer determine a longer determine a nation’s potential. A nation’s potential. A nation’s power no nation’s power no longer determines an longer determines an individual’s potential -- individual’s potential -- education, creativity, education, creativity, vision, and drivevision, and drive do!do!

What does this mean for us here at Alabama State University?

My Job May Not Exist Five Years from Now –

My Job May Not Exist Five Years from Now – Yours May Not Either

Why My Job May Not Exist

• Technology may replace me with interactive teaching/learning over the Internet from professors in India or the Philippines who will work at 1/10th of my wages



• Unless they are exceptional, there may be far less demand for our ASU education students as teachers, therefore less demand for us to prepare them



• Unless they are exceptional, there may be far less demand for our ASU education students as teachers, therefore less demand for us to prepare them

• The state and national economies may not be globally competitive and there may be far less money for colleges

SO WHAT DO WE DO?SO WHAT DO WE DO?

Friedman’s Five Categories of Action:Friedman’s Five Categories of Action:

• LeadershipLeadership• MusclesMuscles• CushioningCushioning• Social ActivismSocial Activism• ParentingParenting

LeadershipLeadership

• Explain to people the world they are living inExplain to people the world they are living in

• Explain what they need to do to thrive in itExplain what they need to do to thrive in it

• Inspire them to competeInspire them to compete

• Educate – knowledge, skills, and dispositionsEducate – knowledge, skills, and dispositions

What does this tell us about advising our ASU What does this tell us about advising our ASU students?students?



• LeadershipLeadership• MusclesMuscles

MusclesMuscles

• Lifetime employability is not guaranteedLifetime employability is not guaranteed

• Individual workers must manage their own careers, Individual workers must manage their own careers, risks, and economic securityrisks, and economic security

• Government must provide the muscles:Government must provide the muscles:• Portable benefitsPortable benefits• Opportunities for education and lifelong learningOpportunities for education and lifelong learning

What does this imply about advising What does this imply about advising here at ASU?here at ASU?



• LeadershipLeadership• MusclesMuscles• CushioningCushioning

CushionsCushions

• Globalization, the flattening world, creates winners Globalization, the flattening world, creates winners and losers -- some temporary, some more permanentand losers -- some temporary, some more permanent

• Every worker has both general and specific skillsEvery worker has both general and specific skills

• When a worker is displaced from a job, the specific When a worker is displaced from a job, the specific skills may no longer be applicable to other jobsskills may no longer be applicable to other jobs

• There must be a cushion (wage protection and There must be a cushion (wage protection and education) to allow the worker to learn new skills\education) to allow the worker to learn new skills\

How do we help our students to be able to be How do we help our students to be able to be effective in the political arena to obtain such effective in the political arena to obtain such a cushion?a cushion?



• LeadershipLeadership• MusclesMuscles• CushioningCushioning• Social ActivismSocial Activism

ActivismActivism

• The balance of power between global The balance of power between global companies and their individual employees is companies and their individual employees is shifting in favor of the companies – look at shifting in favor of the companies – look at WalMart and the oil companiesWalMart and the oil companies

• Social and environmental activists are needed Social and environmental activists are needed to help to force companies to be more to help to force companies to be more profitable while making the flat world more profitable while making the flat world more livablelivable

How can we prepare our students, and How can we prepare our students, and ourselves, to be more effective advocates?ourselves, to be more effective advocates?



• LeadershipLeadership• MusclesMuscles• CushioningCushioning• Social ActivismSocial Activism• ParentingParenting

ParentingParenting

• Helping individuals adapt to a flat Helping individuals adapt to a flat world is not only the job of schools, world is not only the job of schools, companies and governments – it is companies and governments – it is also the job of PARENTSalso the job of PARENTS

How can we prepare our ASU students How can we prepare our ASU students to be successful in working with to be successful in working with parents, and AS parents?parents, and AS parents?

Some Related Comments Some Related Comments from Friedman’s July, from Friedman’s July, 2006 Speech at the 2006 Speech at the “Campus of the Future” “Campus of the Future” Meeting in New YorkMeeting in New York

Selingo, J. (2006, July 12). Rethink higher education for a changing world: Best-selling author tells conference goers. The Chronicle of Higher Education, np.

Rather Than Just Preparing Rather Than Just Preparing Students for Specific Jobs, We Students for Specific Jobs, We Should Also Prepare Them to Should Also Prepare Them to Be:Be:

• Synthesizers


• Synthesizers• Explainers


• Synthesizers• Explainers• Adaptors


• Synthesizers• Explainers• Adaptors• Leveragers


• Synthesizers• Explainers• Adaptors• Leveragers• Localizers


• Synthesizers• Explainers• Adaptors• Leveragers• Localizers• Collaborators


• Synthesizers• Explainers• Adaptors• Leveragers• Localizers• Collaborators• Passionate Personalizers

In short, we should prepare educational entrepreneurs….

These are not actions for These are not actions for Dean Trotter to take – Dean Trotter to take – they are for they are for ALLALL of us to of us to take, each and every take, each and every day!day!

So, what commitments So, what commitments areare YOU YOU willing to make willing to make to assist our students in to assist our students in this rapidly globalizing this rapidly globalizing world?world?

Connecting the Dots. A Gwendolyn Trotter Production.

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