Five Low-Tech Skills Students Need for the Workforce

EducationWorld is pleased to present this article contributed by Mary Fineday, a freelance writer for online publications including OnlineColleges.com. She has worked in teaching, consulting and reporting, and her interests include organizational strategies, leadership and management, and business education.

Technology has taken over the life of the average American student, and many teachers and administrators are struggling to keep up. About two-thirds of students report that technology helps them achieve their academic outcomes, according to a 2012 report from Educause Center for Applied Research, illustrated in this infographic. It’s a high-tech world, and educators who feel like dinosaurs are not alone.

Students, however, might be surprised at the low-tech “dinosaur” skills and habits that can help them get—and keep—their dream jobs. In a world of eBooks and online whiteboards, old-fashioned skills are still important to teach.

On the job, low-tech sometimes beats high-tech

Students are more than the sum of their gadgets. When it comes to real-world job skills, high-tech knowledge isn’t always the last word. Take a look at the following “old-school” skills, along with the tech-friendly methods by which educators can instill them in students.

Dinosaur #1:  Writing

Often cited as one of the most important tools in the office, powerful writing and rhetoric skills are threatened by the easy-access writing found in texts and tweets. From the moment a resume hits the HR office, writing makes a big impression on employers.

• Why it’s a dinosaur: b/c txt msgs r way quickr, lol
• Why it matters: Your boss will fire you for poor communication faster than you can type SMDH (shaking my darn head).
• Make it relevant: In any discipline, assign exercises that have students edit and rewrite failed pieces of business communication. When they understand the real-world application of work, they’re more likely to see the value of grammar and mechanics.

Dinosaur #2:  Communication

Social media offers a powerful communication tool, but face-to-face conversation is an essential tool in any office. Whether you’re working in a lab or planning a run for political office, strong communication skills are important.

• Why it’s a dinosaur: PowerPoint has ruined the business meeting.
• Why it matters: You may someday visit an office without a fiber-optic Internet connection.
• Make it relevant: Merge devices and old-world problem-solving with some group activities. Younger students can communicate through video chat on a scavenger hunt, while older students can collaborate on creating a piece of technical writing.

Dinosaur #3:  Creativity

When it’s simple to re-blog a post on Tumblr, we remove another layer of creative potential from online communication. The nebulous idea of creativity is, however, as important as any college degree.

• Why it’s a dinosaur: It’s easier to link from ThinkQuotes than it is to think of a real life-changing quote.
• Why it matters: “Out-of-the-box thinking helps me see how you’ll add value to my projects and problem,” Jason Alba, CEO of JibberJobber.com, said in a recent interview at Forbes.
• Make it relevant: Offer a “creativity prize” to students for essays, projects and in-class work. Whether the prize is a toy car, a movie ticket or a simple acknowledgement, reward students for thinking differently.

Dinosaur #4:  Working under pressure

When the computer system crashes, workers in any IT department are forced to rely on a skill they might not have learned in school: the ability to thrive under pressure.

• Why it’s a dinosaur: In the age of technical difficulties, the look of deadlines has changed.
• Why it matters: The boss will only believe so many broken-hard-drive stories.
• Make it relevant: Assign timed work in class and make it a habit, acclimating students to the reality of facing a tight deadline.

Dinosaur #5:  Independent thought

Groupthink is no longer a cynical theory on life; it’s a way of life. Educators are fighting to preserve unique thought, and the stakes are high.

• Why it’s a dinosaur: When you can crowdsource everything from dinner recommendations to plane tickets online, why think for yourself?
• Why it matters: Unless you’re working at a line assembly plant, your superiors should appreciate your unique point of view.
• Make it relevant: Hold debates and discussions in small groups, encouraging students to create their own positions and argue them effectively.

Start small and think big

Technology is a way of life in the classroom, but tech-enhanced learning shouldn’t come at the expense of classic skills. Educators can introduce technology into the classroom without relying on it, and remind students that their handwriting and long-division skills just might come into play someday.

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