Friday October 16, 2015

<p>Some people are surprised, yes,” said Brigadier General Timothy Trainor, West Point’s academic dean, in his high-ceilinged, wood-paneled office in the Gothic-style stone administration building.    </p> <p>“It’s important to develop in young people the ability to think broadly, to operate in the context of other societies and become agile and adaptive thinkers,” Trainor said. “What you’re trying to do is teach them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. They’re having to deal with people from other cultures. They have to think very intuitively to solve problems on the ground.”</p> <p>That’s what employers say they need in their new hires, too. Three-quarters want more emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving, written and oral communication, and applied knowledge, according to a survey of 318 corporate leaders by the Association of American Colleges and Universities—exactly the kinds of skills advocates for the liberal arts say they teach. Ninety-three percent agree that “a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems” is more important than a job candidate’s undergraduate major.</p> — <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/10/the-unexpected-schools-championing-the-liberal-arts/410500/" target="_blank">The Unexpected Schools Fighting to Save the Liberal Arts: Military Schools and Culinary Academies - The Atlantic</a> (via <a href="http://pulse.infoneer.net/" class="tumblr_blog" target="_blank">infoneer-pulse</a>)