This is How to Change Education

In our modern age we are still succumbing to an outdated way of schooling. The prospects of going to college for a successful life do not work like they used to. One could argue they never really did, but instead people thought they did. So a social construct formed that allowed for people of a window of a couple decades to feel an resemblance of success "because" of their degree.

When in actuality it was more likely their hard work that caused it!

Using the Modular Degree

Welcome to PolyInnovator, a publication based around the Self-Education of your Life. Now the world is changing, that is something that can’t be denied, but one thing that has lacked a lot of change until recently was the education sector. This being said we can take a look back at 2018 (time of the original posting) to see what has lead to this point. As well as talk about a new opportunity in the space, which is creating your own “Modular Degree”.

The challenges are finding ways for accreditation, and formulating the best pathway. The latter is just a combination of a futurist mindset, such as knowing what fields will be useful to know first. The prior is more of either first caring about accreditation in the first place, say if you are an entrepreneur, or already in a field (just need the knowledge essentially).

Accreditation can actually come in many forms such as taking your knowledge into a degree at WGU or TESU, and/or using CLEP tests to “test” out of your subject. Then finalizing your tests with an “official” degree to make it more appealing to employers. However I do find it prudent to mention that it has become less and less a priority to have an official degree. Even going as far as some companies prefer the self-taught, as it gives them a degree of flexibility. In a polymathic sense.

There are also things such as Microcredentials for just going for specific subject areas, which alone can be a gateway to a job, let alone combined with a graduate degree. Please note that some even don’t require a bachelors, solely the credential and plethora of work experience.

This being said I wouldn’t say any of this is “easy”, but is more of an alternative to going straight to college, or going altogether. For some people it may be the only way.

How the Modular Degree Works

Simply put there is a subject you need to know, want to know, and should know. The trick is to find the order of which to pursue them in, how much of each, and when you should switch back forth between them (interleaving).

First thing is first you should go after a “Marketable Skill”, or as Dan Lok calls it a “Leverageable Skill”. Something you can take with you anywhere, and be able to at least get a job from it, if not be successful.

Taking Online Courses

There are so many sites out there from edX, Coursera, FutureLearn, BitDegree, Eduonix, Udacity, and more (Though I’d stay away from Udemy, unless there is something you can ONLY get there).

They have their own pathways, microcredentials, and even full on degrees online if they is your wish. All geared up for you. It is your choice.

Reading LOTS of Books

There is a reason why all the greats read A LOT. From Bill Gates, Leonardo Da Vinci, Tai Lopez, Elon Musk, and so many more. They all spend a large amount of their time reading books.

There is no excuse with ebooks ruling the world, plus the old school paperback. All you have to do is set aside 10 minutes a day, eventually it will become a habit, do it more often and it will be ingrained as a system.

Finding Connections/Mentors

You can never know how much one person can change your life. That one person you met at the coffee shop could lead you to a lifelong career. I once met a DJ at a dance club, fantastic guy and artista, and because of our connection on the spot he offered me a job. That is something that doesn’t happen very often mind you, not to mention me and him got along great. However the point remains that one moment I wasn’t working for him, the next I was.

Finding someone who can teach you what you need to know in three months, when it would take you three years is something inconceivably valuable. Never take it for granted. I wish I had spent more time with that DJ, learn from my mistake!

Taking the next steps

Coming together in our own lifelong learning is the ideal here. In the past not everyone pursued it, and now that more and more people are elevating to that awareness that they should; We are reaching a point in our species of combined knowledge unlike any other period of history.

The only way to improve further is by individually doing it first, and then coming together. The Modegree platform is still under development, but you can still take the concepts, make a list, and then pursue your own learning now.