A Twenty-First Century Incongruity: Perceptions Regarding Knowledge Work Didactics

Executive Summary This study examines twenty-first century didactics associated with knowledge worker (KW) assertions and assesses their ranking precedence among four demographically segmented populations. assertions were typed into three question groups: (1) postulates, (2) competencies, and (3) training methods and set into a questionnaire administered to participants across four work classifications: (a) technical worker-students, (b) non-technical worker-students, (c) managers, and (d) educators. three question groups were opinion/response measured across the four work classifications. questions were then rank ordered to assess the degree of inter-group ranking correlation. Incongruities were discerned in priority between how these assertions (postulates, competencies, and training methods) are perceived by sampled educators delivering didactics and the three knowledge worker driven sample population groups. Findings also indicate only limited intra-group ranking congruity within the three work classification groups. highest ranked intra-group congruity assertions are identified for further investigation to raise the level of interest and involvement in expanding graduate school didactics for KW students. Finally, this study suggests more research is needed to establish validity and relevance for teaching didactics, classroom delivery systems, and instructor-perceived values of today's KW/students. As KW industry-driven competencies and technology standards are culturally ingrained into the 21st century KW/student environment, it is essential for educators to create relevant strategies and teaching methods to meet their needs in an environment not alien to the knowledge worker. Introduction Knowledge work is gradually displacing production type work in technologically advanced The occupational groups classified as knowledge workers (KWs) total 36 million workers or 28 per cent of the total work force in the United States, alone... (Davenport, 2005, p.6). Demographics now show 25 percent of Canada's and 32 per cent of the United Kingdom's work forces as knowledge-based, requiring a college degree for entry (Brown & Hesketh, 2004). According to Economist (November, 2001), the fastest growing group in the workforce - in the US and in every developed country - is knowledge workers, with knowledge workers being broadly defined as those whose job requires advanced and formal education. U.S. Census Bureau 2000 estimates are that this rapidly growing worker segment now outnumbers industrial workers by three to one (Fronczek & Johnson, 2003; Rubin & Huber, 1986). Peter Drucker (1997, p.21) postulates: The productivity of knowledge and knowledge workers will not be the only competitive factor in the world economy. It is, however, likely to become the decisive factor, at least for the industries in the developed countries. This industrial demographic shift toward the knowledge worker category has resulted in US industry leaders, business school scholars and numerous industrialized nation governments to question an evident lack of congruity in current posits and positions that proactive educational institutions have drawn upon to refocus didactics more consistent with a knowledge-driven work place (Mintzberg, 2004; Lowe, 2002; Roberts, 1999). According to Knowles (1993), Hensher (2005) and others, a continuing appeal for greater relevance in academic curricula from industry, students, academics and the media is being heard. This appeal, however, has created a paradox for didactic developers. Should the business curriculum reflect relevance or responsiveness to the primary customers of universities such as students, industry and market forces (Farrar, 1988; Lowe, 2002) or ought relevance take a back seat to focusing on the research of lifelong learning of skills with a longer half life and make the student, supposedly, more generically employable (Maule, 1997; Mintzberg, 2004). …