SAGE

THE IMPACT: ACCESSIBLE CLASSROOMS AND CAREER READINESS What does the rise of technology and personalization for students mean for instructors? It indicates that "new approaches to learning will become less of a novelty and more of a necessity" (Doucette, 2018). Some of those soon-to-be necessities "can create coordinated opportunities for students to utilize pre-existing tools such as websites, calendars, or vendor applications. They can also create new tools branded for their personal learning design initiatives" (Cardone 2018, 1). While there is a learning curve for some instructors, integrating technology has proven to be an effective way to make the classroom experience more accessible. Moreover, instructors need to educate students about the changing and evolving workforce. Doucette (2018) explains that "colleges will have a role to play in ensuring Gen Z students are familiar with workforce productivity applications and are capable of creating and recognizing credible, meaningful content." Academic Partnerships (2019) reports that there is "widespread agreement among labor economists that workers need access to continuous education to stay ahead of rising automation." The workforce and higher education are now working hand-in-hand, and employers are expecting entry-level workers to come to the job with critical thinking skills and the ready-to-go knowledge required in the industry. WHERE ARE THE SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES IN THIS? Instructors who teach in the social and behavioral sciences are part of a "fast-changing environment [that] requires constant vigilance and skill development on the part of learners and teachers" (Lewthaite & Nind, 2016, 413). In Introductory Psychology, one of the most popular courses in higher education, instructors "have limited knowledge about what is covered in classes around the nation or the extent to which class content reflects the current scope of the discipline" (Gurung et. al. 2016, 112). Pedagogically, concepts in the social and behavioral sciences require the learner to develop meaning and critical thinking skills that go beyond lower level thinking skills. Thinking critically about topics like social learning or emotional intelligence equips today's learners with transferrable skills they can use across other disciplines and in their future careers. CONCLUSION It is more important than ever that educators understand how today's learners process and create meaning with content. By providing today's modern learners a technology-based, interactive, multidimensional environment, educators can ensure that they develop the critical thinking and self-regulatory skills they need to be ready for their future careers. How educators provide learning experiences that allow students to make meaning with content through personalization and customization will be crucial—making courseware and pedagogy selection a crucial decision to ensure students are able to successfully transfer career-ready skills to the work environment.

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