A new study carried out by GoStudent looks at the education of the future and the subjects that students would like to discover and learn at school. Here are the ones high school students would like to see in the program!
The private lessons site GoStudent carried out a study among parents and young people aged 10 to 16, in order to find out the subjects they would like to study in the future. Thus, 5,581 young people living in France, Austria, Central Europe, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom were interviewed. Among them, there are 1,004 French people.
The top 3 subjects expected by middle and high school students
When asked what they think of education, young people and their parents admit that they find the subjects taught “outdated” in relation to the evolution of society and the world of work. But what do they want to study in class?
- At the top of the list, young people want to know more about environment and sustainable development in order to be better prepared to face the future and “meeting the challenges linked to climate change and lack of resources”specifies a 14-year-old child interviewed.
- Second, they would like to have the opportunity to develop more life skills such as curiosity, empathy, creativity or even resistance to stress. These qualities are indeed very appreciated in the world of work as well as in life in general.
- In third position: technological development by learning to use and understand how artificial intelligence and virtual reality work. If children consider this subject as a priority, parents are a little more hesitant.
From fourth to tenth place, we find: current affairs, well-being and mental health, creative arts, robotics, ethics and morality, coding (learning to code) and finally programming.
The new generation confident with new technologies
Today’s young people are particularly comfortable surrounding themselves with new technologies. Thus, most young people aged 10 to 16 do not seem afraid of Artificial Intelligence or ChatGpt.
This ease is only increasing because if there were 62% of them feeling it in 2023, there are now 80% in 2024, or 28% more in just one year! Furthermore, young French people are particularly confident compared to those in countries in the rest of Europe, who are 77% in 2024.
Notable differences by gender
Despite their general interest in Artificial Intelligence and the awareness that it will be present in their professional environment, young people do not all seem attracted in the same way by these technologies. Indeed, we note a lower interest on the part of young girls. While 31% of boys aged 10 to 16 express their desire to see AI in school curricula, only 20% of girls express this desire.
French parents are also less attracted by the idea of using AI as an educational tool. Only 45% agree with this, compared to 57% in Spain, 58% in Italy, 65% in Central Europe and 66% in Austria.
