If there were ever an institution that needed to “reconceptualize,” and there are many, it would be the Public School System (PSS). It is rare to find a more archaic system serving such a rapidly evolving community. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at some of the most basic practices and beliefs in the PSS and break down their viability for students of the future.
Technology
In an age of e-mail, social networking, and text alerts, the majority of students still receive their report cards on a piece of paper with number codes representing phrases like: “Works well with others” or “Needs to stay on task.” AND THIS IS THE MOST BASIC ASPECT THAT NEEDS REVAMPING! Staying in line with parent communication, many school systems only notify parents via phone call or letter about a student’s progress. Why not allow parents to access online gradebooks for their child? What is wrong with requiring teachers to use sites like edmodo, where parents AND students can track their grades and assignments? These are just some basic problems that technology can solve. Another is the access to information. Information is moving at a speed virtually impossible to keep up with. Yet teachers are still standing at the front of the room, dictating information to students! In an age of computers that use blogs, twitter, search engines, etc., many students are still getting their school information from books and overheads. Essentially, students are engaging in learning that does not mirror the real world.
Therefore, technology needs to be more adequately used in the classroom. An interactive setup is the most desirable: a setup in which each student or pair of students has access to the internet in some capacity during class while also connecting to a class “network” that can be accessed by all class members. Collaboration via the internet will no longer be a commodity in 2025; it will be a necessity. Working together in online forums and being able to navigate efficiently through a sea of information should be the goal of any future classroom. A teacher should be able to roam around the room, using a tablet or laptop, without having the constraints of needing to face the front of the room. Technology should be used to pull teachers away from the board and towards the students.
Cross-Curricular Lessons
The classic questions posed to teachers from students are similar to the following: “Why do I need to know this?” or, “Why is this important?” While teachers get frustrated this question and students are labeled trouble-makers, it is a valid question. In an ever progressing society, this question will be even more important, and at the same time more difficult to answer. In an effort to make learning more relevant, I suggest using cross-curricular planning to engage the students in multiple areas. By connecting information to different content, it gives students an experiential feel that they have been lacking in the classroom for a while. This will be even more important in the future where the ability to make connections across domains and groups will be at its highest. Applying concepts across different areas and making them relevant to various groups is necessary because communication is so fast. Staying relevant will be the only way to gain recognition in a future society where the speed of information is increasing and attention spans are decreasing. The best way to do this is creating online discussions, blogs, or forums that can bring multiple areas of study together.
Project-Based Learning
The last area that can be used to make great strides in the future classroom is project-based learning. As we have discussed, information is easily accessible and fast moving, both of which tend to lessen the traditional role of the teacher in the classroom. Therefore, the role of the teacher should evolve. By assigning projects to assist with learning, teachers can transition from an information giver to a guide along the path of enlightenment. Projects, if assigned with the right set of parameters and expressed goals, can teach students how to think in both logical and abstract ways. Students in the future will need these skills to stand out from their peers. When information is readily accessible, interpretation and application of that information is what is key. Project-based learning provides the medium to help these kids develop these skills. Also, this style of learning allows the teacher to be more hands on and responsive to different learning styles and individuals. Project-based learning allows for flexibility where students can not only self-pace, but create work in a style they are comfortable with. Therefore, project-based learning fills a need area that will surely arise in the future.
Education in the future will be a completely different beast, mostly because of the rapid increase in the availability of information. By using technology, cross-curricular planning, and project based learning, students will be able to adapt to a new environment and prepare themselves for the skills they need in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment