I strongly believe that the future of learning is tied to our acceptance of flexibility. Flexibility that needs to exist in terms of our planning, curriculum focus, and delivery. The educational system that has surrounded our school systems has been in place for over a hundred years. It was developed at a time when good jobs were plentiful and a high school, college, or post graduate degree was not required. Under such a dated system a variety of students were left behind. Continuing failures to educate each and every student, no matter their race or socioeconomic class has illustrated the importance of breaking away from the cookie cutter, one size fits all, primary educational system that we have today. It is time for teachers, administrators, parents, and politicians to try something new.
I have been lucky enough to have taught in two schools that have provided such flexibility while promoting individuality, creativity, and the application of knowledge. My current school has taken an additional step to alter the educational landscape altogether. Within its walls, students are being provided with the opportunity to retake their exams, alter their projects, and correct their daily assignments. (My apologies to those of you who have heard this repeatedly) Bi-weekly common assessment exams are being utilized in order to catch deficiencies early. The administration has even taken the change to the community through forums as well as home visits to every student who is deemed high risk. In this environment, it is no longer acceptable for a student to fail. Rather, they will be provided multiple opportunities to learn how to ride a bike, no matter how many times they may fall off before mastering the task.
This paradigm shift is far from perfect, and as I have seen in its second year at Bolingbrook High School, it will continue to be altered. The focus that will not change is the passionate search to find new ways to ensure comprehension no matter the walls that must be scaled along the way. Curriculum delivery needs to be hands on, interesting, and meaningful to the student if we as teachers expect each student to be motivated to learn. Motivation will grow, as students realize their potential and become better citizens.
Although not required, I believe the future of learning will include an ever increasing application of technology. Just as technology has altered the landscape of how curriculum is presented, it has also changed what knowledge has to be mastered. Gone are the days of endless memorization of dates, people, and formulas. Today, we are surrounded by search engines that can quickly provide us with these details on our phones or computers. Instead, a teacher’s responsibility is to ensure each student has the tool box of skills to engage in critical thinking, converse in conversation, shift through a limitless library of knowledge, and to analyze resources for validity and value.
As I have begun my fourth year of teaching, I am more excited then ever to have the responsibility and privilege of interacting with and educating my students on a daily basis.
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I enjoyed reading your blog, and you sound like a very enthusiastic teacher. I was interested in your summary paragraph where you say that the future of learning may include technology, but is not necessary. I have to question this necessity for the future because I feel that technology use is imperative in today’s classroom.
Yes, I agree that certainly one can learn without technology. But the degree of what can be learned, processed, and experienced with technology is exponentially greater than without it. It is interesting to read a book about Hitler, it is much more understandable and emotional to watch a movie, it is even more understood and engaging to participate in a battle in real places against real enemies in a computer game. To embark on a webquest of the details of the people and places, the reasons, the aftermath of the events of the War make is all become so real, human, and tragic. The web allows us to learn on a level that engages many of our senses. The teacher is so very important to assist in synthesizing material, to ask key questions, and create assignments that require serious reflection and analysis.
Even on the very elementary level, there are endless opportunities to provide not only realtime learning, but the presentation of material is so absorbing. Here’s a very simple example: Last year I was in the computer lab in the elementary school where I work the most. I was reviewing a kid’s geography software so that I would know how to present it to the second grade. I became so engaged in the information that I was able to see.: information about places, but where they were on the map and what products came from there, the list of links to each entry was endless The students loved the interactive format and actually understood where far flung places are on a map (that I think I just figured out last year!) So, of course, kids can learn without technology, but in today’s world, they can learn at a higher level and I dont think this should be denied in public education.
Another aspect is the fact that in order to relate in the world of the future, they will need that flexibility you talk about, but also adaptability. Technologies will change and evolve at faster levels and students need to be exposed to this changability.
Dont get me wrong, I really eschew the idea of a techy looking classroom where everything is chrome and computer screens.. I think technology can be used in the classroom in a “softer” way. Maybe the class looks at one screen (computer connected to TV) to review information, or stories, perhaps children use moveable laptops, perhaps we will have information kiosks in classrooms in future. It doesnt have to be or look so futuristic or scary. But I think that technology is as basic as pens and pencils for the future classroom and future of learning. Thanks for listening! Cynthia
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