In the year 2025, I would expect to see many changes in K-12 learning. I think classrooms would be more like a learning center rather than a lecture classroom. In 2025, I would hope to see students who are being engaged, collaborating, and have access to appropriate learning materials for all student-learning styles. I believe learning will become more student centered focusing on individualization, personalization, choices, and independent learning. Students will have more choice in their learning products and processes. Teaching will be moving from the “basics” of classroom subjects to problem solving, social skills, and information gathering. Current teaching can’t be left behind entirely; there will always be a need for students to understand reading, writing, mathematics, science and history. I do think the process and content will change in the future of education. Students will need to be utilizing the basic skills across the categories and classrooms primarily learning life skills that are supported by the basics of classroom education.
I would like to continue with my path of STEM education and discovery learning. Students are discovering the possibilities of science, technology, engineering and math on a daily basis in my classroom. I am not lecturing on the mathematics or physics of motion, but instead my students are conducting experiments and using the prior science and math knowledge they have to understand concepts that are well above their grade level. Students aren’t just learning the basics, but learning how to problem solve and work collaboratively in the classroom.
Some of the changes that I would like to see in educational environments would focus on technology. Ideally, I would like to see changes in the number of technologies and websites that are not allowed in school districts. I would like to see IT leaders focus on the value of using technology in education to help students learn rather than blanket coat what websites are appropriate and blocking the rest. There should be more education for both IT leaders and teachers on using technology to enhance instruction rather than replace a teacher teaching.
There is a huge potential for change in the way a teacher can present text to students. Many students are held to the same textbook because the school owns 30 of them, but with new technologies like e-readers, teachers can use more meaningful texts to engage students and individualize student instruction.
The changes ahead will have an impact on everyone involved. Teachers will be asked to be risk takers, think outside the box, never settle for the minimum, be continuous learners, and learn from their students. Students will be asked to make more choices and take more responsibility for their own education. Parents will be asked to be more involved in their child’s education and learning community. Getting your child to school is no longer enough from the parent. Parents will need to commit to their own learning so they can help their children make important educational choices during their K-12 education. Most parents in my area do not have an education over 8th grade, so our schools will need to offer more parent education and community education. Schools will need to change the structure of the building to include more opportunities for experiments and hands on learning. Schools and administration will need to step up to inspire staff and create an environment that promotes change. Unfortunately for administration, this means they will also be required to do some extra “remediation” skills for teachers who aren’t willing to change and aren’t willing to teach any differently than they have in the past.
In the end, everyone involved will need to be movers and shakers, never settling for just ok. I have used these two videos before, but I think they both bring out the main points in what it takes to really change a large system like education. We need people who are willing to say ok isn’t good enough and we need leaders who will risk it all to make a change for students.
So I guess the question is…how will you react when education is “stuck on an escalator”?
References:
CaptDate (Poster).Escalator Engineer [video]. ( 2007, February 4). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S8P5HhHg8w&feature=related .
leemijeehoon (Poster). Honda ok factory ad [video]. (2006, October 29) Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9B9UD5Hlp4 .
JayMJ23 (poster). Michael Jordan “failure” nike commercial [video].(2006, August 25). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mMioJ5szc
Whitehouse (poster). A STEM education, tools to change the world [video]. (2010, September 16). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biWQZlUl-vE.
