I'm amazed at how much I hated reading the future scenarios. Pretty much the same way I feel when my husband is watching sci-fi on the telly and refuses to change the channel. As soon as the writers in these articles started their future stories, I just switched off. It's not that I don't want these changes to happen - I'm all for progress. In fact, a lot is already happening. Just can't put my finger on it. But I did find a few interesting quotes.
Technologies and Learning (Ruzena Bajcsy)
"Future technology must live in a symbiotic relationship amongst teachers, students, parents and society at large."
It's important to realise it's a two-way thing. Both aspects gain from each other. But I work with quite a few people who feel threatened by technology and see it as a parasitic relationship. Technology in the classroom will slowly suck away the need for a teacher.
A day in the life of a young learner: A 2020 vision (Milton Chen, Stephen Arnold)
"Technology helps overcome the two enemies of learning: isolation and abstraction." George Lucas
I'm not sure what way we should understand 'abstraction'. Does he mean learning out of context. With technology, we can create simulations and scenarios that place the learning in a conext?
Vignettes About the Future of Learning Technologies. (Chris Dede. Introduction by Bill Gates)
"I believe that the motion picture is destined to revolutionize our educational system and that in a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks." (Thomas Edison, 1913)
This made me think 'What if we're equally as wrong with all this elearning?'!!!
.."software personalizes the learning experience, connects all the components, and emancipates publication for targeted and effective interaction."
Again, I'm not sure I understand the phrase 'emancipates publication'. Does it mean I can publish my own customised material for my own specific audience?
"The objective: obtain and create knowledge at the right time, in the right place, in the right way, on the right device, for the right person."
This highlights how carefully planned and targeted elearning has to be. Not an easy task. But I question his use of the word 'knowledge'. Does he mean 'information'?
Next Generation Learning Systems and the Role of Teachers. (The Learning Federation)
"The process of learning will dramatically extend from 'teacher push' to 'learner pull'."
I believe that this is already the case in many learning situations. Why did the learner initiate the learning process in the first place? If you're talking about compulsory education until the age of 16, then the change to learner pull is an uphill struggle and is where most work needs to be done in terms of curriculum development. It doesn't just have to be through the use of technology, although that would speed up the process and is likely to stimulate more interest. But it's like Richard Clark's argument that the media doesn't actually matter in the learning process. To go back to the reason for engaging in a learning situation, if it is wholly initiated by the learner who has his own agenda, then that student is more likely to be further towards the 'learner pull' end of the scale anyway. Motivation is the real battle. See the section below by Will Wright..
"Instead of being forced to move all learners forward at a uniform rate, teachers will be able to move each individuals forward at a rate consistent with his or her measured performance in each area."
Now that's the Holy Grail, as far as I'm concerned. Teachers are generally forced to aim for the middle ground in a class of mixed abililty. And if we're honest, every class is a class of mixed ability. And how many students fall outside the middle ground? The brighter ones are bored, and often begin to resent becoming the class helper when they finish work ahead of others. The slower ones will always feel frustrated at being rushed ahead. One good thing about the Independent Learning site I co-manage for our department is that students can work at their own pace. They re-do exercises to improve scores because they care about how their overall gradebook looks, even though a teacher rarely sees it. Students don't constantly have to compare their performance with the others in the class. Sadly, all this means nothing when it comes to the final exit exam. Teach to the test is still the mantra where I work.
"Professionals at all levels will need to continuously upgrade their skills." I constantly complain about the nay-sayers where I work, but in fact, I realise I'm just lucky that I enjoy the technological aspect of my work, and that I see PD as an opportunity to break from the routine. But if I didn't, then I too would be very frustrated if I was constantly being forced to learn new skills in an area that didn't interest me.
2020 Classroom (Ulrich Neumann and Chris Kyriakakis)
"Little has been done to design the content to take advantage of the potential of new delivery mechanisms. Technology up to now has been viewed as a way of reaching a larger audience, and not as the enabler of new learning paradigms."
I'm not sure that I agree that technology is viewed only as a way of reaching larger audiences. That's only one aspect of it. Most teachers using technology in the classroom don't see it in those terms, I believe. It's more a case of 'How can I use this technology to enhance the learning experience of the 20 kids in front of me right now?' However, I have to agree that in my situation the pedagogical aspects of using technology are almost entirely neglected.
"From an educational viewpoint, the use of sensory immersion has never been investigated."
I beg to differ! The total immersion method has been widely researched in the TEFL world. It is successful because it uses so many of the senses - sight, sound, smell , every sense that you use when you are out and about in a culture.
A Curmudgeon's View for Technology in Education (Randy Pausch)
A few words from someone who just accepts that this is the way things will be. Interesting research on how computer games are used to calm down hyperactive children without them knowing they're being conditioned. See the next section and the quote from R. Stanley Williams!.
Encompassing Education (Diana Walczak)
The author is referring to a future scenario, but based on three pedagogical priniples that have been around for a long time - at least since I did my teacher training!
- customise the learning process
- utilise the senses and experience more
- foster a heightened sense of curiosity
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Future of Education = Teachers + Technology (R. Stanley Williams) If you jumped here, click here to return
Warning. If technolgy is wrongly used, he envisages "a future in which teachers in elementary schools use immersive technologies as digital Ritalin."
I've been known to put a very disruptive class on to the department's independent learning website for no other reason than that I know it's the only thing that's going to keep them quiet. Guilty as charged!
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Motivational Technology (Will Wright)
If you jumped here, click here to return
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." (WB Yeats)
"Try to prevent a motivated student from learning and you'll find it's just as hard as educating an unmotivated student."
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