The Education of Tomorrow

The Future of Education in the Digital World

In Education we always ponder what the future will bring. As a Gen-Xer, I have witnessed a huge leap in technology since I went to school and began my career as a teacher. It is a challenge to keep up with all the latest technology and find ways to engage students. Technology is ubiquitous but determining what is a worthwhile application and the longevity of it, is astounding. So what do we need to consider for the future of education? Here are some of my thoughts:

  • The Future of the Classroom

Redesigning learning spaces is imperative to match the future needs of a more digital world. Universities and higher learning institutions have been using this model for some time, however, there is a pedagogical shift to blended learning models in elementary and high schools. 

The COVID-19 Global Pandemic has taught us many things in education. A blended learning style can be very beneficial for many students, though detrimental for others. Take for example my own children.  My son was completing his first year of university when the pandemic first hit. He was forced to move to online classes. His introverted personality was able to adjust easily to this platform. My 12th grade daughter on the other hand struggled with the abrupt change. She is a very social person and spiraled into a depressed and unmotivated state. She requires face to face and social interaction with her peers and teachers.

 This blog post outlines some of the logistics and benefits of a blended learning model. Classrooms will begin to look different by taking learning outside the classroom more. I love the idea of a “traveling classroom” that was talked about in this blog but the difficulty with this is cost. 

  • Collaborative Learning
people sitting at the table
Photo by Mikael Blomkvist on Pexels.com

With technology, students have the opportunity to collaborate with other students from across their city, province and the world! Students can learn so much when communicating with other students from all over the world. 

Social justice will be the forefront in education; a push for equity for all students. 

  • Personalized Learning

Some of the positives have been outlined in this article explains the opportunity to personalize learning. Students will focus on their strengths, learn at their own pace, get help when they need it, be challenged and take ownership of their learning. 

  • Challenges with the Digital Future

The 2017 Horizon Report points out many challenges of technology in education. Some of these challenges include:

  • Privacy and security – there is a concern for security breaches of student information, bandwidth needs, ethical implications of data collection.
  • An achievement gap is reflected in students due to socioeconomic status, gender or race, where access to technology continues to be a factor.

Closing Thoughts

The future of education definitely has a digital focus but I think it is important to consider the need for face to face interactions with real people. Students need the interactions of fellow students, teachers and other specialized professionals to ensure becoming a well rounded citizen. Most importantly to consider is the effects of too much screen time and the effects on mental health. Remote learning during the pandemic demonstrated the effects of the lack of human interaction and connection on students’ mental health. It will be important to be mindful of the extent students spend unaccompanied in front of a screen.

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