I found this article really useful and informative as an emerging teacher where the environment I will be teaching in is progressively more and more technology-based. The new, progressive educational trends and adaptations to our current society are large topics with many continuously changing perspectives. I think the easiest way to understand new educational trends is to prepare students to apply their knowledge in all different types of situations. The global network context refers to the everchanging and evolving set of crucial skills needed in order to succeed, for example, the “21st-century skills” of creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. It is difficult for me to conceptualize the various new educational trends present in education today, and how Leonard Waks described teachers as acting in self-defense because of the greater societal change (2013). As more and more information is easily accessible in our world, there are more skills and topics that teachers have been expected to accommodate for. 

The second question of this prompt asks “how may we build upon and direct these new educational trends to realize the contemporary democratic aspirations of a global network society?”, which is a sentence I had to read many times to fully comprehend and reframe; what actions can we take to meet the democratic aspirations for education in our continuously -evolving,  interconnected society? At first, I had no idea for how educators could work towards this daunting task, but looking back on Dewey’s perceptions of experimental school, I believe his inclusion of natural studies is crucial in this global network society. Technology use in our population is increasing while interpersonal connections and meaningful connections with nature are diminishing. I think teaching students to understand the natural world, appreciate the resources we receive from nature, and learn how to facilitate a meaningful connection with nature would contract the increasing use of technology, as well as help students practice mindfulness.

Waks, L. j. (2013). John Dewey and the Challenge of Progressive Education. International Journal of Progressive Education, 9(1).