As an educational consultant, I try to predict the future and make sure that we design our schools and prepare our students for this future. As said by others, it is a future that we have no idea what it is going to be like. So, how can one effectively predict and prepare without accurate knowledge? Work with what we know. We are not in a factory era; we are in an information era. We need to teach students how to answer questions, not content. The information age presents way too much information to try to learn it all. Students need to be equipped with skills that will allow them to find the answers to anything they want to know.
There are twelve points every educational institution and educator must understand to continue to be effective in the future.
The third and fourth are
Wireless
The complete educational areas within
a facility need coverage with wireless accessibility. Faculty and students should be able to roam
freely in all areas of the school and be connected. Wireless technology has improved so that it
is now possible to provide this coverage effectively and is not cost
prohibitive. The access to a wireless
network needs to be secure but also painless for students to use a variety of
school-owned equipment as well as a student’s own devices.
Many schools have 100% wireless coverage. Security protocol and acceptable-use policies
will be necessary to facilitate students bringing their own devices to
school. Each of the classrooms will
require charging stations and others should be available throughout the school
in common areas.
A security system which tracks who is logged into the wifi
system and what they are doing on the system is a must. This level of security will allow for the
safely of the students and other users.
Just as it is necessary to know who is on your school’s physical space
and what are they doing, the same thing applies to the virtual space. A well-trained employee will make for a
wireless system which is safe but is also easily accessed and is of value to
the users.
Online teaching and learning
How and what is being taught can be
enhanced by using an online curriculum, tools, and pedagogy. The access to this online support material
will redefine how and what is taught.
Effective educational change can be driven by providing supportive
information, training, content and tools to a world-class teacher to develop a
more individual, collaborative, project-based approach to teaching. Technology can present relevant on-demand
content that allows the teacher to move away from the “sage on the stage” to
more of a facilitator.
This current educational trend and
research that speaks to this is the “Flip Classroom” movement.
Online teaching or learning should occur in the school, and
access to the Saskatchewan Curriculum guides online is a resource which should
be accessed by the teachers. Below are
three commonly used programs in schools:
Lezia Learning Lexia reading is a technology-based reading
program that increase reading proficiency for all students pre-K –grade 4 and
at-risk students grade 4-12.
Starfall Free site to teach the basics of
reading. Features interactive books and
phonics games.
Mathletics Mathletics is the next generation in online
math learning platform, helping students enjoy math and improve their results.
To fully utilize these online programs and others, classroom
computer pods would allow for successful individual scheduled access. The computers on wheels will also facilitate
this. The computers on wheels do require
planning, setup and are usually scheduled for the class as a whole.
The use of online material can change the way the school
functions. In an information society,
like the one that is accessible on the internet, a teacher should not be
teaching content. A teacher should work
as a guide on the side and facilitate the use of online apps, games, learning
tools, and full courses. The items
mention above can assist a teacher by providing lesson plans, materials to
share with students, individual programs for students at different learning
levels, support materials as well as full courses. The teacher via internet communication tools
can invite content experts digitally into their classroom. Access to online
courses can allow students access to master teachers as well as expand the
available course offerings at a smaller school.
The flip classroom concept can be implemented which is a pedagogical
model in which the typical lecture and homework elements of a course are
reversed. The students do content
exploration through short educational videos, cyber school course or online
material as homework and then in-class time is devoted to exercises, teacher
help, discussiom, and projects. The most
successful integration of technology is a hybrid model of “traditional
classroom teaching approach” and “interactive online technological digital
sharing, collaboration, and creation of material”.
For more information contact Darren Cannell Educational Consultant.
Dcannell5@gmail.com
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