I wanted to explore this particular quest on cutting edge technologies as it is incredibly fascinating to see what is being invented every day that may radically change our lives. Now, that is quite lofty an aspiration for any new technology. What is revolutionary today is out-of-date tomorrow. So off I went. What tool did I use for this search? The internet, obviously. Wow, did I ever get lost exploring all the crazy and cool new stuff that is on the horizon or cutting edge being implemented as we speak. Yes, many things are going to have an impact on how our children will interact with their learning environments. There will be great leaps made in augmented reality for the classroom, interactive personal tools that students will use to pack into digital satchels, desk top interfaces that are actually the desk top, and even holographic adventure rooms for exploring molecular arrangements right through to African safaris and on to alien solar systems. Schools where personalized artificial intelligence avatars will work alongside every student will become everyday expectations. But where does that leave me – the teacher? Am I becoming obsolete? Will my role become one of wise human adult in the room to supervise those highly engaged students? Or will I be relegated to making sure the lights are turned off in the room after the kids have flown home in their personal anti-gravity fliers? What will I do when pharmaceutical companies come up with a math or social studies pill?
Ok, really, I do not think we will see a shortage of incredible technologies in the future that will change how education is managed and delivered. What I don’t think will happen is that, how people learn, will not change very much. That is to say, what goes on inside our heads has been happening for a long time without radical advances. Evolution takes its time in these areas. We are coming to better understand how we learn, but that does not change the processes themselves. The role of the teacher will always be that of helping students to use their own unique learning habits to unlock everything that the universe can throw at us. The following video is a great way to put game-changing technologies into perspective. Hopefully, after you watch it, you will say the same thing I do every day – Go Teachers!
Ok, really, I do not think we will see a shortage of incredible technologies in the future that will change how education is managed and delivered. What I don’t think will happen is that, how people learn, will not change very much. That is to say, what goes on inside our heads has been happening for a long time without radical advances. Evolution takes its time in these areas. We are coming to better understand how we learn, but that does not change the processes themselves. The role of the teacher will always be that of helping students to use their own unique learning habits to unlock everything that the universe can throw at us. The following video is a great way to put game-changing technologies into perspective. Hopefully, after you watch it, you will say the same thing I do every day – Go Teachers!