Teaching in the year 2030

[dave_orphal]

I can't stop wondering what a classroom will look like in 2030. When schools stop thinking about Googling facts and information as cheating, how will technology like smartphones and iPad's be used in classrooms? What will this mean for libraries and textbooks? What will quiz and test questions ask if memorizing facts and information is no longer a

Comments

In a word... Yep

[dave_orphal]

I'm working with the Teacher Leader Network. My first webinar is on Tuesday and is about Teacher Effectiveness: how the systems of support within schools help train and retain high-quality teachers.

I've read the 14-page briefing and annotated it. I'm finalizing my thinking for this webinar and thinking about how this piece fits into my overall "Learning in 2030" puzzle.

[ex_hrj]

When schools stop thinking about Googling facts and information as cheating, how will technology like smartphones and iPad's be used in classrooms? What will this mean for libraries and textbooks? What will quiz and test questions ask if memorizing facts and information is no longer a valued skill?

It seems to me that the most important skill will be -- as it has really always been -- critical analysis and evaluation of the incoming information and synthesis of new applications for it. The ability to search the web for "the answers" doesn't mean much if you can't tell a useful answer from an irrelevant (or outright false) one, or if you don't know what to do with the answer once you've found it.

Mind you, from my own experience as a TA at UCB, teaching critical analysis is a heckuva lot more work than evaluating the ability to memorize facts. A pity it isn't more valued.

Yep

[dave_orphal]

I think as getting facts and remembering facts become less and less important, what one is able to create with facts will become more and more important.

[ex_hrj]

One of my regular instructions to my cognitive linguistics students was, "There is more than one 'correct' answer to this problem set. However there are also many many many incorrect answers."

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[learnteach]

As communication is richer in person, so is teaching; you don't just teach facts/subjects, but ways of being. But as for subjects, the main difference with all facts available beyond critical thinking is collaboration. We assign a lot of individual work because it's hard to track work not individually completed.

Learning Modes: you better not be a kinesthetic learner in the iPad dream. But what if the classroom existed as a store of manipuables for math 1

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[learnteach]

computer problems

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[learnteach]

In history, the beauty is you can use ancient history and development to highlight modern issues--and not be limited by the text; you have access to many many texts.

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[dave_orphal]

What would it look like if you had a virtual lab. It would come equipped with all of the supplies you needed for todays work (from just the basic to measure volume to a state of the art lab with all of the BIG $$$$ items and equipment that only the very best labs in the world) and you and your kids avatars can experiment in real time together like being inside of a 3D TV experience or on the Holodeck of the Enterprise.

You could do your class virtually in complete safety and remotely if it is just your virtual avatars meeting.

If you create something that would be wonderful in the real work, then your work and research can be forwarded to the real lab to be replicated?

[tafelspitz]

Regardless of what level of networking/remote learning technology makes possible in the future, a question will still remain: Where physically is the individual student? At home alone? In a structured or unstructured classroom? Will physical supervision be considered necessary? And for what ages? To sum up: "Where's the meat?"

Yep

[dave_orphal]

It is important to keep in mind the other major service that schooling provides... state regulated child care for working parents. If learning in 2030 is not restricted to a physical place - then how ca we be sure that children are supervised and behaving well?

Re: Yep

[learnteach]

Train them to not think or question authority.

And put ubiquitous cameras.

Obviously,

[learnteach]

I find this interesting. I'd love to show you the wiki enabled class. I think some measure of self guided programs would be a good idea. But I feel most strongly that we could return to the Oxford model of enquiry, where the students aren't neccesarily in programmed classes. Sure, the basics of physics, required to study manipulative robotics. As well as the basics of scripting, and the basics of hardware design, and automata. But the coursework is programmed, in libraries, and you meet with the tutor to evaluate your needs. Teachers becoming guidance rather than babysitters. As to location, you'd want to go to school, that's where your friends are.