School of the Future
The video below was created by this group of doctoral students as a part of a course on Using and Integrating Learning Technologies at Drexel University. The video reflects the thoughts and ideas of the group as it relates to classrooms of the future and what the environments and ecosystems for learning might look like.
Video Transcript
The Schoolhouse
It started with one room, a teacher and a few children.
But it grew, and grew, and grew.
But as we evolved, classrooms didn’t.
The question is, what’s next?
What does progress look like?
How do we break down the barriers of the 4 walls?
Lest start with our current reality.
Obstacles to consider:
· Politics
· School Boards
· Strict Oversight
· Prohibitive processes
· Outdated Policies
· “Old School” Thinking
· Standardized Testing
· Infrastructure
· Closed Minds
We can break through these walls, but still there are questions.
We begin with sustainability in mind…three guiding ideas for creating a sustainable future:
1. Account for the needs of future generations
2. Institutions Matter…the world is not shaped by individuals, but by businesses, government and non-government institutions.
3. Real change is grounded in new ways of thinking and perceiving (Senge, et al., 2008, pp. 17-18)
Ensure to address “Core Learning Capabilities”
· Seeing systems
· Collaborating across boundaries
· Creating desired futures
Use proven change tools.
Change Mental Models.
Develop new, innovative, creative ideas!
Let Come, Let Go
Create shared vision through:
· Meaningful communications
· Creative collaborations
· Stakeholder engagement
· Embracing learning communities
By not just thinking, but getting outside the box… (Fullan, 2011, p. 22)
Outside the 4 walls
So what does a school of the future look like?
More space? More rooms? More walls?
Or can we break down the walls, realize that WE_ALL_LEARN, and
Utilize technology to teach anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Bringing the teacher to the learner, rather than the learner to the teacher.
Using technology for all of which it is capable.
Embracing “fingertip knowledge” (Elliott Maise)
The world is at the learners fingertips…help them learn from it by helping them take the classroom with them.
Jay Cross explains that informal learning is outpacing formal learning in the 21st century (as cited in Bonk, 2009, p. 49)
"Learning can be a spontaneous, on demand decision"(Bonk, 2009, p. 40)
The school of the future must support natural learning, not inhibit it.
Should students ever go back to school?
Or should the schoolhouse be designed for anyone, anytime, anywhere?
The Schoolhouse
It started with one room, a teacher and a few children.
But it grew, and grew, and grew.
But as we evolved, classrooms didn’t.
The question is, what’s next?
What does progress look like?
How do we break down the barriers of the 4 walls?
Lest start with our current reality.
Obstacles to consider:
· Politics
· School Boards
· Strict Oversight
· Prohibitive processes
· Outdated Policies
· “Old School” Thinking
· Standardized Testing
· Infrastructure
· Closed Minds
We can break through these walls, but still there are questions.
We begin with sustainability in mind…three guiding ideas for creating a sustainable future:
1. Account for the needs of future generations
2. Institutions Matter…the world is not shaped by individuals, but by businesses, government and non-government institutions.
3. Real change is grounded in new ways of thinking and perceiving (Senge, et al., 2008, pp. 17-18)
Ensure to address “Core Learning Capabilities”
· Seeing systems
· Collaborating across boundaries
· Creating desired futures
Use proven change tools.
Change Mental Models.
Develop new, innovative, creative ideas!
Let Come, Let Go
Create shared vision through:
· Meaningful communications
· Creative collaborations
· Stakeholder engagement
· Embracing learning communities
By not just thinking, but getting outside the box… (Fullan, 2011, p. 22)
Outside the 4 walls
So what does a school of the future look like?
More space? More rooms? More walls?
Or can we break down the walls, realize that WE_ALL_LEARN, and
Utilize technology to teach anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Bringing the teacher to the learner, rather than the learner to the teacher.
Using technology for all of which it is capable.
Embracing “fingertip knowledge” (Elliott Maise)
The world is at the learners fingertips…help them learn from it by helping them take the classroom with them.
Jay Cross explains that informal learning is outpacing formal learning in the 21st century (as cited in Bonk, 2009, p. 49)
"Learning can be a spontaneous, on demand decision"(Bonk, 2009, p. 40)
The school of the future must support natural learning, not inhibit it.
Should students ever go back to school?
Or should the schoolhouse be designed for anyone, anytime, anywhere?