Speechless

A couple of things have left me shaking my head, so shocked and disappointed that I have been speechless.

The most shocking for me was a conversation between two colleagues. It was about learning spaces and pedagogy aimed at engaging and providing 21st Century Learners with the best educational outcomes possible. Sounds like a good conversation to be heard between two colleagues in the first couple of weeks of the 2009 teaching year, doesn't it? I love that I'm working in an environment where these conversations do take place and wish that more would happen.

It's always a jolt back to reality when you hear a fellow teacher say something like:

There's no way that their (student) brains have changed so much compared to when I was at school that they learn differently...

Turns out, not all teachers get that the students and the world have changed a great deal. Sadly, that means they don't get that a shift needs to happen in our schools. And that means that every 30 students sitting in their rooms are being having the same old thing regurgitated to them that their parents heard when they were at school - is it any wonder they switch off?

As it was the day after I heard this particular comment my PLN sent something incredibly relevant over Twitter (my apologies I can't recall exactly who sent it through - if you know send me a message and I'll correct the post):

Google is Changing Your Brain

An interesting article which talks about the way neurons are making more connections than before because, according to Carl Zimmer, "our brains are seeking to extend themselves". Now, the article does not take a stance as to whether this is a positive change in our brain or not, offering two arguments and the pros and cons of both view points. The point is though - that our brains are undergoing changes - they are NOT the same as they once were.

And even if there wasn't evidence that our increasingly technological world is affecting us, the fact remains that the skills and process of our world have changed almost beyond recognition from twenty years ago. If the student's brains haven't changed their world has and that means their values, attitudes and beliefs have. As Michael McQueen discusses so well in his book, "The 'New' Rules of Engagement".

If teachers don't accept these things our students are in real trouble in my opinion. So long as this belief continues to find root in our education system we're always going to get comments like this:

"We're taking our class back to the dark ages."

Now, that's progressive thinking for you.

Image: 'Progress', KevinDooley @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/

Do we need to change?

A couple of days ago TheCleverSheep responded to George Sieman's recent post asking for answers to a few seemingly simple questions:

1. Does education need to change?
2. Why or why not?
3. If it should change, what should it become? How should education (k-12, higher, or corporate) look like in the future?"

Below are my responses:

1. Does education need to change?

“If we always do what we’ve always done, we’ll always get what we’ve always got.”

In light of that quote I have to ask, is what we’re producing now good enough for the future? Will our current structures (buildings, timetables, curriculum) prepare our young adults for a future where:
knowledge is accessed with relevant keywords and the press of a button
the lines defining maps and time zones don’t really apply to who you’re able to work with on projects
the available jobs haven’t even been dreamed up yet?

Personally, I don’t think so. I think we’re very good at producing citizens equipped to work within the lines, who believe that their power to recall knowledge defines how ‘smart’ they are, and who look to others to solve their problems.

So, in short, yes I believe our approach to education needs to change.

2. Why or why not?

If education does not shift to align itself with the present and prepare itself for the future I feel that an increasingly wide divide between educated and “drop out” will grow because more and more students will disengage from the system. We need to give our students the best opportunities to succeed in life – that’s the bottom line. If we’re not doing that, we’re failing them.

3. If it should change, what should it become? How should education (k-12, higher, or corporate) look like in the future?"

Something more than it is now - something collaborative, with the teacher acting more as a mentor with smaller groups, inspiring, creative, flexible... Personally, I'd love something like the picture as my classroom...

Image by: Amit Gupta @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/48600091327@N01/579033711