Transforming the Global Classroom
From Mumbai to Sao Paolo, San Francisco to
Copenhagen, digital tech is playing an ever greater
role in the way we learn. But it’s not just about shiny
new devices: how can we use this shift in mediums to
make learning more engaging, more personal, more
effective? What does a textbook look like in 3 years
time? What do students expect from their teachers
today, and how ready are we to meet this?
Speaker: Tom Hall, VP Education Technology Parnerships at Pearson
You can also see Tom Hall’s slides and a video of this presentation at the bottom of this blog post.
The subject today is of the future of education and rethinking the role of technology.
Pearson is a large very global education company, in part of group they have The Financial Times and Penguin. He works in the group managing strategic alliances.
65% of today’s secondary schools students will have jobs that don’t exist today. If we carry on delivering the curriculum we do then it wont be fit for them. What is going on in the classroom and does it have relevance to them?
When today’s generation think about technology they are not scared, it is as natural as air, excluding it from the classroom is unnatural.
The ways that different generations think are very different. Newer generations want ever evolving devices; want to move from device to device; want a fast connection; they look for ways they can collaborate with friends and their community and they are OK with things that are not polished as they know that the next version of it will be.
In the past (even 2 years ago) technology in the classroom was serious and fixed but now:
Multiplatform: Multiplatform textbooks and connected devices (the teachers dont even have to be in the room – plug into serves in anouther country – todays classrooms are now truly global) .
Accessible: Previously services in a school was very limited, now it is about making it as accessible as possible to the widest community. By making computing affordable to your target audience you put a lot of power into their hands. Apps can be built in a few days and can reach kids in a few days, they can even develop them themselves.
Cloud: OpenClass a cloud system is built on Google - totally open and totally free.
Adaptable: Knewton have charged the way on this, they are coming up with amazing concepts for schools through their adaptive learning programme bringing personalised learning to students.
Everywhere: Learning happening everywhere. Open Education is growing: udacity.com, udemy, MIT OCW and walls are being broken down and the classroom is no longer relevant – you can learn in your home or bedroom.
Fun: Learning and technology is not serious anymore. Poptropica is a perfect example of this, delivering learning through playing which meaning that learning can start earlier