Schools Of The Future
Education in 2020 by: Michael Shiferaw
Mrs. Larson/2nd period
So what might the average classroom look like in the future?
....In order to answer that question we will need to look into the past and present.
Technology isn't just limited electronics
Technology has played a vital role in the process of rapid development within the classroom.
- The Horn Book
We've come a long way, so how much further could we go?
Laptops within the classroom?
We already have implemented this in many schools around the world, especially within the average college classroom, but is it effective and useful?
- Allows the classroom to indulge in fun interactive web-based learning activities.
- Helps develop computer skills that are vital in just about any job.
- Let's students search and share information quickly with each other.
- Schools would have to train teachers on how to properly administer the laptops and how to use them ( including how to teach students to use them)
- Maintenance ( Kids = Accidents) ( Software/Hardware)
- They can obstruct learning rather than advance it
Will we see them in the future?
Laptops are already taking there place in the average learning environment, as access to the internet becomes more available and more common, so does the usage of laptops in schools. (Take this class for example) So far this trend has shown that in the future it is likely to see a large majority of classrooms will be utilizing laptops in the classroom. Through the proficient usage of laptops, printing notes for students to follow along during a lesson will become obsolete, and so will administering in-class work via paper.
Textbooks vs E-Books
The traditional textbook is a common long lasting symbol of education, and the idea of e-books' replacing the role of the textbook can intimidate the less tech-savoy people of the world. Can the e-book replace the traditional textbook, and will it the near future?
- Its a common tradition that hasn't posed any need of change yet
- Allows those without internet access or the required hardware of obtaining an e-book to have access to the reading material
- Less strenuous on the human eye
- Bulky at times and inconvenient to carry
- Can be lost and hard to recover once lost
- More Expensive than e-books in the long run
- Allows instant access to information where there is internet access (double edge sword)
- Information within the book can have interactive videos/activities that correspond with the reading material
- Teachers can also observe who has been reading lately
- Cheaper than textbooks
- If you have no internet access you left in the dust
- Many books are not available online
- If not reading from a e-reader it can be difficult to stay focused on a computer
- Also its strenuous on your eyes
So how probable is it to see e-books overcome the textbook and become the new standard of reading? Well lets take a look
This concept seems straight out of a sci-fi movie but it is easily achievable and is a popular discussion among professionals, and is a viable possibility of whats to come within the classroom.
As we can see above we have the basic understanding of how to manipulate technology to create a simulated environment.
In this case we the popular "Kinect" extension of the Xbox-One being used within a classroom, although they are not doing anything educational with it, the potential of this device is enormous, and it will be and motion tracking technology like such will be the pioneers of the lengthy creation of interactive learning environments. So in the event that this was followed through and implemented we need to examine the pros and cons of this technology.
- Allows interactive activities which help keep students involved and more eager to learn
- Has the ability to simulate a hands-on learning experience
- As a benefit of choosing to incorporate an interactive learning environment it becomes easy to implement the use of biometrics
- Can be costly
- Children may be more enticed by the games rather than there corresponding learning objectives
- Teachers/Staff would require extensive training
- Difficult to maintain (Update software)
- Early stages of this program will have limited compatible software
- Currently has a limited number of people allowed to use it
Adding motion tracking technology and other forms of interactive environment technology now maybe to soon as we can see the cons of the situation outweigh the pros, but in the event that this technology becomes more user friendly, and software becomes more available for it, it is a possibility for this type of technology to already replace modern day classroom learning activities.