Education
is like any other industry in many respects as it is subject to emerging and
growing trends. In fact, education is basically designed to respond to
the continuously changing needs of a developing society. That is the
whole premise of education in the first place…as society changes so does
education. So it is of great interest for me to look at what the new and
growing trends are in the field. Basically, I have determined and
created a list of the top 4 growing trends I see in education for
2013-2014. This list, while not scientific, has been created by compiling
what I see in my daily front-line work on the job. Also, my “second job”
as a blogger gives me a unique perspective and lets me become immersed in the
world of education through blogs, journal research, social media and forum
participation. Through this work I have been able to determine some
definite educational trends which are happening now, and will surely continue
well into 2014 and beyond.
VIRTUAL LEARNING: Virtual learning is much
more than simply online learning. it encompasses learning that takes
place outside of the school…everywhere really…and brings it into the
school. It basically delivers educational content online and helps students,
parents and teachers have access to information anywhere. (1) Examples of
virtual learning and methods in which it is delivered are “virtually”
endless. it can be through a totally online approach or a blended
learning method which is a combination of classroom and online education.
It can also be delivered as MOOC’s (Massive Open Online Course). Blogs,
websites, Thinkfinity, Moodle, Edmodo, Khan Academy and Social Media are all
utilized consistently and with growing effectiveness. In fact, these are
only the tip of the iceburg. Added to this is the BYOD
movement (Bring Your Own Device) which has picked up momentum as a
method of cost saving and staying current in technology. Things which
were once discouraged and taboo at school, such as cell phones, and tablets,
are now encouraged in many districts. Virtual learning delivers
educational content and experiences in ways we never even dreamed about in the
past. This is surely not a passing trend, and will only continue to grow
in the future.
PERSONALIZED LEARNING: Personalized
learning is any learning experience which is self-initiated and
self-directed. it is based upon the individual needs, preferences and
abilities of students who will essentially “own” their learning. This is
very much a break with the traditional “one size fits all” approach. (2)
It also focuses upon descriptive feedback techniques which are very timely and
provide immediate strategies for improvement rather than waiting until it is
too late and after the learning has already occurred. Personalized
learning has frequently been met with a lukewarm to downright frigid response
by educators. This is quite understandable as teachers struggle to meet
the multitude of needs and personalities in their ever-growing roster of
students as it is! However, personalized learning incorporates a variety
of resources, including virtual learning, to educate the child. Teachers
become facilitators of student directed learning. Educators have in turn
found that this helps them in a number of ways. More planning and
collaboration time is discovered, student engagement goes through the roof and
kids are drastically increasing achievement levels. (3) Considering
all of the benefits for all stakeholders, it is a trend which will only
continue to pick up steam in the foreseeable future.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: There can be little
doubt that there is an obvious trend apparent which focuses upon the great
importance of early education. I really see this happening
everywhere. In the United States, President Obama’s administration has
outlined a 75 billion dollar plan to expand early childhood education. In
Ontario, Canada the government has implemented Full Day Kindergarten at a great
expense in a time of tight fiscal restraints. Why? Study after
study has shown that a strong early childhood education creates happier and
more successful future students. Once again, this is a win-win for
all. Considering all of these factors, this is a global trend which will
only continue to increase.
ENVIRONMENTAL/OUTDOOR EDUCATION: Not everyone
is going to agree with me on this one. Some may claim that
with shrinking budgets, priority must be put into improving things such as
technology or crumbling buildings. How can there be money be left for
“perks” such as environmental or outdoor education? I would disagree that
there should not be a significant amount of funds directed into this area and
I see evidence of this trend everyday. We are in an era of
experential learning. Environmental edcuation fits the bill for so many
of our students. Also, it teaches them harmony with Mother Earth in a
time which is seeing a scourge of pollution, depletion of resources and
changing climates. We need this generation to take up this cause , and
the jobs will be there in the future for them to do just that! I really
hope I am not wrong about this one as the very future of our children could
depend upon it.
There
you have it…4 main trends I see occurring in education now…and will only
further gather steam next year. These really are exciting times in
education. It is undergoing a huge transformation right under our very
noses. We need to jump onboard the change train or we will be left in the
dust.
