Today’s children are growing up digital, in a world that is significantly different from that of yesterday and hence their view of the world is very different from that of adults, due to the unprecedented access to information, people and ideas across highly interactive media (Burkhardt, Monsour, Valdez, Gunn, Dawson, Lemke, Coughlin, Thadani & Martin, 2003). “New information and communications technologies (ICT) are changing the world we live in, and the way we learn to live” (Jenkins, 1999, p.1). Only a few decades ago, all telecommunication services were delivered over copper wires but more recently, the world has witnessed the exponential growth of ICT and in fact today, new technologies have led to a digital age in which access has become a key component of people’s lives while also, the convergence of technologies, its rapid rate of change and importance in the development of social, economic, financial and educational sectors, is opening new opportunities from e-business to tele-education and tele-medicine (Kainth & Kaur, 2008).
Schools are being charged with a growing range of responsibilities and their role is seen as central in helping societies adapt to profound social, economic and cultural changes but however, their capacity to fulfill these expectations depends crucially on their own ability to manage change and most importantly it depends, on whether teachers are able to develop positive and effective strategies in order to meet the needs of tomorrow’s schools (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, n.d). “As 21st-century societies are increasingly organized around knowledge and innovation, it is hard to imagine how school education will be able to keep pace without the incorporation of new technologies…To make an impact on learning, new technologies must be integrated into schools’ social practices, including curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and school leadership” (Roschelle, 2007,¶1). As Dede (2000) outlined, just as information technology has improved effectiveness in many sectors of society such as medicine, business and finance, similarly advanced computing and telecommunications have the potential to help students master complex 21st century skills. In addition, as Dede supported, since one basic goal of education is to prepare students for work and citizenship, schools must change their policies, practices, and curriculum in order to meet the challenge of making students ready for a future quite different than the immediate past. Consequently, the current essay provides a description of the author’s vision of schools in the future as well as the author’s position regarding the trends in technology and media that are expected to have the greatest impact on education and training. In addition, the current essay provides a report on the relationship between the impact of these trends on the present/future workplace skills and the advantages, limitations, and instructional applications of these technological trends.
Today, children are growing up in a world that has changed significantly over the past years and these changes that are going on today, create an opportunity and a necessity for a transformation in the education system and in the way children are taught and therefore, children must be prepared for a future of continued rapid change (Scheirer, 2000). As Cromwell (1998) stated, “What shape the school of the future will take is amorphous, but most educators and observers agree that the future school will go electronic with a capital E…Next century, schools as we know them will no longer exist…In their place will be community-style centers operating seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Computers will become an essential ingredient in the recipe for an effective school of the future” (¶1) As Lombardi and Ludlow (1997) outlined, “Education in general and special education in particular are undergoing rapid and dramatic changes, and a number of current trends offer implications for future policy and practice…As schools become more inclusive, attention is focused on accommodating student diversity, emphasizing the role of the learner in creating knowledge, and supporting individualized instruction and assessment” (p.1). It is the author’s belief and point of view that schools in the future will be very different compared to those of the past and those of today due to the impact of the various trends in technology and media on education and training. Schools in the future will dramatically change and will be impacted by trends such as: the shift from the traditional teaching methods to digital methods of instruction and hence, the transformation of the traditional teachers’ role to the digital teachers’ role; the shift from the students’ traditional role to the digital students’ role; the transition from the traditional classroom to the digital classroom; the changing role of media centers and libraries; distance education; changes in special education; increased opportunities for lifelong learning; and the digital divide. It is the author’s belief that these trends and emerging technologies will have the greatest impact on education and training and will significantly contribute to the change of schools in the future. As reported in Wikia.com (n.d), “Emerging technology is defined as a media that is coming into view, coming into existence, or coming to maturity. It is an innovative technology that is reshaping the nature of education. Computer and network based technologies now hold great potential for increasing the access to information as well as a means of promoting learning” (¶1)
To begin with, as Gabanatan (2001) supported, the realization of the potential of Information Communications Technology (ICT) for enhancing the teaching and learning outcomes depends largely on how the teacher uses the technology. As supported by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (n.d), “How far schools are able to transform to become oriented towards lifelong learning will hinge to a large extent on the contribution of teachers. The quality of learning depends directly on the teacher in the classroom, and indirectly on the key part that teachers play in the organization of schools and school systems” (p.2) Therefore, teachers have no choice but to change, since the times require that schools change or become obsolete while also, just as doctors must abreast of the latest medical research, similarly teachers must stay current with practices that optimize and improve students’ learning (Burkhardt et al., 2003). Teacher education needs to be seen as an ongoing process and just as students will need to continue learning long after they have left school, teachers will also need to refine their skills throughout their careers and therefore, the provision of continuing professional learning will be crucial (Australian Council of Deans of Education Incorporated, 2005). Overall, the teachers’ role will always have the foundational responsibility of enabling students to learn but the difference now is on how teachers accomplish this goal (Smaldino, Heinich, Molenda & Russel, 2008). As Smaldino et al. supported, “the role of tomorrow’s teacher will still result in improved student learning, but will require the teacher to have broader capabilities than content knowledge and pedagogy skills. The teachers of tomorrow will need to be technologically competent and information literate” (p.346). The trend for today’s teachers is a shift from the traditional teaching methods and tools to digital approaches in order to better meet the students’ needs (Smaldino et al., 2008). As supported by the Australian Council of Deans of Education Incorporated (2005), the future changes will demand unprecedented professionalism and a complex range of knowledge and skills and the traditional view of teachers as carers and nurtures has never seemed so inadequate and therefore, in order for the goal of lifelong learning to be achieved and in order for today’s teachers to be able to deal with the rapid changes, high quality education must be delivered to them by professionals.
The teacher of schools in the future will need to take an approach that is relatively open, to seek to inspire, support and facilitate learning while also, there needs to be a balance between the use of technology and the traditional methods of teaching and learning (Jenkins, 1999). In addition to these, the teachers of tomorrow will need to understand and apply the new curricula and assessment policies as well as understand the investment in new information and communication technologies, in order for significant changes to be produced (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, n.d). As Longworth and Cocco (2007) outlined, “All educators, including administrators, will attain the 21st century skills and knowledge necessary to effectively integrate educational technology in order to enable students to achieve the goals of the core curriculum content standards and experience success in a global society” (p.10). The transition from traditional teaching methods will require teachers themselves to become knowledge workers with 21st century skills while also, all students should have the opportunity to attend dynamic, high-quality schools designed to meet the challenges of the Digital Age (Burkhardt et al., 2003). The trend of the shift from the traditional teaching methods to the digital approaches to teaching that will impact and transform the teachers’ role will also require that teachers make use of various kinds of digital tools. Digital tools expand and enhance the teachers’ capabilities to fulfill their various roles as well as their responsibilities as educators while they also enable the digital teachers to plan for and provide interactive instruction as well as participate in a global community of practice with fellow educators (Smaldino et al., 2008). In addition, as Smaldino et al. supported, digital tools can help today’s teachers to create, maintain, and report student individualized education programs (IEPs) as well as to provide overall management support for special education. As the Collins Consults (n.d) supported, “the best learning occurs when real world problems are paired with real world tools for problem solving. As technology is an integral part of 21st century students’ realities, these tools need to be digital in order to be relevant” (p.4). In addition, the instruction of the digital teacher of the future will include interactive and media-rich presentations while also, live digital videoconferences will offer the opportunity to bring historians or content experts into the classroom (Smaldino et al., 2008). The digital teachers in the future will use various kinds of handheld digital devices such as personal response systems. As Smaldino et al. (2008) stated, personal response systems allow teachers to collect and graphically display student answers to the teacher questions.
The technological trends will impact the ways that the digital teachers will use to record assessment data of student skills and in fact they will improve assessment of student learning. Teachers and students need assessment tools that connect to individual learning styles and provide key information to teachers that will help them guide instruction and allow students to connect with their unique learning style, and the future online assessment tools have the power to provide immediate individualized feedback for teachers and students as well (Abell, Bauder & Simmons, 2004). In addition, “advances in mobile computing enable teachers to record student assessment data directly into a handheld device that transfer the data to a computer for report generation” (Smaldino et al., 2008, p.334). The technological trend of the transformation of the teachers’ role will require that teachers of schools in the future to be information literate and attain technological competence. As Smaldino et al. (2008) supported, teachers need to go beyond computer literacy, to attain technological competence which means that teachers will need to know not only the basics of computers but also how and when to use technology to enhance learning. In addition, as Smaldino et al. outlined, teachers of tomorrow will need to possess the same information literacy skills as are recommended for their students while they also need to model and teach the information literacy skills to their students. And as Carr (2003) supported, teachers cannot prepare their students to be information literate unless they themselves understand how to find and use information and therefore, if teachers are to use information so that others can learn from them, then they must be information literate. Apart from these, digital teachers of schools in the future will participate in a community of practice. As Smaldino et al. (2008) noted a community of practice is “a group of teachers from across the nation and around the world who have common goals and share ideas and resources. These Internet-based interactions provide teachers the opportunity to collaborate and exchange ideas and materials” (p.335) Teachers in the future will have to acquire and become proficient in other important 21st century skills such as finding and managing resources, publishing on the Web, and connecting with students, parents, colleagues as well as local and global communities in order to model good practices for their students and to help their students include these skills for learning (Paille, 2009). In addition to these, as stated by theAustralian Council of Deans of Education Incorporated (2005), “Evidence also shows that a sophisticated range of skills and sensibilities are required for effective teaching. Pedagogy, and pedagogical content knowledge, are essential to maximize learning for an increasingly diverse student body” (p.59).
Another trend that will have a significant impact on education constitutes the transformation of the students’ role from traditional to digital. “The digital student uses one-to-one mobile wireless devices in a variety of ways and locations in and out of the school setting by taking technology where it is needed” (Smaldino et al., 2008, p.335). In the schools in the future, the “digital students learn in classrooms where technology is a seamless component of learning that expands the educational environment beyond the classroom walls and beyond the existing capabilities of learners” (Smaldino et al., 2008, p.335). The digital students of schools in the future will also make use of interactive digital tools in order to manage, gather, evaluate and synthesize information and these are skills that are also included in the National Educational Technology Standards (Collins Consults, n.d). Students of schools in the future will be visual learners as well. “Visual learning techniques include the use of digital technology to create diagrams, such as concept maps and webs, and use graphs, charts and images for analyzing and communicating information” (Collins Consults, n.d, p.5). As outlined by the Collins Consults, the combination of visual learning and digital tools contributes to the improvement of analytical skills and the management of data and information. Apart from these, the digital students of schools in the future will be making use of electronic game devices for learning. For instance, electronic game audio devices such as the PSP and iPod can be used for educational purposes, other than educational gaming (McGreal, 2005). Students of schools in the future apart from making use of digital tools they will also make use of interactive communication tools. As Smaldino et al. (2008) noted, student learning communities extend around the world through Web-based interactive communication tools such as blogs, Wikis, and podcasts. In addition to these, tomorrow’s students will have at their disposal various computing devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). Personal Digital Assistants as well as handheld computers allow online assessment tools to become portable while they also offer sufficient technology access and lend themselves to individual customization and 24/7 use both at home and school (Abell, Bauder & Simmons, 2004).
Students of schools in the future will make extensive use of handheld digital devices. In contrast to desktop computers for which the typical ratio of students to computers is 5:1, handheld digital devices, which are relatively inexpensive, allow a student to device ratio of 1:1 (Roschelle, 2007). In addition, such devices offer more centralized control over a teacher-directed learning environment. As Fryer (2003) supported, technology tools enable students to get further engaged during teacher-directed lessons, since students can have their own handheld device to manipulate and provide input immediately visible to the teacher while also, teachers can receive immediate feedback on student performance. Apart from these, handheld devices are mobile and flexible and allow for easy use in and across classrooms and home environments (Roschelle, 2007). Going further, another important impact that the technological trends will have on education involves students’ information literacy.
Prior to the 21st century, a literate person was one that was able to read and write and this was something that separated the educated from the uneducated (Jones-Kavalier & Flannigan, 2006). But with the rapid technological changes, information literacy assumed a new different meaning. “Information Literacy includes accessing information efficiently and effectively, evaluating information critically and competently, and using information accurately and creatively” (Metiri Group, n.d, p.2). As Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan outlined, “Experts in the field suggest that the current generation of teenagers-sometimes referred to as the E-Generation-possesses digital competencies to effectively navigate the multidimensional and fast-paced digital environment” (¶1) In addition to these, students of tomorrow will need to acquire information literacy skills as well as other important skills such as critical thinking and problem solving skills because these skills will be necessary in the future economy. As Seppanen and Prince (2009) stated, “The future economy will need workers with key soft skills including information literacy, critical thinking and problem solving, cultural competency global perspective, workplace ethics, systems thinking related to green sustainability, business and technology literacy (p.1). The digital students of schools in the future will also have to acquire some other important and necessary skills apart from information literacy skills such as digital literacy, visual literacy, and technological literacy skills. “Digital literacy represents a person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment, with digital meaning information represented in numeric form and primarily for use by a computer. Literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media (text, sound, images), to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments” (Jones-Kavalier & Flannigan, 2006, ¶10). “Visual literacy is the ability to interpret, use, appreciate, and create images and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that advance thinking, decision making, communication, and learning” (Burkhardt et al., 2003, p.26). As supported by the Metiri Group (n.d), the graphic used interface of the World Wide Web as well as the convergence of voice, video, and data into a common digital format have dramatically increased and will increase more in the future, the use of visual imagery while also, advances such as digital cameras, graphics packages, and streaming video allow for the use of visual imagery to communicate ideas. Visualization tools enable students make their thinking visible in all curriculum areas.
With the use of visualization tools, students are able to “build interactive models to test theories in real time and use graphics to display results. Graphic organizers and visual mapping tools enable students to make a sense of complex subjects by exploring linkages, relationships, similarities, and differences between phenomena, and visually representing interplay among system components” (Burkhardt et al., 2003, p26). And as supported by the Metiri Group (n.d), “students need good visualization skills to be able to decipher, interpret, detect patterns, and communicate using imagery” (p.2) Moreover, “a visually literate person can communicate information in a variety of forms and appreciate the masterworks of visual communication. Visually literate individuals have a sense of design-the imaginative ability to create, amend, and reproduce images, digital or not, in a mutable way” (Jones-Kavalier & Flannigan, 2006, ¶11). Tomorrow’s students will also need technological literacy in addition to information and visual literacy. “Technological literacy is knowledge about what technology is, how it works, what purposes it can serve, and how it can be used efficiently and effectively to achieve specific goals” (Burkhardt et al., 2003, p.24). As society changes and will significantly change in the future, the skills that future citizens need in order to deal with and negotiate the complexities of life also change (Metiri Group, n.d). As Burkhardt et al. (2003) supported, “technological literacy is an essential component of job readiness, citizenry, and life skills. Students must not only become competent in the use of technology and associated applications they also must be able to apply their skills to practical situations” (p.24). Tomorrow’s students will need to have cultural literacy skills as well as a global awareness. The need for cultural literacy has increased and will be more increased in the future due to the fact that the world is rapidly becoming wired and also due to the globalization of commerce and trade and therefore, in such a global economy and with competition around the world, students need to know, understand, and appreciate other cultures including cultural formations established as norms in a technological society such as virtual realities (Metiri Group, n.d). The digital students of schools in the future will need to acquire critical thinking skills. “Thinking critically and making judgments are core important 21st century skills. With information everywhere, the ability to accurately interpret data is necessary to assure that students don’t just accept everything they are told or see in print” (Collins Consults, n.d, p.5). As Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan (2006) outlined, “The greatest challenge is moving beyond the glitz and pizzazz of the flashy technology to teach the literacy in this new mileu. Using the same skills used for centuries-analysis, synthesis, and evaluation-we must look at digital literacy as another realm within which to apply elements of critical thinking” (¶8).
Tomorrow’s students will need to master higher order thinking and sound reasoning skills. In particular, “sound reasoning enables students to plan, design, execute, and evaluate solutions-processes that are often carried out more efficiently and effectively using technological tools” (Metiri Group, n.d, p.2). Moreover, tomorrow’s students will need even more to collaborate and work as teams with others and therefore, teamwork and collaboration skills are important and necessary 21st century skills that can be enhanced from the use of technological tools. As supported by the Metiri Group (n.d), information technology plays a key role in the ease with which individuals collaborate while also, tools such as email, faxes, audio and video conferencing, chat rooms as well as voice mail can provide more timely and interactive collaborations. In addition, as reported by the Metiri Group (n.d), “in today’s wired and networked society it is imperative that students understand how to communicate using technology. This includes asynchronous and synchronous communication such as person-to-person email interactions, listservs, group interactions in virtual learning spaces, chat rooms, MOOS, MUDs, interactive videoconferencing, phone/audio interactions, and interactions through simulations and models” (p.3). Another trend that will significantly impact education in the future refers to the shift of the traditional classroom to the digital classroom. As Smaldino et al. (2008) stated, “The challenge for the schools of the future is to create educational environments that expand and enhance the ability of these digital natives while empowering them with the knowledge and skills needed for success in a global society” (p.344).
The changes and advances in technology will enable schools to make the shift from traditional to digital environment as well as impact the structure of classrooms (Smaldino et al., 2008). Future trends in technology and media will greatly impact the environments in which learning will occur. In particular, learning will occur in media-rich environments and in fact, new media will enable technology-savvy students to immerse themselves in content-rich settings, to express themselves individually as well as to connect to social groups for support (Seppanen & Prince, 2009). As Smaldino et al. (2008) noted, tomorrow’s schools will be high tech environments that are paperless, wireless, and embrace global connections while also, classrooms will no longer have definitive boundaries and walls will be moveable and the furniture will be transformable in order to meet the varied learning needs of students. Moreover, “access to world class broadband will revolutionize classroom education and enable students to engage more effectively with the resources from around the world” (Rudd, Smith & Conroy, 2007, p.7). Furthermore, “technologies are transforming [and will transform] classrooms into more engaging, collaborative and productive learning environments in which instruction can be customized to students’ specific needs, interests and learning styles. It is also redefining the way educators teach, as well as the role they serve-from being the sole source of information to being a guide, facilitator and coach in the learning process” (Wikia.com, n.d, ¶1).In addition to these, “in order to meet the expectations of students who will live in a technology-rich environment, the classroom must provide interactive opportunities which motivate and allow students to focus on learning the content rather than the task” (Collins Consults, n.d, p.4).
Tomorrow’s classrooms will be equipped with high speed broadband connections. As Rudd et al. (2007) outlined,The potential for high speed broadband connections is already clear with the development of: video conferencing for distance education which will provide better opportunities for students in regional and rural areas and give all students a greater range of subject choice; quality online content that enhances student learning, such as virtual tours of museums for art and science classes, e-books for those not available at the school or local library, and access to the latest news and current affairs; [and] online communication across great distances, such as interaction with overseas students for foreign language classes, and web chats with subject experts such as business people, academics and scientists (p.7). Apart from these, the digital classroom will enable students to learn from various resources such as textbooks, live videoconferences with people around the world while also the world will be opened to students through live streaming video (Smaldino et al., 2008). And as Fryer (2003) outlined, “The classroom of the twentieth century was defined predominantly by textbook learning. In the twenty-first century, sources of information are increasingly electronic and diverse. Use of handheld technology in the classroom offers potential for students to engage in learning activities with authentic content, using authentic tools, in communication with an authentic audience” (¶22). Another important trend in technology and media that will greatly impact education and training refers to the changing role of media centers and libraries. The digital teachers and digital students of schools in the future will have at their disposal materials for lifelong learning that will be available not only through libraries and information centers but also though online resources since, the trend will be towards more technology including subscriptions to online resources as well as use of free resources since school media centers will have a variety of technology available (Smaldino et al., 2008). In addition, in the schools in the future, “Educational technology will be accessible by students, teachers and administrators and utilized for instructional and administrative purposes in all learning environments, including classrooms, library media centers, and other educational settings such as community centers and libraries” (Longworth & Cocco, 2007, p.10). As Scheirer (2000) supported, the role of the librarians is becoming more important while also, in the past ten years, libraries have transformed from places where students go find books, into information centres of schools and it is a fact that new technologies will bring many opportunities and challenges to school libraries and librarians. In addition, “Librarians must become proficient in the use of the new technologies to promote them and instruct students and teachers in their use. As students become more self-directed learners, the librarian acts as a resource person in the students’ quest for supporting information and the development of appropriate presentation strategies” (Simpson, 2003, ¶4). In addition, “the school librarian in the electronic age expands the services available from the library to include computer-based data and sophisticated information-seeking strategies” (Simpson, 2003, ¶14).
Moreover, the “21st century school libraries make use of virtual collections while also giving students ample opportunities for enhancing their digital literacy, research, and collaboration skills which are essential in a globally connected world” (eschoolnews.com, 2009, ¶2). In addition, “librarians and media specialists provide opportunities to promote student information literacy, the ability to use a range of critical thinking and problem-solving skills to effectively participate in today’s society” (Smaldino et al., 2008, p.336). Another trend that will significantly impact education and training constitutes distance education. As Smaldino et al. (2008) noted, “students of tomorrow will have multiple distance education opportunities because online learning bridges the gap of distance, poverty, and limited course offerings in small schools for all students” (p.337). “There is clear direction towards using the internet to open education to students everywhere. The use of the Internet ranges from making course materials available on-line, to using the Internet as the communication tool for the course” (Gabanatan, 2001, p.1). As Castro stated, “[future] schools will cease to become like a mill where students undergo academic processing but will evolve into becoming community centers where students engage in a variety of activities and projects” (as cited in Deutsch, 2004, ¶5). In addition to these, distance education will greatly impact special education. As Ludlow outlined, “distance education is the future of rural special education…by the turn of the century, telecommunications will connect every teacher in every school, no matter how small, remote, or underfunded” (Lombardi & Ludlow, 1997, p.4). Furthermore, in the future, distance education will make a shift towards Mlearning. Mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) will enable Mlearning or education on the go to expand the boundaries of anytime and anywhere learning (McGreal, 2005). In addition, as Hamilton and O’Duffy (2009) supported, mobile technologies enable learning anytime and anywhere where learners can access resources and materials in a manner and place that is convenient to them, and by this way, learning at home or in any Wi-Fi location, enables more learning by providing learners with the structure and resources for anytime and anywhere learning. In the future, learning will take place anytime and everywhere since the Internet will expand the learning environment to include home, work, and anywhere (Smaldino et al., 2008). In addition to these, “Lifewide learning is about learning across life, not just in formal educational settings. This requires a new perception of education” (Australian Council of Deans of Education Incorporated, 2005, p.11).
As Deutsch (2004) supported, “the future of technology will enable people to be life-long learners…Learning will continue into the work place where there is a need to keep up with current information” (¶1). “Lifelong learning means that education is no longer located at a discrete time on your life, your one chance to learn, a time when you learn things that are sufficient for life. Specific skills and knowledge learnt today may be obsolete in twenty years time or even five years time, and we will increasingly need to retain and relearn throughout life” (Australian Council of Deans of Education Incorporated, 2005, p.10). This new frame of reference-lifewide and lifelong learning-also changes what formal educational institutions should be teaching. The new learning is less about imparting defined knowledge and skills and more about shaping a kind of person: somebody who knows what they don’t know; knows how to learn what they need to know; knows how to create knowledge through problem solving; knows how to create knowledge by drawing on informational and human resources around them; knows how to make knowledge collaboratively; knows how to nurture, mentor and teach others; and knows how to document and pass on personal knowledge. In sum, this kind of person is open to autonomous, assisted and collaborative learning (Australian Council of Deans of Education Incorporated, 2005, p.11). Going further, trends in technology and media will also greatly impact special education. “Although none can predict with accuracy what special education will look like in the next century, a number of current trends provide clear implications for future policy and practice” (Lombardi & Ludlow, 1997, p.2). One of those trends constitutes the change and development in technology and media. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2006 and the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act legislation mandate that students with disabilities be taught to the same high standards as students without disabilities and innovative advances in technology assist teachers to better meet the needs of students with disabilities (Smaldino et al., 2008). As Lombardi and Ludlow (1997) supported, advances in technology have particular significance for students with special needs, especially in the areas of assistive devices, multimedia instruction, and distance education. “Assistive technology enables students to control the rate of speech delivery, enlarge information on a computer screen so they can better read the results of a database search, use a voice synthesizer to have a printed page read to them, or take notes in class through an electronic storage device that will later print out the document in braille” (Smaldino et al., 2008, p.338).
Various kinds of assistive technology devices help meet the various needs of students with disabilities. As Lombardi and Ludlow (1997) supported, such devices include the following five: (a) Response systems and micro switches that help individuals with severe disabilities to respond to instruction and participation; (b) voice activated computer programs that allow students with motor impairments to dictate written assignments and improve their academic performance; (c) computer scanners and voice synthesizers that help children with visual disorders to read aloud a page from any book; (d) word processors with grammar and spelling checks that help students with specific learning disabilities to demonstrate their comprehension of key ideas without interference from information-processing problems; and (e) robotics and remote control devices that help individuals with multiple disabilities to operate a wide range of equipment in their environments for personal care, environmental control, employment opportunities and enhancement of their independence and self-esteem. Another important trend in technology and media that will also impact education and training refers to the digital divide. “In the 1990s, the digital divide was characterized as a gap in technology access that translated into inequities in educational, economic, social, and civic opportunities among sectors of the population” (Burkhardt et al., 2003, p.9). As Kainth and Kaur (2008) stated, the term digital divide describes the gap between those who have ever and those who have never accessed ICT devices while also, the digital divide is more alarming in the context of rural communities which face further marginalization and widening information gaps as compared to communities in urban or periurban areas. The digital divide of computer haves and have nots is rapidly diminishing and it is expected to diminish more in the future in the developed countries as more and more families purchase home computers and others have access through libraries, computer laboratories and community access centers while also, in the developing world, the growth to wireless telephony using mobile phones is a significant development (McGreal, 2005).
The trends in technology and media that were mentioned and discussed above relate to and impact the present and future workplace skills. “As society changes, the skills needed to negotiate the complexities of life also change…To achieve success in the 21st century, students also need to attain proficiency in science, technology, and culture, as well as gain a thorough understanding of information in all its forms” (Burkhardt et al., 2003, p.17). Teachers must prepare students to become technologically fluent workers and to be ready to work in jobs that do not even exist or have not been invented yet (Deutsch, 2004). Moreover, due to the fact that in the new economy in the future, finding, training, and keeping an educated workforce is crucial for the success of a business, the world economy demands highly skilled workers and therefore, the constant and accelerating need for knowledge workers is driving the development of new ways of learning (McGreal, 2005). The trends in technology and media will require that students acquire the future 21st century skills that will be necessary in the workplace and in fact, that will be necessary in order to increase students’ opportunities for employment as well as their readiness for citizenship. As outlined by the Collins Consults (n.d), “The Partnership for 21st Century skills has stated that all Americans, not just the elite few, need 21st century skills that will increase their marketability, employability and readiness for citizenship, such as: thinking critically and making judgments (in the face of information overload); solving complex, multidisciplinary, open-ended problems (after identifying the problem); communicating and collaborating; [and] making innovative use of knowledge, information and opportunities (to create new services, processes and products)” (p.2). As Hamilton and O’Duffy (2009) supported, “societies whose students and future workforce are learning in rich open-ended learning systems supported by technology and which foster the 21st century skills will advance and will have a significant competitive advantage over societies who do not move in these directions” (p.3). Today, technology should be a key component of any education program and children who are exposed to technology in the classroom have a clear advantage and are better prepared for the future and therefore, by offering technology education as well as programs tailored to students and applicable to real-life situations, prepares students for the opportunities of tomorrow (Morack, 2009).
In order to succeed and thrive in a digital economy, students will need digital age competencies and hence, it is important for the educational system to make parallel changes in order to fulfill its mission in society and that is to prepare students for the world beyond the classroom and therefore, the educational system must understand and embrace all the important and necessary 21st century skills within the context of rigorous academic standards (Metiri Group, n.d). And as Longworth and Cocco (2007) stated, “all students will be prepared to excel in the community, work place and in our global society using 21st century skills” (p.10) In addition, as Hamilton and O’Duffy (2009) supported, the “21st century skills are critically important to support the challenges of the modern work-place and the dynamic and rapidly changing knowledge society…[Therefore] more self-motivated, individualized, group and collaborative learning processes, supported by ICT will contribute significantly to the preparation of a more agile modern workforce” (p.6). Whichever industry, trade, skill, or profession they will work in, students will need to e equipped with computer applications and the basic 21st century skills that will gain from their school education and that will be invaluable to help them secure their future jobs (Rudd et al., 2007). In addition, as Rudd et al. outlined, “ICT skills are not just necessary for jobs in programming and systems maintenance-they are critical to well-paid jobs across all industries, in agriculture, mining, manufacturing and services” (p.7). “The school of the future will be different. The role of the teacher and the use of technology and media must change if schools are to prepare students who will contribute to and be successful in a technology-dependent society” (Smaldino et al., 2008, p.333). As supported by the Metiri Group (n.d), “educational decision makers must acknowledge that the academics of yesterday are not sufficient for today. To adequately prepare, students must learn content within the context of 21st century skills” (p.4) And as Thornburg outlined, “Schools that ignore the trends shaping tomorrow will cease to be relevant in the lives of their students and will disappear quickly” (as cited in Deutsch, 2004, ¶6).
In conclusion, the current essay provided a description of the author’s vision of schools in the future as well as the author’s support for the trends in technology and media that will have the greatest impact on education and training. In addition, the current essay provided a report on the relationship between the impact of the trends in technology and media on the present/future workplace skills and the advantages, limitations and instructional applications of these technological trends. In brief, the current essay outlined various technological trends that will have a significant impact on education and training such as: the shift from the traditional teaching methods to the digital approaches to instruction and hence the shift from the traditional to the digital teacher; the shift from the traditional role of students to the role of the digital students; the changing role of media centers; the transformation of the traditional classroom to the digital classroom; distance education; enhancement of and improvements in special education; the digital divide; and the greater and increased opportunities for lifelong learning, for learning anytime and anywhere. These trends are related to and can greatly impact the present/future workplace skills since their impact on education and training affects the opportunities that students will have in the future workplace. In addition, these trends and their positive educational impact will help students acquire the 21st century skills that will be necessary for employment in the future workplace. Closing up, as reported by Deutsch (2004) “If the rate of change inside an institution is less than the rate of change outside, the end is in sight…Technology is developing at a very fast pace. If education fails to keep up with the current trends, will it keep up with those of the future?” (¶2)
References
Abell, M., Bauder, D. & Simmons, T. (2004) Universally Designed Online Assessment: Implications for the Future. Retrieved November 10, 2009, from http://people.rit.edu/easi/itd/itdv10n1/abell.htm
Australian Council of Deans of Education Incorporated (2005) Teaching Tomorrow’s Teachers. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://www.acde.edu.au/docs/HouseReps%20submission%20Aug05.pdf
Burkhardt, G., Monsour, M., Valdez, G., Gunn, C., Dawson, M., Lemke, C., Coughlin, E., Thadani, V. & Martin, C. (2003) enGauge 21st Centrury Skills: Literacy in the Digital Age. Retrieved November 7, 2009, from http://www.grrec.ky.gov/SLC_grant/engauge21st_Century_Skills.pdf
Carr, J.A. (2003) Information Literacy and Teacher Education. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://www.libraryinstruction.com/information-lit.html
Collins Consults (n.d) How Digital Tools Prepare Students for the 21st Century. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.inspiration.com/sites/default/files/documents/How_Digital_Tools_Prepare_Students_for_the_21st_Century.pdf
Cromwell, S. (1998) The School of the Future. Retrieved November 6, 2009, fromhttp://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr046.shtml
Dede, C. (2000) Emerging Influences of Information Technology on School Curriculum. Retrieved November 9, 2009,from http://www.virtual.gmu.edu/ss_pdf/DedeJCS.pdf
Deutsch, N. (2004) Future Trends in Educational Technology. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.nelliemuller.com/Future_Trends_in_Educational_%20Technology.htm
eschoolnews.com (2009) 21st Century Libraries. Retrieved November 102, 2009,from http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/21st-century-library/
Fryer, W.A. (2003) Integrating Technology in the Classroom. Competing visions of Handheld Computer Use in the Classroom. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.wtvi.com/TEKS/03_04_articles/competing_visions.html
Gabanatan, P.G. (2001) ICT Trends in Teacher Training Curricula: An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://gauge.u-gakugei.ac.jp/apeid/apeid01/FinalReport/Chapter2_3.pdf
Hamilton, P. & O’Duffy, E. (2009) Digital Education Usage Models for the Classroom of the Future. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://www.icvl.eu/2009/disc/icvl/documente/pdf/intel/ICVL_IntelEducation_paper01.pdf
Jenkins, J. (1999) Teaching for Tomorrow. The Changing Role of Teachers in the Connected Classroom. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://www.eden-online.org/papers/jenkins.pdf
Jones-Kavalier, B.R. & Flannigan, S.L. (2006) Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century. EDUCAUSE, 29(2). Retrieved November 7, 2009, from http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/ConnectingtheDigitalDotsLitera/157395
Kainth, S.G. & Kaur, K. (2008) Bridging the Rural Digital Divide: Status & Future Agenda. Retrieved November 7, 2009, from http://www.coolavenues.com/know/gm/gursharan-rural-1.php
Lombardi, T.P. & Ludlow, B.L. (1997) Special Education in the 21st CenturyRetrieved November 10, 2009, from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/16/6f/0b.pdf
Longworth, J.W. & Cocco, L. (2007) Preparing Today for Tomorrow. The Educational Technology Plan for New Jersey. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.state.nj.us/education/techno/state_plan.pdf
McGreal, R. (2005) Mobile Devices and the Future of Free Education. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://auspace.athabascau.ca:8080/dspace/bitstream/2149/215/1/ICDE%20FreeFinal.doc
Metiri Group (n.d) Twenty-First Century Skills. Retrieved November 10, 2009, from http://www.metiri.com/21st%20Century%20Skills/PDFtwentyfirst%20century%20skills.pdf
Morack, J. (2009) Today’s Technology Education Trends. Retrieved November 7, 2009, from http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs017/1101613932422/archive/1102764238740.html
Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (n.d) Teachers for Tomorrow’s Schools. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/39/57/1840205.pdf
Paille, Q. (2009) 21st Century Skills for Teachers. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://networkedteacher.wetpaint.com/
Roschelle, J. (2007) Mobile Digital Devices to Enhance Mathematics and Science Learning. Curriculum Leadership Journal, 5(7). Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/effective_integration,18200.html?issueID=10739#top
Rudd, K.MP, Smith, S. & Conroy, S. (2007) A Digital Education Revolution. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://www.alp.org.au/download/now/labors_digital_education_revolution_campaign_launch.pdf
Scheirer, B. (2000) The Changing Role of the Teacher-Librarian in the Twenty-first Century. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/scheirer/sheirer.pdf
Seppanen, L. & Prince, D. (2009) Major Trends to Impact College in the Next 2 Decades. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/docs/groups/systemtaskforces/mission_study_tf/2009mar11-mjr_trends_to_impact_college_in_the_next_2_decades.pdf
Simpson, C. (2003) The School Librarian’s Role in the Electronic Age. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.libraryinstruction.com/school-librarians.html
Smaldino, S., Heinich, R., Molenda, M. & Russel, J. (2008) Instructional technology and media for learning. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Wikia.com (n.d) Emerging Technologies. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://schoolcomputing.wikia.com/wiki/Emerging_Technologies
No comments:
Post a Comment