Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Technology and the Future of Education


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technology and the Future of Education

 

Technology is inevitably changing, updating, and advancing our education system. Educators of the future are facing the crucial curve of transitions into these technological advancements. The shift has comes for mankind, a shift unlike any recorded in history, a shift into the vast dimensions of technology; and the shift is changing the way we have shaped education and challenging the foundations and traditions of academia all across the seven continents. There is no turning back for future educators and students, the changes technology has brought are revolutionizing our daily lives, and the success of future generations depends a lot on mastering technologies that have changed our world and become part in how we function.

There are many traditions in academia that have been around for centuries, and these traditions, for years, shaped a mold for education that has been widely accepted as effective. The changes technology have brought are intimidating and also less than a few decades old, and this creates skepticisms for past generations mostly because of how young technology seems in the whole time frame of the American Education System. Nonetheless, great minds and scholars are adjusting themselves to these changes, and instead of trying to fight against the challenges, they are innovating the elements technology has lent out, and finding positive ways to recreate the education path for future generations. In a very recent article titled, Higher Education; Leading Thinkers Convene to Hack the Future of Higher Education, it explains, “The Institute for the Future (IFTF), in partnership with Autodesk and Georgia Tech's Center for 21st Century Universities, announced the Redesigning Education: An Innovation Leaders Exchange on March 24th to explore the unprecedented disruptions and opportunities facing our higher education institutions and to design new learning environments for the future,”(Technology Business Journal, 2012). The article uses terms ‘unprecedented disruptions’ and ‘opportunities’ within the same sentence, and it acknowledges both the benefits and discouragements of technology weaving its way into our current education system. The ultimate aim towards advancing academia is inevitably accompanied with growing pains, but the pangs and adjustments are vital and necessary for education systems. Through the process of progressing education to the next level with technology, the trials and tribulations are mostly in the hands of current and future educators, and our mastery of technology will be the initial bricks in the new road of academia.

In the article, the researchers address different methods of tackling and revamping learning environments, and it explains the idea of exchanging, as a collaborative workshop for innovators working towards the change, “Exchange session structures will include Lightning Talks: Flashes Of Insight, where presenters outline groundbreaking initiatives they are working on and key challenges in pursuing their work -- in 5 minutes or less. Then participants will engage in Prototyping The Future Of Higher Ed by breaking into interdisciplinary teams to design learning environments for the future,”(Technology Business Journal, 2012). In a way, these exchanges will force researchers to use to technology in discussions and debates, and workshops will utilize the elements of technology as a way to discover new notions of effective learning environments. In ways, the researcher are using themselves as the guinea pigs, and throwing themselves into the world of cyberspace, in order to unravel new and more effective methods of education enviorments for the future. Once they practices are applied, them teachers can begin to learn and grow with what they have to work with, and once the educator is comfortable with methods, then they can teach them with passion and convictions, which ultimately will influences students. Students can not be inspired without the educators being inspired. Fear of change and comfort with traditions can only block the way. Educators must discover the magic technology hands out, and come to terms with the importance of accepting change as something more positive. This is the only way that we can effectively impact students, if educators are hesitant, then they will block the path for the future generations.

Researchers recognize in the article, the split that the current generation is facing with technology and its fast changes, "Young people today are caught in the transition between two worlds -- the world of institutional production of education and a new world of possibilities for highly personalized on-demand continuous learning," offered Marina Gorbis, Executive Director of the Institute for the Future. "It is a typical 2-curve problem with mass-produced education delivered through existing institutions on the decline; on the rise are new forms of education and learning that combine technologies with the best of social tools to enable learning that is personalized and meaningful. This week we are convening a group of thinkers representing different parts of the new education ecosystem to exchange best practices and to dream together about how to build the best learning environments given today's sets of tools and technologies,”(Technology Business Journal, 2012). Currently, we stand on the cusp of change, but the change is coming whether or not we would like it to, so the challenges will be tougher now, tougher because we are beginning the new quest. We can not be sure of the outcome, and it can be frightening, but we must push forth with the courage to change, and accept that it will be a long process of trial and error. However, if we do not take on the challenge, future generations will suffer, students need to advance with the times, and we educators mark the biggest step towards achieving the goal.

Technology is changing everything that we do on a daily basis. We have cell phones that are mini computers, we have access to all sorts of technology literally in the palm of our hands. Just like cell phones, education can become more phenomenal then we could have every predicted in such a short time frame, education can become more dynamic, more cultural, and more convenient. When we upgrade our cell phones, it is sometimes frustrating when we have become comfortable and are familiar with our phones different uses, and have to relearn and adjust the new components. It is easy to think, well I do not want to change, my cell phone is just fine, but here is how we can miss out on all the benefits. Education is so similar, it is frightening to change something that has worked for so long, but once the change is understood, they education can begin to amaze us. In our textbook a strong point is made about the effects of technology and the future for teachers. “Preparing learners to take advantage of multiple information sources places huge new demands on teachers. For example, if you wish to develop technology-intensive learning, you must commit considerable time to becoming informed about available options and going about the business of organizing learning programs that differ based on individual characteristics of your students. The work required to prepare for and deliver this kind of instruction can be daunting,”(Armstrong, p301). The future of education and technology will be challenging at first, but there has to be a starting point. There are many excuses to stay in the same place, but as a nation, it is crucial that we grow with the times. Technology will bring us together as a globe, and it opens up so many opportunities for all types of learners and scholars. We must find the positive, we must move forth with the best intentions, and brightest hopes for future generations. The fate of the future of our country is directly effected by the adjustments we currently undergoing, but this change is here and not going away.

Technology is inevitably changing, updating, and advancing our education system. Educators of the future are facing the crucial curve of transitions into these technological advancements. Future educators must brave up to this challenge, and with courage and perseverance through the changing process, we can mark a period in history that will change education permanently. As said before, our current mastery of technology will be the initial bricks in the new road of academia that lie ahead. In a hundred years, when students are reading about the history of education, they will see how the 21st century educators and innovators sparked the torch that will be handed over to the future generations to come, and the future will be bright.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Armstrong, D. H. (2009). Teaching today: An Introduction to Education (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River , NJ: Pearson. (Armstrong, D., Henson, K., & Savage, T., 2009).

 

Technology Business Journal Editors. (2012). Higher Education; Leading Thinkers Convene to Hack the Future of Higher Education. Retrieved from the Technology and Business Journal, Atlanta, April 2012, page 688. Web site:


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