Change is happening around the world and we are just a small part of it. As change occurs in its perpetual motion, one finds itself at different stages of its development. Youth who are exposed to an era of technology at its early stages and are educated with the tools and knowledge of this era then that generation will implement that technology and utilize it to answer new questions and develop new forms of technology. The elderly (old dogs) , however, will have a little difficulty with this new form of technology and resist changes that may occur because of its developments. Most of us can find benefits to these changes, but have little confidence in themselves in utilizing the technology and feel that they are always a step behind. The old way is just easier.
These changes are making some people very wealthy, yet many people are out of work because of computers and outsourcing. As educators, it is difficult to prepare students for jobs and careers that don't exist yet, or jobs that may no longer be necessary due to these changes. How do you prepare when the technology you are learning is technically outdated and perhaps obsolete.
Education should be a problem based curriculum. Students should be developing critical thinking skills , they should be thinkers! The one thing that they can predict, is change, and with change comes problems and we need thinkers who can come up with the solutions. Our students need to meet challenges, react to change and respond to developing needs of our society. We need to develop students so that they have a vision of what the future should hold. Each generation responds to a new want or need and develops a way to satisfy it. Today's wants and needs are of global proportion, and we need to help them develop skills that will meet these types of challenges.
Yesterday's science fiction is today's reality! Today's students will be tomorrow's leaders, they will be our doctors, lawyers, electricians, and our government. We may not be able to teach our students about future technology and change, but we can prepare them to be thinkers and problem solvers so that they can utilize technology to meet the challenges that change may bring.
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2 comments:
I think a distinction you made is key. I say quite often, it is not about technology, it is about learning. I think school focusses too much sometimes on teaching and not enough on learning.
I agree that if we teach our kids to be problem-solvers then they will be equipped to deal with whatever life throws at them. A fear of change is often felt by those who do not have the skills to adapt.
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