Activity Three: The Broader Professional Contexts.

Activity Three: The Broader Professional Contexts.

Keeping abreast with educational changes
Megatrends continue to shape our future in many ways. As a teacher of twenty plus years I have seen many pedagogical changes over my teaching career, from a traditional style of teaching and learning to a current Modern Learning Environment of which I am involved.  I have seen an explosive range of changes from chalk boards, whiteboards to 21 Century digital technology.
This is just the beginning. It seems the realisation of education is changing in a rapidly changing world. We are at a tipping point and now more than ever, it seems students are able to access learning anywhere and at any-time with the broad range of options and technologies available to them.
The need to change and work within this paradigm shift, I believe is paramount. Not keeping up with the transforming educational landscape and not being flexible to change as a classroom practitioner jeopardises the learning of the students with whom I engage. They are my core business.
There is no denying the future focus of education is going to require us to re- purpose our thinking. This was made very clear at the outset of our Mindlab journey.
Re-purposing means addressing the question; what is happening in education at the macro level? What is happening in the world and how are we going to equip ourselves for this change?
Generation Z are collaborative in their approach to tasks. They are problem-solvers and design thinkers who adapt well to new technologies. They are the social crusaders who are open to change and challenge and are politically mobilized. What’s more they are the education disrupters. For generation Z all activities are achieved using one device which fits in their pocket Seemiller, C., & Grace, M. (2016).  They engage in accurate and contemporary information and are astute to constant change.



With this in mind I am aware of the need to ensure we as classroom practitioners keep up with the fast pace changes that are occurring. But within this context of change there needs to be support to effect this change.
At my school many of our staff have undertaken the Mindlab course as part of our professional development. This has been a challenge at times. Teacher workload is ever increasing and sadly not much is taken away. The time commitment to this course has on occasion been challenging. Juggling deadlines has proven taxing at times.
While there have been some light bulb effects along the way on this Mindlab journey it is not the panacea of all future focused learning.

References

Bolstad R., (2011). Taking a "future focus" in education – what does it mean?

Seemiller, C., & Grace, M. (2016). Generation Z goes to college. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.






















Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 30, 2017 at 2:43 AM

    Hi Bernie,

    I enjoyed reading your blog and your comment about the need to 'keep up with this educational mind-shift' has become more apparent than ever by doing the Mindlab course. We have looked at various educational styles and theories all related to how futurist thinking and development fits into the educational model. I often wonder exactly what education will look like in 10 years time? There has been so much discussion about this 'transformational landscape' that you have highlighted so well here.

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