Schools of the Future
Chair: Pieter Hogenbirk, <NL>
Rapporteur: Anna Kristjánsdóttir, <IS>
Participants: Henk Arangies, <SA>, Crilles Bacher, <DK>, Douglas Butler, <UK>, Roger N. Carlsen, <USA>, Gil Hunter, <NZ>, Vivi Lachs, <UK>, Paul Madsen, <NZ>, Ann O’Callaghan, <AU>, Lisa O’Connor, <AU>, Marcos Clayton Pessoa, <BR>, Sanya G. Pedersen , <DK>, Lori N. Rounds, <USA>, Lee Sansom, <AU>, Carmel Wikman, <AU>, Katina Zammit, <AU>
The professional group has elaborated on different
aspects of the ‘school of the future’. We discussed different aspects of
changes in education and paid obviously attention to the role of ICT within
these changes (ICT in the broadest meaning and in every variety that occurs or
may occur in the future). From the discussion it appeared to be useful to make
some preliminary remarks.
First of all the School of the future does not exist. The educational environment may have many forms: formal, informal, physical, virtual, public, private, commercialised, etc, and all kinds of combinations of these forms. This paper will focus on different aspects which could be characteristic of a school of the future, whereas a school is defined as a learning environment where assessment on learning takes place and credits are given for positive learning results.
We decided to take a 5 to 10 year perspective; far
enough in the future to emerge from our present status and close enough to use
the same words and stay realistic. In this respect one can distinguish four
phases of development: emerging, applying, integrating and transforming (1) .
We agreed to examine an educational environment in a transformed stage.
Finally we did not elaborate on the why-question: why should education change? We just assume that societal, cultural, technological changes and new scientific concepts will enforce change whatsoever.
The theme Schools of the Future was elaborated on at the WG3.1 conference in Chile 2000 (2) where four different aspects were identified. We discuss in this paper the following three aspects, integrating at the same time the aspects of ‘connectivity’ or ‘networking’ in all three. Each one starts with an opening from the briefing document before the report from the professional group.
Aspect 1: The Learning Processes and New
Learning Environments
ICT already provides us with new opportunities in education, particularly for teaching and learning. Traditional models of classroom practice may not be appropriate for an information rich environment. Equally, it may be that the only access to this potential environment comes through the use of ICT.
This aspect addresses the following questions:
· What will be the context of the new learning environment in the School of the Future?
· What will this new learning environment look like?
In a school of the
future the learning environment and the context within which learning takes
place will have changed. We assume that the learning environment is a connected
environment with access to the World Wide Web and other tools and technology.
In this context, we will need to rethink the curriculum and the roles of both
students and teachers.
In relation to
curriculum, there will be a shift to more flexibility in the curriculum and a
decrease in the amount of material taught by a teacher. The core curriculum
will be reduced, with fuzzier boundaries across subjects. This will allow
students to make more decisions and determine more of the tasks they will
complete to achieve the outcomes or objectives of the system.
As a result of this
greater flexibility of the curriculum there will be a shift in the balance of
power relationships within the learning environment from the teacher to the
learner. Students will be a part of the process of deciding how to achieve the
standards or objectives and the curriculum will no longer be ‘secret teacher’s
business’. The teachers’ role will be to guide, facilitate, advise, challenge
and intervene when and where they believe it is necessary or when approached by
their students.
The new roles of
teachers and students will affect the environment and we need to consider what
learners will be doing and how ICT can empower the learner to achieve their
outcomes. There will be multiple learning environments and multiple
possibilities. Although we do not yet know what new technologies will be
available and used in the future, we do know that they will play an increasing
role in the way students obtain information and the speed with which this
information can be acquired.
Amongst significant
technology developments that we can foresee over the next 5-10 years are those
having the effect making use of technology totally seamless and totally
portable. The notion of ‘taking the group to the lab’ will disappear and
teachers can use traditional method and technology as it seems appropriate,
allowing a variety of approach. This is due to several developments. Large
screens that are at present not generally affordable will be so as the
development of light emitting polymer screens promises to make a large screen
in every classroom a reality. This is also due to radio networking that will
enable wireless communication with all devices, clearing the learning space
from all trip-wires! And finally is the battery technology that will soon
enable all portable devices to last the whole day easily. Pupils will then have
small, light-weight, radio connected devices, capable of performing all the
tasks of the teacher’s devices.
Students will be
interacting with the global environment not just a local one. They need to
learn the social and cultural ramifications of this.
As learners take
control of their own learning, they need to learn how to learn. This will
entail learning about their own learning style. The teacher will need to guide
the student to get to know this and the range of possibilities. The student
will also need to learn how to learn in other less preferred ways in order to
be prepared for diverse learning contexts.
Students will choose whether to work as an individual or collaboratively with others. Intervention by the teacher occurs when and where necessary, and is still part of the learning environment; Explicit teaching or assistance still occurs at the point of need for the student or students. ICT will enhance the quality of the teaching but the use of ICT does not necessary ensure quality teaching in itself.
Aspect 2: Changing the Role of the Teacher
Currently teachers play the most significant role in shaping the learning environment for pupils. Politicians might claim that ICT can take over some of the teachers role while others believe that ICT can only realise its full potential to enhance the learning process if teachers are empowered to play their full part in an ICT rich environment.
This aspect addresses the following questions:
· How will the role of the teacher change in Schools of the Future?
· How can ICT support this new role of the teacher?
In discussion about a
changing role of teachers it seems necessary to analyze what that role has
included and see how different parts of it may become or have already been
influenced by ICT. The job of teachers has partly been directed by decisions
from outside like syllabus, partly making decisions through own professional
knowledge, and it has partly been about presenting to students but also about
interacting, reflecting on and carefully laying foundations for a community of
learners. The teacher’s job has partly been that of a stimulator and supporter
but also an evaluator of progress a toward competency. Important decisions in
the students’ process of learning that have been taken by teachers have
frequently been without much collaboration and co-deciding with other
professionals.
Which parts of a
teacher’s job are already influenced by ICT, which can be and which will be,
supposing that there will always be teachers because they as human beings have
an important role in the life of young people? If teachers will in the future
meet students regularly as a group how will ICT affect the initiating phase of
work which earlier has been a presentation by the teacher, how does a powerful
learning environment affect the work of students and what kind of interaction,
intervening, challenging and orchestrating, will be valuable contributions by
the teacher? How does the teacher deal with the managerial role that goes with
making use of a rich and powerful learning environment that is not limited with
a school as a building?
One question is analysing a teacher’s role
with respect to future development. Another one is to find how necessary changes
can take place. Shortage of qualified teachers in many areas is a threat to
schools and ways of acting on new situations by all teachers require breaking
the isolation of each classroom as a working space.
Teachers will in the
future provide modules of learning to provide a more ICT flexible learning –
arranged by projects and results based upon individual and team needs. They
will also make an effort to help their students in constructing a coherent and
for them an easily attainable personal knowledge.
Various learning
immersion patterns will be visible. Students can work for 3-4 days solidly on a
project which will call upon shift-work pattern for teachers to support
students with help of ICT.
The role of teacher as
facilitator of learning will continue to advance as content becomes more
available through an increasing range of ICT resources. This enhanced role of the teacher as guide
of learning process will enable teachers to focus on the individual needs of the
learner rather than be content deliverers.
The increased range of available resources to match the variety of
learning styles will enable teachers to scaffold student learning in more
meaningful ways.
Connectivity will
enable teachers to collaborate on a wider scale thus improving opportunities
for critical reflection in a peer-supported environment in order to improve the
teaching/learning process. These
enhanced communication and information retrieval facilities will also support
teachers as life-long learners with a range of professional development
opportunities available for ‘just-in-time’ learning.
The variety of roles
performed by teachers will further be able to be streamlined by the use of ICT
so as to enable teacher time to be focused on student learning rather than on
some of the current administrative tasks.
Teachers and pupils
will make increasing use of institutional intranet systems for storing
resources, which will be shared throughout the greater school community
(including pupils’ homes). Entire courses will be stored here for on-line use.
And broadband internet will continue to evolve and offer quality educational
resources, which will become more and more interactive.
Within schools of the
future there will be a movement towards more types of professionals than is the
general situation now as experts from industries will be found working with
teachers. Teachers will be able to work in different schools at the same time,
to work only for a short period or part-time and have flexible timetable. Older
students will also be found mentoring younger students.
Lifelong professional
learning will be of paramount importance for teachers. They will be able to
access own learning modules online as required, and as at present will make
profession use of email and video-conferencing to share ideas and resources
with other teachers in other institutions.
Aspect 3: Changing School Culture and the Organisation of the School
At the IFIP World Conference on Computers in Education (WCCE) in 1990, Seymour Papert commented that unlike other professions, a teacher from 100 years ago would still feel familiar in the classroom of today. One might argue that this is still true, but increasingly challenges are being made to the structure of the curriculum and the classroom environment.
This aspect addresses the following questions:
Countries differ culturally, economically
and societally. Additionally within countries there are issues around class,
race and culture. These issues will influence what a school or classroom of the
future will look like.
ITC in education will provide the opportunity to totally reinvent learning as we know it today. An ITC classroom of tomorrow will be an open learning community, and could exist either with or without physical boundaries. ITC will have the capability to provide increased access to learning without regard to time and place. Through ITC integration, boundaries between subject areas, schools, nations and even businesses will begin to dissolve, leaving teachers and individual schools less isolated. Management of the learning environment will be the responsibility of the teacher and the student, with the student able to self-assess their work. Parents would have access to their own children’s electronic portfolios and up to the minute progress reports could be generated at will.
The learning communities could be worldwide, with the capability of providing 7 x 24 access for students, parents, and teachers. There will be many different types of learning spaces available for people of all ages to access resources, support, guidance, and feedback. Collaborative learning will become standard, both face-to-face locally and through video ITC, on a national and international basis. Businesses will become part of the learning community as well, providing learning partnerships. Schools will remain the main source of education, yet partnerships with business and industry will provide real-life learning for students.
Call Centers located worldwide could be accessed and Chat type technology would be essential to support flexible learning. ITC tools will be ubiquitous and multi-sensory, thus providing open flexible learning for all learners regardless of ability, skill level, or special needs. These tools will provide support in the management of the learning community as well.
Teachers, through ITC tools, will have the opportunity to receive the professional development needed to be effective in the educational ITC environment. Traditional teacher training and individual teaching methods will evolve to compliment ITC technology. ITC in education has become the catalyst for change, empowering teachers, students, parents and businesses with new learning opportunities, providing them with a new, open flexible and global learning environment.
Reference
References
(1) Information and communication
technology in secondary education, a curriculum for schools, updated
2000 version, editor: Tom van Weert, Unesco 2001.
(2) Chile
2000, Bookmark of the School of the Future, Harriet Taylor, Pieter Hogenbirk
(eds.), Kluwer, 2001.