Vision of the Future of Education

     Technology has a vastly growing presence in American society in general ranging from social networking to “do-it-yourself” aids to free speech platforms. Unfortunately, the American education system has gotten a late jump on maximizing the potential and possibilities of the enhanced learning opportunities modern technology makes available. Many areas of the country, on varying institutional levels, are beginning to tap into this potential. Elementary and Secondary schools in districts across the country are beginning to implement and provide students with programs like itutor that allow for students to receive the individual instructional attention they may need. With itutor accounts, students can access video tutorials of multiple topics within the core subject areas math, science, language arts, and social studies. Colleges and Universities use online assessment programs like Blackboard to provide immediate instructional aid and instant feedback on class activities and assignments. Entire courses and even degree programs are offered in fully-online formats allowing for collaboration between students and instructors who could be physically hundreds or thousands of miles apart.     

         The further implementation of various technologies in education looks to provide solutions to some of the glaring deficiencies in our nation’s education system as it exists today. In many schools, students cognitive abilities are only separated into a few groupings “gifted and talented,” “regular or on-level,” and “remedial or below-level.” The learning abilities of students in a particular “regular” or “on-level” class can be vastly different. “Technology allows students to learn at their own pace and master concepts before moving on to the next concept.” The role of teachers is increasingly becoming a role of the facilitator than instructor allowing for students to learn from discovery and develop a deeper, more meaningful understanding. As shown in this generation’s asphyxiation on social networking, today’s students prefer to demonstrate their individuality and creativity to a cyber audience of some kind. Whether it’s placing “hashtags” on their Instagram photos in order for others to see their posts, share their photographic prowess in a creative common like Flickr, or even writing whatever is on their mind in a public online blog like this one, today’s youth and adults alike enjoy providing creative pieces for their cyber audience. In the coming years student’s will begin to submit their work to public domains instead of “turning in something to be put on a teacher’s desk” . As mentioned in the Roblyer & Doering text on p.21, “Many teachers are turning to student electronic portfolios, or a collection of work in a website or multimedia project, as the assessment strategy of choice.” This will serve as a spark for students’ creativity a inherently increase the quality and effort level of their work submitted.

     As technological tools and their abilities continue to expand and the educations system will expand with it allowing for more meaningful and creative student showcases of their talents and learned experiences. In turn, these students will become better thinkers and problem solvers due to becoming conditioned as a discovery learner.

References

-Doering, Aaron H., & Roblyer, M.D. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson

-Edutopia. (n.d.). What is technology integration? Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-description

– – Edutopia. An Introduction to Technology Integration. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/d59eG1_Tt-Q