Oct 20 2012: The industrial revolution significantly shaped how schools operate and the perception of important goals that schools should seek to attain. Our society has shifted significantly over time. I am going to suggest that our rules, regulations, perceptions and expectations surrounding schools have created significant barriers to change. As technology becomes more sophisticated and virtual education becomes more prevalent, we must be willing to allow old standards and expectations to fall by the wayside. However, staying focused on human development, while allowing educational practices to shift will develop new educational constructs that have the potential to redefine schools in the 21st Century.
If technology can manage certain aspects of teaching, shouldn’t that free teachers to work more on developing interpersonal skills, social habits and emotional intelligence? If those become significant goals for people in schools, do we need to define students using grade levels? Do we need to train teachers in the same way? Will there still be efficiencies in large comprehensive high schools, or will small learning communities allow us to redefine a sense of community within our towns and cities?
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If technology can manage certain aspects of teaching, shouldn’t that free teachers to work more on developing interpersonal skills, social habits and emotional intelligence? If those become significant goals for people in schools, do we need to define students using grade levels? Do we need to train teachers in the same way? Will there still be efficiencies in large comprehensive high schools, or will small learning communities allow us to redefine a sense of community within our towns and cities?