Activity 6

Activity 6- 3 leading Trends Education faces.

There needs to be a shift in education in order for us to support children into the 21st century. There are trends that keep popping up around this concept, and I will be explaining 3 today.

1. Collaboration is the way of the future.

Collaboration is not taking the easy road or stealing others ideas and views. It allows two or more people who want the same outcome to think critically about a subject. It allows them to discuss ideas without having just their world view glasses on. "The atmosphere of collaboration, or the uniting of two or more organizational points of view has created a synergy of sorts in approaching the overwhelming circumstances of schooling today" (Slater & Ravid, 2010, pg 5). Collaboration allows adults and children to learn new skills like working with others and creates a platform for debate and deeper thinking.

As educators we need to provide opportunities so children can learn these new 21st collaborative skills that they will encounter in the work force. Slater and Ravid discuss the importance of collaboration in schools, "In education there have been attempts to alter the way we institute change in schools. Collaboration, whereas it is not a new idea, has provided the mechanisms that purport to change the way school problems are approcached" (Slater & Ravid, 2010, pg 5).

2. Innovative learning environment 

In this fast changing world where students need to be flexible and adapt to the new roles the world throws at them, schools need to reflect the modern work place in order to set students up for success. My classroom reflects student culture and voice. Through this my classroom is my students and not my own. Students can create and innovate, move and restructure the room to suit the needs for their learning. Western Springs College is looking into what makes a innovative learning environment and states "In our post-modern era, new understanding of learning, influences of information and communications technology society have placed pressures of the knowledge society have placed pressures of education. New purposes of schooling have evolved (Andrew Bunting, presenter)" (OECD, 2006, pg11).

Schools in this changing world need to be innovative and new age thinking spaces. It is not just about throwing in ICT in a 19th century classroom. There are 4 points for a innovative learning space that are:

- Space for group learning. These are collaborative spaces where small group teaching and learning can take place.
-Space for individual learning. This is a space with small brake away areas, where students can work quietly with minimal disruptions
-Open multi-purpose spaces. This can be a social space, open access to learning areas, quiet study areas or central briefing areas.
-Specialised spaces. Design provision must be made for specialised activities such as vocational training, sport and performing arts.

Design has an important role to play in harnessing these new creativities and capabilities by providing a student-centred learning environment that looks beyond the traditional classroom.

3.  ICT focus

TREND ALERT !!!!!- there are these things called computers and the internet, they connect people all round the world and creating new industries and jobs for our 21st century workers. Being ICT inclusive at schools does not just mean throwing in a few ipads and seeing what happens, its about understanding that 80% of the jobs our students will do have not been created yet so it is important that our schools support kids to be ICT alliterate and understand technology so they can adapt and problem solve in the market place they will face. Stephen Heppall presented the idea that "Information and communication technology (ICT) is provoking children to think create and solve problems in new and innovative ways, thus providing opportunities for both students and teachers to think "outside the box"; to be creative and collaborative in their approach to learning" (OECD, 2006, pg20).

ICT allows children to be engaged in their learning to make school fun. "ICT should be about making learning more delightful, Similarly, design should challenge and channel students, create efforts in new and interesting ways." (OECD, 2006, pg 20). ICT needs to be focused on and it starts with educating the teachers.

References:

21st Century Learning Environments. (2006). Retrieved 2015, from http://www.westernsprings.school.nz/New School/becoming_a_new_school/Resources/21st Century Learning Environments - OECD.pdf


Sandholtz, J. H. (1997). Teaching with technology: Creating student-centered classrooms. Teachers College Press, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1234 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10027.
Slater, J. J., & Ravid, R. (Eds.). (2010). Collaboration in education. Routledge.