[DataDoxy]

pseudoreality

Alright, I'll bite. How come kids are taught about things like the French Revolution, but nothing with respect to the fundamentals of the world around them? Why aren't students taught things like where their water comes from or how their furnace works?

This question is at the forefront of education leaders around the world and has been for the past few years. Countries around the globe are scrambling to redesign curriculum to move us beyond the traditional, industrial-model schools system which we have become accustom to. (Watch this short video for more info https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U).

New curriculum will focus on making learning relevant, personalized, engaging and meaningful. As such, students will engage in learning in new ways using new methodologies and new technologies. For example, instead of learning historical facts like we have done for decades, students will learn how to think like historians by engaging in social project-based activities. This may include things such as computer based 'quests' and/or collaboration with students from other countries.

This trend will cross the curriculum into all subjects. For example, mathematics will focus on teaching students to think mathematically and to problem-solve as opposed to the traditional method of memorizing rote procedures. As such, the traditional algorithms will be taught conceptually so that students understand them and can 'see' how they are derived. Don't get me wrong, "facts" will still be important, they will just be taught in ways that ensure students can understand them and apply them to the real world. Teaching students to think, not memorize is the key. Students will be encouraged to think about things like where we get our water from, and furthermore, they will be given opportunities to think about new, more efficient ways to do this. Curiosity and innovation will be rewarded!

Why?

This global shift in education is being driven by the rapid changes in our technologically advanced society. Schools need to prepare students for a future that is vastly different from what schools have traditionally prepared students for and this requires changing curricula as well as delivery models. (Watch this fascinating video to see the demands of tomorrow's reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmwwrGV_aiE and this video out about the need for a "revolution" in education http://blog.ted.com/2010/05/24/bring_on_the_re/

Since our current education system was created for and modeled from the industrial revolution, it's purpose was to have students follow rules and procedures and memorize important facts. As such, 'learning' in our schools has predominately been associated with performance on a standard test, rather than on knowing 'why' things work and questioning the status quo. In our current education system, if I can memorize facts about the French Revolution for example, I could pass (or ace) that unit test and would be deemed a 'good' student. In the future, students will need to know how to think, how to solve problems that we may not even be aware of yet, and how to learn what they have not been taught.

'Thinking' is going to be the new 'capital' in education.

For more information on Canada's plan for the future of education check out this link http://www.c21canada.org/wp-content/...ds-Revised.pdf

I'd love to know what you think.... any comments/question?