With an early teen child in school, I am always interested in 'future of education'-type content. As a techno-optimist, the general themes outlined in this whitepaper are appealing.

But technology won't come remotely close to addressing two of the largest constraints to reshaping education and learning outcomes for a modern world:

(i) Agrarian calendars - Most Western school calendars still use semester start/end dates that were defined in an age when children were expected to return to the farm to help during the busiest time of year (hence the longest break occurs over summer).

Local (agrarian) economic needs dictated school timetables - not education needs and outcomes. Yet we adhere to these same timetables today.

(ii) Time-based education - Time is the constant in traditional education contexts, not learning. Students attend school for a fixed number of hours each day, for a fixed number of weeks each year.

If 5 days are allocated to teach topic A, all students must spend 5 days learning it - even those who mastered it within 2 days. Importantly, those who didn't grasp it are moved on to the next topic, regardless. Time - not learning outcomes - dictate classroom content.

Despite extensive research into individual learning styles, approaches and preferences, all students must sink or swim in an environment where time is the only recognised variable.

Addressing either of these issues will require a wholesale rethinking of our education system - one that is well overdue.

#content #education #future #school #changemindset #technology #digital #lifelonglearning #students #learning
https://lnkd.in/gMezJUvk