Trends shaping education in New Zealand and around the world

Trends shaping education today in New Zealand and Around the World.

In 2016 the OECD identified 5 trends that are, globally, influencing and shaping education. They are:

- globalisation

- future of the nation-state

- rise of the 'megacity'

- transformation of a model family

- technology

When reflecting on my practice and time in a classroom, thinking about these trends and how they have shaped the teacher I am or the way our children have been learning, there is one that comes to mind - technology and the influence it is having, not only in the classroom, but on the wider world.

The technology that we are using in our classrooms is changing and growing at such a rapid pace, the key for us, as teachers, is to teach our children how to adapt to these new tools and how to problem solve (in a fun way!)

The Mind Lab course has opened my eyes to so many new and different ways to be using this technology in our classrooms. I am a year 1 teacher and I have to admit, I had a closed mindset as to how much the children in my class could be using an iPad or a laptop (for starters). I see now that this was the opposite mindset to what we (and the children) need to have when thinking about digital tools and our changing world. I have discovered that our children can be using technology in better, smarter ways, that coding and computational thinking is so much more than I thought it was and how important it is for today's learners. As children leave school, it is vital as these skills will help them through university courses and into the workforce - which is unlikey to look as it does today with the rate that this technology is growing and impacting our world. 

This year, our school has introduced BYOD for the children in years 4-6, meaning more than ever we are having to think about keeping our children safe online and how to problem solve the many cyber-risks that come with the increased amount of technology our children are exposed to. 

I was 20 years old when I created my Facebook account, I challenge you to find a teenager without one today! The changes and the rise in social media is shaping our world. We (and the children in our classes) are using social media for so many different aspects of life that we used to do in person, over the phone or perhaps in the newspaper. From advertising, banking, online purchasing, gaming and even dating - probably all at the same time. 

At school I work with the health and PE team, when putting together our latest curriculum document - there came a new section under health - cyber safety. Working with Common Sense Media, we can tackle online threats and problems as we see them, but there will be new ones that creep through protection software daily. From teaching children about having a positive online presence, how fast the internet spreads and (believe it or not...) not everything you read on the internet is true. 

The future is inherently unpredictable.

                                                        OECD 2016. 

What we can be sure of is that the trend of changing technology, or a brave new world as the OECD calls it, will continue. As educators, it is our job to help our children learn how to adapt, problem solve and succeed - no matter what these changes look like. 

References

OECD (2016), Trends Shaping Education 2016, OECD Publishing, Paris. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/trends_edu-2016-en