Horizons Report K- 12- ED 6381

"If a school adopts a culture of innovation, then deeper learning is a possibility, plain and simple. That kind of change starts at the top and moves throughout the rest  of the school systematically, eventually contributing to a mindset that is based on challenging students to take the initiative with how deep they go into learning a specific area of interest" (Educase, 2019).

        With the rise of technology within educational systems, there are many more advancements still yet to come. The future of technology within schools is reported to continue to be a very promising implementation for students' educational journeys. Technology provides the means for integrating engaging lessons that immerse students in different approaches to learning as opposed to traditional education. New learning models, emerging technologies, and educational innovations have captivated students and shown to be more effective in their learning. Like all new things, one must learn how to use them efficiently before considering them successful. Educators must continue to grow in this technology-driven world in order to remain current in technical advancements. It is crucial to know how these new technologies evolve, change, and grow in order to be able to learn and grow with them. How you use technology in education is more important than if you use it at all (Thornburg, 1999). Furthermore, it is time to make the shift from traditional learning methods to innovative methods where students are in control of inquiry learning and they can apply research, critical thinking skills, and creativity as part of their education. Students need to be engaged in authentic learning where they can make real- worlds connections to their education that can be useful in their lives. It seems that nowadays many schools are more focused on state assessments and scores rather than if students are simply memorizing information by facts given to them for a test instead of authentically learning and having fun in the process.

" With students inventing, iterating, and collaborating regularly, teachers have been transplanted from their position as “sage on the stage” to “guide on the side.” There is a need for mentoring and coaching as students work through complex problems to explore new frontiers and gain concrete skills." (Educase, 2019).

 

        Educators play a vital role in the shift from traditional learning methods, as it is they who are the leaders of the classroom. We must rethink our roles as educators from teacher-led to student-centered. This is where students are in charge of their learning while conducting inquiry learning methods. Teachers then become more of facilitator and guide in their learning path and allow students to follow their curiosity and research topics while connecting to the real world. There need to be deeper learning approaches for authentic learning to take place. There needs to be more than just facts being divulged to students at a constant rate because this is shown to not lead to real learning. It can become more so of a recall of information and memorization on the students' part. To me, it seems that a major factor that this is currently happening is due to bug state assessments. We tend to hear that teachers are just teaching to the test. Which I believe that in some parts this is partly true because they have tremendous pressure to produce passing test scores. Just as schools are expected to have certain passing rates for state-implemented accountability. It then seems that a lot is riding on the test as if everything depends on its result. As reported in the Horizon Report K-12, It’s not about how well a student scores on a test anymore — and it shouldn’t be. It is instead about how well a student is able to solve complex problems that require thinking beyond what is needed to answer a multiple-choice question. Students need to be taught to solve real-world problems, with real-world strategies, and then assessed on their ability to do so. One way to do this is to provide a learning environment with space that allows for these types of real-world problems to be conducted and taught (Educase, 2019).

There are many changes that need to be implemented in order for change to continue to happen within our educational systems. The emphasis on more hands-on, technology-enhanced learning has impacted every facet of school life, with teaching as a central force (Educase, 2019). Technological advances continue to be at the forefront of how learning and educational environments are shifting and changing. In the world of the past where access was limited, information was treated as a scarce resource, and educators had the task of imparting this information for the benefit of learners (Thornburg, 1999). Today, information and resources are abundant thanks to technological advancements and the Internet. This gives students the ability for inquiring about learning where they research and actively learn about certain topics. Guided inquiry responds to the critical need for transforming schools for today's world. Schools need to offer students opportunities to ask deep questions and learn how to search for meaningful responses to those questions (Kuhlthau, Maniotes,, Caspari, 2015). Technology has given students the ability for hands-on learning. The emphasis on more hands-on, technology-enhanced learning has impacted every facet of school life, with teaching as a central force (Educase, 2019). Incorporating technology into instruction is an area of focus for educators to bring about change in their classrooms. There is a variety of technologies that teachers can use as resources to caprtiviate their dstuents in learning suchs as engaging software, virtual reality, and interactive games. Teachers implementing new games and software learn alongside students, which requires a degree of risk on the teacher’s part as they try new methods and learn what works (Educase, 2019).

     I found this resource to be interesting because it has detailed information for schools, educators, and administrators to have access to professional developments they may need to grow with technological advances. It emphazies the need to shift from traditional leabring methods to one that is student centererd and produces authentic real- world learning. It is crucial to teach students how to be active problem solvers and how to critically assess issues when they arise. 

 

https://www.mindspark.org/problem-based-learning 

"Project-based learning, challenge- based learning, and competency-

based learning— all of these pedagogical trends are in service of creating richer and more hands- on, real-world experiences for students. As schools prioritize active learning over rote learning, students are being viewed in a new light" ( Educase, 2019).

References 

Balım, A., G. (2009). The Effects of Discovery Learning on Students’ Success and Inquiry Learning Skills. Egitim Arastirmalari- Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 35, 1-20. 

EduCause. (2019, April 23). 2019 horizon report. EDUCAUSE. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://library.educause.edu/resources/2019/4/2019-horizon-report 

 Kuhlthau, C.,Maniotes, L., Caspari, A. ( 2015). Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century, 2nd Edition. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=LxCFCgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=inquiry+learning&ots=-aFUpoS-Mu&sig=AhSYLW0sFYEdSxT5yZ7oeUpuIeA#v=onepage&q=inquiry%20learning&f=false 

Thornburg, D. (1999). TECHNOLOGY IN K -12 EDUCATION: ENVISIONING A NEW FUTURE. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED452843.pdf