“Educators who are concerned about this neglected aspect of the curriculum talk about the need for a ‘futures dimension’ within the curriculum and the need for pupils to develop a ‘futures perspective’, i. e. the ability to think more critically and creatively about the future. ” Ward (2008:120) Education has been around for centuries it has developed from elementary schools to outstanding inclusive schools for the future. So realistically what can we expect to see in our schools in the 21st century?
For me special education is a massive part of our future working within this environment and making our schools more inclusive. This to include making a society more accepting to change can this is possible? “Scott McLeod, in his blog,Dangerously Irrelevant,recently reminded us of a line fromMission Impossible, and we must apply that challenge to all of society. “Your assignment, should you choose to accept it” is to take education truly into the 21st century. It is not enough to say that we are already living there.
Technically it is the 21st century, but our schools are not there, and our challenge now is to reinvent schools for the 21st century – for the sake of our children, our students and the welfare of our world. Making such a paradigm shift is not easy. After all, when any of us thinks of education, we usually think of what we knew as school – the way it has always been. That is how parents, policy makers, politicians and many students think of school. But we have to make the paradigm shift to 21st century education. ” www. 21stcenturyschools. com. This quote made a massive impression on me when I read it.
I believe we now have the capabilities to make our schools and education system something to be proud of. With the advancements in technology already the classroom is the making of a deliverance of a brilliant education. “Personal computers with their multimedia capabilities are continually being integrated into the classroom curriculum. Using personal computers and the World Wide Web, educators are creating new learning environments. Within these environments, teachers become facilitators and students become constructors of knowledge. ” Bitter and Legacy (2008:29)
Albeit this title is asking me to portray what I would like in the education system in the 21st century I have to say that for me no matter how much technology is available I would still like that personal touch of teacher student bond. We could have all the fastest technology computers video conferencing but for me the personal experience of a human being has stood the test of time. So where to begin my vision for 21st education would include the mainstream education system been totally revoked and put in to practise the special needs education system.
Thus been a more versatile education system that is based on the individual learning needs of the pupil. Maier and Warren suggest a very different view to my own. “The changing model of learning and teaching. As a result we are seeing a shift in learning and teaching models across the education sector that lessens the tutor student bond and increases student independence and inter-dependence between one another. ” Maier and Warren (2000:24) I would also like to see a more direct approach in providing learning materials to help people understand that disability is not a hindrance but something to celebrate been different.
If this was to be implemented within my education system I believe that we would find that society would become more accepting. I would not have a social class divide and money would be allocated on the principle of inclusion and how well the school promoted individual learning styles. Educators have said for a long time that schools are still living in the dark ages and need to be brought up to speed. “Toffler (1974) was one of the first writers to argue that the curriculum needed to be more future orientated but progress has been slow in developing this dimension of the curriculum (Hicks,2006).
Nevertheless, valuable surveys of contempary work in schools can be found, such as that by Gidley et al. (2004). ” Ward (2008:120) So in keeping with what educators are saying the curriculum needs to be brought swiftly in to the 21st century. Personal laptops would be given to each student and inter-active white boards would be available in each room. I would also like to implement a teacher/ parent focused group which helps parents to achieve more and help their children at home. Within this role a possible video diary can be used to monitor any progress or problems.
Teachers would be given the training to both interact with pupils on face value and that of a virtual learning environment. The resources available to each pupil would be as follows laptops, use of inter active whiteboard; I pods virtual learning suites and programmes tailored to individual needs such as maths, English and science. I would also implement a free learning curriculum with a choice of hands on projects to choose from. These been ict, working in a skilled environment and learning life skills.
Resources for use within the school would be a multipurpose built fitness and sports arena, inter active white board, skilled workshops, swimming pool, sensory rooms and multimedia rooms. I would also make available free child care places for children 0f 6months above on the condition that younger parents return to education and older parents have the choice to continue with work or return to education. With this in mind I believe the education system will then provide the necessary tools for people to make a positive impact on society.
To help facilitate the running costs of these facilities I would make available the use of some of the resources to the public and other organizations. By making available these resources to the outside world I am therefore generating an income which could then be used on providing funds for extracurricular activities. Thus been things such as residential trips, educational visits and trips to the park. This in turn would elevate the some of the financial contributions that have to be made by parents for these events to take place.
So to conclude my 21st education essay I would like to see these changes take place and make our schools a more accepting and inclusive place to be. If these measures could be implemented in society and we could start again. Could we possibly create a future education system that not only is outstanding but cuts out the social class divide? Moreover could we produce an education system that views the child as an individual not just a statistic’so could my ideas and views be the new 21st century education doubtful I know but if we challenge the views of others enough this could one day become reality.
