Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Kahn's 2060 Prediction: Education Direction?

I just listened to Kahn's 2060 Education Prediction.  How will his vision affect our work as educators in the coming years? What actions will lead our work, study and thought?  I've created this short list for your consideration.
  • Continue to study, embrace and utilize technology as an awesome life tool.
  • Collaborate with colleagues near and far to increase our collective ability to coach, guide and mentor students well. (PLNs & PLCs)
  • Redesign learning environments to best meet students' needs for active, comfortable, invigorating, responsive learning.
  • Coach students using project base learning and learning design that inspires passionate, student-centered, achievement-based learning opportunities and endeavors.
  • Create more opportunities for the learning team (parents, students, community members and educators) to meet, discuss, learn about and collaborate with new technologies and processes for learning.
  • Guide students in global engagement and work.
  • Discover, study and implement effective ways to develop students' essential skill base for communication, collaboration, critical thinking skills, and creativity.
  • Support museums, libraries, sanctuaries, national parks and other resources that inspire learning and broaden the "school" environment to foster hands-on, relevant, community-based education.
  • Continue to move towards achievement based learning with regard to facilitation, schedules, choice of tools and materials, the learning environment, project selection and assessment.
  • Deepen students' metacognition and learning-to-learn skills/understanding.
  • Engage in university-school partnerships to strengthen ongoing education evolution and idea/practice exchanges.
What am I missing?

If educators want to move towards positive, equitable visions like Kahn's, what are the next steps?  Who are the current leaders in this movement?  What countries are embracing the realities that Kahn discusses, and which countries are working with outdated paradigms?  

This democratization of education is an exciting world direction, one which I want to embrace with students as the central focus.  I'm looking forward to your response to this post.