Recently, MiNDFOOD editors asked Bear Park to comment on an interesting question: “What is the future of education?”
This felt like an enormous question to respond to, so we’d also love to hear your thoughts. Do you have a vision of what schools of the future could look like? Or an opinion on the role of technology? Let us know on Facebook! We’ll be adding your comments into this article so we can begin to form some greater understanding on future education. Read on for Sue’s answer below.
Q: What is the future of education?
Sue: This is an expansive and complex question. I think successful teachers of the future will be those who make the learning experience more meaningful and tailored to the individual. There will be many avenues on offer for the child in their learning journey. Schools and early childhood centres will value the importance of being hands on. Children will be encouraged to design, critique, play and build knowledge around ideas that interest them personally.
As the world continues to change at a fast pace, more emphasis will be placed on creativity. The ability to think laterally and not just regurgitate information, will be of huge importance. Creativity will be an essential skill for every child to develop, not just a select few.
We will continue to have more access to information than ever before, and so our ever-growing relationship with technology must mature. I like to think that education will still require the strong presence of actual teachers, and that digital advancement won’t replace the humanistic side of education. Children will still need to feel the security of someone bigger holding their hand and providing guidance.
Within a rapidly changing world, future education must stress the importance that anything is possible. What isn’t realistic now will be possible in the future. Learning in the future will value problem solving, the ability to communicate with all types of people, negotiation skills and empathy. As teachers, parents and grandparents, we should readily stand back and let children invent, discover and experiment.
