The Future of Education

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There have been tremendous milestones in education over the years. Education has been there since the beginning of time. Even when there were no formal institutions of learning, people found a way of passing on the knowledge that they had through oral narratives and images.

People learned orally before the establishment of formal institutions of learning

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As time passed on and people developed more interest in learning and research, they developed education that was more formal. However, only a privileged few could afford this, as they had tutors in their homes. Home schooling is therefore not a new concept. They would learn languages, art, and music, from the professionals who were already distinguished in their respective fields.

Traditional home schooling

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Political, social and economic changes, coupled with renewed interest in learning and religion made it possible for more people to get an education, irrespective of their backgrounds. This led to the establishment of formal institutions, which served majority of the population. The institutions made it possible for many people to become educated (Guisepi, n. d.). Education is one of the many sectors that continue to experience many changes and developments.

Technology has played an important role in ensuring the development of education. This has been the case since the development of printing services, which made it possible for people to print books. The development of computers and the consequent development of the internet made it possible for people to advance their knowledge in many different areas. The development of the internet is especially important, as it has led to continued interest in gaining knowledge. It has made it more possible for people in less developed areas, who can access the internet, have the same level of education as people in the developed areas. People use means such as distance education and online education to acquire education. Technology will continue playing a big role in education.

Advancement in technology has led to the development of gadgets and appliances that ease the way in which people learn. Technology has ensured that more people access learning materials and find easier methods of learning. People have advanced from using the big mainframe computers, which could only be accessed by a few people, to using personal computers, which were relatively cheaper and more accessible. Technology then ensured that people could learn on the go, as people could use laptops, tablets and other mobile devices. Currently, many people use such technologies to access online books. This has changed the traditional classrooms and libraries. Therefore, the future of education is bound to follow the same direction

Conflict might arise between technological advancement in the education sector, and the traditional mode of learning

(Retrieved from http://dalishah.com/2012/06/12/the-future-of-learning-part-2-homeschooling-club/)

There is going to be more advancement in technology, which will influence education. Already, many parents are choosing to educate their children at home for different reasons. Some parents collaborate with different learning institutions, and this enables them to keep up with the rest of students in public and private schools. Online education is set to become more popular in future. In many schools across the country, educators have placed rules regarding the use of technology within the school setting. Most of them prohibit the use of smartphones, cell phones and other mobile devices. They also prohibit or limit the use of the internet, other than for schoolwork related purposes only. This is bound to change in future, as educators continue to see the role of digital technology in future. Teachers are more likely to encourage student to use digital technologies in the classroom, for the purposes of learning. this will enable the students to remain relevant in the technologically changing world (Zhao, 2009).

As much as people foresee great changes in learning technology, it is possible that these changes will not be that significant. Some people foresaw the changes and development in education from the beginning. They predicted the importance of technology in the changing role of development. They foresaw an era when students would only need to click on something, and they would have all the information they needed. While this has been made possible by the internet, most schools continue to use the traditional classroom methods of learning. Some schools are reluctant to adopt the latest technologies in learning. This is because they have to consider the capital investment and other logistics involved in adopting technology in schools (Keim, 2012)

Image of future education as depicted in 1958

(Retrieved from http://churchm.ag/future-of-education-1958/)

There has been continued interest on the changing needs of children when developing the curriculum. Some people have hailed this as a step in the right direction. However, others are of a contrary opinion. They claim that some of the changes in the American education system have led to a detriment in learning. They see this as the cause why America is under threat of remaining the major world economic superpower. There is a need to examine the American education system. Recent international exams portray other countries leading America, especially in sciences and mathematics. The International Student Assessment shows the declining state of American education. In reading and mathematics scores, countries such as China, South Korea, Finland, Singapore and Japan rank higher than America (Koebler, 2011).

Lack of preparedness among American students is a major hindrance to their educational achievements

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Countries in the Asian continent such as China and Japan and in European countries perform better than America in international exams. As America continues looking and researching on the comforts of the child, other countries continue to push their students towards working harder and achieving their goals. America has invested heavily in its education system, yet the results do not show this. Even with the advanced use of technology, America is bound to continue with its poor performance, if it does not learn from the best performing countries.

References:

Cobo, C. (2011). How we use technology in education is more important than which technology we use. Retrieved from https://edutechdebate.org/ict-in-schools/how-we-use-technology-in-education-is-more-important-than-which-technology-we-use/

Guisepi, R. (n. d.). The history of education. Retrieved from http://history-world.org/history_of_education.htm

Keim, B. (2012). iPad textbooks: Reality less revolutionary than hardware. Retrieved from http://agora-dialogue.com/?p=34966

Koebler, J. (2011). U.S. can learn from other countries’ education systems. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2011/05/25/us-can-learn-from-other-countries-education-systems

The Associated Press. (2010). In ranking, U.S. students trail global leaders. Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-12-07-us-students-international-ranking_n.htm

Zhao, Y. (2009). Catching up or leading the way: American education in the age of globalization. Alexandria, VA: ASCD