But something interesting is happening.

Across the world, educators are beginning to quietly ask a difficult question. What if the tech revolution in classrooms has gone too far?

From Scandinavia to Australia, schools are rebalancing their approach. Devices are being limited. Handwriting and printed books are making a comeback. Even some of the most enthusiastic technology advocates are beginning to argue that learning might require more analogue experiences than we assumed.

This shift is not about rejecting innovation. Rather, it reflects a deeper rethink driven by new research, rising concerns about child development and the rapid arrival of artificial intelligence in the classroom. The result is a growing movement toward what might be called “mindful technology” in education.

For leaders, parents and professionals watching these changes unfold, the implications are significant. The classroom is becoming a testing ground for a broader societal question. How do we harness powerful technology without allowing it to quietly reshape our brains, behaviour and expectations in ways we never intended?

Here are five emerging trends shaping the new balance between technology and analogue learning.

1. The analogue comeback

For years, many education systems raced to digitise classrooms. Tablets replaced textbooks and interactive screens replaced whiteboards. But a growing body of evidence suggests the learning benefits were far less impressive than promised.

In fact, large international studies from the OECD found that countries investing heavily in classroom technology often saw declines in literacy, numeracy and science outcomes rather than improvements.¹

These findings have prompted some governments to rethink their approach. Sweden, once one of the earliest adopters of digital learning tools, has begun reversing course by reinvesting in printed textbooks and traditional learning materials after concerns about declining academic performance.²

The shift is also happening at the classroom level. Teachers increasingly report that students concentrate better when reading physical books and writing by hand. Education researchers argue that digital devices, when overused, can fragment attention and reduce the sustained focus required for deep learning.³

The implication is not that digital tools are useless. Rather, they are simply not the silver bullet many once believed.

For schools and organisations, the lesson is broader than education. Technology should enhance human capability, not replace the cognitive processes that build it. Sometimes the smartest innovation is reintroducing what worked before.

Professionals working in education or learning design should ask a simple question when evaluating new tools. Does this technology deepen thinking, or merely make the process faster?

2. The screen-time generation arrives at school

Teachers are noticing something else that would have been almost unimaginable a decade ago. Many children arriving at school struggle with basic physical and cognitive skills.

A January 2026 survey of 1,000 primary school staff in England found that 28 per cent of five-year-olds could not use books correctly, with some even attempting to swipe pages like a phone screen. More than half of the teachers surveyed said excessive screen time played a significant role in declining school readiness.⁴

This observation aligns with a growing body of neuroscience research examining how early screen exposure shapes developing brains.

A 2025 longitudinal study in Singapore found that higher screen exposure before the age of two predicted accelerated but inefficient development in brain networks associated with visual processing and cognitive control. Children exposed to greater screen time showed slower decision making at age eight and higher anxiety by adolescence.⁵

Even three to four hours of daily screen exposure was enough to produce measurable effects.

A broader meta analysis of 34 studies also found links between excessive screen use and reduced attention span, impaired executive function and observable changes in brain regions associated with learning and memory.⁶

None of this means screens are inherently harmful. But it does suggest that developing brains need a diverse range of experiences including reading, movement, play and face-to-face interaction.

The practical takeaway for educators and parents is surprisingly simple. Old-fashioned habits still matter. Frequent parent child reading has been shown to counter some of the negative cognitive effects linked to early screen exposure.⁵

In other words, sometimes the most advanced strategy for cognitive development looks suspiciously like what grandparents used to recommend.

3. The AI homework dilemma

If screens created one challenge for schools, artificial intelligence has introduced a far bigger one.

AI chatbots have quickly become a standard part of student life. A Pew Research study released in February 2026 found that 54 per cent of American teenagers now use AI chatbots for schoolwork, with one in ten saying they rely on them for most or all of their assignments.⁷

Perhaps more concerning, 59 per cent of teens believe AI cheating is a regular occurrence at their school, rising to 76 per cent among students who already use chatbots for homework.

The impact on learning itself may be even more significant.

Research highlighted in recent reporting on AI and education suggests that heavy reliance on AI writing tools can significantly reduce cognitive engagement during learning tasks.⁸ Students who outsource thinking to algorithms may complete assignments faster but retain far less understanding.

Yet despite these concerns, AI tools are rapidly being integrated into education systems. Technology companies are introducing AI assistants into classroom platforms, while governments are beginning to include AI literacy as part of standard curricula.⁸

The challenge is not access to AI. It is ensuring that AI assists learning rather than replacing it.

One education commentator captured the dilemma with a striking analogy. Asking students to self regulate AI use during homework may be a little like asking a gambling addict to make wise choices inside a casino.

The solution likely lies in redesigning assessments and classroom practices so that AI becomes a thinking partner rather than a shortcut.

For educators and professionals designing learning experiences, the key question becomes this. How do we use AI to expand curiosity rather than outsource cognition?

4. The rise of “mindful tech” classrooms

Faced with these challenges, many schools are not abandoning technology. Instead they are adopting a more deliberate and balanced approach sometimes described as “mindful tech”.

This philosophy recognises that digital tools can be valuable when used intentionally but harmful when used automatically.

Some schools are introducing device-free periods during the day to encourage deep reading, conversation and collaborative problem solving. Others are using digital tools selectively for tasks such as simulations or research rather than continuous screen exposure.⁹

At the same time, educators and parents are becoming more cautious about the influence of large technology companies within education systems. Critics argue that classrooms have become a testing ground for digital platforms whose long-term impact on learning remains uncertain.¹⁰

This caution is also emerging in policies around student safety. For example, St Hilda’s Anglican School in Western Australia recently removed identifiable student images from public social media due to growing concerns about AI generated deepfakes and image manipulation.

The broader implication is that digital literacy increasingly includes understanding when not to use technology.

For organisations outside education, this trend mirrors a wider cultural shift. As technology becomes more powerful, intentional use becomes more important.

The real competitive advantage may lie in knowing when to unplug.

5. The rediscovery of focus

Perhaps the most important trend emerging from this classroom reset is the rediscovery of something modern life has quietly eroded: Focus.

Many educators believe that the rapid stimulus switching common in digital content may be conditioning young brains to expect constant novelty. Fast cuts, notifications and algorithmic feeds reward brief attention rather than sustained concentration.

But deep learning requires exactly the opposite. Reading complex material, solving difficult problems and writing thoughtful arguments all depend on the ability to maintain focus for extended periods. It is a skill that must be practised and strengthened.

This is one reason printed books, handwriting and extended discussion are returning to classrooms.

The concern among some researchers is that the next generation could become the first in modern history to display lower cognitive capability than their parents. Some analysts argue that cognitive performance has stagnated or declined in parts of the developed world since around 2010, coinciding with the rise of smartphones and always-on digital environments.³

The good news is that attention is trainable. Activities such as reading, discussion, outdoor play and time in nature help rebuild cognitive endurance and restore the mental stamina required for learning.

For professionals across industries, the lesson extends far beyond classrooms. In a world of constant distraction, the ability to focus deeply may become one of the most valuable skills of all.

Conclusion: Finding balance in the digital classroom

Technology is not disappearing from classrooms. If anything, it will continue to expand.

Artificial intelligence, immersive simulations and adaptive learning platforms will all play an increasing role in education over the coming decades. But the enthusiasm that once surrounded classroom technology is now being tempered by experience and evidence.

The emerging lesson is not that technology is harmful, but that learning is deeply human.

Children need conversation, movement, reading, play, curiosity and sustained attention. Digital tools can support these experiences, but they cannot replace them.

The schools now leading the way are not the ones with the most screens. They are the ones asking smarter questions about when technology helps and when it quietly gets in the way.

For parents, educators and leaders watching this shift unfold, the message is clear. The future of education will not be fully digital or fully analogue.

It will be deliberately balanced.

And in an age obsessed with innovation, that might turn out to be the most innovative idea of all.

Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, change strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 10 books. His most recent book Mindstuck explores the psychology of stubbornness and how to change minds – including your own. Find out more here.

To see Michael speaking live, click here.

For more information on Michael’s keynote speaking topics, click here.

References

• OECD. Students, Computers and Learning: Making the Connection.
• Spartan Shield. “Sweden scales back on the use of digital tools in schools.”
• Nicholas Carr. “Screens in schools have been a catastrophic failure.” The Spectator.
• The Guardian. “Children starting school without basic skills, teachers warn.”
• Frontiers in Psychology. (2025). Longitudinal research on early screen exposure and brain development.
• ABC News. “Research finds screen time and video games linked to social problems.”
• Pew Research Center. (2026). How teens use and view AI.
• TIME Magazine. “How AI tools like ChatGPT are changing how students learn.”
• The Guardian. “Schools are using screens in a mindful way.”
• The Guardian. “Big Tech and the classroom: are parents right to worry?”

So, what kind of future are today’s students stepping into?

The Jobs of 2038: What’s In, What’s Out

The job market is changing faster than ever. According to the World Economic Forum, nearly one-quarter of all jobs worldwide will change by 2027. By 2038, some roles will disappear entirely, while new industries will emerge.

Jobs in Decline

Repetitive, rule-based jobs will continue to be automated, including:

• Data entry clerks – AI will handle large-scale data processing.
• Cashiers – Self-checkouts and cashierless stores will dominate.
• Telemarketers – AI-driven chatbots will replace cold calls.
• Factory workers – Robotics and automation will take over manual production work.

Jobs on the Rise

Meanwhile, new industries and technologies will drive job growth:

• AI and machine learning specialists – As AI becomes more embedded in everyday life.
• Cybersecurity experts – Cybercrime is already a $10 trillion industry.
• Healthcare professionals – Nursing, aged care, and speech pathology will be in high demand.
• Sustainability consultants – As companies shift towards net-zero emissions.
• Robotics engineers – Designing the machines that will run tomorrow’s industries.

Despite fears about AI replacing jobs, one thing remains clear: human-centered roles are safest.

Why Human Skills Will Matter More Than Ever

While AI can process data, automate tasks, and optimize efficiency, it still struggles with creativity, empathy, and leadership. This means jobs that require emotional intelligence and complex decision-making will remain resilient.

Careers in these fields are likely to flourish in the years ahead:

• Mental health and counselling – AI can’t replicate human compassion.
• Teaching and coaching – Personal development relies on human connection.
• Leadership and strategy – AI can advise, but humans inspire and lead.

Future-Proofing Careers: What Today’s Students Need to Learn

So how can today’s students prepare for a future that’s constantly shifting? The answer isn’t just about technical skills, it’s about developing the ability to adapt and learn continuously.

Key skills that will matter most:

1.      AI Literacy – Knowing how to work alongside AI, rather than competing with it.

2.      Critical Thinking – Being able to analyse, evaluate, and make sound decisions.

3.      Emotional Intelligence – Developing strong communication and leadership abilities.

4.      Creativity & Problem-Solving – Thinking outside the box when AI reaches its limits.

5.      Adaptability & Lifelong Learning – The half-life of skills is now five years—meaning half of what we know today will be outdated by 2030. In the future, Adaptability Quotient (AQ) will matter more than IQ.

The Biggest Mistakes Parents & Educators Can Make

One of the biggest misconceptions about preparing young people for the future is over-emphasising university as the default path to success.

For years, parents have been guided by the belief that a degree guarantees stability and opportunity, but the world of work is changing fast. Vocational and trade education may actually be one of the smartest choices for an AI-driven future, yet there remains a cultural bias toward university.

The 2024 Future Tradie Report highlights this shift: within a decade, 16% of the current trade workforce will have retired, and by 2033, 75% of Australia’s tradies will be Millennials and Gen Z. These younger workers are being drawn to tech-enhanced trades, where automation, sustainability, and business technology are reshaping industries. Many are also seeking greater work-life balance, financial independence, and entrepreneurship – opportunities that traditional university pathways don’t always provide.

At the same time, governments are increasing support for apprenticeships, mentoring, and skills training in fields like clean energy, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing – all areas that will see massive growth over the coming decades. Yet, many parents still push university as the “safe” option, despite the reality that some degrees now offer more debt than job security.

This bias can be dangerous. The best thing we can do for young people is to help them develop skills that align with the evolving job market. Whether that’s AI and robotics, sustainable construction, cybersecurity, or digital fabrication.

Another key mistake? Expecting kids to follow in their parents’ career footsteps.

The world is shifting so fast that many career paths from 20 or 30 years ago may no longer exist, or will look completely different by the time today’s students graduate. Parents need to be careful not to hand their children a career map for a landscape that no longer exists.

Instead of steering kids toward what worked in the past, the focus should be on helping them build adaptability, problem-solving skills, and a mindset of lifelong learning. In a world where AI is automating routine tasks and industries are being redefined, the best preparation isn’t a single career choice—it’s the ability to pivot, reinvent, and stay ahead of change.

Beyond Work: The World of 2038

It’s not just the job market that will change. The way we live, travel, and experience the world will transform too.

• Longer Life Expectancies – Many in the Class of 2038 may live past 100 years, meaning longer careers and multiple reinventions.
• Supersonic & Driverless Travel – Flying taxis, driverless cars, and supersonic jets will redefine commuting.
• Sustainable Smart Cities – Expect vertical farms, AI-powered energy grids, and net-zero buildings.
• The ‘Internet of Senses’ – Digital experiences will engage all five senses, allowing people to touch, taste, and smell virtual content.
• Subscription-Based Living – The concept of owning phones, cars, or even homes may disappear in favour of on-demand, AI-managed access.

The Bottom Line: Thriving in 2038

The Class of 2038 will enter a world unlike anything we know today. The skills they’ll need to succeed won’t just be technical, they’ll be deeply human.

A great quote sums it up:

“In the past, jobs were about muscle. Today, they are about brains. In the future, they will be about heart.”

Technology will continue to evolve, but the ability to lead, connect, and create meaning will always belong to humans.

The best thing we can do for today’s students? Prepare them not just for a job, but for a lifetime of reinvention.

Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, change strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 10 books. His most recent book Mindstuck explores the psychology of stubbornness and how to change minds – including your own. Find out more here.

To see Michael speaking live, click here.

For more information on Michael’s keynote speaking topics, click here.

Today’s students need to be equipped within innovative classrooms with adaptable skills for their unpredictable futures. However, for teachers, the disruption of the pandemic to students’ learning, the speed at which technologies like ChatGPT are infiltrating the classrooms and ever-increasing layers of bureaucracy mean integrating innovation and creativity in the classroom is often far beyond their capacity.

For many educators, the one thing that stifles innovation more than anything else is a sense of powerlessness. Even if they had the time and capacity to get creative in the classroom, the bureaucracy of education leaves teachers feeling unable to effect change within the limitations of the surrounding systems.

While these factors undeniably present challenges to teachers, there is also an array of opportunities to be found within them. Finding them, however, requires a posture of creativity and a willingness to move with the tides rather than fight them.

To this end, there are 2 questions I would recommend teachers ask in approaching the challenges and opportunities of today’s classrooms.

1. Technology, including ChatGPT, is here to stay. How might we work with it, not against it?

It seems that everywhere, ChatGPT is stirring up buzz and controversy, not least in conversations among educators. The obvious and pressing concern is cheating, and how easy this technology makes it for students. ChatGPT’s current ability to avoid the detection of plagiarism software and its often flawless replication of decent essay writing means educators are left fairly powerless in fighting the technology.

There have been some excellent examples emerge, however, of educators uncovering ways of working with the technology in their teaching, rather than against it. Lecturers from the University of Sydney recently made the news with their move to incorporate ChatGPT into their assessments of medical students, in a way that continues to engage students’ critical thinking.

Students were asked to craft an essay question about contemporary medical challenges and pose it to ChatGPT. They then had to analyse and edit its response and submit a final draft for marking, with their changes to the robot’s work highlighted. While their ability to reproduce information may have been replaced by the technology, their critical analysis, judgement and creativity were still prioritised and assessed.[1]

The reality is that in an age of constant internet access and AI-enabled synthesis, the memorisation of information is superfluous. Examining these skills becomes an irrelevant assessment. However, discerning between information and misinformation, critically analysing an argument and creatively improving it, are skills which will be crucial for these students in the society they are stepping into.

It is important for educators to see technology not as a hindrance to learning, but as a real part of the world students are walking into. Students need to be prepared and equipped to live in world in which these technologies will be an everyday reality, which means integrating them into the classroom is not only novel, but necessary. Doing so becomes possible when they are seen as something that can be collaborated with rather than simply contested.

2. The systems are limiting, but what CAN we do?

It is absolutely true that the bureaucratic systems teachers work within are as stifling as they are outdated. However, while systemic change may be necessary, the individual educator can still adopt a posture of creativity by considering not what they can’t do but what they can.

An inspiring case study of this deliberate optimism comes from a few years ago in Coachella Valley Unified School District. This district is the second poorest in the United States and suffers a myriad social challenges. One hundred per cent of its students live in poverty – many in trailer homes or abandoned railroad cars. Others are homeless. Most students’ families earn less than $1000 per month and struggle daily just to survive, must less focus on their children’s education. Added to this, the Coachella Valley is an enormous district geographically, being roughly the size of the U.S. state of Rhode Island.

A number of years ago, a new district superintendent named Dr Darryl Adams arrived in the Coachella Valley with a mandate for change. Recognising that lack of access to learning technology was a key challenge facing students in the district, Adams secured government funding to provide each student with an iPad. However, very few students had internet access after-hours, limiting the value of the devices.

In considering possible solutions to this challenge, the question of ‘what CAN we do’ proved enormously helpful. The idea was suggested one day that they could use a resource readily at their disposal – the district’s school buses – and place wi-fi routers in them. The buses could be parked in neighbourhoods overnight, giving students internet access. Despite concerns about theft and vandalism, the idea gained traction and the community rallied around the suggestion, which was soon implemented with extraordinary results.

Within a few years, graduation rates for high school students increased to 84 per cent (up from 69 per cent), 40 per cent now go to community college after graduation, and high school dropout rates have halved.[2]

Educators are in a uniquely challenging and rapidly changing set of circumstances. However, these challenges need not be the end of the story, and are certainly not insurmountable. By shifting the paradigm from fighting the tides to moving with them, and from seeing the opportunities for what CAN be done rather than what can’t, teachers open up the possibility of truly creative classrooms. With the future that is set before them, it is this kind of innovative posture towards education that today’s students need.

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Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, business strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 9 books. His most recent book The New Now examines the 10 trends that will dominate a post-COVID world and how to prepare for them now. 

To see Michael speaking live, click here.

For more information on Michael’s keynote speaking topics, michaelmcqueen.net/programs.

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[1] Harris, C 2023, ‘Medical science students were told to use ChatGPT. This is what it wrote’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 March.

[2] Dintersmith, T. 2018, What School Could Be, Princeton University Press, Oxfordshire, pp. 136–138.

According to Paul Curtis, chief academic officer for the New Technology Foundation, what’s needed is ‘a new type of instruction that better reflects the goals we want each student to achieve, demonstrate and document’. Curtis suggests that the goal needs to move from the approach of ‘students learning from the teacher in lecture mode’ to students ‘teaching themselves with the teacher’s guidance’.[1]

One model that has gained significant attention and traction in recent years is the ‘flipped classroom approach’. The flipped classroom is essentially a reversal of the traditional teaching approach. In this new approach, students gain first exposure to new material outside the class environment through specified reading, lecture videos or online content from sources such as the Khan Academy. Class time is then used to do the harder work of assimilating that knowledge through strategies such as problem solving, discussion or debates.[2]

What this enables is the kind of autonomy, collaboration and initiative that the modern world requires of workers. Where the skill of memorisation has been made redundant, the ability to think critically and solve complex problems that go beyond the abilities of current AI are new necessities in our age.

Part of facilitating new approaches to teaching is designing classrooms that reflect these modern goals and facilitate these new functions.  After all, it’s hard to inspire educators to model and foster 21st century competencies if they are operating in outdated 20th century classrooms.[3]

Andrew Bunting, director of architectural firm Architectus, is concerned that school buildings could fail our students and society if they cannot be adapted to suit the new learning styles of emerging generations.[4]

A recent large-scale study of fifth-grade students in over 700 science classrooms found that 91 per cent of their time was spent listening to the teacher. Three-quarters of classrooms were described as dull, bleak places with very little emphasis on reasoning or problem- solving skills.[5]

While this reference to classroom aesthetics may seem superficial or irrelevant, Erica McWilliam argues that nothing could be further from the truth. ‘When young people enter a space of learning they receive a strong message about what their experience of learning is likely to be. If the messages they receive tell them that ‘good things happen here’, that ‘people like me seem to enjoy being here’ or that ‘there is something special going on here’, then they are much more likely to engage with the experiences that the environment affords. It is a sad comment on the low priority given to education that so few educational buildings and resources give positive messages about learning.’[6]

Recent years have seen some fantastic examples of innovative classroom design emerge.[7] One particular case included Columbus Signature Academy, a school in which the classroom layout and footprint is especially innovative. Each learning space is sized for a double group of students in interdisciplinary classes taught by a two-teacher team in a double-block period. The classrooms do not have walls in the traditional sense, but rather feature glass panes separating classrooms from corridors and breakout spaces. Even the word ‘classroom’ is avoided at Columbus, with learning spaces referred to as ‘studios’.

Some schools are moving beyond traditional building styles themselves. One school in Reading has recently gained approval to build an outdoor, eco-friendly classroom, with the goal of providing students an alternative learning space, surrounded by nature. The design will take on a circular design inspired by the Iron Age, and aims to maximise its sustainability by reusing materials and energy.[8]

A similar emphasis on the outdoors can be found in Odisha, India, where schoolteacher Subash Chandra Sahu has designed a ‘maths park’ in order to respond to the widespread anxiety felt by students surrounding their ability to do maths. Rocks, benches, trees and walls within this park exhibit some kind of mathematical concept – geometry, mathematical symbols and explanations of various theories. Students from schools around the area visit and find an interactive ad engaging method for learning maths.[9]

While re-thinking and re-designing learning spaces can be enormously expensive, it’s important than schools and school leaders have it on their radar. We simply cannot expect educators and students to be future-focused if our classrooms are stuck in the past.

German philosopher Martin Heidegger argued that ‘Learning is an engagement of the mind that changes the mind.’[10] While good education has always changed the minds of those being educated, the years ahead will require teachers to not simply deliver content but to draw out and foster the capabilities required to flourish in a time of rapid change.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, business strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 9 books. His most recent book The New Now examines the 10 trends that will dominate a post-COVID world and how to prepare for them now. 

To see Michael speaking live, click here.

For more information on Michael’s keynote speaking topics, michaelmcqueen.net/programs.

________________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Bellanca, J. & Brandt, R. 2010, 21st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, p. 120.

[2] Doucet, A. et al. 2018, Teaching In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Routledge, New York, p. 190.

[3] Bellanca, J. 2015, Deeper Learning – Beyond 21 st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, p. 142.

[4] McCrindle, M. 2009. The ABC of XYZ, UNSW Press, Sydney, p. 119.

[5] Bellanca, J & Brandt, R. 2010, 21 st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, pp. 154, 155.

[6] McWilliam, E. 2008, The Creative Workforce, UNSW Press, Sydney, p. 155.

[7] Bellanca, J & Brandt, R. 2010, 21 st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, p. 129.

[8] Roberts, H 2022, ‘Reading school raises over £135k to build eco-friendly therapy classroom inspired by Iron Age huts’, BerkshireLive, 25 April.

[9] Chaudhary, S 2022, ‘First-Of-Its-Kind: Odisha Teacher Forms ‘Maths Park’ To Curb Mathematical Anxiety Among Children’, The Logical Indian, 25 April.

[10] Jacobs, H. 2010, Curriculum 21, ACSD, Alexandria, p. 224.

Australia’s reform to its national assessment program, NAPLAN, to include digital literacy in its testing is a clear indication of the necessary advancements of education in keeping up with the times.[1] COVID has meant that learning these crucial digital skills has become a top priority and students and teachers alike will benefit from this long-term. Online learning, innovative technology and digital abilities as seemingly niche as coding, are now essential for students’ preparation for the future.

Even in our pre-COVID world, teachers had been making excellent use of technology such as videoconferencing. One inspiring example involved a kindergarten teacher named Beth Heidemann who arranged a Skype call between her own students and another class of students in a poor African community. Resonating strongly with the class and highlighting the realities of food insecurity and poverty, this served as a powerful method for bringing learning to life. After the call, Heidemann helped her students continue research into the issue and write a fairytale that exposed the issue of hunger. This book was then illustrated, published and sold to family and friends in an effort to raise money for the local food pantry.[2]

COVID of course has turned videoconferencing into an everyday reality for the majority of students learning remotely, and overall this has been effective and engaging for students despite the circumstances.

While videoconferencing provides great opportunity to adapt lessons, connect students and access the broader world, virtual reality and augmented reality can be even more powerful, and their use has surged during the COVID era. To clarify the distinction between these two technology applications, AR overlays digital information on real-world objects by using the camera on a mobile device, while VR obscures the real world and the user is immersed in a fully digital experience.

Augmented and virtual reality offer educators a unique ability to immerse their students in the content. Students are able to interact with what they otherwise would have only learned in theory as the technology offers an immersive experience. For content surrounding historical events, practical work in various industries and scientific experiments, AR and VR offer a highly engaging new way to learn with immersive and real-life simulations.[3]

A recent example of the effective uptake of this technology in schools is found in Gymea Technology High School where lockdowns and restrictions meant that school tours could not happen as they used to. Karen Young, in collaboration with technology students, developed a 360-degree virtual reality tour of the school, exhibiting its classrooms, technology spaces and commercial kitchens. The virtual tour is complete with 3D animations, student interviews and quizzes, offering prospective students and parents a highly interactive online alternative to the traditional school tour. A shoot day was held with student tour guides and a 360-degree camera, not only showcasing but exemplifying the collaboration and technological innovation embodied by the school.[4]

While many of us may have some traumatic memories of dissecting frogs in the classroom, today’s students have the opportunity to utilise apps like Froggipedia which uses AR to give a walkthrough of a frog’s organs. Similar technology is utilised in a range of other apps to explain various scientific concepts and phenomena. Students can take a tour of a beehive, map out the constellations with the SkyView app, or use Microsoft HoloLens to flow through the bloodstream and examine the human organs. This technology is not limited to science students, however, with other applications including immersive experiences of the 1943 Berlin Blitz that use real footage, treks to Mt Everest Base Camp and exhibitions at famous art galleries like the Louvre.[5]

An outstanding use of virtual reality in 2018 was put on by the City of Newcastle. People can use a virtual reality headset or a simple smartphone and be transported back in time to when the land of Newcastle was inhabited by the Awabakal and Worimi people. Elder characters walk the user through the landscape, explaining the significance of traditional sites and sharing associated names and stories along the way. Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes explains the power of such content to encourage respect and celebration of Aboriginal culture in educational contexts. [6]

The early research gives a clear indication of the power of AR and VR technologies in making learning ‘real’. Studies have reported increased student motivation, improved collaboration and knowledge construction and enhanced classroom practices as a direct result of this technology.[7] Not only has this integration of virtual and augmented reality into learning provided a highly effective alternative to engaging in remote learning, but is also accelerating the teaching of digital literacy which is so essential for today’s students.

While inequalities in internet and technology access persist, overall these technologies democratise the experience of education. As AR, VR and online learning in general are not limited by geography or logistical practicality, their benefits are able to reach even remote communities and prepare students across the spectrum of socioeconomic status and location for their technological future.

Innovative technology like augmented and virtual reality offer groundbreaking new methods of teaching to educators in an increasingly unprecedented world. Thanks to the pandemic, this technology is becoming an everyday reality for students. Schools cannot ignore its unique capacities for equipping their students for the future that awaits them.

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Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, business strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 9 books. His most recent book The New Now examines the 10 trends that will dominate a post-COVID world and how to prepare for them now. 

To see Michael speaking live, click here.

For more information on Michael’s keynote speaking topics, michaelmcqueen.net/programs.

________________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Bagshaw, E 2021, ‘The latest evidence on digital literacy inclusion in education’, The Mandarin, 19 July.

[2] Doucet, A. et al. 2018, Teaching In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Routledge, New York, pp. 98.

[3] Londono, J 2021, ‘The increased adoption of augmented and virtual reality and its challenges: a primer’, Insight, 17 August.

[4] 2021, ‘Technology opens door to prospective students’, NSW Government, 10 August.

[5] Marr, B 2021, ‘10 best examples of VR And AR in education’, Forbes, 23 July.

[6] 2018, ‘Take a virtual tour of hunter sites with Aboriginal elders’, City of Newcastle, 9 July.

[7] Phillips, M. 2017, ‘How Virtual Reality Is Changing The Way Students Learn’, The Conversation, 11 January.

While most of us know this statement and agree with the philosophy behind it, the reality is that very few teachers and schools genuinely involve students in learning and make education active. Despite John Dewey’s urging over a century ago to embrace experiential education and abandon the model of students being passive receivers of learning, the ‘expounding’ approach persists.[2]

This was not always so. Prior to the Industrial Revolution almost all education was an active experience, where teaching was primarily done in the apprenticeship mode. The master (or in many cases parent), would demonstrate a skill, model it to the student, then give the student a chance to try it for themselves with input and coaching until the student achieved proficiency.

The paradigm for learning that has dominated education since has centred on teachers expounding content in a didactic style. This paradigm emphasised the role of the teacher delivering content and the student listening hard, writing fast and remembering well.

This method is far from effective. A recent study found that 46 per cent of today’s students forget the information they have memorised for a test immediately after a test is taken. Put simply, students are routinely learning to forget rather than learning to learn.[3]

This is supported by David Sousa who argues in his book How the Brain Learns, ‘Teachers spend 90 percent of their planning time devising lessons so that students will understand the learning objective. But to convince a learner’s brain to persist with the objective, teachers need to be more mindful of helping students establish meaning.’[4]

Particularly as students often struggle to see the relationship of their textbook work with the real world, remembering content long-term simply is not viable. It is a common complaint of students, particularly in maths classes, ‘I am never going to use this in real life’, and according to their educational frameworks, they are probably right.

OECD’ Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher powerfully describes the need for a change to experiential learning and the form that such a change could take: ‘The past was about received wisdom, the future is about user-generated wisdom. The past could be isolated – with schools designed to keep students inside, and the rest of the world out. The future needs to be integrated… so that learning is connected to real-world contexts and contemporary issues.’ He goes on to explain that learning needs to be project-based rather than subject-based, collaborative rather than hierarchical, and personal rather than generic.

Higher education has done well to implement these kind of approaches across many degrees, with institutions like the University of Sydney requiring that students in double degrees complete a collaborative project, whereby they partner with a business and with students from other disciplines in order to solve a real world problem.

This is mirrored in many schools with experiential learning being embraced across many different schools. One of my favourite examples of this approach came from a mathematics teacher I spoke with at a conference a number of years ago. This particular teacher had been struggling to get his grade 9 class to grasp the concept of ratios. In a bold move, he took his class on a lesson-long excursion to a nearby horse-racing track. He described the moments of realisation as, one by one, the students understood ratios, not because of a theoretical framework, but because they could see how ratios worked and why they were relevant in real life. As this teacher described it, the class grasped more in that lesson at the races than they had in three weeks of classroom learning.

In a similarly inspired example of making the learning experience tangible for students, consider the example of an eighth-grade history class at Ben Franklin Middle School in Fargo, North Dakota. In a class unit devoted to local history, rather than simply reading about local heritage buildings, the students got out of the classroom, interviewed locals, did their own on-site research and even produced short videos telling the story of key landmarks in their town. The videos were so well received that an offer was made to create QR codes that would be placed on tourist information signs around Fargo so visitors could watch student videos on their phones as they strolled around the CBD.[5]

While getting outside the classroom is powerful in making the learning experience tangible, setting hypothetical scenarios and role playing can be equally effective. Rather than learn the concept of an ecosystem, biology students could be responsible for creating a solution to the destruction of the ocean that will assist various interdependent species. Rather than recite concepts of business operations and management, students of business studies could be a committee responsible for developing policies to make a new factory functional.[6]

It is here that the renewed role of teachers becomes clear. Rather than remain the classroom’s absolute authority and fount of all knowledge, teacher’s in these contexts become the guides of learning. They could become a character in the scenario, which keeps it flowing by presenting new problems.

Beyond this, this kind of learning requires the kind of personalisation that only an attentive teacher can offer. For example, the famed Reggio Emilia approach to pedagogy centres around personalising learning around the interests of a student and empowering individual and collaborative work. Educators work the curriculum around the various ways of thinking, learning and expressing found in students, the framework pays attention to the ‘hundreds of languages of children’.[7] Having worked with countless schools that have implemented approaches like this, I can attest to just how powerful and practicable they really are.

Teachers that partner with students in learning that is grounded in the real world give children the best chance at developing the abilities the future will require of them. Particularly in a world that is changing as rapidly and dramatically as our has in the last 12 months, the workers and leaders of tomorrow need to be equipped with the skills of thinking collaboratively, originally and practically. What better way to build such leaders and workers than by involving them while they are still students in the world that awaits them.

______________________________________________________________________

Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, business strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 8 books. To order Michael’s latest book “The Case for Character”, click here.

To see Michael speaking live, click here and for more information on Michael’s speaking topics, michaelmcqueen.net/programs.

______________________________________________________________________

[1] McWilliam, E. 2008, The Creative Workforce, UNSW Press, Sydney, p. 95.

[2] Bellanca, J. 2015, Deeper Learning – Beyond 21 st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, p. 113.

[3] McCrindle, M. 2009. The ABC of XYZ, UNSW Press, Sydney, p. 112.

[4] McCain, T. 2005, Teaching for Tomorrow – Teaching Content and Problem Solving Skills, Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, p. 24.

[5] Dintersmith, T. 2018, What School Could Be, Princeton University Press, Oxfordshire, p. 28.

[6] Bellanca, J. & Brandt, R. 2010, 21 st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, pp. 185–193.

[7] Shirley, D. The New Imperatives of Educational Change, Routledge, New York, p. 124.

In both schools and universities, the assumption that effective learning centres around memorisation and rote learning is grounded in Industrial Revolution era thinking whereby prescribed standards would be used to measure quantifiable outcomes. When these processes were translated onto education systems, society ended up with the ‘exam’. Students’ knowledge is tested against prescribed standards, provoking a process of relentless memorisation and practice so that the exam can be passed.

This thinking assumes that a successful student is one who unquestioningly consumes the given ideas and accurately represents them under exam conditions. The need for critical thinking and creativity that is consistently increasing in workplaces and society has proved this process ineffective within the scope of the future. It has been recommended for years that the exam be abandoned in both universities and schools and while many have adapted their assessment processes for the conditions of this year, others have adopted something very different.

As universities have adjusted to the era of isolation and exam season has commenced for many institutions, programs like ProctorU and Examity have come to the fore. Utilising algorithms and Artificial Intelligence technology, these programs act as online proctors for students’ exams, monitoring eye movements, keystrokes and computer tabs to detect potential cheating.[1]

While the concept may sound effective, its execution has seen anxiety spike, trust diminish, and the old-fashioned exam become more complex than ever. For a start, the conditions that students must abide by seem unreasonably strict. If a student so much as looks away from the screen or move their lips to read a question, they risk being flagged for potential cheating. Students have been penalised for abnormal rates of eye movement.

As can be expected, the retaliation of students has been explosive, with young people turning to social media to voice their concerns. While there are some extreme stories of the injustice of some of the programs, the overwhelming response has been one of anxiety, as for many students the burden of the year has now grown heavier during exam season.[2] Navigating the complex guidelines of the programs, such as keeping head and hands visible to the camera, showing the camera the room of the exam to prove that it is not assisting cheating, and loudly explaining to the microphone that one has to go to the bathroom, has proved near impossible for students.[3]

Students described the overwhelming anxiety of adhering to these guidelines which proved to be more difficult and demanding of attention than the content of the exams themselves. This anxiety is only heightened by their awareness of being carefully watched by their own computer which can detect the smallest of eye movements or keystrokes.

Beyond this, the programs potentially embed discriminatory practices into institutions as the technology is prone to fallibility in detecting darker skin tones and registering women with head coverings as men.

While these AI-fuelled processes may sound more futuristic than ever, they are in truth breaking from the trends of the future in more ways than one.

The reality is, that this system is exactly on track with the trajectory of the modern examination. Modernising the exam with efficient, quantifiable and predictable systems is an excellent idea if you are aiming to carry the exam with you into the future. Exam supervision has always been a part of examinations because the process depends on the objective measurement of speed, accuracy and memorisation – to allow ‘cheating’ would be to compromise these fundamental skills. The problem is that these skills are not the ones that the future is demanding of students. Critical thinking, originality, creativity, collaboration and problem-solving are core capacities the future requires of its graduates, and yet these are fundamentally discouraged and excluded by the exam.

The Industrial Revolution-style exam serves no  effective purpose in modern day work and education and supercharging it with futuristic technology only serves to amplify the problem. The exam’s evolution into an AI-monitored system was a natural one, as the integration of technology was merely paving the path of an already beaten track. The problem is that this track should never have become so beaten in the first place.

This failed attempt to modernise is further evident in this technology’s break from the key trend of trust that is so core to our time.

The commercial era we find ourselves in could largely be categorised according to its value of trust between consumer and company. The last 20 years have been characterised by large breaches of trust with organisations like Facebook, big banks and even the Catholic church finding themselves deep in public scrutiny. Resulting from this is a clear value of trust and transparency in the relationships between institutions and the public.

The message that this severe method of examination coveys to students is one of mistrust and scepticism – a clear break in the relationship of trust that will keep modern instructions afloat in the age of transparency. As stated by Tony Featherstone, “Trust is oxygen in the digital economy…”[4] To break the relationship of trust is then to break from the future that depends on it.

The reality is, the ‘exam’ was over a long time ago, but instead of changing assessment processes altogether, some institutions have attempted to force it further into a future where it simply doesn’t belong. Despite its futuristic appearance these robotic exams are simply digging us further into the trends we have spent years trying to abandon.

Exams, especially of this kind of extreme proctoring, are counterproductive to building the skills and trust that will invaluable in the futures of our students. Modernising these exams with technology only threatens to obstruct us from our future more than ever.

______________________________________________________________________

Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, business strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 8 books. To order Michael’s latest book “The Case for Character”, click here.

To see Michael speaking live, click here and for more information on Michael’s speaking topics, michaelmcqueen.net/programs.

______________________________________________________________________

[1] Stewart, B 2020, ‘Online exam monitoring can invade privacy and erode trust at universities,’ The Conversation, 4 December.

[2] Harwell, D 2020, ‘Cheating-detection companies made millions during the pandemic. Now students are fighting back.’ The Washington Post, 12 November.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Featherstone, T. 2018, ‘Why Business Has A Trust Problem’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 February.

Classroom designs of the past offer an insight into the traditional assumption of a classroom’s purpose. With windows often placed high enough so students couldn’t see outside, and chairs and desks oriented toward the front, it’s clear that the classroom has always been about ensuring knowledge transfer.

With the teacher deemed the fount of all knowledge, students’ learning was centred on memorisation and regurgitation of information. However, the proliferation of technology and the empowerment of the everyday individual has clearly changed things. Consider the fact that there are 6 billion Google searches every day – 63,000 searches per second and 2 trillion searches a year[1]. Added to this, YouTube offers over 1 billion hours of content localised in 88 countries and available in 76 different languages[2].

Students today have a torrent of information beyond the classroom walls and efforts to hold back this tide are both misguided and futile. 

I remember speaking with one teaching colleague who would begin each year with a new class group by stating the rules of his classroom: ‘Turn your mobile phone on,’ For this educator, his primary job as an educator is to teach students to use the technology and information they have at their disposal – not to be threatened by it.

Beyond social media and organic online searches, examples like the Khan Academy offer a compelling example of the non-traditional learning options available to today’s students. Beginning in 2006, Khan Academy began as a series of online doodles and YouTube lectures intended to teach mathematics to his young relatives. By 2009 the site had become so popular that Salman left his job to devote himself to creating online educational materials, freely available to all. At the time of writing, Khan Academy includes roughly 20,000 videos, most no more than a few minutes long, on subjects ranging from arithmetic to calculus, physics and art history[3]. So significant has the Khan Academy been that Bill Gates has touted it as a model for the future of education[4].

In light of changes like this, the purpose and function of both teacher and classroom has to be rethought.

Andrew Bunting, director of architectural firm Architectus, has been concerned for years that school buildings could fail our students and society if they cannot be adapted to suit the new learning styles of emerging generations[5].

A recent large-scale study of fifth-grade students in over 700 science classrooms found that 91 per cent of their time was spent listening to the teacher. Three-quarters of classrooms were described as dull, bleak places with very little emphasis on reasoning or problem-solving skills[6].

While this reference to classroom aesthetics may seem superficial or irrelevant, Erica McWilliam argues that nothing could be further from the truth. ‘When young people enter a space of learning they receive a strong message about what their experience of learning is likely to be.’[7]

Recent years have seen students entering their classrooms and receiving the message that their learning is likely to be one of boredom, silent work and, most importantly, the past.

In contrast to this, at one school, Columbus Signature, the classroom layout and footprint is especially innovative. The classrooms do not have walls in the traditional sense, but rather feature glass panes separating classrooms from corridors and breakout spaces. Even the word ‘classroom’ is avoided at Columbus, with learning spaces referred to as ‘studios’.

The aims of classrooms such as these is to equip students with the tools they need for the future: creativity, collaboration and critical thinking.

The arrival of COVID has accelerated this process of educational change dramatically. The technology which was once perceived as a threat to the teacher’s position, has this year become the tool on which their position depends. The ‘classrooms’ of the COVID era, while vastly different to the standing vision for learning, are no doubt ones that equip students with skills for their future.[8]

The COVID classroom enables:

1. Technological Literacy. For teachers and students alike, technological literacy has become not just a future necessity but a present essential. Beyond this, Zoom, Google classroom and the old-fashioned email have proved themselves to be more than viable in the face of physical separation. Recorded teaching in bite-sized segments, independent exercises and Zoom group work not only suit the modern attention span but also suit students in preparing them for necessary future skills. A balance of collaboration and independence, listening and creating, is appropriate for the workplace that awaits them.

2. Creativity. It has been common knowledge in the education sector for years now that one of the key skills necessary for tomorrow’s workers and today’s students is creativity. The online classroom has provided ample opportunity for this lesson to be taught as the traditional classroom has been reinvented on desks and dining tables at home. Initiatives like virtual playdates and storytelling challenges[9] have encouraged both students and teachers to harness the power of imagination to confront the challenges of a crisis.

3. Resilience. Alongside this unprecedented flipped classroom have come the irreplaceable lessons of resilience and independence. Talk to any graduating student this year and the resilience taught by uncertainty, change and disappointment becomes clear. Having to learn from the isolation of home offices and bedroom desks has meant for many teenagers the loss of emotional, physical and intellectual support, community, graduation rituals and basic study preparation. Working independently has been a lesson learned by necessity, and one that will serve them well in a future of hybrid work in a growing gig economy. For one of the generations most often criticised for a lack of grit, this lesson brings a new maturity to a group coming of age.

Highly contrasting to the classrooms of old, lined with rows of desks facing the board, the 2020 classroom is one spread across homes, schools and libraries, connected by technology of the future and creative innovations of teacher and student. I have little doubt that the evolution of the classroom will be highly informed by COVID and the effects and skills in enables.

______________________________________________________________________

Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, business strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 8 books. To order Michael’s latest book “The Case for Character”, click here.

To see Michael speaking live, click here and for more information on Michael’s speaking topics, michaelmcqueen.net/programs.

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[1] Madden, C. 2017, Hello Gen Z, Hello Clarity, Sydney, p. 43.

[2] Ibid., pp. 113, 114.

[3] Brynjolfsson, E. & McAfee, A. 2014, The Second Machine Age, Norton, New York, p. 199.

[4] Dintersmith, T. 2018, What School Could Be, Princeton University Press, Oxfordshire, p. 134.

[5] McCrindle, M. 2009. The ABC of XYZ, UNSW Press, Sydney, p. 119.

[6] Bellanca, J and Brandt, R. 2010, 21st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, pp. 154, 155.

[7] McWilliam, E. 2008, The Creative Workforce, UNSW Press, Sydney, p. 155.

[8] Goodwin, J 2020, ‘This is how we make education fit for the post-COVID world’, WeForum, 15 September.

[9] Goodwin, J 2020, ‘This is how we make education fit for the post-COVID world’, WeForum, 15 September.

My colleague and friend Claire Madden suggests that students today are increasingly ‘brokers of information’ not ‘knowers of content’.[1] This is an important distinction and a dangerous trend as it means students are often very willing to propagate information without discerning its veracity or accuracy. This trend in young people carries just as easily to older generations whose engagement on digital platforms also leaves them vulnerable to misinformation.

In a world of fake news, alternative facts and conspiracy theories, in which each individual learns and shares information on complex and powerful digital platforms, this trend reaches new levels of danger. The ability to discern fact from fiction is fundamental.

Recent studies, including the popular Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, have revealed that the stories that flourish best on digital platforms are the most outrageous ones. Leaders, politicians, public figures and other digital contributors benefit most from spreading fake news, as the platforms they are operating on are designed to maximise engagement and grab attention.

People are most likely to share a post when they experience some kind of emotional or social connection to it, or the post has already generated popularity. As fear, anger and panic are some of the strongest emotional responses and the best ways of grabbing attention, the articles, videos and posts that generate the most likes, shares and comments are often the ones that spread hysteria and misinformation.

Particularly in times like these, when uncertainty and fear are rampant, the individual’s vulnerability to misinformation is magnified. People are more willing to accept information without verifying its accuracy.[2] However, particularly in times like these, correct information can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Counteracting this trend at a young age is essential, especially as the ones who are most dependent on these platforms are young people. Beyond simply consuming social media as a source of connection, attention and increasingly addiction, young people are known to treat their digital platforms as their sources of news and information. Young people’s ability to adjust to a world that is fighting for their attention, and using fake news to do it, is essential and the skill that will help them to do this is critical thinking.

Critical thinking has been emphasised consistently in school curriculums in recent years, but the ongoing need for this skill is urgently increasing.

In response to the proliferation of conspiracy and fake news in Russia and the broader globe, Finland in 2014 began to implement a system of teaching critical thinking in schools and included media literacy in this.[3]

Students are taught to interrogate a source before accepting its information as well as to evaluate the statistics and numbers that are often used to bring a semblance of truth to conspiracy.

Beyond this, many schools are now also working to teach students to not only understand and challenge a source’s bias, but to understand and challenge their own bias.[4] Psychologically and sociologically, bias informs the everyday patterns of behaviour that people engage in. Our emotional connections to a piece of information, as well as how a certain fact relates to our social circles and stances will determine the way we perceive its truth. The political polarisation evident on social media platforms is a product of this, as people are biased to receive and believe information that relates best to the beliefs and communities which they are already part of.[5]

Therefore, students learning to critically evaluate their own engagement with facts is essential. Thinking reflexively about what already informs their perspectives, behaviour and beliefs is key to ensuring their own social position and identity doesn’t restrict their access to facts.

A number of organisations have done great work in recent years to develop resources for helping educators build the skills of discernment in students through asking good questions.

Elizabeth Thoman of the Center for Media Literacy offers a fantastic list of questions for evaluating content or messaging:[6]

• Who created or paid for the message?
• Why was it created?
• Who is the message designed to reach?
• How does the message get my attention?
• How might different people from me understand this message differently?
• What values, lifestyles, points of view are included or excluded – and why?

Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick offer some similarly powerful questions for building critical thinking skills in students:

• What data supports this finding?
• How do you know it is true?
• On what assumptions are you basing your conclusions?
• From whose viewpoint are you perceiving this?
• How are these events or situations related to each other?
• Hypothetical questions like ‘What do you think would happen if …’ or ‘If that is true, what might happen if …’[7]

Naturally, being a facilitator of learning is more than simply asking good questions. John Hattie suggests that other facilitation skills are also powerful, including role-playing, simulations and gaming.[8]

Regardless of the facilitation techniques employed, what matters most is that educators recognise that the traditional ‘fount of knowledge’ or ‘telling’ mode can no longer be the default teaching approach. By all means there will still be times when the ‘fount’ modality will still be relevant and effective, but, as educationalist Ted McCain suggests, this modality will only be one small part of the teacher’s tool belt in the future.

Emphasising independent learning and thinking and the ability to interrogate a source with logic, reflexivity and critical thinking is essential as young people move deeper into a world in which fake news, conspiracies and misinformation consistently go viral.

______________________________________________________________________

Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, business strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 8 books. To order Michael’s latest book “The Case for Character”, click here.

To see Michael speaking live, click here and for more information on Michael’s speaking topics, michaelmcqueen.net/programs.

______________________________________________________________________

[1] Madden, C. 2017, Hello Gen Z, Hello Clarity, Sydney, p. 193.

[2] Roulet, T 2020, ‘To combat conspiracy theories teach critical thinking – and community values,’ The Conversation, 2 October.

[3] Roulet, T 2020, ‘To combat conspiracy theories teach critical thinking – and community values,’ The Conversation, 2 October.

[4] Hodson, J 2020, ‘Teaching children digital literacy skills helps them navigate and respond to misinformation,’ The Conversation, 13 September.

[5] Ciampaglia, G L, Menczer, F 2018, ‘Misinformation and biases infect social media, both intentionally and accidentally,’ The Conversation, 20 June.

[6]Jacobs, H. 2010, Curriculum 21, ACSD, Alexandria, pp. 139, 140.

[7] Bellanca, J. 2015, Deeper Learning – Beyond 21st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, pp. 63, 64.

[8] Ibid., p. 277.

The great educationalist John Dewey was a proponent of experiential learning well over a century ago. Of the key elements in making this a reality, Dewey highlighted the importance of ensuring learning was intensely practical: ‘Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn: and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results.'[1]

The recent rise of Project-Based Learning embodies this philosophy. To clarify what PBL is the definition offered by the renowned Buck Institute for Education is a helpful place to start: ‘Project-Based Learning is a systematic teaching method that engaged students in learning knowledge and skills through an extended inquiry process around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks.’[2]

While many schools and educators know the language of PBL and extol its virtues, recent research indicates that less than 1 per cent of schools actually use PBL as a central approach to their instruction.[3]

Ted McCain points to the fact that PBL requires a radical shift in the teacher’s role and this can be confronting. He points out that for PBL to work, teachers must be willing to relinquish some classroom control and recognise their role in guiding students through a process of learning by asking questions, prompting, compelling and challenging. ‘There is an element of planned obsolescence in the teacher’s new role: the goal is to guide students through the process of solving problems until they can do it on their own without help from the teacher.’[4]

In my experience, I have found that a second reason teachers and schools fail to embrace PBL is that there is a lot of confusion as to how to implement it.

Drawing on the work of key thinkers and practitioners of PBL around the world, here is a summation of the typical key elements of PBL:[5]

• The problem or project students work on need to be ones from the ‘real world’.
• Students and teachers work together in the choice of content as well as the process of learning and the method of evaluation.
• Work and learning is generally done in small groups with an emphasis on collaboration.
• Projects tend to be between one and three weeks in duration.
• Students take primary responsibility for monitoring progress and communicating results.

As a great example of PBL in action, consider the example of a ninth-grade teacher in Paramus, New Jersey, named Cheryl Hopper. As part of an interdisciplinary unit exploring the geography, politics, economics, history, art and religion of Africa, Cheryl challenged students with this project scenario: You are an African nation that desires a substantial loan from the World Bank. Your goal is to convince the World Bank that your country’s needs are great and you deserve a loan.

The task then was for the students to choose an African nation, research the country’s natural resources, history, culture, economic, political and health needs and then present your plan to a panel of their classmate peers who represented the World Bank.

To help the students get started with their inquiries, Cheryl used a structured six-question framework for guiding the students in their inquiry:[6]

1. What do we think we already know? (to establish assumptions of prior knowledge)

2. What do we want and need to find out? (to clarify the gaps of knowledge and understanding)

3. How will we proceed to investigate our questions? (to formulate a plan for organising the research and discovery process)

4. What have we learned at the end of our investigations? (to ascertain new learning and quantify progress)

5. How can we apply the results to this and other subjects and our daily lives? (to make specific principals and learning universal)

6. What new questions do we have now? How might we pursue them in further work/research? (to highlight the ongoing nature of deep learning)

Recognising that a key part of her role as a teacher was to challenge and probe the students along the way, Cheryl posed questions to the students like:[7]

• How and why did powerful kingdoms emerge in Africa?
• How do geographical features account for the cultural diversity of the continent?
• What were the effects of colonial rule?
• How have traditional patterns of life changed and how have they stayed the same?

It is evident in this that the teacher’s role has not disappeared, merely transformed into a much more facilitative role. While a PBL approach can appear time-consuming and hard to control, the results speak for themselves. According to educational researchers Johannes Strobel and Angela van Barneveld, PBL is ‘superior when it comes to long-term retention, skill development and satisfaction of students and teachers’. And Susan Engel and Kellie Randall suggest that it plays a key role in sparking the curiosity that drives intellectual development. ‘When a situation is designed to arouse curiosity, [students] display improved academic performance.’[8]

Moving into the future of our society, this focus on teamwork, real-world learning and innovative thinking could not be more essential. Working in teams on projects in which students get the opportunity to solve real problems not only teaches them the kind of skills our future will require of them, but it prepares them for the format of work to which the world is moving – project-based, highly collaborative teams. As evidenced by the schools that engage with it, the small loss of control for teachers is nothing in comparison to the gains made for the futures of their students.

______________________________________________________________________

Michael McQueen is a trends forecaster, business strategist and award-winning conference speaker.

He features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and is a bestselling author of 8 books. To order Michael’s latest book “The Case for Character”, click here.

To see Michael speaking live, click here and for more information on Michael’s speaking topics, michaelmcqueen.net/programs.

______________________________________________________________________

[1]Dintersmith, T. 2018, What School Could Be, Princeton University Press, Oxfordshire, p. 171.

[2]Bellanca, J. & Brandt, R. 2010, 21 st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, p. 121.

[3]Bellanca, J. 2015, Deeper Learning – Beyond 21 st Century Skills, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, p. 116.

[4]McCain, T. 2005, Teaching for Tomorrow – Teaching Content and Problem Solving Skills, Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, pp. 76, 77.

[5]McCain, T. 2005, Teaching for Tomorrow – Teaching Content and Problem Solving Skills, Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, pp. 76, 77.

[6]Ibid., pp. 180, 181.

[7]Ibid., pp. 181, 182.

[8]Ibid., p. 195.