#evolvedclassrooms

How different is your current classroom from the one in which you learned when you were a student?

I am 46 years old. I remember lots of chalk boards (now smartboards), using Encyclopedia Britanica and National Geographic for my research papers (now we have Wiki’s and Google). Computing for myself began with the Commodore 64 and Vic 20 progressing to the Apple IIc (today any one can buy off the shelf or build their own). Yes there has been change but surprisingly many things have not changed student desks, certain curriculums, tardy bells. When I think about this weeks EQ in the context of this course my thoughts run to the methodologies and administrative changes that are present today and not available 20, 30, 40 years ago. There have been major cultural and economic steps forward (Lakritz, 2019) and this perspective is central to Douglas Thomas & John Seelys points in their book, the differences are way beyond the classroom and uses metaphors like “cultivation” and “arc of learning”. I really like how in chapter one they share stories of diverse learners in technology and the contrast on how they arrived at their knowledge level and big surprise...communities drive learning in new ways! In a previous post...possibly for another class this semester, I spoke about the outdated model of the teacher being the “regulator” of the learning and the student being the “regulated” this theme is explored in chapter 2 of “A New Culture of Learning”. Additionally the change around the language we use to describe learning environments must focus on what's possible moving from teaching about our world to engaging in it.

References:

Lakritz, Talia. “How Schools Have Changed over the Last 80 Years.” INSIDER, INSIDER, 6 May 2019, www.insider.com/old-school-vintage-classroom-photos-evolution-2018-5.