15 The Inevitable Revolution of Education

15.1 Introduction

A fundamental aspect of human evolution is advancement through the use of technology. Implementing newer technologies into education is simply the next step in human advancement. This chapter is intended to provide insight on the recent progress made within education in regard to technology and how this will carry out into the near future.

The greatest responsibility of the public education system is to prepare future generations to address the challenges that lie ahead with the knowledge obtained throughout their academic careers. The traditional learning environment has and will undergo innovative and revolutionary changes through technologies such as virtual learning, content flexibility, and novel student-teacher-AI interactions. It is important to note that technologies alone will not inherently bring about learning, but how technologies are implemented by academic institutions matters a great deal in the resulting outcomes.

15.2 The Need for A New “Traditional” Education

15.2.1 Where is Education Headed?

The Education Commission estimates that half of the world’s children will be failing to learn by 2030. Sadly, pouring more money into broken systems will not solve anything, but only fund already present faults. Furthermore, college costs have surpassed inflation rates for almost 40 years. This continually increasing cost to attend public institutions begs the question: Is greater value being added to the students’ experience in higher education than what already exists? This is not a sustainable cycle that must be addressed in order to prevent the further devaluation of formal education.

15.2.2 Implementing Electronics

Tablets and laptops have also become more prevalent within the classroom setting. Certain programs that teach numbers in elementary schools helped students better understand the learning materials and caused more parental engagement in the students’ learning process. The children became more confident and began to connect number activities at school with activities at home. Tablets helped make schoolwork less of a chore and more of an authentic and transparent learning experience. Tablets have also been used in virtual mathematics courses at a university. They provided real‐time modeling of math problems as a teaching tool and gave the students opportunities for self‐directed learning.

15.2.3 Transition to Virtual Learning

Education systems have also had to adapt to virtual instruction due to Covid-19. Rarely has professional development been provided to ensure that teachers are substantially prepared for such circumstances. Before Covid-19, certain schools required a few “e-learning” days a semester which simply functioned as a trial run for virtual learning, while the remaining institutions had no formal training. This scenario indicates that teachers must now become better prepared to handle a virtual learning environment (VLE) than previously required.

“https://pixabay.com/illustrations/teacher-education-online-learning-5694365/” by HaticeEROL is licensed under Pixabay

It has been shown that substantial gaps exist between what pre-service teachers are taught in their courses and how teachers use technology in a real classroom. Beginning teachers also do not feel adequately prepared to use technology in their classrooms. As a result, teachers commonly need to take several training seminars and hours of self-taught practice to become familiar with this new way of teaching. Meanwhile, technologies are continually changing and urges the teacher to learn new tools and applications to enrich the contents and the educational activities of their lessons. Training is crucial for educators navigating new technologies and creating resources that provide meaningful opportunities for knowledge construction, reflection, and practice. Technical skills and content knowledge can best be integrated throughout the teacher education curriculum by providing pre-service teachers with authentic experiences in real K-12 classrooms.

15.3 The Evolving Classroom 

15.3.1 Massive Open Online Course

MOOC is a term that was coined by George Siemens and Stephen Downes in 2008. New models of course delivery, such as the MOOC, have grown in popularity and have been offered both in conjunction with academic institutions and with independent providers. The drawback of this class style is that content delivery is the main focus instead of driving learning. Providing students with content knowledge is not the solution to improving educational outcomes, but there are variations of MOOCs.

Connectivist MOOCs (cMOOCs) are based on the connectivism theory of learning with informal networks. This style focuses on emphasizing creation, creativity, autonomy and social networking learning. The cMOOCs are therefore meant to help in the creation of knowledge that students can share by collaborating.

Content‐based MOOCs (xMOOCs) follow a more instructional and assessment‐based model of delivery. The xMOOC model follows the traditional learning approach of video presentations, short quizzes, and testing. The xMOOCs main focus is to verify that knowledge can be absorbed and duplicated by students. It has been shown that this style of learning best fits students who are self-motivated, well organized, and possess a certain level of digital competency that allows full participation.

15.3.2 Flipped Classroom

This style of class is a bit closer to the traditional classroom because instruction is not taught virtually, but technology is still prevalent. Flipped classrooms are being implemented in order to more fully engage students by allowing them to use technologies like learning management systems to cover course material outside of class time and use class time to engage in active learning led by the instructor. Active learning gives educators more time to integrate and apply course curriculum, while also gauging students’ understanding of the concepts. Flipped classrooms have been researched and proven to help students learn more effectively than traditional classrooms in both K‐12 and higher education.

“File:The Flipped Classroom.jpg” by AJC1 is licensed under CC BY 4.0 / A derivative from the original work

15.3.3 Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

The first VLE style we will discuss is asynchronous. These online courses do not take place in real-time. Students are more self-directed, completing coursework and assignments before a specified deadline. The teacher-student interaction takes place through discussion boards, blogs, and email because there is no appointed class meeting time. Asynchronous courses provide flexibility and effectiveness to students with time constraints or busy schedules, but similar to MOOCs, students have to be self-motivated due to less interaction with the instructor than any other class style.

Synchronous online courses require the instructor and student to interact online simultaneously. The instructor guides students through course material while students have the opportunity to interact with the teacher and course mates through texts, audio chats, and video chats in a virtual classroom. Synchronous learning environments enable students to participate in a course from anywhere in real time. Synchronous learning is believed to support the well-being and academic achievement of all students through an interactive and engaging way to learn. Synchronous courses help teachers provide immediate feedback to students and allows students to interact with one another in a collaborative manner. It was observed that student performance decreased when instructors withdrew communication and availability after originally being attentive to student needs and success. This supports that student achievement is greater supported when in a synchronous VLE.

Hybrid online courses allow students the opportunity to both in-person and online interaction. This course style requires meeting in-person during a semester while providing computer-based communication in between face-to-face interactions. Hybrid courses ultimately allow for the benefits of virtual learning to be implemented while keeping aspects of the traditional classroom. Students widely appreciate virtual education for its flexibility, cost effectiveness, and convenient access while also reducing tuition fees, materials and travel expenses compared to traditional courses.

15.4 Impact of the technology on society

Research has shown that authentic, high quality VLEs focus on the communication between students and teachers and between students and peers. This communication is best generated through synchronous connections where the ability for a student to convey immediate needs exists in real-time. This connection is important because student learning is not only measured in quiz scores but also through psychosocial development, interpersonal skills, critical thinking, peer to peer learning, and development into a lifelong learner. Virtual learning also benefits institutions by extending their outreach to students who wish to access an education from a distance. A common setback to virtual learning is the reliability of internet connection depending on a student’s specific location. Since many challenges accompany VLEs, it is safe to presume that online interaction cannot completely replace face-to-face interaction. The reliability and social connection that face-to-face interactions bring are critical to student well-being.

We must also look at the use of laptops and tablets within the classroom. Laptops are a means of content production and used in a majority of workplace settings in the industrialized world. Laptops can be considered critical to the education process in order to prepare students for the world outside of the classroom. Tablets, on the other hand, are specifically content consumption devices that are not designed to create content but to consume it. Schools have taken serious steps in providing tablets for students but doubt still remains as to whether they have done a satisfactory job integrating them into the curriculum effectively. Based on international evidence, there is not a clear correlation between the access or use of digital tools and the improvement in academic performance. However, student motivation and satisfaction are not measured in such studies. Giving students the tools to seek education outside of the school realm could be considered just as important as the curriculum being learned within.

PROS & CONS of VLEs

This list was generated from the results of a study held within the Department of English Languages at Hong Bang International University

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15.5 Future Outlook

Key Takeaway: Now is an amazing time to reimagine what the future of education could look like. The unprecedented events that we have recently experienced open the door to a multitude of academic alterations.

15.5.1 Possible Paradigm Scenarios

Several paradigms have been hypothesized for the near future regarding a project taking place in Uruguay. The New Paradigm presents a new system based on systemic innovation of educational technologies. The main goal is to develop a new scholastic system that is centered on Deep Learning and improving disruptive pathways within the education system. New criteria would be based on creativity, problem-solving and collaboration under new assessment metrics. Personalization of education would be based on analysis, class studies, and learning by doing.

The Traditional Paradigm sadly limits the innovation of education due to various institutional and economic restrictions. This paradigm takes a cautious approach to change that questions the equity and quality of implementing new techno-educational innovations. Little to no advancement is made in the education system and may result in furthering the already growing divide of access to educational technologies.

The Conflict Paradigm is the result of the previous two paradigms facing off against one another. Stakeholders interact with each other from both groups and this complexity results in divergence of perspectives surrounding public, private, and communal involvement regarding education. The conflict would ultimately lead to neutralization of the techno-educational systems being promoted by the project developers.

Finally, we have the Collapse Paradigm which completely redefines the education system and eliminates the current methodology in practice. This would cause a lower stage development of education for a given time period until innovative capabilities and new administration have been accepted and establish a new cultural norm.

15.5.2 Ditching the Traditional Degree

Another potential future concept is the evolution of higher education into a more holistic experience instead of having to attend a college for all of your necessary credits. Many students are not meant for the rigid structure of traditional academia and turn to online videos to supplement the incomprehensible lectures given by some professors. Another method should be designed to cater to non-traditional students. The idea is to build a team of extremely talented teachers that would be given limitless resources, content editors, animators, and production crews dedicated to creating incredible educational content that could not be replicated in traditional institutions because of various limitations.

Instead of dumping thousands of dollars into traditional education, students could turn to online resources that present the same topics in simpler ways and for the same course credit. Once these online resources are given legitimate accreditation, the online marketplace will quickly surpass the current education system. This competitive environment would cause only the best teachers to continually receive new students and sponsorship. Forbes also forecasts the online education market to reach $350 Billion by 2025. Students, rather than institutions, will have the power to select what resources they wish to utilize to complete the same fundamental prerequisites in a more effective and efficient manner. A higher education would be the combination of multiple views from various institutional professors, creating more well-rounded leaders of the future.

15.5.3 A Professor’s Take

The final perspective that we would like to discuss comes from a professor who is an expert on digital education from the Faculty of Education at Monash University. Professor Neil Selwyn currently works on artificial intelligence, data-driven education, and digital education futures. Both a pessimistic and an optimistic outlook is presented for teachers of the future. On one hand the necessity for professionally trained and expert teachers may no longer be needed because of the progression of artificial intelligence becoming the backbone of curriculum delivery to students. There may still be an adult present, but the need for them to be experts in their field will no longer be critical to employment. On the other hand, there is no one more capable to teach a student than another human being who has dedicated years to understanding a subject thoroughly so that that knowledge can be passed down to future generations.

“https://thinklaw.us/the-nevada-age-of-agility-closing-the-critical-thinking-gap-practical-strategies-to-future-proof-our-students/” by GettyImages is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Another addition to the classroom could be the use of data collection that identifies learner behaviors and interaction with their devices. Personalized learning will become more prevalent, allowing predictions and course suggestions to be made. Artificial intelligence will work with students to guide their decision making and provide useful feedback. Teachers will benefit from artificial intelligence as well because of automated grading and chatbots. The professor also believes teachers should receive training in algorithmic literacy in order to work alongside artificial intelligence. All of this along with further education on issues such as global warming and climate change is what future generations of students may be introduced to before the end of the decade.

Chapter Summary 

The classroom will continue to adapt to the new technologies developed to better support future generations. This adaptation will also need to be carried over to the administration side of things so that teachers are properly prepared to implement such technologies. Instruction will also be available in various learning environments and techniques. Certain learning environments will be more directed toward specific individuals while others may benefit from entirely different environments. The ultimate goal is to enhance the student experience, providing deeper learning and retention. With all of these changes in mind, it is only reasonable to look at what the future of learning may hold and what pros and cons accompany it.

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