Conclusion

=Conclusion=

//"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."// Alan Cohen

//"This world of learning will be customized, connected, amplified, authentic, relevant, and resilient, and it is beginning to unfold now."// 2020 Forecast

We, at Global Connections 2025, have outlined and delved into various key concepts and trends that we feel will lead the way in public education within the next fourteen years. This may seem far, far away but time will pass and we do not intend for public education to be frozen where it is now. Changes have been made in some cities and states but we are assured that the walls will tumble and there will be global connections everywhere. We have answered the call and we are not afraid of change. We trust that every teacher, administrator, local and state official, and members of all communities will join together to eradicate issues that can be fixed in order to provide the best public education, one of merit and high standards while bridging and expanding via technology, that every child deserves. The cartoon below is a great example of how vital it is for us to not only accept change but to do everything in our power to employ it.



As our team looks to ensure that our educational vision and goals for the future of education are achieved, we realize that the responsibility to be agents of change is ours. We also recognize that bringing the transformations to education which we feel are necessary, whether they involve technology integration or pedagogical change, for it to be relevant and successful in the 21st century will not also be easy to implement, or accepted by everyone. However, we believe that patient, persistence, and a clearly delivered message will allow educators, stakeholders, and students to see the benefits of our educational vision. We also believe that practicing what we preach by modeling our vision in our own classrooms is critically important.

Our vision for the future of curriculum and pedagogy rests in focusing on the deeper learning of core skills and knowledge that will bring higher levels of achievement for all students. We believe in a curriculum, which we will facilitate through the use of technology to teach students skills related to new ways of learning including digital literacy and ubiquitous tools, which is malleable enough to meet the needs of learners from all corners of the world. It will also be vital for students of the future to be taught 21st century skills that will allow them to succeed in an increasingly technological and digital world. By integrating technology into the curriculum of the future, we hope that learning will happen anytime and anywhere, in a way not previously possible, that will allow for all students to succeed and prepare for whatever their future holds.

We believe that the classroom of the future will no longer consist strictly of the space in-between the four walls that surround it and that due to technology’s increased importance and availability it will play a large role in the redesign of learning spaces. Learning spaces of the future will allow students to interact with each other across continents, go on field trips around the world facilitated by augmented and virtual realities, and integrate learning into their everyday lives by using ubiquitous tools. Personal learning environments will allow for students to use Web 2.0 to personalize their learning while also making content more accessible and relevant to students. Lastly, the physical design of classrooms will be easily adapted to new teaching styles, such as PBL and UDL, so that students can better collaborate and research while in class.

To help ensure that our vision for education is sustained we believe that effective teacher training is key. In order for educators to bring about positive changes in education, and successfully integrate technology to provide students with the 21st century skills they will need, they will need to be educated in new types of learning environments. In addition, professional development should be offered by school districts that is relevant and engaging. Teachers should also recognize that Web 2.0 tools can allow them to continue to learn about pedagogy while also evaluating and refining their teaching. Lastly, educators should become familiar with multiple ways to fund the changes, such as grants and fundraising, they want for their classroom.

Please join us on this extended journey into the future as we envision and witness spectacular things happening in public education.



Our education system should be inspiring and providing opportunities for all students as seen in the video from the New Brunswick Department of Education below. Is anyone ready to join us? media type="youtube" key="EjJg9NfTXos" height="315" width="420" align="center"

On behalf of Global Connections 2025, we truly appreciate this opportunity to share our research and knowledge so we hope we have inspired many regarding the future of education. As Wendy Kopp (2011), founder and chief executive of Teach for America, states in her book, //A Chance to Make History: What Works and What Doesn't in Providing an Excellent Education for All//, "The leaders who are changing whole school systems show great discipline in communicating a clear, unifying, inspiring, and ambitious vision of a system that enables children to fulfill their potential, implementing systems of management, support, and accountability that ensure alignment and for every member of the team; and making the recruitment and development of great people a primary, high-investment part of the system. At the same time, their choices indicate that many of the ideas and interventions that we spend most of our time debating are not actually the keys to success" (p. 109).

We have identified and delved into some aspects of what we believe are the keys that will unlock the doors for public education through Curriculum & Pedagogy, Learning Spaces, and Sustaining the Vision. WE ARE READY to ADVOCATE and EMPOWER for the KEYS TO SUCCESS! Our presentation below offers more specifics on what our vision for the future of education is and how to sustain it.

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