Marticio, Excel Joy C.

BEED IA

New Trends in Education

1. Personal Access to Mobile Devices
According to the 2013 results, students overwhelmingly have access to
personal mobile devices. Through mobile devices and instant access to the
internet, students now see the world as their classroom and they have clearly
stated that using their own mobile devices anytime or anywhere to learn will help
them improve their personal productivity and learning, says one of the reports
interpreting results of their most recent survey. (Learning in the 21st: Taking it
Mobile). The dream of many schools and districts seeking to bring more technology
into the classroom is to purchase mobile devices (laptops MP3 players and/or smart
phones) for all of their students so that there are fewer issues with equity,
compatibility and misuse of these devices.89 percent of high schools students have
access to Internet-connected smart phones, while 50 percent of students in grades
3 through 5 have access to the same type of devices. High school student access to
tablets tops out at 50 percent and laptops come in at 60 percent. In addition to
personal access, the survey found about a third of students have access to a device
(typically laptops or tablets) in their school.

2. Internet Connectivity and Social Networking in Schools

This was an interesting set of statistics showing the ways students generally
connect to the Internet when at home. According to the study, 64 percent of
students surveyed identify 3G- or 4G-enabled devices as their primary means of
connecting to the Internet, with another 23 percent saying they connect through an
Internet-enabled TV or WIFI console. When asked why traditional broadband access
wasnt their primary means of connectivity, students said there was less contention
for access with other members of the family through these non-traditional devices.
Social media usage in schools is no longer a head turner, and while some teachers
worry that it may be a distraction, many are also finding it to be increasingly useful
as a way to connect with other educators, share information on a larger scale and
enable students to learn more interactively. They found that social networking sites
can help students to become academically and socially integrated, and may even
improve learning outcomes. This will help college students in order to gain an
insight into their online social networking experiences and attitude towards using
social media for education. They found that networking websites were used for both
social and educational purposes. Students reported that social media enhanced
their relationships, helped them maintain friendships and enabled them to build and
establish virtual relationships.

On the learning side, they reported that social networks allowed them to
connect with faculty, share knowledge and commentary, and collaborate with other
students through discussions, course scheduling, project management, and
educational applications to organize learning activities. Christine Greenhow, a
learning technologies researcher for the University of Minnesotas College of
Education and Human Development, commented that social networking sites
enable students to practice and develop the kinds of 21st century skills that will
help them be successful. Students are developing a positive attitude towards using
technology systems, editing and customizing content and thinking about online
design and layout, she said. Theyre also sharing creative original work like poetry
and film and practicing safe and responsible use of information and technology. The
Web sites offer tremendous educational potential. As educators, we always want to
know where our students are coming from and what theyre interested in so we can
build on that in our teaching. By understanding how students may be positively
using these networking technologies in their daily lives and where the as yet
unrecognized educational opportunities are, we can help make schools even more
relevant, connected and meaningful to kids.
With social networking growing to the point that Technorati last tracked about
70 million updated blogs, using social networking to teach any subject and catapult
students into a realm other than stagnant learning means blending the traditional
education with modern communication. Many educators believe this is the route to
engaging students in learning all the basic skills they need.

3. Talking Education
A new site for educators, TeacherTube, takes the sharing, production, and
community-building aspects of YouTube and offers an educator's version. According
to TeacherTube's founders, "We seek to fill a need for a more educationally focused,
safe venue for teachers, schools, and home learners." The site officially launched in
March 2007 and is slowly but surely gaining popularity. TeacherTube is designed to
allow those in the educational industry, particularly teachers, to share educational
resources such as video, audio, documents, photos, groups and blogs. The site
contains a mixture of classroom teaching resources and others designed to aid
teacher training. Educators believe using talking or videos to review lessons and
teach concepts helps students learn and retain more. Between TedEd and
TeacherTube, education talks a lot about everything. Students love movement,
television and film so utilizing these snippets of information transforms the meaning
of learning especially for many students who are strapped for time.

4. Learning analytics
Learning analytics is the collection, analysis and reporting of large datasets
relating to learners and their contexts. As more and more learning activities take

place digitally, and as more and more data is gathered about learner progress, we
have the opportunity to be more evidence-based in how we support learners.
One of the great opportunities afforded by learning analytics is to provide
teachers with the ability to offer increasingly personalized, meaningful, engaging
learning experiences for students. To track their progress, get early intervention
information as soon as possible, and to make informed decisions about strategies
that are most likely to make a difference for that student. One of the key
implications for schools is to ask is all our data useful and used? Its no use storing
enormous amounts of data if its the wrong data, or if nothing is ever done with it.
This second implication provides schools with the opportunity to strengthen
partnerships between school, the student and parents and what a great way to
align the support offered to students at school and at home than to be completely
transparent and invitational with the data that surrounds learning.

5. Digital convergence
The concept of digital convergence refers to the merging of previously
discrete and separately used technologies, as well as the almost invisible
integration and use of technologies as a part of our everyday life. Key drivers here
are the ubiquitous reach and presence of the internet, and our ability to access it
via an increasingly broad range of devices. In addition, the intelligence of both the
devices we use and the services they connect to presents opportunities for us to
engage with our surroundings in ways not previously imagined.
This can be recognized in the almost every day acceptance of things like
Google Maps which presents you with not only a map of where you are, but locates
you within it based on the geolocation of the device you are using - and then
highlights facilities and events close to you based on a profile of your needs and
preferences built up over time. The rapid advancement of the Internet of Things is
another example of this. Here everyday items are connected to the Internet- from
fridges and microwaves in our homes, to cameras and traffic controls linked to
sensors in roads in our streets. The data that is feed to and from these things helps
build a web of information that is available to us, and frequently fed to us on an
individual basis, depending on our needs at the time.
The concept of digital convergence will bring both challenges and
opportunities to those working in education. On the one hand, the proliferation of
individually owned devices, be they smart phones or watches for example, means
that students can now access information at any time they wish - whether that be
something that supports their learning, or something that may be a distraction to
their learning. This will inevitably change the balance of power in regular
classrooms where teachers have traditionally been the ones who have controlled
the flow of knowledge and what is learned. Another significant impact for educators
may be in the development of personalized learning pathways, not the pre-

determined sorts of adaptive software weve seen in the past, but more intuitive
and responsive to the mix of the learners current location, level of progress,
availability of support etc. upon which a highly tailored set of outcomes and
feedback may be established and monitored.

6. Networked organizations
Across the globe we are seeing the rise of new models of what it means to be
a modern, networked organization - and at its heart is a shift from hierarchical
structures to networks. A networked organization is one that understands two key
ideas: that each person within that organization can make a personal contribution to
the evolution of the organization. Secondly, that the organization itself is part of a
global set of connections, groups and individuals, able to communicate with anyone
and make visible its work.
The driving influences of this trend include a growing understanding that
single, top-down systems cannot cater for diversity as well as greater appreciation
for what motivates people to learn. We are familiar by now with the discourse
around learner-driven, personalized structures. The evolution of digital and mobile
technologies that privilege sharing, worldwide connectivity and personal knowledge
creation also drive the idea of organizations as networks, rather than hierarchies.

For educators, the challenge is to re-imagine what learning at student, whole

school and national/system levels might look like if they are designed around the
individual. Schools are considering how they can have greater transparency for their
work with their communities and with other schools. Curriculum and pedagogy,
learning environments and whole school strategy can begin to look quite different if
learners are in the driving seat and if each member of the community is seen as
part of a networked ecosystem.

7. Global connectedness
These days, we live in a global community where little is done in isolation. A
global community has the potential to lift millions of people out of poverty. A
globalised world can enable advances in human development: in education, health
and the environment. Digital technologies play a crucial role in enabling learners to
connect with, contribute to and learn from those in other parts of the world. We are
also increasingly becoming aware of the challenges that are emerging, in the form
of cyber security, changing behavior patterns and the influence of multinational
tech corporations on the way we connect.
This global connectedness trend is driven by the changing demographics in
our nation and our schools, a global marketplace, competition from emerging
economies, rising inequity and the power of digital technologies to empower

learners who connect to learn and grow. Increasingly, there is a demand for access
to information and resources that are dependent on this networked world - and
which therefore drives technological development. Witness the rise of Amazon and
the slow decline of postal services, for example.
In this globally connected world, our challenge as educators is to prepare our
learners to not only take advantage of all that this offers, but also to encourage
them to question, investigate and act as global citizens. There is a plethora of
opportunities, for both students and teachers, in being part of a global village of
learning, information-sharing and creation opportunities. Developing the digital
literacy required to usefully and purposefully navigate this environment remain a
strong learning focus.

8. Inclusive Design
We understand that learners are best served by a learning design that takes
into account diverse strengths and needs. At fully inclusive schools, all students are
welcome and are able to take part in all aspects of school life. Diversity is respected
and upheld. Inclusive schools believe all students are confident, connected, actively
involved lifelong learners. Inclusive design ensures that students identities,
languages, abilities, and talents are recognized and affirmed and their learning
needs are addressed.
Inclusive schools have well-organized systems, effective teamwork and
constructive relationships that identify and support the inclusion of all students.
Innovative and flexible practices respond to the needs of all students.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for looking at how we plan our
goals, our teaching methods, the resources and materials we use, and the way we
design assessments. UDL is based around three principles that ensure that there are
options for all learners to have equal access to learning. There is increasing interest
in applying UDL as a lens to underpin inclusive learning design, driven by an
increasing appreciation for learner-driven curriculum and pedagogy.Increased
access to digital technologies can enable more inclusive and personalized learning
pathways through the curriculum, especially for those students who need additional
supports to learn.
Students and teachers can work together to find the most effective ways to
integrate digital technologies into learning environments: removing barriers to
learning, providing increased choices matched to student needs and interests, and
expanding collaboration opportunities.

9. Innovation and entrepreneurship

The ability to innovate and find new ways of doing things will define the
success of individuals, communities and countries into the 21st Century.
Competition for the earths resources, increased globalization and the explosion of
technology are all drivers behind this trend. The traditional ways of thinking about
earning a living and the world of work into the future will no longer rely on
developing compliant workers capable of taking their place in the assembly line.
Instead, workers at all levels will require new sets of skills and dispositions.
Entrepreneurship is one of the future focused themes identified in the NZ
Curriculum, recognizing the increasing importance of developing the disposition that
supports individuals and groups to take action for them.
This is a foundational concept in developing a knowledge economy,
requiring more innovative approaches to future focused careers planning.
Economies around the world are premised on growth (population, productivity,
goods and services etc.), and recent international studies demonstrate a strong link
between poor growth and inequity. We need more entrepreneurs and innovators in
our society in order to ensure that we can maintain a healthy level of growth, even
when traditional markets may no longer be successful.
This begins at the school level with providing plenty of opportunities to learn
about and practice the skills of being entrepreneurial including risk taking and
having permission to fail, two key attributes that we see being eroded as schools
are forced to comply with externally imposed restrictions on time and mitigation of
risk.

10. Maker culture

The Maker movement has grown out of a desire to use technology for active
creation rather than passive consumption. Advances in the areas of 3D printing,
programming, electronics and robotics mean that it is possible for learners of all
ages to be creators and solvers of problems using technology. The maker movement
is also a response to the fact that advances in technology over the last few decades
mean that our devices are incredibly slick and reliable. While this is great on one
hand, its also a challenge: if devices dont often break down, we dont need to get
inside them to understand how they work. Many devices now dont even let users
replace simple things like batteries, which ultimately means learners dont get to
explore and learn how things work.
Another important element in the maker movement is the democratizing of
learning: where anybody may have the expertise you need to complete your project
and you, in turn, may have the missing piece of someone elses puzzle. Were
seeing more and more maker clubs and Makerspaces appearing in schools and
communities, providing people places to learn about technology and to solve
problems. This kind of lateral learning (rather than a top-down model) is a much
more authentic representation of how learning happens in life.