Edutopia - August/September 2008 - (Page 49)

Both students are learning to put together sentences that they’ll use in a conversation together in front of the rest of the class—some of whom are using the same learning tools as these two, but many of whom are learning Mandarin in other ways that are tailored to the way they learn. This vision for the classroom of the future is not new. It’s one that people have talked and dreamed about for years in a variety of forms: Students partake in interactive learning with computers and other technology devices; teachers roam around as mentors and individual learning coaches; learning is tailored to each student’s differences; students are engaged and motivated. But this is far from the reality in most classrooms today. The classroom of today doesn’t even look that much different from the classroom of thirty years ago, save for some interactive white- boards instead of chalkboards, as well as some computers in the back of the room. How can we start down the path to transform the classroom? Simply investing in state-of-the-art learning software and technology won’t move us forward. Many innovative learningsoftware approaches already exist, but they have not had much traction in the classroom—and where used, they have tended not to transform teaching and learning. The answer isn’t simply investing more in computer equipment and technology for schools, either. The United States has spent more than $60 billion equipping schools with computers during the last two decades, but as countless studies and any routine observation reveal, the computers have not transformed the classroom, nor has their use boosted learning as measured by test FUTURE CLASSROOM: STUDENT-CENTRIC This model utilizes the teacher as mentor, problem solver, and support person. The focus for this “floating” teacher is on serving individual students who are learning at their own pace. BRIDGING THE GAP While academics argue the specific classifications, the next generation in education needs to accommodate the broad spectrum of learning types. LINGUISTIC NOISECANCELING HEADPHONES NATURALIST MUSICAL SPATIAL LEARNING MY PICKS SPATIAL USER-GENERATED SOFTWARE As students use online courseware, they can customize it for other learners. They can even give feedback and include a rating for their peers. EDUTOPIA.ORG EDUTOPIA 49 http://EDUTOPIA.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Edutopia - August/September 2008

Edutopia Contents Up Front Feedback Dispatches Sage Advice Ask Ellen Head of Class Cool Schools Design: Building on Disaster What's Next Full-Service Schools In the Trenches Moral Aptitude Serious Gaming Behaveyourself.com Media Is the Message The Way of the Wiki A Match Made in Cyberspace Hail to the New Chief Rise of the Robots Disrupting Class As Others See Us Heart & Soul Pop Quiz: Moby

Edutopia - August/September 2008

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