Foundation- Changing education

What are the main differences between the way students were taught in the era of information scarcity (when students had to come to school to get the information) as compared to 21st century learners who live in an era of information surplus?

In the era of information school was the only source of information scarcity. Information was only transferred by teacher to students. Therefore, classroom were very much lecture styles. Students listened to teachers and noted down knowledge and tried to memorise it so they can use the knowledge later on in life.

In todays world knowledge is everywhere. Google or Siri can answer any questions in seconds. Schools are no longer the source of information, in fact compared to google schools lack a lot of information. Students today can use the variety of tools available to find information but schools today should teach them how to use the information. Schools are no longer lecture style buy moved to student centred. Schools encourage enquiry and finding their own answers instead of getting the information from a teacher.

• How does the content in this video connect to your own beliefs about experiential learning and student voice?

My primary schooling in the middle east was similar to the era of information scarcity. Class were lecture based where teacher came and told us information and wrote it on the black board and we hurried to note it down. Written exams were only form of assessment where there was only one right answer. This meant I only knew what teachers told us, most lessons were boring or unrelated to my life. And it also made me scared of asking questions and answering as with one right answer gives the odds of being wrong high.

As I moved to secondary education in UK and internet were more in play classroom changed. Teachers didn’t stand in the front and talked but students worked on projects and discussed and shared. With the media and internet open to us most students came to schools with prior knowledge and teachers planed activities that build on our knowledge and question our understanding and then find the answer. This made education very engaging and personal to myself. I was able to explore what interest me and take control of my own learning.

With all the tools available to us, as teachers we are not the source of knowledge. In many cases students come into class with more knowledge then the teacher. In the 21st century it is not the teachers job to transfer knowledge but to provide the students with the skills so they are able to find information they need and use it.

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