Most of us think of education as a process run by experts, which may be struggling at times to stay relevant, but is generally in good hands and considering the enormity of the system, we assume it is doing the best it can. But that is the true danger of this paradigm.
The trouble with the current model of public education is that change and improvement in the system cannot keep pace with the rapidly changing needs of the students. Smartphones, instant access to information, and the prolific use of social media combine to alter the playing field exponentially more than any factors have ever impacted the educational system.
Social networks, virtual communities, and messaging platforms interconnect us on a scale no educational system could have predicted. We certainly shouldn’t expect the system to reasonably quickly adapt to this level of change. So what should we do?
These ideas are not new, nor should they be a surprise to anyone. BUT, this new reality raises two very important questions:
1. How are these unprecedented factors affecting the way we learn?
2. How are these factors physiologically affecting our minds and bodies?
Scientists, educators, research experts, and nearly all individuals with a stake in education are scrambling for answers to these questions. What is happening and what can we do about it?
I certainly don’t propose that I have the answers, but I think the wrong questions are being asked.