After watching this Ted Talk I share the same thoughts as the presenter, where I am wondering what learning will look like tomorrow? Do we really need school in the future? Could it be that we are heading into a future where knowing is absolute? As I write this post I can think of school when I was in high school and there was less information on the internet available for research than there is today. To be able to research back in my high school days it was necessary to go to the library and talk to a librarian to get you the resources you needed. Nowadays students can have access to all journals and research materials to conduct research simply by logging into to a website. This is just one of the examples of what a decade can do in the world of technology.
In his Ted Talk, Sugata Mitra touches upon his experiments with self-directed learning in children using technology. Sometimes we hear how some parents might brag about how some kids may excel in technology, but are they just exposed to the technology? as opposed to someone who does not have the resources to use technology. He introduced the concept of the "hole in the wall" experiment, where he gave access to technology to children in impoverished areas and he observed their ability to learn independently without formal instructions. His test shows that children can learn and acquire knowledge through self-organized learning environments.
As an educator and my role in the online learning environment with young people, after watching this video I am thinking about the importance of fostering curiosity, autonomy and self-directed learning. By sparking curiosity, children will become eager to learn. This is where we can look at technology natives being the young people due to their potential to learn and explore on their own when provided with the right tools and resources. As a teacher this just makes me want to support and facilitate the learning process in the classroom by providing information, answering questions and offering guidance in the technology that I can incorporate into my classroom. I need to stay up to date in technology for example online simulating labs to be able to act as a resource to help young people explore their interest.
Another thing I think of technology is how it helps promote collaboration and peer-to-peer learning. Online platforms give opportunities for young people to connect with others who share similar interest and passions which is why online gaming is very popular. One pledge I can make as an educator is to attend some PDs to learn about more educational platforms where students can engage with like-minded individuals and be able to collaborate on projects and learn from one another. Students should be given the opportunity to take control of their learning and explore their passions.
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