Stillar, B. (2012). 21st Century learning: How
college classroom interaction will change in the decades ahead. International Journal of Technology,
Knowledge, & Society, 8(1) 143-151. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.cod.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=3013d9e6-1e80-43f4-9ff4-54af2683e38d%40sessionmgr113&hid=128&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=91544679.
This particular article was written
to discuss the changes that are occurring specifically in the college classrooms. Although college education is influenced by
many of the same factors as public education, the college classroom may be
affected by these influences in a drastically different way. The standards, expectations, and student
population undergo a very significant change from the high school level to the
college level. Since the implications of advances on college classrooms vary
from the public education spectrum, it is important to investigate these
changes separately.
Often curriculum
and education changes apart from technology, based on societal needs, but a
large factor recently in how lessons are taught are driven by the new
technologies available for the classroom.
This article focuses mainly on the changes that are related to the
increase and advancement of technology.
Because technology is so prevalent, many people are encouraged by their
businesses to seek additional training to support their job. This leads the college to develop classrooms
and environments that suits the needs of professional seeking certificates or
advanced training. Because employers are
looking for specific skills, it often drives college to provide a very specific
course on a flexible schedule so that people who work can complete the class,
and directly apply it to their profession.
Employers and colleges will see an increase in communication to ensure
that the college offers the services needed by specific employers. Technology is the key in allowing flexible
courses, many of which occur online, or in a blended atmosphere. Without the communication between employers
and colleges, many high paying highly skilled jobs will go unfilled for lack of
qualified applicants.
The
previous circumstance deals with individuals who know what skills they need to
be successful because they are already set in a position. However many traditional aged students do not
know what career they will end up with.
Thus the college curriculum must ensure that school is teaching the
students critical thinking skills. Then
when students leave college, no matter what job they end up with, they will
have the necessary cognitive skills to adapt and learn new material as the
train in their new career. Technology
plays a big role in preparing students for jobs they may not even know exist
yet. With technology, it is possible to
create virtual labs in many disciplines, which allow students to work out real
life problems and develop problem solving skills. The idea of creating adaptable lessons for
small groups is very encouraging for the development of critical thinking
skills for many facets of life. This
also caters to many different intelligences in the classroom. Students can take advantage of their kinesthetic,
visual, auditory, and other modes of learning and absorbing information. If needed, these labs could also be more
career specific, such as for nursing or other vocational careers. This type of learning is much more
self-driven as well, which takes the focus away from the instructor, and puts
the student in the center of their own learning. Students will need to know how to navigate
large amounts of material presented by technology, and how to distinguish valuable
information from incorrect material.
Because of the large amounts of free source information available, a
majority of research and discussion can be done without the strict oversight of
the professor. This method should seem
natural to many students as time progresses, because technology has been a part
of many younger students lives since they were very young. It would be unusual to many of these students
to learn without using technology.
In
addition, technology will help drive the idea of a worldwide community of
learners. Because of the ease to which people
can connect all over the world, classrooms will continue to encourage students
to exchange ideas with people from various countries. Many college classrooms will no longer be
isolated to the small group of students in the course, or even the relatively
small number of total students at the college, but the investigating of ideas
can be discussed by many individuals with many different backgrounds. This again leads the importance of the ability
of the student to distinguish what information is useful and what is not.
The advance
of technology leads to a shift in the structure of the college classroom. Professors become much more of a facilitator
rather than the main source of knowledge.
While the professor is still an expert in their field, the professor
must encourage students to explore ideas on their own, because eventually the
student will leave the classroom and no longer be able to rely solely on the
knowledge of the professor. Students
must themselves become experts at finding and synthesizing information through
the process of completing college courses.
The fact that the professors role is changing may be scary to many
teachers. Many professors enjoy being
the main source of knowledge, but if a professor is to truly conduct their
classroom to maximize the benefit to the student, the professor must accept
this change spurred on by technology.
Instead of fearing or avoiding this change, it is a professor’s responsibility
to investigate new technologies and new learning methods, and when applicable
incorporate beneficial technology into their classroom. The ultimate goal is to create life long
critically thinking students, and technology is going to play a big part in how
this is accomplished.
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