The 21st Century Classroom

I often ponder what classrooms will look like in the next 20 years.  I can be cynical and say "it'll probably look a lot like they do now (or worse) because of lack of funding".  Educational technology always seems to get slashed first, followed by the arts, and then teachers' jobs.  It really shows how those who handle the budget value technology in the classroom.  One would have to imagine that with technology advancing at such a rapid clip education would need a massive overhaul to keep up with the demands of a tech-savvy student body.  If not, traditional "book learning" might become a bit antiquated.  

I tend to be pessimistic at times but I can dole out some optimism every now and again.  I look at todays' classrooms and see that technology is valued in many respects.  Smartboards have literally put the entire web in front of a classroom.  High speed internet is practically a standard in many schools and Wi-Fi connections are on the rise.  Students learn to type and use Microsoft Office at an early age as well.

Last year I created a documentary about how teachers really felt about how technology impacted their classrooms.  We discussed useful applications like webquests, social networking, and video conferencing.  We also discussed their frustrations and concerns with the implementation of course management systems like Moodle.  It was eye opening to talk to so many teachers from a variety of schools and disciplines. We wrapped up by discussing what the future holds.  I received overwhelming positivity from those interviewed.  The documentary is called "A Better Today, Before Tomorrow".  (Meaning, we have the technology at our fingertips right now.  We don't have to wait for some advanced machines of the future to make an impact on the way we instruct our students...)  Also, it features our very own Mr. Calvert, so you know it's credible.  The file is huge (the whole documentary is about 20 minutes).  I'll try and put it in chunks on youtube for those interested.  A link will follow later.