Obsolete Futures:
Redefining education in a light-speed worldAbstract:
Marshall McLuhan once said that when you travel at the speed of light, you don't need a rear-view mirror. Our children live in a world of dynamic change where any job that can be automated or moved offshore, will be. Creativity, mastery of modern technologies, and a deep passion for understanding lie at the heart of any productive vision for our children's future. When technology lagged education we asked "How can computers be used in school?" That perspective is just so 1 gigahertz ago. Now that technology has advanced in front of classroom practice, we ask "How can classroom practice be changed by technology?" This much is certain, any vision of the future of education that is based on changing the model of schools as we generally know them is flawed from the onset. Incrementalism does not work. A chasm can not be crossed in more than one jump. This highly-interactive presentation presents a model for crafting a future vision that is not based on extrapolations from the classrooms of the past, but rather is developed from our willingness to think about the distant future, and use this visionary framework to transform present practice. This session is geared to the needs of school boards, administrators, teachers, students, and parents alike. Come prepared to participate in the invention of the future unencumbered by the limitations of the past.
Presentation type... breakout session Audience................ all Duration................. 1 hour to 1 day workshop Handouts................ no Dr. Thornburg will gladly tailor any presentation to your specific needs.
