Contemporary trends in education!

This week we were asked to examine a contemporary trend in New Zealand education using Rolfe's model of reflection.

What? 

The impact of digital learning, is the trend that I have chosen to look at. We were required to read the article Addressing Current and Future Challenges in Education Bill Dagget, from 2014, to identify "trends" that we will be facing in the next 2 years of our teaching practice. So here at the end of 2018, I can safely say digital learning is here and we have been living it for quite some time. The articles shares that as digital natives our learners know how to, communicate, collaborate, and solve problems using digital technology. Our kids are digital natives, they were born into a world filled with digital devices. The article shares that as teachers, it doesn't make sense for our learners to be coming to school to "power down" from their devices. 

So what? 

I think "digital learning" is arguably a trend we all should to have moved on from. Digital learning, is here. It's is constantly adapting, and bringing forward new trends and revealing the consequences of its presence on teaching and learning, and our lives. Bill Dagget's statement about digital natives being competent communicators, collaborators and problem solvers is simply not the truth for my learners. I see they communicating less and collaborating less, and having less experiences that develop the grit it takes to solve problems. These 21st century skills need explicit teaching. Bill Dagget's research shows that our learners are being exposed to technology from an increasingly younger age. 

Now what? 

Digital technology, is a trend that has been addressed at a local level for many years. As an example, the school where I teach has been using digital devices from year 5 up 1:1 for the past 7 years. As of this year, this trend has begun to be addressed at a national level by the introduction of the new digital technology curriculum that will be implement in all New Zealand schools from 2019. 

I think that the negative influences of this trend, have made way for a opposing trend in education in New Zealand. As our learners are spending and increasing amount of there time looking at devices from a younger age there has been a movement in junior classrooms towards a play-based learning approach, where learners come to school to "power down" and learn through hands on experiences and relationships. Play based learning develops our learners communication, collaboration and problem solving skills. 

Kia Kaha!