"Computers are useless. They can only give you answers." (Pablo Picasso)
My motivation for choosing the MET program at UBC was rooted in the relevance that it holds for learners and teachers in the 21st century. More important, however, is the critical perspective it takes on technology's use within the class. As a member of generation Y, I grew up with developing technology - playing Doom and texting using T9 - but I also watched the expansion and adoption of the Internet, iPhones, and one billion apps. This has placed me within a unique landscape that has given me an appreciation for the smell of books and outdoor adventures, but also a recognition of the efficiencies afforded by technology. This tension between the antiquated and the contemporary was explored to some degree during teacher training, but was never really properly addressed to my satisfaction.
The new BC curriculum recognizes that education has changed and that the students of today have different needs than those of the past, especially with the ubiquity of technology. Three key competencies have been identified to thread throughout all subjects and all curriculum: communication, thinking, personal and social. But how can educators meet this change?
"All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual."(Albert Einstein)
The demands of the 21st-century learner
There are multiple approaches that educators are taking to address the challenges of teaching the modern student. Whether it be project-based learning, inquiry models, backwards design, genius hour-type projects, flipped classrooms, issue-based learning, or various other models, the main focus is on the student. At its heart, student-centred learning is about letting go of control, exploring different options, and reflecting on successes and challenges together. Every day is an effort of mutual exploration, collaboration, and critical thought. Educators need to be able to journey through our technological landscape with their students and come out on the other end as whole human beings.
Exploring education in the 21st century
Education is an exploration of time and space: the past shapes the present and the present influences how we view the past.