What an exciting time to be involved in education! I just finished reading The World Is Open by Curtis J. Bonk. The book is based on the premise that we all learn. And, we all learn in very different ways. The web affords us all an opportunity for customized learning. The WE-ALL-LEARN philosophy presented by Bonk is presented in a series of openers:
- Web Searching in the World of E-Books
- E-Learning and Blended Learning
- Availability of Open Source and Free Software
- Leveraged Resources and OpenCourseWare
- Learning Object Repositories and Portals
- Learner Participation in Open Information Communities
- Electronic Collaboration
- Alternate Reality Learning
- Real-time Mobility and Portability
- Networks of Personalized Learning
The possibilities are mind boggling when one considers all of the learning options both formal and informal that are available these days. A person can stitch together a world class education without enrolling in any accredited programs. Geography does not impede education and economic opportunities for those that are connected.
The plethora of distance learning opportunities are forcing our educational institutions to consider alternatives to traditional assessment, course delivery, and teacher-led classroom instruction. The controlled and supported enterprise of licensed software is slowly eroding and giving way to cheaper and more individualized open source alternatives. Professional development and teacher training is also changing as more individuals embrace the “just in time” resources of the web and develop individual strategies for improving their tech skills rather than depending upon faculty presentations and one-size-fits-all delivery models.
Perhaps the most thought-provoking topic in this book is the revelation that we are moving to a m-learning model. A learning model that embraces not laptops, but mobile cell phones. Countries like Japan and Korea are already using their cell phones for this purpose. Poorer countries in South America and Africa are leap-frogging past laptops and going straight to the cheaper mobile approach as well. ACU in Texas gives away iPhones to incoming freshman and expects them to be used for both administrative and educational purposes. Many top universities make all of their lectures available for download from iTunes University. Where is this headed? What is the impact on K-12 education?
As with any fast paced technological change, we are trying to catch up. The driver of all decisions should be based on learning and improved student achievement. It will take the collective effort of educators, administrators, school board members, students, and community members to develop a thoughtful and responsible approach to education in the 21st century.
Not all is rosy as we enter what Bonk refers to as a “renaissance of learning.” We need to consider solutions for those with limited or no web access, ethical technology usage, the quality of online programming, new forms of cheating, copyright rules and piracy, universal access for learners with disabilities, teacher training, and rigor and relevance for students. We must choose wisely as we move forward in this uncharted educational landscape.
