- Schools of the past
- Not based on how humans actually learn
- groups of kids in age-based cohorts
- Assessment is used as a value judgment on a student’s intelligence
- An artifact of Prussian society at the advent of the industrial revolution
- Structured toward a manufacturing model
- Lack of deep learning
- Students take subjects with superficial understanding: algebra 1, Algebra 2, Trigonometry etc.
- Schools of the future
- Self paced, allowing for individual learning paths
- Individualized assessments
- Free access to on-demand/online tools
- True differentiation
- 8-5 school day with only 2 hours of core academic “instruction”
- No such thing as missing class
- If family visits another city or country, student can plug into another school
- No longer a “seat based” system
- Students will attain mastery at different levels and interests
I was recently invited to join a Google forum for questions and answers with Salman Kahn. Famous for his world-renowned website, Kahn Academy, Salman Kahn has recently authored a new book, The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined, which addresses a major question facing educators: How will schools support today’s and tomorrow’s learners in ten, twenty or thirty years?
I had opportunity to pose this question directly to Mr. Kahn during this live online forum. His answers, summarized above, were illuminating and thought-provoking, and point the way towards how schools of the future may look.
To view the entire forum with Salmon Kahn click here: Google Play presents: Salman Khan of Khan Academy