Education is changing and we have to address these changes in order to adapt and choose the right path. There are some major shifts happening in the way perceive education and the mechanisms we use for teaching and learning. We have written about some of these changes in our previous blog: “7 powerful shifts towards the future of learning that is changing education”
Why next decade? Even though technologies like the VR, AR, and AI hasn’t quite penetrated into the classrooms yet, at the current rate, it will probably happen within the next decade or so. And once that happens, the whole picture changes.
So what does it mean to be a teacher in higher education for the next decade?
Teachers need to have digital literacy
The world is highly digitized. Everyone are already using smartphones and laptops in their everyday lives, both adults and children alike. So as a teacher, you at least need to have a working knowledge about technology, internet, social networking etc. It will be crucial for communication and for assessing your students’ needs.
Education will also be technology assisted by the coming years. Edtech Tools and platforms are getting better in managing and simplifying education as we speak, and it’s only a matter of time before they become mainstream. Blended learning and online education are also gaining popularity which is why having digital literacy for teachers is crucial.
Research mentality and continuous learning to stay updated.
Research mentality is always one of the basic drives of a teacher. But with Google and wiki at their side, your students are better equipped with instant information at their fingertips. If your textbooks or referral guides are outdated and your students could get updated information from elsewhere, then that’s a problem.
The teacher should also be aware of different career options to guide and mentor their students. So be current and accurate on what you teach and try refreshing your knowledge base every now and then so that you won’t miss out on important advancements and new discoveries. If your curriculum is seriously outdated, there’s a chance your students and their parents won’t feel happy about it. The easiest thing you could do is to set alerts in your smartphone or mail to have relevant content delivered to you from trustworthy sources. Research is also an important factor as more and more universities and regulatory bodies are mandating teachers to conduct research to ensure quality in teaching and in education.
Skills to handle better tools than paper files and excel sheets to work efficiently
Automation and technical tools are already popular in every other domain. Sadly the adaptation has been slow in education. But that won’t matter because with so much metrics and data about student information, curriculum, assessment outcomes etc. to be handled, making copies and managing various excels for different purposes won’t fly from now on.
There is a wide selection of edtech tools to choose from in the market. All you have to do is to pick the right one that would let you efficiently manage your academics and help you simplify or automate tasks like report generation and performance tracking.
The teacher’s job isn’t just teaching anymore.
Accreditation and quality assurance are more relevant today and it’s only safe to assume that the teacher will have to deal with them on a regular basis. Quality assurance sure is welcome and it makes our education better. But in order to handle the core academics and quality assurance at the same time, teachers of tomorrow should have a firm grasp on such certification standards and should stay updated.
Again, tools will make everything simpler. We are also expecting to see a surge in institutions adopting edtech platforms such as Linways as standard administrative tools and learning management.
To conclude, with the introduction of better technology and raising quality standards, teachers job will become more relevant and much easier in the future. Instead of curriculum-based instruction, education will become more learner-centered in the coming years. We shall also see better competition and quality standards in learning opportunities as online universities and certification courses like Coursera and Edx becomes more popular.
As a teacher, you shall have a more central figure in shaping the education. When assessments like exams and assignments only serve as mere indicators of attainment learning outcomes, your insights and interaction with the students create more value in the whole educational experience. Technology will not be intrusive and it could never replace a teacher who cares about their students. It can only assist you to provide better education to your students. In the hands of a great teacher, technology can transcend the boundaries between knowledge and learning.