The Classroom

of the

Future

Floyd T. Holt

Physics Teacher, Hyde Park, NY

Walt Disney American Teacher in Science for the United States

Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math in the USA

Physics Teacher Resource Agent (PTRA) for the USA

Email: flholt@idsi.net Home: 914-229-6263 (H) Work 914-229-4020 (W)

Preface: With the advent of recent changes in technology educators face a whole new vista of opportunities with "futuristic" modes of operation. The "Classroom of Tomorrow" will have the ability to leave the school, use the computer to take data, perform labs anywhere, use the video camera to process motion and connect with virtually every other source of information in the world. We are poised at the precipice of the next millennium with a new system of education: "The Classroom of the Future".

Introduction: "There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success than to take the lead in the introduction in a new order of things." Thus wrote Niccolo Machiavelli in The Prince. As Science educators we are positioning ourselves at the center of "one of society’s most critical debates": Education in the future. Can we, in a spirit of teamwork, turn our fascination with high technology into a viable learning environment in the near future or will we continue with our present system of operation?

Motivation: No one can predict the future with any degree of certainty but imagine, if you will, that we are to be propelled in a spaceship 100 years into the future. What would we find? Will our system of education be unchanged? Even more importantly, can we make the "jump to light speed"; to radically change our methods? What are the mitigating circumstances involved? What are the obstacles that will keep us from futuristic learning scenarios?

Responsibility: It has been said that "we’ve become a country where no one is responsible for anything" and yet, diametrically opposed to that, we have been taught that our actions have consequences. Even more perilous is the fact that "Life does not come with any guarantees and risk can be a double-edged sword." How then, with so many wonderful teachers and administrators, do we often find ourselves frustrated in our attempt to teach today’s child.

Heroes: I believe that Science leaders, in order to change the face of education for the future, will require nothing less than a heroic effort; to reprogram and transform our culture. Presently the only heroes American children seem to admire are "rock musicians, actors and athletes".

Challenges: A host of mitigating circumstances seem to defy our analytical efforts to achieve excellence. "Students seem to know their rights but not their responsibilities." Administrators given the demands on them, can easily find themselves intimidated by teachers who "teach outside the box." There is at present a disparaging difference in the access many schools face in their quest to educate the leaders of tomorrow.

I do not mean to sound prophetic but, unless Principals, Teachers, parents, staff, etc. are allowed to address these issues as a team, in a systematic mode of operation, I am afraid we could collectively fail in our efforts to efficiently maintain our position in the world.

Problems: Today’s child is more sophisticated with a correspondingly higher threshold of learning. With both parents working students are now "Home Alone". In fact families often have better multimedia equipment at home than do the schools. "Distraction factors are omnipresent!" Sex, drugs, and rock and roll are only the beginning. Messages from the Gerry Springer show; South Park, Married with children (where the parents are goofy but the kids are cool.) have all changed the picture. Between after school jobs, cars, and the plethora of other outside activities, teachers find their efforts sometimes "shuffled to the bottom of the deck".

Every day we are bombarded in the media with accounts in our schools, even through the best efforts of their faculty, there have been so many instances of extremely poor behavior, a total lack of academic performance. We now have the recipe for total failure but, being "The education police" does not always work since "absolute force is met with absolute resistance".

Where is the good news:

1] The SED/MST content and performance standards with: analysis, inquiry, design, information systems, interconnectedness, interdisciplinary problem solving which will guide curriculum development, are all lofty goals.

2] The STANYS position paper, which was in the recent issue of the STANYS newsletter is a noble effort.

3] Many administrators are much more cognizant of the importance of staff morale and highlighting faculty and student accomplishments.

4] Many of our students are as good as ever.

5] Zero tolerance policies set by administrators are much appreciated and often a good step in the right direction.

Charting a course for the future: Since the future is inexorably linked to the past I offer the following ideas and considerations to act as "thrusters" capable of propelling us in new directions and as tentative "Solutions" which could assist us in connecting our past, present and future courses of action.

The past: When General George Patton defeated Rommel he declared, "I read your book." In a similar fashion we should continue to "read the book" of our "competition" for their secrets to success. Even though the TIMMS report is not a completely fair comparison it still indicates that we are number 16 out of 18 in Math and Science education in the world. I propose that it’s time for a uniquely "all American" solution:

1] America should capitalize on our expertise by creating more consortiums such as the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) which funds research into innovative methods in education.

2] Best practices: A study of American and European success stories would be highly advantageous.

3] Master Teachers: Should be placed in teacher centers.

4] New Collaborations: Unfortunately too many teachers are heard saying "I lock my door and I teach away" whereas at the end of the day, in many other countries, teachers may be found mutually "reinventing" themselves for the next day.

Strategies in the Present:

Identifying what is important: Will Rodgers famous saying still rings true: "Even if you’re on the right track you can still get derailed". How then will we face the science literacy challenge of the next generation and can we initiate this proactive rather than reactive approach before it is too late?

Vehicles for change could include:

1] Corporate partnerships: So much can be learned, and gained, by establishing equitable corporate connections. To cite an example, the Disney Corporation, with its wealth of experience in human relations, education, and innovations (which are envisioned by their "Imagineers") is, undoubtedly, a "world class" model.

2] New techniques in parent involvement: Rewarding students by offering "parent homework", among many others, is one strategy which more effectively utilizes parents as the "primary educators".

3] The psychology of change: Whether it is mundane or profound we should encourage and reward children for taking responsibility for developing internal resources, creating independence and becoming "lifelong learners".

4] Time constraints: By carving out 15 minutes a day (increasing over time) to do the things we desire (e.g. start writing, exercise, learn a new language) we can break the cycle of sameness.

5] Detours: We should avoid falling prey to detours in our quest of becoming more self-sufficient, self-assured travelers, but rather remain focused on a definite number of specific goals.

The Future

Creating "The Classroom of the Future": I believe the message is that we will have to "revolutionize" the way we teach because that is what industry and the world will demand. America needs a new educational "Science Driver" reminiscent of JFK’s space initiative. My Reasoning is as follows:

1] Boeing presently builds and tests their planes exclusively on a computer thus saving billions of dollars.

2] Ford crashes more cars in computer simulations than in real life.

3] Precision robots perform surgery with remarkable accuracy. Students someday will attend "Cyberschool" where access to information will have grown exponentially. The "Age of Intelligence" and information management has begun. Computers are rapidly becoming the "Supertools of the 21st century".

4] When coupled with interfaces, scanners, probes, digital color copiers and many other innovations they even now serve to accelerate and intensify the learning process.

5] Science inquiry produces an ownership and awareness of the virtually unlimited number of examples in which Science enriches our lives.

6] Students will work with scientists over the Internet as "Co-Investigators." Teacher certification and apprenticeships should conceivably include familiarity with new technologies such as color copiers, the World Wide Web, Cyberpatrol protection software and a host of others.

7] Faculty meetings will be conducted via teleconferencing for more effective "crosstalk" between educators in different regions of the country.

8] High speed data transmission will finally connect Guidance counselors, faculty, parents, students, and universities to each other and the world and Electronic Media such as television documentaries, electronic newsletters, web pages and interactive tests and communications will prove invaluable.

Conclusion: Can we have a profound rather that a minor effect on the future as Science leaders? Can our dreams be turned into reality in our lifetime? Is there enough being done via teamwork and collaborative efforts? Can we "stand and deliver this educational excellence through scientific wizardry? The answer is a resounding Yes!!!! One thing is certain: if we use our problems as potential teachers and work in a spirit of teamwork and invention, "Classrooms of the Future" will arrive as technical interfaces to learning and with them a vehicle for propelling us into the next millennium.