Tomorrow's+Classroom

The New Zealand Curriculum gives plenty of pointers to a need to change from the teacher-lead classrooms of the past to technologically rich, student-focused, teacher-supported classrooms of the future. "Schools should explore not only how ICT can supplement traditional ways of teaching but also how it can open up new and different ways of learning." (p36 NZC)

**How might the classrooms of tomorrow look different?** I would hope that classrooms of the future will be less homogeneous than those of the past. The following table is from the ACoT2 research paper, it contrasts the traditional classrooms with the classroom of the read/write web. The differences are startling. Does your school or classroom look like that described in column one or column two? What kind of barriers are preventing you from moving?


 * ** Traditional Classroom ** || ** Classroom of the Read/Write Web ** ||
 * Textbook || Staggering breadth and depth of content. Open-source type classrooms in which everyone contributes to the curriculum. ||
 * School teachers || Knowledge of primary sources such as authors, historians, and researchers. ||
 * Do your own work || Produce work in collaborative ways for larger audiences. ||
 * Lecture || Conversation. ||
 * Textbooks and more “closed” sources of information || Create own texts from different content providers such as blogs, wikis, websites, discussion groups, and so on. Teachers and students employ the many ways to find information on the web. ||
 * Reading as passive and “trusted” process || Active engagement in reading for truth and accuracy. ||
 * Paper-based content || Electronic learner portfolios. ||
 * Text-based writing || Write in many different genres. ||
 * Mastery of content as measured by passing a test || Electronic online portfolios. ||
 * Handing in assignments || Contribute ideas and work to larger body of knowledge that is the web. ||

[|Apple Classroom of Tomorrow Website] [|ACoT Report (912kb PDF)]

**What physical differences might we see?**
 * a range of spaces and furniture that are accessible as the need arises
 * most information accessed and produced in digital format
 * fast, free, content filtered wireless access for all
 * students bringing their own internet enabled devices for use when appropriate
 * printers can create objects rather than text and images

**What is the role of the teacher?** Mike Wesch, a university lecturer, talks about how we can learn differently in the age of the internet. One of the many interesting points he makes is that while our students are often familiar with a wide range of online tools, they have no idea how to use them to construct new meaning and so teachers need to help them with that. media type="youtube" key="Xx-u3JtgDZc" height="340" width="560"

2008 e-fellow [|Toni Twiss] was asked what technology she thought might become common place over the next 5 years and how that might impact in the classroom. media type="custom" key="4226037"
 * What technology might become prevalent over the next 5 years?**

Imagine having a printer in your classroom that could produce prototypes of various designs that your students had investigated and modeled using software. Such a thing is in fact already available. It is called the RepRap and it would seem you can buy the parts for around NZ$1500. That is probably less than your photocopier cost and once you have your first one up and running you can use it to print many of the parts you will need to create a second one! The RepRap is an "open source" printer, the design team have made the plans and parts lists available free and central to the design is the ability for it to reproduce as many of it's own parts as possible. There is an interesting video featuring several of the designers (including a kiwi) and showing the machine in action on the RepRap home page. []
 * 3D Printers**


 * Additional resources**

Design Share Designing the future of learning []

Learning Spaces, Chapter 1 : Space as Change Agent : Diana Oblinger: []

media type="custom" key="4226181"