The future of education, in my opinion, centers around the learning commons. This is where teacher-librarians who are constantly learning and embracing progressive ideas can be found. The learning commons acts as the central point of a school, supporting students, teachers, and parents as they navigate a technology-driven society. It is crucial because traditional schooling methods are being replaced by “21st century” approaches and personalized learning. Personally, I do not have a particular liking for traditional education due to various reasons.
The non-traditional nature of our education system can be attributed to its relatively short-term experiment spanning about 150 years, which is a small fraction compared to human history. This experiment was established during the final days of the Industrial Age, whereas throughout countless generations before, humans primarily relied on observing, practicing, apprenticing, and engaging with diverse community members.
Thanks to modern digital tools, traditional learning methods can be enhanced and expanded. This allows the educational community to include individuals, locations, and knowledge beyond physical boundaries. With this expansion comes increased personalization, creativity, and collaboration in education. Nevertheless, some people may prefer to stick with the existing educational system.
This resource provides support for those who are feeling overwhelmed and unsure about how to update their classroom. It offers an introduction on how teacher-librarians and learning commons can assist teachers in this effort. You can hover over the “My Vision of the Future” tab to navigate through different sections of this presentation or click on the link at the bottom of each page for more information on educational uses of advancing technology.
