100 Must-Read Blog Posts on the Future of Learning
With a struggling economy and a president with a keen eye on education, it will be interesting to see what happens to the future of learning with such opposing forces. Plenty of experts and lay-people alike have kicked around their ideas through their blogs. This collection offers 100 of these blog posts speculating on the future of learning.
Online Learning
Find out what direction the relatively new field of online learning might be taking with these articles.
- The future of e-learning is social learning. Take a look at what social learning is and why it is the future of online learning.
- The U.S. Department of Education releases a report on online learning studies. Find out what the US Department of Education says about the powerful impact of online learning.
- Telepresence: The future of synchronous learning?. Combining audio and video technology to simulate a face-to-face meeting may be the future of distance learning.
- The Future of OCW, and “OCW 2.0″. This post speculates that open courseware will become a source of college credit in the next few years.
- What’s behind the Explosive Growth in Distance Learning?. Learn why distance learning is growing so quickly as well as some predictions for the future of distance learning.
- Online courses helping people be tech savvy seniors. The over-55 crowd has begun to embrace technology and are now headed back to school via the Internet.
- Online Mentoring Programs. Get examples of how and why online mentoring works and discover why this may be a wave of the future.
- How-To: Engage the Managers of Distance Learning. While this article is specifically directed at management training in the workplace, it is an excellent example of how distance learning instructors may be conducting their classes in the future.
- Top 60 Jobs That Will Rock the Future. Check out number 41–Distance Education Consultant. According to this post, “the future of college is online.”
- Challenges and Disadvantages of E-learning and Distance Learning. Look at some of the current disadvantages of elearning to explore the future opportunities.
Technology
Technology in education is a hot topic right now. Find out where technology may take education in the future.
- The Future of Education? Video games. (Duh.). This post looks at a recent article from The Economist that discusses using video games in education.
- Putting iTeam Footprints on Snow Days. Discover how this team took advantage of technology to overcome a snow day and carry on with a much-anticipated meeting.
- California Has Spoken. Will the future of education include no longer having to lug heavy books around? According to this post, that is highly likely.
- Digital Generation Parents Share Their Wisdom. Parents discuss the importance of letting children who are growing up with technology to embrace technology when it comes to learning.
- Web 2.0: creating a classroom without walls. Find out how this science teacher incorporated technology in his classroom to engage his students, and what potential this type of learning has for the future of education.
- Constructivism in Practice. This post illustrates how technology can be used to help students gain a deeper understanding of the concepts being taught while engaging both students and the teacher in the lesson.
- Re-Visioning the Writing Classroom. Learn how students can spend more time working on writing when they know how to take advantage of technology with the thoughts in this post.
- Digital Literacy in the 21st Century: Implications for teaching and learning. This post looks at digital literacy in students and wonders if students are being underserved in the current educational system.
- Fundamental Skills are the Foundation for Future Success. Read this post to learn about using online instruction and assessment as a method of getting readers to grade level.
- 2009 Horizon Report. Find out what this report has to say about up-and-coming technologies as well as learning trends.
- Using Wikis in Science Classes. While this article focuses specifically on science, it is an excellent example of how wikis can shape learning in a positive direction.
- Web Tools for Flu Season. Take a look at how technology may shape sick days of the future.
- Top Future Trends in Educational Technology and E-learning. This post lists some of the most popular trends that are shaping the future of technology in education and elearning.
- Future Trends for Education: Part 1 of 2. Learn what this writer has to say about the future of technology in the 21st century classroom.
Social Connections
Social media and learning through social outlets never available to students before has opened up a world of possibilities.
- Social Learning. A class in a rural school connects with the world at large through the Internet and expands horizons beyond the possibilities with traditional education.
- Using Microloans to Learn About the World. Students in this class got a lesson in geography while participating in a real-world experience by funding a loan through Kiva.
- Us Now (a documentary). Find out about this documentary you can watch online that describes how social media technologies are shaping community and learning.
- Future Of Learning: Passionate Peers, Death Of The Classroom, Technologies As Tools – Emerging Trends. Learn how new media is working to rid students of the oppressive classroom environment and awaken peer relations as a learning tool.
- Future Of Learning Is Informal And Mobile. This prediction focuses on the shift of learning moving toward such trends as social and mobile technologies connecting learners in more informal ways than traditional education.
- Twitter in the classroom: 10 useful resources. Not only does this article point out useful resources, it also connects it to another article that explores the path that technology takes, putting Twitter at the beginning stages of a secure hold in the world of education.
- Does Social Learning have a future?. Describing how Neil Lasher went from nay-sayer to believer in the future of social learning.
The Future of Educators and the Classroom
The field of teaching and what happens in the classrooms is sure to be changing in the future. Learn what these people think this future may look like with these blog posts.
- What is the Future of Teaching?. If the future of education is free and online, what is the future of teaching? This article takes a stab at the answer.
- Building Classrooms without Walls. Discover the importance of a Personal Learning Network and how having one can work for you.
- Tomorrow’s Teacher, Tomorrow’s School. This blog post includes a video that describes how teachers and classrooms may look in the near future.
- The Truth About Teaching Online. Click on the link in this article title to learn all about online teaching. This style of teaching is sure to gain popularity as more and more schools go online.
- Part 4: What is happening with Teaching Jobs?. This post explores four ways districts can build better teams and stronger teachers.
- Newton lectured to empty rooms. This post urges teachers to move away from the boring lecture format to a more engaging style of teaching.
- The Retention Myth. Read this post for a thought-provoking idea on the problem of retaining science and math teachers.
- Learning from the Edges, Part 2: Technologies of Participation. Learn about the online museum learning experience and find resources as well in this post.
- 2020 Forecast: Creating the Future of Learning. See what the predictions are here for forces and trends that will shape the future of learning.
- After Years Of Toil, Sustaining Change In Education Still A Vexing Problem. Find out why change in education is difficult, scientists have discovered, and what educators are doing to help change the slow pace of change in education.
- At Your Fingers, and Oxford Don. Technology in education is bringing learning back to the one-on-one experience that succeeded for hundreds of years.
- Teaching Teachers to Teach With Tech: Enrollment Booming for New ‘Blended’ Degree at Concordia-Chicago. The days of teachers not embracing technology because they don’t understand it are numbered.
- Should Teachers Pursue Master’s Degrees?. Perhaps teachers of the future will be able to rely on the education they attained without needing to earn a Master’s degree.
- Future Trends: Education in America. Learn about the implementation of instructional coaches in the classroom and why this may be a new addition to the schools of the future.
About and From the Students
These posts offer a view of the future from the students or predict what might be the future role of students in their education.
- 21st Century Skills. Find out how critical thinking and problem solving must be taught along with technology in order to better prepare students for the future.
- “Visions 2020. 2: Student Views on Transforming Education Through Advanced Technologies Released”. This post links to a major study done that probes the future of education from students’ perspectives.
- Primary Cross Curricular – Tomorrow’s Teacher. Young students talk about what schools of the future might be like.
- Secondary Cross Curricular – Tomorrow’s Teacher. Take a look at what secondary students think will be the role of technology and teachers in education of the future.
- Are We Selling it to the Wrong People?. David Warlick explores the idea of students being included in the technology purchasing decisions made at schools.
- How to Choose an Online Charter School. Earning a high school diploma online is one of the latest trends and may be signaling the way of the future.
- Self Esteem: Part 1. This post explores the connection between low self-esteem and behavior issues and proposes that relying on teachers to raise self-esteem is not an effective method for modifying negative behavior.
- Future Trends that Impact Kids: From Social Networking to Teacher Attrition. Find out what this blogger feels will be impacting students in the future.
Libraries and Learning
Libraries are certainly undergoing massive change. See where they may be headed in the future with these posts.
- Future of Libraries Summit: A Crossroads of Budget Cuts, Service Demands, and Technology Needs. With libraries facing serious funding problems as well as losing patrons to technology, this article suggests libraries of the future move back one of their original intentions–a place to learn about local politics.
- Terminating Education. Examining such issues as aging books, out-of-date information, and lack of access to texts, this post considers a future without physical libraries at all.
- will libraries be around in 10 years? 20? 50?. Explore the impact of digital books on libraries and consider how this may change libraries of the future.
- Your Library Does Not End Here. Learn about ways libraries are going digital with this blog post.
- Article: Sustainability Challenge for Academic Libraries. Discover how libraries are going green and what future libraries may look like.
- Enjoying Your First Life? Why Not Add a Second? Developing Library Services in Second Life. This post offers an exciting look at how libraries may open up an entire virtual world through Second Life.
- The Library of the Future Series: Part 3 – The Electronic Outpost. Coffee shops, child care, gaming stations, movie theaters, and more are included in this peek into what future libraries may contain.
- The Library Web Site of the Future. Libraries themselves aren’t the only things changing. Find out how library websites will also need to adapt for the future.
- Imagining the Future of the School Library. Find out how school libraries will be changing to meet the evolving needs of 21st century students.
- Laura Solomon – Future of Librarians Interview. Laura Solomon discusses why libraries of the future should become involved in marketing and how they can do so.
- Relevancy of Libraries in the Future. Community, discovery, and editing are the three subjects in this post that explores how libraries should expand for the future.
- Panel Discussion: “Is There a Place for Media Specialists Who Don’t Know Social Media?”. Learn about the future of librarians, social media, and learning in this panel discussion with four librarians.
Green Education
From incorporating sustainability into education to creating green buildings, education is definitely headed to a greener future as you’ll learn from these selections.
- Just published: Good Practices for Education for Sustainable Development. Learn how schools can support sustainability with this publication.
- Is it getting cold in here?. This post features an online gaming activity that teaches about climate change and culminates in an actual climate change summit.
- Why Do We Accept Schools as Prisons?. Explore the relationship between education, nature, and the natural partnership between the two.
- Education for Sustainable Development for Child Education and Schools. Learn about this relatively new form of education that brings sustainable development into the forefront of education.
- Greening Our Schools – Transformative Education for Sustainability. Discover how GreenHearted.org is changing the approach to teaching sustainability through education.
- Blueprint for Green Schools. This post shares an award-winning essay from a student in Australia who offers suggestions for how to incorporate sustainability into curriculum.
- Milestones in Sustainability Education – Where Will We Go Next?. With the first graduates of degree-granting universities with degrees in sustainability, this post speculates on how this type of education will shape both sustainability and learning in the future.
- Road Trip! Creativity & Sustainability Part 3. Find out how creativity, and envisioning the future, lend to successful lessons in sustainability.
Vision
Learn what these visionaries expect for the future of learning from these posts.
- Chaos or First Step to Innovation?. Learn about the importance of opening you mind to possibilities beyond the status quo in promote innovation in this blog post.
- Hope for 21st Century Education. This video provides a powerful message about working to change the future of education for the students.
- The Flat Classrooms Debate, Live from Qatar and Philadelphia. Read about this debate on the Flat Classroom that took place in January 2009.
- How do you respond to someone who holds you back?. This post offers a reminder to embrace innovation even in the face of opposition.
- How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century. This post provides a link to a Time article that touches on important points about updating the current educational system.
- 9 Common Principles for 21st Century Schools. Read through these ideas of what will make powerful and effective learning environments.
- Education Needs to Be Turned on Its Head. Outlining the problems inherent in the current educational system, this article also goes on to describe how children can be taught well without losing their natural curiosity for learning.
Policy
Not much changes in education unless is comes from new policies. Find out what people are saying about policies that will shape the future of education here.
- Jacks of All Topics, Masters of None. Explore the benefits of deeper learning and how assessment tests move students away from this type of learning.
- Schools Taking a Bite Out of Lunch Time. Cutting lunch and recess to devote more time to study seems like a step in the wrong direction for many.
- Curricula: a short essay about education. This blogger suggests embracing a more natural style of teaching and learning to improve education in America.
- International Tests of Mystery. Take a look at how assessment testing can be done effectively with this post.
- Innovation And It’s Discontents. Get a collection of links to articles discussing innovation, teacher satisfaction, and private capital in education reform with this post.
- John Rawls is Twisting in His Grave. This post explores special education, its special needs, and the possibility of opportunities through the voucher system.
- Let’s just put them all in jail 24/7. This post advocates finding a better approach to education rather than extending the time students are in school.
- Education Reform and the Freedom to Mod. Andy Carvin attended Educon 2.1 conference earlier this year and reports back on what education reform looks like to many.
- Secretary Duncan Says Rewrite of ‘No Child Left Behind’ Should Start Now; Reauthorization Can’t Wait. No Child Left Behind Act has shaped education for years. Will there be sweeping changes to this law?
- The future of school policy, if Darling-Hammond has her way. Find out what this professor of education at Stanford believes is the way education policy should be shaped.
Education Funding
Find out what people are saying about education funding and where it may go in the future with these blog posts.
- Poverty and Education – The Challenge of Improving Schools. Students living in poverty face specific challenges that directly affect their learning. This post explores why standard assessment tools can’t accurately reflect the learning happening in low-income schools and what should change.
- Will There Be “Urban” Poverty in the Future? From the Inner-City to the Doughnut. Take a look at what happens when urban poverty spreads to the suburbs, where education costs more due to geographical issues such as sprawl and dependence on property tax for funding.
- Education is harder to steal (and therefore also harder to tax) than physical wealth. Based on a quote by Benjamin Franklin, this post explores taxation and education, specifically, funding education as a way to protect the individual.
- Work-Study Will Get a Boost. This post looks at an article in the New York Times and explores the idea of work-study programs and the benefit they bring to students in the long run.
- Education Publisher’s Perspectives on the Economic Downturn – Panel on Education Technology. Discover four learning publishers’ perspectives on the affect of the economic downturn on education technology.
- State Education Spending: Current Pressures and Future Trends. Take a look at this study that examines the future of state funding for education.
- Blog: K-12 Education funding, the twists of difficult decisions. With a slow economy and budget cuts coming, this Washington state senator asks for the people to consider what they are truly eliminating when cutting from the education budget.
- Funding the Education Status Quo. This blogger advocates applying strings to the money states get for education from the federal government to help improve the future of education.
- Funding Our Children’s Future. This economics professor writes about several factors to consider when thinking about funding education, including whether funding truly affects student outcomes and providing a decent salary to teachers.
- The Future of College Education?. Explore the possibility that college tuition will be forced to go down with the insight in this blog post.
