Today’s learners are not the same as yesteryear’s. When the current education system was founded during the Industrial Revolution, it was exactly what the country needed. Giving a set of clear structure to a system that was desperate for guidelines gave schools and teachers common goals, a major improvement over the previous schoolhouse Lone-Ranger approach. The education system took the best part of the rise of industry and implemented it into action so that American citizens could rise above the rest of the world, educating the masses. That system was effective for decades. But, just as the automobile factory has adjusted over time to accommodate newer models of vehicle, so should education move forward to create a new system that utilizes the technology we’ve worked so hard to develop.
Whether we like it or not, our world has undergone a massive revolutionary change. The introduction of the internet to public use transformed the way we research. Instead of traveling to physical libraries, many students choose to conduct research through online catalogue systems. Using web browsers, people can also easily find articles relevant to their question. Today’s students have never had the experience of trying to research with only hard copy books at their disposal. In fact, readers don’t ever have to hold a hard copy of a book in their hands anymore, because they can access resources within seconds by downloading the text onto their tablet or e-reader.
Technology has not just affected the way we communicate, but it has also affected the job market. The fact is, most jobs are not based in manual, factory labor anymore. Most careers are founded on intellect. Even a modern car mechanic has to undergo specialized training to handle the computer systems built into cars. Farmers don’t milk their cows by hand anymore, they attach machines to do the milking, allowing farms to produce more. Our world is different, the jobs are different. Yet, eduction remains stalwartly unchanged.
Human systems dynamics recognizes that changes in context causes the need for change to a system. In this case, a change has occurred in our culture- the introduction of computer technology, and its integration into our real world communication. Learning can and should be interative. As we learn new thing, as we identify and develop new technology, it should be used to modify our current practices. We are in a new cycle of education, one that needs to be change to fit the current context. In order to advance beyond the problem that is our broken education system, we must acknowledge that the world has change. Once we do that, we can take action to improve it. (To learn more about human systems dynamics, visit http://www.hsdinstitute.org/).
note: This blog was written after the first day of the Human Systems Dynamic Institute: Transforming Lives Workshop. HSD was founded by Dr. Glenda Eoyang, and the workshop was taught by her sisters, Dr. Royce Holladay and Dr. Leslie Patterson.
Well said!
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