Looking ahead at 2032

Looking ahead at 2032

When one looks at how people think and learn one sees clear differences. Although it is conceivable that science may one day show that there is a "best way," no such conclusion seems to be on the horizon. Moreover, even if there were, individuals might prefer to think in their own way rather than in the "best way."

Situating Constructionism (Papert et. al.)

I think that with growing populations and limited resources, the need for students of the future to acquire certain new skill-sets may emerge. These may include project-based learning; inter-disciplinary skills and communication skills, for success at the workplace across disciplines.

Preliminary research by the National Research Council (NRC) suggests that teaching critical thinking skills should be possible through the process of science/math, or through literacy/writing. This is because both processes aim to establish a logical flow in argument, albeit in very different, yet converging ways. For high school and college students, learning to critically evaluate scientific research may be enhanced by reading popular science articles in responsible media (Discover magazine or the Scientific American), that aims to dissect issues by offering multiple points of view on it, while remaining unbiased.

Another idea in this context is the setting up of Third Spaces (informal learning spaces), if not Makerspaces in larger numbers so that we can be more conscious of the cross-fertilization between students of different cultures, with their unique histories and between students and their socio-cultural environments. The Third Space seems to create a learning opportunity for the sharing of knowledge either as an addition to the classroom space, or as an alternative where peer teaching can occur via a democratic discussion. The collaborative and informal angle to this creative learning could also enhance the learning process across peer groups, schools, families and communities.

A third challenge in STEM Education that I think needs to be addressed is the need for better student motivation. The lighting of a spark, so that they can tap into their curiosity and potential and help themselves. To do this, what comes to mind is something along the lines of a ‘help educators to help students’ strategy. While there are many ways to achieve this, personalized learning (for example the idea of telling people’s stories via design thinking or other creative media).