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Where do you see our future classrooms heading?

• I see classrooms that continue to incorporate technology and curriculums will call for more tech to better prepare students for the reality of tomorrow. We already see tech integration, but it comes with a caveat. Many educators did not grow up with technology in the classroom. This may lead to reluctance. As younger educators join the workforce, they will bring minimal teaching experience, but roughly two decades of tech experience. They will be masters at a tool, one that will be continually ingrained into classrooms. I think the classroom will remain traditional in many aspects. Flexible seating will be a norm, along with student autonomy, but these will take a back seat to the increasing trend of a digital classroom.

What kind of learning environment do you think the next generation would learn best?

• I hinted at this above, but I think one that looks like a traditional classroom, but with more freedoms inside the walls. Students want a voice and choice with their education. When they walk in a room, they want to sit where they are most comfortable. Students want to showcase their learning using tools and methods they feel passionate about. Past learning environments focus more on the teacher being a sage on the stage. The modern classroom takes the guide on the side approach, providing students with direction and assistance, but also enabling to foster their own learning through collaboration and self-reliance.

If funding weren’t an issue, what kind of hardware/software should all students have access to?

• I think, ideally, schools would be one-to-one with hardware. For example, all students would receive a laptop to use daily. I also think educators should be provided with tablets. As teachers navigate the room to assist students, a tablet with learning materials as a visual reference would be a lot of help. I often think how I need to run back to the front of the room to point at something on a board or screen. Instead, having these materials at your fingertips provides a more intimate experience that can personalize the learning even further. Lastly, more software options would provide the ability for student choice. Often schools will invest in one software when there are several options. While this is still a huge plus for the district, it limits the use of other similar applications. Again, more options creates more choices and thus provides students with various means to showcase learning.

What consideration would you give to teacher training and keeping up with current trends?

• I think the biggest consideration for teacher training takes a reverse approach. Often new teachers will have a mentor teacher. This teacher provides much of the district know how for the first year. This educator assists with lesson planning, behaviors, etc. Instead of just a traditional mentor, why not have a tech mentor as well? Teachers can get paired up with a coworker that is well-versed in teach integration. They can also be from the same department which will provide grounds for easier lesson integration. This promotion of collaboration can also assist the teacher provide the technology needs, as they may get content and lesson materials from their partner teacher. This is just one of the many possible ways tech-integration can be promoted in education.

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Where do you see our future classrooms headed?

I see classrooms as constantly evolving and believe that we as educators need to brace ourselves and our profession for the inevitable increase of technology integration into the daily routine of the classroom. Technology is already something that is ever-present in the learning environment and has been for decades, however classrooms of the future will increasingly be using technology to supplement and diversify the learning environment in amazing ways. Things like A.I., Augmented Reality, Gamification, and Student led learning will help students and teachers personalize learning styles that will focus on individuals and support growth for all learners at the same time. I do see the need for significant exposure to cyber safety lessons incorporated into future classrooms in order to ensure that learners are equipped to safely navigate a learning environment with internet/technology-based learning.

What kind of learning environment do you think the next generation would learn best?

I think the next generation would benefit from a blended learning environment that focuses on real world skills with technology incorporated into the learning when appropriate and meaningful. The boom in technology integration over the last two decades has been something that has changed the classroom and will continue to change the classroom environment as time goes on. I believe that we as educators must be the leaders in deciding how and what technology is used in our classroom spaces and what we want our learner’s relationship to technology to be. I do believe that students can benefit greatly from a blended learning environment but not without the need for time away from technology throughout the school day, so as not to foster a dependence that can lead to unhealthy habits or a lack of learning.

If funding were not an issue, what kind of hardware/software should all students have access to?

I believe if funding were not an issue, all students should have access to internet/Wi-Fi within the learning environment and the hardware to access it (iPad, Laptop, Tablet, etc.). Learning with technology, should be something that all students have equal access to no matter the level of complexity. Ideally students would have access to innovative technology that would allow for interactive and engaging learning of the world around them.

What consideration would you give to teacher training and keeping up with current trends?

The importance of teacher training in relation to technology trends is something that is often overlooked in many districts. I feel that if teachers are given training and exposed to current trends, they are given the chance to broaden their toolkit and making the learning environment they create a more engaging and relevant place.

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Where do you see our future classrooms? Classrooms continue to change on a regular basis to try and keep up with the emergiving and advancements on technology. Things are moving fast! So depending on your resources of your district, your classroom might look different from others. But based of the trends in my district, I think it is moving in the direction of using technology to have student led learning and Life skills and workforce preparation.
What Kind of learning environment do you think the next generation would learn best? I think direct instruction in person is the best way for students to learn. If we took anything away from Covid, students struggled without live instruction and social interactions. I think with that being said, based on the 8 futures of the classroom, I think students would be best in a student led learning or a collaborative classroom.
What kind of hardware/software should all students have access to? I think all students need access to quality internet and wifi. They also need a computer of some sort that can access their school's program of choice like google. I also think teachers need adequate resources to create these technology based assignments/projects for the students. Some of that would involve being taught this new technology and is every growing and advancing. Every other year it feels like we have a new flavor and districts say this is the best way to reach students for success, then switch it before we can get quality data.
What consideration would you give to a teacher training and keeping up with current trends?
My advice would be not to try to do ALL of the technology. There is so much out there that it can get overwhelming. Master a few each year. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions to administrators, colleagues, and even students. They are all resources of knowledge on how to use technology and will have certain apps mastered.

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Where do you see our future classrooms headed?
•Our classrooms have been evolving for a while now, yet many teachers have not changed how they teach.  It is important to have the training and knowledge for educators.  I feel that our classrooms need to be more student led in their learning.  I have seen students become more apathetic about their learning and although many teachers are working overtime to engage the students, there are many other distractions that children find more interesting and discourage them from being curious about the world around them.  I would also like to see more classrooms offering life skills and work force preparation.  It is important to become a well rounded citizen and learn about the world, yet many people don't have basic skills that are needed to survive.  I feel that the Google articles mentioned several of these items and I felt that to be inspiring.
What kind of learning environment do you think the next generation would learn best?• I feel that an environment that allows students to feel safe and excited to learn would be ideal.  A place where children can work together, yet feel free to be creative.  An environment that has them looking forward to finding out why things are the way they are and how they can connect with it.
If funding weren’t an issue, what kind of hardware/software should all students have access to?•
An ideal situation would be equal access to quality computers and the internet that allows the student to explore the world around them.
What consideration would you give to teacher training and keeping up with current trends?
Teachers need to be able to have the time and resources available to want to keep up with the current trends.  There is so much technology and new apps and resources that it can feel overwhelming.  It might be beneficial to give incentives to continue to learn and train for our students.  Many teachers must pay for additional education to learn about the technology and it can be frustrating to need the education, but to have to pay for it themselves.

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What is my vision for the future of ed tech in my specific classroom?  That's a tough question to answer.  Everyone has a thought on what life will be like next year, in the next 5 years, or over the next decade, but one thing I think we have all learned from teaching over the last few years is that whatever you assume is going to happen probably won't.  So expect the unexpected!

With the onset of AI resources like ChatGPT, I think that is the future, and to me that thought is fairly clear.  There is no avoiding it anymore.  Anyone can use it whenever they want.  I think what is important is to learn how we can best harness all of this evolving technology that can learn itself and determine the best applications of it.

I was on a social media ap earlier this week and saw how I can use AI to create an animated poster using Adobe Express, the program i just reviewed. It was awesome!  On the same ap just a few minutes later I wateched a teacher explain how they actaully had their students use chaptGPT to write a paper.  The students had to research their project and create and outline with sources and information and the likes that would go into a paper, but then instead they imported the outline into the AI and the AI wrote the paper.  Then, they would review the paper and edit it to make sure it flowed and followed their outline.  And as you might think, they also had the option to just write the paper themselves.  AI doesn't have to be the enemy. People were afraid that the calculator would stop kids from needing to learn math, now we can easy tell our students that the calculator only answers the questions we ask it, but you have to know the right question to ask.

It's all really just food for thought. As i said earlier, who truly knows what the future is going to bring? All i know is that I will make sure I'm willing to adapt to it.

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Where do you see our future classrooms headed?

I agree with Google’s research identifying 8 emerging trends in K-12 Education (Google, 2018). Stronger global connection in the educational leadership community with emerging leaders from the USA, UK, SWEDEN, FINLAND, SPAIN, NEW ZEALAND, BRAZIL, GERMANY, JAPAN, MEXICO, ITALY, AUSTRALIA, NORDICS.

What kind of learning environment do you think the next generation would learn best? A technology-rich integrated, student-collaborative, accessible, and flexible learning environment would be the best for the next generation. This will include AI teaching assistants, open space flexible seating options, flipped classroom model for stronger focus on higher-order tasks, AR/VR student-led activities, explorations, and more.

If funding weren’t an issue, what kind of hardware/software should all students have access to? Combo Tech Pack for all students: Smartphone/iPad and Laptop OR Smartphone/iPad and Desktop; Paid Grammarly account; Pro Canva Account; 3D Printer; Monthly tech subscription budget per classroom team learning pods. AR & VR hardware and software for geography and cultural experiences

Tech Integration into classroom doors/windows/panic buttons for egress, security, and safety of students and staff.

Social Emotional Learning Apps that integrate emotional intelligence through cultural understanding by way of AR/VR cultural explorations.

Student Transport & Meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Accelerated Academics to include career/industry learning, monthly field trips in real-world settings to perpetual college and career readiness.

Paid (pre-internships) for 7-8 graders and (paid internships) for 9-12 graders to include mentors, a personal finance class, and earning $1,000-$5,000 over the course of one school year with summer options.

What consideration would you give to teacher training and keeping up with current trends? As a US-based Educator, I would create Regional and National Teacher Learning Pods to address the Google and Canvas8 collaborative Global Report findings that only 10% of US K-12 teachers are secure to integrate high-level technology in their classrooms and 79% seek training regimens to learn the tech tools (Google, 2018). I would invest a strong focus into Teacher Training in Tech Trends. Teachers will teach and be the students as others teach to experience the end user interface within a blended learning space. We will build their tech integration capacity and confidence!

References
Google for Education. (2018). Future of the Classroom Emerging Trends in K-12 Education Global Edition. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/classoftmrw

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I think our future classrooms are headed to more immersive learning. Since there is new technology that is being created constantly, such as AR and AI, it will definitely be put into the classroom, sooner rather than later.  I have hopes that classrooms will still be "traditional"--students going in to school, but still have technology within the curriculum. In my opinion, students still need the interactions with their peers. This can still be successful then switching to full virtual learning. If funding weren't an issue, I would like to have all students have access to high-speed internet. In my district, there is a 1:1 for students having Chromebooks. Students are able to take their school-issued Chromebook home to complete classwork. However, f they do not have access to quality internet, it would be hard for them to fully complete their work. I would also want students to have access to VR technologies. VR is going to be more refined through the years, so having young students utilize this technology would only have them be more technological literate. I would advise teachers to be open to any and all technological advances within the classroom. It is so important for us as educators to have an open mind for resources. I would create an ongoing PD that would be relevant for teachers with the use of technology. There are many teachers that are hesitant to use some technology, but we are teaching the future, so students need to have access to resources that are useful for years to come.

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• Where do you see our future classrooms headed?

I am afraid of what our future classrooms are heading towards.  As we all know, the evolution of education is happening faster than most people can keep up with.  I am a lifelong learner and over the past 23 years have been obsessed with technology and how it can enhance education and librarianship. However, I am finding the evolution happening so fast that we are losing track of not just what technologies are available but its ethical usage as well as the appropriate developmental markers for children's learning. I have students coming to me in high school unable to alphabetize, and lacking fine motor skills such as gluing with glue sticks and cutting with scissors because they have only been taught how to click and drag on a computer and being trained in digital design.  During COVID I looked in on the elementary library students my assistant was assigned to only to find them crying because they were required (by the district) to only work on "Typing without Tears" and only perked up when she had a book waiting to be read to them which she technically was not allowed to be doing per district requirements.  What I am seeing/fearing is education becoming completely automated without an educator's oversight.

• What kind of learning environment do you think the next generation would learn best?

I feel that the best environment for the next generation to learn in would be one that is appropriately balanced in content that allows students to investigate their strengths and weaknesses. I believe that technology plays a strong role in the classroom because we are teaching students to live and work in a world that does not yet exist, but we should be most focused on content, ethics, and peer interaction.

• If funding weren’t an issue, what kind of hardware/software should all students have access to?

I believe that students should be allowed equal access to a district's chosen mode of technology integration. If money were not an issue, I would want all students to have a school-issued and maintained laptop (Chromebooks are great but can be restrictive in their abilities). Additionally, I would love to see all urban and suburban areas provide citywide wifi access so connectivity would not be an issue. For the rural areas I would recommend hotspots provided to all families by the district. I also believe that students should have access to a digital learning lab that includes everything from AR/VR, programming software, and maker technology such as 3D printing, embroidery, sublimation, vinyl cutting technologies. Additionally, students should have free access to all relevant research resources and online learning platforms to allow students to continue investigating their interests beyond the assigned classroom curriculum.

• What consideration would you give to teacher training and keeping up with current trends?

I enjoy teaching staff about new and upcoming trends in technology. I have taught over 200 PD sessions over the past 10 years. My personal observations are that adult learners know when they are ready to learn something new and when they are, they need to be allowed the opportunity to take the courses offered to them or seek out the coursework that will best suit their learning needs and abilities. When developing a course of action for teaching emerging technologies, staff need to have the opportunity to learn about the possibilities available to them in a general session. From there they need to be able to choose what they feel will best enhance the content they teach and be offered learning opportunities that will best help them learn the new technology. This could be through an in-person deep-dive session where they have the opportunity to learn all pieces and parts of the technology as well as the opportunity to develop an artifact to take back to their classrooms. This could also be through online learning avenues. Overall, teachers need to be ready to learn, allowed to learn in the style that best suits them as a learner, and be given the opportunity with coaching available upon request to demonstrate and attempt new things in their classrooms.