To be effective in 2025...

In 2025 many things about schools (structure, curriculum and pedagogy) should change for schools to be effective.  For schools to be successful in 2025 the structure needs to completely different.  It is going to become increasingly more important for schools to be restructured.  Currently the education system is not always functional.  I believe that as collaborative learning, and theme based learning becomes more and more important the structure of schools will have to change.  It is going to become harder and harder for teachers to be evaluated solely on standardized tests.  There is going to need to be a principle for the school, an Assistant Principle to handle students and disciple, and then another assistant principle solely for teachers.  This principle will be in charge of teachers and reviews/evaluations.  This principle will also help teachers with personal development.  This restructuring is much more aligned to the structure of corporations.  Teachers are going to need to be innovative, and creative in the future.  To be successful in this they will not only need support but also a new way to rating/evaluating success.  

Curriculum needs to not be so standard based in the future but theme based.  As the video talked about, projects and cooperative learning works best for students.  This is very hard to do with standardized tests only.  Schooling will need to be more project, technology, and cooperative based.  These projects will help students remember what they learn.  These projects will also allow students to connect and find meaning in the subject.  In 2025 it is going to be imperative that learning is relevant for the future.  Student will need to understand themes and how subjects relate and go together.  This is more easily done through projects and cooperative learning instead of standardized testing and fast paced “crammed learning.”


From the video, it was clear to see in PA’s schools that project based learning helped student learn much more than in school where they learn quickly and then forget it.  Projects allow students to be focused and invested in a certain project.  Instead of cramming for a short test and forgetting the information as soon as the test is over, projects allow for students to truly become invested in the subject matter.  In addition to students becoming invested in the subject matter through projects, projects also allow for deeper learning.  Student will not just learn surface information for the test, but truly develop skills and knowledge that is memorable. 
Students will also need to learn using must more technology.  Their world moves so much faster and their attention is shorter. They understand technology and use it in their lives so often that to get the most out of their education they need to use technology in the classroom as well.  They also need to learn how to use technology because the world in 2025 will be all technology. Technology is a way to connect to students and is the way that students will need to connect to the world.  

In addition to the three reasons listed above, a simple logistical change that will need to be made for the other two to be successful: theme and not standards based learning.  Standards based learning is too quick for the collaborative and project based learning to truly work.  The reality is that student will learn the “standard” but in a different order, time, and way.