Data enables learners to find answers and education for themselves.

Education Change and Challenge

Darren Cannel

     “In education the use it or lose it may mean, if you don't use technology for learning. You may lose relevance. An educator must be relevant. The students we are teaching today are an instant pudding, drive through, microwave download-it-from-the Internet, media driven generation. Therefore, teachers must be innovative to keep their interest and to inspire in them a creative curiosity." Darren is right if we put a teacher from 100 years ago into today's class, he could not skip a beat and he would be lost. Honestly, when I first came to study in America, I was shocked and overwhelmed by the technologies I was required to use school's system like ublearns to submit assignment, to study in a group by using Google Docs and creating blogs for my future students. However, I have to learn new educational technologies, since it is the trend for nowadays' and future's education. If I don't learn new educational technologies, I will not be relevant and lose connection with my students. I cannot be a qualified and helpful teacher.

The Future of Learning,  Networked Society

Ericsson

     “Teachers do not need to answer questions since answers are everywhere. From years’ measurements learners can find the answers for themselves.” I feel it is really true. Because now when I do not understand something, I will Google it to find answers. I will also watch YouTube and even use Facebook to contact with friends from all over the world to help me solve problems. There are a lot of useful sources to get answers instead of just asking teachers and wise people now. I notice that for my generation, if I cannot solve problems by myself through seeking answers from Internet, I will be laughed at and I cannot further pursue my study.

     Connect to learn: "Connectivity is actually opening up the world. The students can actually now communicate with other students, say in London.” I agree with that education is limited by what teachers can tell students and the teachers are limited by the information, which the limited amounts of textbooks provide. I am impressed by the village--Bonsaaso, which is located in Ghana opened up connectivity with the world. Students start seeing world in different ways. They are more exposed to information and knowledge. It is true that as long as there is a network, there is a hope that any place can connect with the world and children can get education. In China, there are so many villages like Bonsaaso. Since the living and teaching conditions are so bad that few teachers are willing to give up great opportunities to teach in big cities. People who live in these villages become poorer and poorer and they cannot change both their and their children’s lives. Every time when I hear this kind of news, I feel heartbroken. However, it is really hard to change this reality. I don’t blame the teachers who don’t want to teach in remote areas. Since everyone has the rights to choose their lives which they want to have. But children who grow up in these areas do need education. From this video I think if Chinese government can develop network in remote areas, children can gain the opportunity to study and change their lives by themselves. And I am willing to make my best effort to teach students from these remote and backward regions through Internet.

     Honestly, I don't realize online education websites enable children from poor family to get free education until I get to know some great websites like Knewton and Coursera. These websites are awesome since more and more children will get opportunities to study and make themselves become better. These children can also interact with other learners from online learning communities, which are same as on campus learning communities. These websites also have designed individual classes for individuals. I agree that different students learn in different ways. Teachers cannot ask each students learn in the same way from a class which has 60 students. Therefore, these websites make more students to have interest and motivation to learn. I have a friend, who is very creative and smart cannot good scores from her major. I notice that she cannot sit in the classroom for a whole day, however, she learns more efficiently by learning from the website like Coursera or reference books. After watching this week's videos, I am more sure that students learn in different ways. I also encourage her to keep on studying in the ways which work for her and do not compare herself with others. I believe one day she will get better scores.