The Future
"The pace of change is mandating that we produce a faster, smarter, better grade of human being. Current systems are preventing that from happening. Future education system will be unleashed with the advent of a standardized rapid courseware-builder and a single point global distribution system." Thomas Frey, Executive Director and Senior Futurist at the DaVinci Institute, February 2007.
The Change Is Coming
Thomas Frey, founder of the DaVinci Institute, has a vision. He sees a radical shift beginning in the world of education within two years--which would be 2009. While many are debating vouchers, No Child Left Behind, teacher shortages, grading systems, teacher certification, parental involvement, truancy and dropouts, Frey is thinking out of the box..."Star Trek type" out of the box. Frey believes that in two years private funding will cause disruptive education systems to emerge. And, in 5 years, there will be dramatic changes...dramatic.
Courseware-Builder
This is a $100 word that can be confusing. What is it? Frey believes that technology will drive the future and that items like iTunes and Amazon will determine the vehicle for education. Courseware-Builder will be the software that makes education possible on any conceivable topic. Frey believes that many companies will compete for the market but that one will come out the winner. Then, the consumer will select an education that suits personal needs.
Blast From The Past
Mathematics is a critical component in a successful society. Greek civilization was famous for math--Archimedes, Pythagoras, Euclid, Hipparchus, Posidonius and Ptolemy all furthered math concepts. When the Romans became the dominant force on earth, they did not focus on mathematics. The Romans had the Roman numerals system which made little sense. It prevented the Romans from furthering the mathematics that the Greeks built. Unfortunately, the Romans were not aware that their "system" was holding back progress.
Fast Forward To Today
Frey points out systems that we have today that prevent our society from achieving great things. Like the Romans, we have systems today that are holding us back.
- Income Tax System. Frey states that our present income tax system is the anchor that prevents a boat from sailing...the elephant in the living room...the albatross around our necks. The tax code is approximately 64,000 pages long and chokes the brightest and the best to a grinding halt.
- Half-Implemented Metric System. With the rest of the world on metric, we cling to our feet, yards, and gallons. Why?
- Keyboards. Frey maintains that computer keyboards are highly inefficient. The most used keys should be placed in different locations. Having the most used keys placed randomly on the keyboard is highly ineffective.
- Laws. The U.S. has more laws on the books than any other country in the history of the world. No one really knows how many laws we have on the federal level, state level, local level, ordinances, rules and regulations. It is enough to choke any society.
U.S. Is Not Alone
Another society that is not moving forward as it could is China. The Chinese alphabet has 47,035 characters. So much time is spent learning all the characters, that time is wasted. It could be used more effectively learning other things.
Frey calls for the reinvention of societies. Future articles will examine the new look of education according to Frey. This is the introductory article that will lead us on the journey to the future of education.
Continuing article on the future of education: Changing Education, Education Roadblocks and Gaps, Paradigm Shift in Learning, Future Look of Education, Confidence Based Learning, Education and Society Are Changing.
[Source: Thomas Frey, with permission.]
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2007 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
Barbara Pytel - Email me Experience Although I was never particularly fond of going to school as an ELL student, I ironically became a teacher, ...
