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‘Schools will become learning networks’

The World Innovation Summit for Education (Wise), the leading global initiative driving innovation and collaboration in education, recently revealed the results of a survey conducted among its global community of experts, and revealed their perspectives on what schools will look like in 2030.

Key findings show that education systems are predicted to undergo major changes. Schools will become interactive environments where innovations in technology and curricula will fundamentally transform the role of teachers and reshape the landscape of learning.

The survey reveals a strong consensus around the idea that innovation is an integral part of the future of education. A resounding 93 per cent of the experts say they favour schools that implement innovative methods based on new teaching approaches and creative processes.

Experts from the Wise community predict that schools will evolve to become learning networks. Online resources and technologies will support peer-to-peer networking, dialogue and exchange, facilitating a move towards collaborative learning.

According to the survey, almost half of the experts (43 per cent) believe that content will be provided predominantly by online platforms, while only 29 per cent ranked brick-and-mortar schools as the primary source of knowledge. However, experts emphasised that innovation comes in many forms, not just technological.

Seventy five per cent of experts surveyed believe that the most valued assets in 2030 will be personal and interpersonal skills. Only 42 per cent think that academic knowledge will continue to be valuable to learners.

Eighty three per cent of experts also believe that content will become more individualised, reflecting each student’s needs. Another key finding supports the evolution of the teacher’s role towards being a learning facilitator rather than a lecturer. Experts also agree that physical presence and human interaction will remain indispensable to education in the future.

Experts remain divided on the issue of certification and assessment; 39 per cent think that diplomas will continue to be the most important method of assessment while another third (37 per cent) argue that professional certifications assessing abilities such as management, collaboration or creativity will play a more important role.

The ‘2030 School Survey’ was conducted between June 3 and 30 among 645 experts representative of the global Wise community, which comprises more than 15,000 individuals. The survey results have been released ahead of the 2014 Wise Summit, which will be held in Doha, Qatar from November 4 to 6.

muaz@khaleejtimes.com