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Future Vision for Education: Trends Affecting the Future of Education

Tommy Hamlin
EDU505: Future of Education
Prof. Rebecca Waters
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Future Vision for Education: Trends Affecting the Future of Education

The goal of this paper is to present trends that are currently affecting education and

discuss the impact that these trends will have on the development of a Future Vision for

Education at Orchard Elementary School. The trends identified in this paper will include

educational technology trends, economic/budgetary and public policy trends, and demographic

trends.

Educational Technology Trends

An increase demand for educational technology is one trend that is impacting education

today. P say The field of educational technology is expanding, and researchers now ask

questions about where will technology take us in the decades to come (p.16). The development

of new technology will need to be considered when planning a Future Vision for Education at

Orchard School. The technology available now will only improve in the next five years.
The implementation of a student centric education plan is another educational trend that

will require the use of technology. Leer, et al (2013) notes Implementing student centric

education in conjunction with possible future advances in technology may help education

institutions do away with rigid class time requirements and allow students to have more time for

meaningful projects (p.17). This trend directly correlates to the use of adaptive learning

technologies that will be identified in the Future Vision for Education at Orchard School.
A third trend impacting technology in education is the growing priority that is being

placed on utilizing technology in the classroom. Technology can be an incredibly powerful tool

in assisting students to learn in a way that suits them best, but administrators must be careful not

to give greater priority to having technology than to using it effectively (Leer, et al, p. 18). This

quote emphasizes the importance of understanding the how and not just the what. This will need

to be considered in the Future Vision for Education at Orchard School.

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Economic/Budgetary and Public Policy Trends

Glenn (2014) identifies several important economic trends that will have a significant

impact on education in the future. A web-connected world (Glenn, p.19) is one such trend.

There has been a significant increase in the amount of people that have access to the internet in a

short amount of time. The internet provides access to nearly infinite information. As more

people gain access to the internet, this trend has the potential to change not only education, but

the world. With the cost of internet access decreasing, we will see it being used in more parts of

the world, and in schools with limited budgets. Five years from now, these advances will have a

profound influence on how Orchard School will educate children. With more children having

access to the internet in their home, teachers will be able to assign homework, projects and even

communicate with families differently.

Changing energy needs is another trend identified by Glenn (2014). With the

technological advances that will be surfacing in education, the power supply required cannot be

overlooked. Computers, smartboards, tablets, and personal devices all need a power source

which will come at a cost. When considering a Future Vision for Education, the upfront cost for

these devices is not the only thing that needs to be taken into account. The additional power

needed by the frequent use of these devices will incur a substantial cost over the course of a

school year. This cost will come at the expense of the tax payers or another program that is

already being funded. The development of efficient energy sources can combat this.
A third economic tend that will impact the future of education is the continuing

population increase. The In states The UNs mid-range forecast is that the worlds population,

which now totals 7.2 billion people, will number 9.6 billion by 2050 (p. 19). With the growing

population, schools, class sizes and school budgets will also need to grow. This will play a role

in the Future Vision for Education at Orchard. When looking five years into the future, the
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predicted student population must be used to consider costs rather than the current student

population. This will provide a more accurate representation of what is actually feasible.

Demographic Trends

Demographic trends have also been identified as a key factor impacting the future of

education. Public schools in the US have become much more diverse in the last 20 years. This

continuing trend has many benefits but also presents a few challenges. Yates (2008) gives

detailed analysis of the changing demographics and the implications for public schools. It was

noted that students of diverse cultural and ethnical backgrounds have an increased disposition to

underperform in a public-school setting. This tells us that schools have failed to address the fact

that students from different cultural backgrounds may have different academic obstacles. This

trend will be relevant to developing a Future Vision for Education at Orchard School because

although Orchard may not be very diverse in comparison to many other parts of the country, it is

one of the most diverse communities in the state of Vermont.

Mackey, Reese and Mackey (2011) identify home-schooling as another increasing trend

in the US. Mackey, et al (2011) found that academic content and Concern over academic

instruction in other schools (p. 138) as two of the main reasons influencing parents decision to

home-school their child. This may be happening for a variety of reasons but a likely factor is

that the increasing population, with no change to the infrastructure, has resulted in larger class

sizes, thus, less individualized attention for each child. Many families may feel that they could

provide a better education in the home. This will be relevant to the Future Vision of Education at

Orchard as one piece of technology presented will be adaptive learning technologies. This tech

could have two possible affects. On the one hand, it could restore confidence in the school and

content delivery as children would be getting personalized instruction. However, this technology

could also allow students to learn from home using the same software.
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Shresthra and Heisler (2011) discuss the relevance of medical advances and the resulting

increase in the median age in the US. This change could have a significant impact on education.

In general, a young population structure is seen in countries experiencing high fertility

and rapid population growth, and the relevant policy considerations are whether there are

sufficient schools and, later, enough jobs and housing to accommodate them. On the other

hand, critical policy challenges in countries with old population structures are to

develop retirement and health systems to serve the older population, often with

simultaneous reductions in the number of working-age persons to support them.

(Shresthra, et al, p. 13).

An older population could lead to a decrease in funding for public schools which will

limit what schools can provide for students. This will impact the access to some of the

technology outlined in the Future Vision for Education for Orchard School.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many current trends that would impact the future of education.

Trends in educational technology, economics and public policy, and demographics are going to

shape this future. In order to generate an accurate vision for the future of education, these

variables must be taken into consideration.

References

Glenn, J. (2014). Our Global situation and prospects for the future. The Futurist. September-

October, 15-21.
Leer, R., Ivanov, S. (2013). Rethinking the future of learning: posibilities and limitations of

technology in education in the 21st century. International Journal of Organizational

Innovation. Vol 5 (4), 14-20.

Mackey,. W., Reese, K., Mackey, W.C. (2011). Demographics of a home schooler a regional
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analysis within the national parameters. Education, 132 (1), 133-140.

Shrestha, L. B. & Heisler, E. J. (2011). The changing demographic profile of the United States.

[Electronic version]. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service.

Yates, J. R. (2008). Demographic imperatives for educational reform for culturally and

linguistically diverse students. Multiple Voices For Ethnically Diverse Exceptional

Learners, 11(1), 4-12.