Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Do We Have the Right Models?

  • By Jerry Enderle
  • 11/01/17

I spent most of last week in Kansas City at the EDspaces Conference and Expo, the annual conference put on by the Education Market Association. The theme and main topic of discussion among the attendees was The Future of Education Facilities. No matter where you were, you heard discussions about how to accommodate 21-century teaching and learning models, collaboration, the classrooms of the future, and preparing students for the workplace. Granted, that is what we have been talking about for a while now, but when you have that many people gathering to work toward a common cause, you will almost always come away with some new insights, ideas and unique ways to address the issues. I wish there was enough space to cover all of the innovative ideas and solutions that I saw and heard there, but that would not fit in even several columns. So, I am going to focus on just one of the presentations.

On Thursday morning, Jaime Casap, Google Education Evangelist, spoke at the Plenary Session. The title of his talk was “Iteration and Innovation in Education.” The reason I was affected by what he said is that I spend my time focusing on the mechanics and background forces that are, and will be, of great importance as we continue to improve the learning environment. But are we also considering some of the realities and asking all of the right questions? Here are a few of his thoughts that struck home with me.

  • The education system isn’t broken — you and I are proof of that — but we need to look at what is right with the present system and continue to tweak it.
  • Today’s students are members of the first true tech generation and their concept of learning is different. We must figure out how to take advantage of that?
  • In a world of constant iteration we need to teach critical thinking skills and we need to be teaching collaboration.
  • Predicting the ideal future classroom is not possible because the elements that will be involved have not yet been created.
  • Transformation has no end point, just a next version, and a next version, and a next version.
  • The future starts tomorrow.

It sounds to me like it starts right now.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Kimball International Releases Curated Design Support Program

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of a new end-to-end design support program, DesignSuite. According to a news release, its goal is to guide architecture & design professionals and dealer partners through the process from vision to specification.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • FGCU Breaks Ground on New Health Sciences Building

    Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has launched construction on a major new academic facility that leaders say will reshape healthcare education in Southwest Florida for decades to come, according to university news.