An interesting dichotomy exists in our society between how teachers are represented within traditional forms of media. Film/TV have typically depicted teachers as walking on holy ground having earned the respect and admiration of students particularly those on the margins. Think of To Sir with Love, Dead Poets Society or Goodbye Mr Chips. Then there are the … More The X-factor
The industrial model of schooling is characterised by its efficiency of processing children through the system en masse. That is why the model has been easy to replicate over the decades and why its processes and structures still dominate today. We have come to rely (almost blindly) on its efficiency at the expense of effectiveness … More The end of efficiency
I had the pleasure of speaking at the 2017 Edutech conference in Sydney recently. The conference is a ‘finger on the pulse’ on what is happening in schooling and the trends that are shaping the educational landscape. Interesting isn’t it that we live at a time where we have moved on from talking about trends … More What do mega-trends mean for schooling?
It seems almost everyone is aboard the STEM train and it has left the station. Governments have been extolling the virtues of STEM across K-12 schooling and the need for it to be taught in engaging and interesting ways. In my four decades of working in education, I’ve never seen an acronym like this that … More The STEM train
As educators we’ve always tried to minimise the impact of disruption to learning and teaching. Yet we live in an age of (digital) disruption and the rapid onset of more powerful and converging technologies compel us to adapt and respond in today’s world. As new technologies connect and personalise how we live, work and learn in powerful ways, … More Schooling 4.0
At the start of each school year, our school leadership teams gather to reflect on the work and remind ourselves of our why. A key focus for our system leaders this year is school attendance. We need every student showing up every day in order for them to receive a quality and relevant educational experience. We often … More Creating citizen scholars
I was interested to read a recent report that Singapore schools will ease their focus on exam results in order to foster teacher/student innovation and creativity. Singapore’s authorities have recognised that blitzing school exams may reflect a good technical understanding but it doesn’t guarantee a creative or innovative mindset – a key ingredient in the knowledge economy. Although Singapore has been at the top … More The evolution of schooling
