Education
IS YOUR CHILD
‘future-smart’? What are the magic ingredients your child will need to flourish in an unpredictable world? And how can they be developed? Few television shows have had the cultural impact of Star Trek and this is especially evident in the one-liners that have become part of the English language. Captain Kirk’s opening narration ‘To boldly go where no man has gone before’ had a sense of futuristic nonsense to it. Well, we live in that place now. Wearable technologies, handheld computers, electronic navigation, location settings, voice-activated computers and augmented reality are part of our current world. Many adults find the pace of change somewhat overwhelming and the phrase ‘change fatigue’ has real application for most of us. This is not so with children. Teenagers regard ongoing technological advances as the norm and absorb them very easily. The digital environment is natural to them; it is not an optional extra. It is integral to the way they live, relate and view life. The pace of change will not lessen and may increase. Therefore, a core life skill for our children is to learn how to hold on to this magical ability they have at present, so they can keep adapting to change as a normal part of work and leisure in the future.
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Knowing How To Learn
learn has become an essential skill. Working with digital technologies in schools provides an opportunity to transform how students think and learn and also give them greater control over what, how, where and when they learn.
However, the Digital Age also brings challenges and pressures that are new in our society. The rate of technological innovation is now so fast that schools are educating students for a world that doesn’t exist yet. Young people must acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence to make digital technology work for them at school, at home, at work and in their communities. Knowing how to
This isn’t a new trend either. The Australian government recognises the need to keep up with this ever-morphing landscape and has identified Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability as an important element of the new Australian Curriculum. ICT capability involves students learning to make the most of the digital technologies available to them, adapting to new ways
Your Local Families Magazine August/September 2016