Wazzup Pilipinas!
What does the future
of education look like? Will online learning platforms and touch-enabled 3D
images replace textbooks, classrooms, and… teachers?!
I personally believe
that technology will NEVER replace teachers. Regardless of how high-tech our
world can get, no touchscreen device or voice-activated bots can educate our
children on values, life skills and human interaction.
However, I also
believe that there is a need for the education sector to realize that times are
indeed changing, and whether we like it or not, the way WE used to learn in the
classroom is no longer effective in the 21st century.
Because of
technology, kids today do not need adults in order to get information. The
internet has given kids access to uncensored content too much too soon, and it
is our responsibility as parents and teachers to provide the CONTEXT – to guide
them in organizing and interpreting what they see.
This, together with
some helpful ways of understanding today’s youth, is something that I was
blessed to share as one of the speakers at the recently concluded 8th Education Summit in
Balanga, Bataan on August 30 and 31. The summit was organized by the City of
Balanga in partnership with the Department of Education, gathering thousands of
parents and teachers to learn about the latest developments in the field of
education.
In line with their theme “Embracing Change in a Collaborative Community for Positive Results,” my presentation centered around understanding what I called the Generation Z, or the young people born between 1994-2010.
This generation of kids were born when the internet was born, so they never really knew what it was like to be “offline”. They drive through information superhighway and have access to what they need at, literally, their fingertips. Growing up, these kids have been practically pacified with technology by parents who give them an iPad just to stop crying. So would you be surprised if you find a toddler expertly navigating an iPad few minutes after using it for the first time?
In other words, SPEED
has become a norm in their lives, and living such a fast-paced life has brought
about the following paradoxical characteristics of this young generation:
1. They are good at multitasking, but have short attention span. Because of the many options and
distractions available, it’s easy for them to switch their focus from one thing
to another. It has been reported that kids today have an average attention span
of 4-6 seconds, while goldfish have an 8-second attention span!
2. They are quick to catch up on ideas, but find it hard to make long-term
commitments. Scary
as it may sound, this generation may grow up to be adults who would have gone through
a dozen jobs in a single year, or would want marriage to have an expiration
date.
3. They want to be the best, but can easily get depressed if they aren’t. Most kids today grew up in small
families – many are an only child – so they have been conditioned to believe
that they are special and loved and that the world revolves around them. When
they grow up and go out into the “real world,” they’d encounter other kids who
have been told the same thing, and suddenly, getting what they want has become
harder than they thought it was going to be.
4. They want to live a life of purpose, but avoid the trivial but essential
task. The speed at
which everything comes to these young people today have led them to some type
of conclusion that “if it’s not easy, it’s not for me.” Therefore, they dislike
doing things that would seem “too hard”.
5. They are eager to change the world, but want it to happen overnight. Welcome to the world of INSTANT –
instant noodles, instant coffee, instant everything. Young people today have a
great need to learn the value of patience and persistence.
As adults – and more
importantly, as the generation that created the technology, medication and
environment that brought about this new way of life for the Gen Z – we are
called to open our hearts and minds to new ways of parenting and teaching this
young generation. I’m delighted to have had the opportunity to share this
knowledge to my fellow Bataeno parents and teachers.
I would like to take
this opportunity to thank and congratulate the people who made the Education
Summit possible, and for giving me the wonderful opportunity to be part of it. To
the honorable Mayor Francis Anthony Garcia, to DepEd Balanga headed by OIC –
Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Carolina S. Violeta (who, by the way, is
one of my most unforgettable Grade 5 teachers!), and to my fellow speaker, Mr.
Joseph “Otep” Titar.
In celebration of
National Teachers Month this September, I salute all teachers for their
invaluable role in building the future of our nation!
Conributed by: Pocholo “The VoiceMaster” Gonzales
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