What the Future Holds
Newsletter
I am trying something new and inverting the order: Recommended reading and resources first, then a post. What is you preference? Let me know in the comments.
This week we strive to understand where education is currently and where it might go.
Recommended Reading and Resources
On Tuesday, I hosted a discussion around the ILA webinar: What Should Equitable and Comprehensive Early Literacy Instruction Look Like in 2020 and Beyond? Several memorable quotes were posted in the thread.
During the webinar, Doug Fisher referenced a recent study that found there was less learning loss than expected from last year to this year. In fact, no reading loss was seen for students engaged in online instruction.
In this counterargument (The Conversation), researchers questioned the validity of studies finding smartphone usage leads to mental health problems. (h/t Jason)
Dr. Henry Jenkins discusses fan fiction, gaming, and iterative design for solving school-level challenges in this interivew (SchoolCEO).
Pew Research Center: The innovations these experts predict by 2030 (Education is addressed specifically two-thirds down the page, and all issues seem relevant to our profession.)
Q & A: When is it best to use QR codes for instruction?
(An educator recently emailed me this question while reading my first book on technology integration. Below is my updated response.)
The intent of QR codes are, like many technologies, to make our lives better. As you know, they serve as visual, scannable links to a website or some form of digital content or media. So to answer your question, I think they are best suited where the advantages are clear and the costs of using them are minimal. It matters less the context (online, in person) of the QR code and more our purpose for using them and the impact they have on our lives.
These views also come from unique perspectives. For example, I do not like QR codes in books. When I read a print text, I don’t want a link out to something digital; reading a physical book is largely a private experience.
Conversely, a QR code was really helpful to me when I scanned one with my smartphone to start the process for setting up our new Google Next wireless system in my home. No manual to try to read and the process was automated.
These are privileged issues, though. How might QR codes impact the daily lives of individuals from marginalized communities, where illiteracy may be higher?
Take care,
Matt
P.S. We will be hosting our second Educators as Writers series in January. Full subscribers receive three writing tips plus a Zoom invitation to share your draft with a colleague for support and feedback. Join our writing professionals community below!