My schooling in Scotland spanned
from 1993 until 2005. During this time I
was taught by many different teachers, each with their own teaching style: some
taught in a traditional format whereas others were keen to move away from
tradition and try new methods and ideas in the classroom. I was fortunate enough to encounter many
teachers who were passionate and enthusiastic about learning and teaching, and
as a result, inspired me to embark upon the same career.
My own experiences of schooling
were largely positive, particularly those gained in primary school. I was often provided with concrete materials to
use to support learning. I was fortunate enough to go on excursions to
places that allowed me to fully experience what I was being taught, rather than
just hearing about it. I was encouraged
to achieve my best in all areas of life.
These aspects are still prevalent in education today, though some now
have fancy titles attached to them. Perhaps
one of the main changes I have witnessed in education, is the content of what
is being taught. Education for
citizenship, preparing children for life in the 21st century and a
focus on every aspect of pupils’ health and wellbeing all feature heavily in the
new Scottish curriculum (A Curriculum for Excellence). It is clear they are attempting to meet the
needs of a changing society and suitably prepare children for what they will
encounter as adults. Whether they are
meeting these needs or not with their curriculum is a hotly debated matter,
which I will not even touch upon in this forum.
Moreover, one key change I have
noted, is the increase in pupils who have been identified and labelled as
having additional support needs. These
can range from the child being on the Autistic spectrum, to the children having
a visual impairment. Being aware of
these needs allows schools to adapt their teaching to support the full range of
needs within a classroom, and where necessary, provide additional support. This is vital in ensuring all children have a
fair chance to progress.
Furthermore, when considering if
learning has changed over the years, the main thought that comes to mind is the
advances in technology and its impact on the classroom. My first encounter with technology in school
was towards the end of primary school when we were occasionally allowed to use
the one Apple Mac computer the school had (similar to the one below), on which
we played simple educational games.
Early Apple computer (Image source)
Whilst this computer was incredibly
basic, it served a purpose and pupils were excited to have the chance to use
it. Fast forward 15 years to my
experiences as a student teacher, where technology is a vital part of the
majority of lessons. From using the
SMARTBOARD within the classroom to play interactive games to providing children
with cameras to film themselves creating dramas to children using Activote to
practice their maths calculations.
Example of SMARTBOARD (Image source)
Even when teaching in nursery
with children aged 3-5, technology played an important role, whether it be
allowing children to access the CBeebies website to play games or use the
BeeBots to learn about directions. I was
shocked to discover that by the time children came to nursery, they already
knew how to use a computer, and most had frequent access to one at home. Therefore, if children are being exposed to
so many different forms of technology at such a young age, it seems obvious
that it should be incorporated into their education.
Similarly, with my own continuing
education, technology is incorporated at every level. Each lecture I attend is accompanied by a
powerpoint presentation, I type all of my assignments on my home PC, and spend
countless hours trawling the internet for lesson ideas and sources to support
my work. I can contact tutors with any concerns
via email and receive a response within a matter of minutes. In
fact, often my peers and I will comment on how much we would struggle without
the use of technology whilst completing our degree, showing just how much we
rely upon it.
I am aware that some aspects of
learning have remained the same over the past 15 years or so, however, I am
also aware of just how many significant changes have occurred, particularly
with how rapidly technology has been incorporated into the classroom. Therefore, this begs the question, where will
education and learning be 15 years from now?
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