Every school is its own society in itself. The first version of this society you could call society 1.0. It used to be a one way society. The teacher teaches and explains and the children listen. The children don’t get to make their own decision and guide their learning. They just follow the steps the teacher tells them to follow. When you look at this and realize what the children actually learn from this, you won’t find any 21st century skills. And when you look to the technical part of this you won’t find any. (Hoff van den, 2012)
So the educational system started changing and we arrived at society 2.0. Here we find some technical development. Teachers are starting to use the digital schoolboard during their instruction and sometimes the students even get assignments with the use of a desktop. But they do them in turn. When you look at the classroom you see the students sitting in groups instead of rows and sometimes they get to work together. This situation is based and a knowledge based society outside the school. When I look at the school where I am doing my internship I realize this is the reality. The children work in groups, the instruction is given through the digital schoolboard and when they have finished their regular assignments they can work on one of the four computers in the classroom. But they are allowed to work in groups on the computer. Another difference is the fact that the students have their own saying into their schedule and assignments when they have finished their regular work. There is always some time scheduled in a day to work on their own stuff. This is according to the Montesorri principal they follow.
But were we actually should be or are on our way to is society 3.0. This new society means the students can guide their own learning. They are free to make their own choices and decisions. For a teacher this means they are turning into guides and coaches. Helping and guiding the children to form their goals and coaching them on their way to reach these goals. Technology can play a big role in this society as an instrument for learning. It is not a goal to reach but a way to reach the goals that are set. Technology enables children to access the digital world and all the information it withholds. By using more technology in classrooms you are able to give children more freedom to reach their own goals and develop their own talents. It enables you to guide and coach them on their way into our new information society.
The Skype project I am doing is helping my class taking small steps towards this society 3.0. I have let the children choose what they wanted to learn and how they wanted to learn this. I’ve also spend time to help my own mentor improve her computer skills and showed her some new tools and how she can integrate these into her teaching. The result is the enthusiasm of the children and their involvement during the lessons.
In conclusion I can say I have helped my class a small step towards society 3.0, helped my mentor take a small step in het media literacy skills and actually helped myself a big step in my own skills but also in my attitude towards the use of technology in the classroom. I started this minor being a late majority and could honestly say I moved to the early majority (Rogers, 2003). Maybe someday I could become an early adopter or even an innovator…
Van den Hoff, R. (2012). Maatschappelijk organiseren in society 3.0.Geraadpleegd op 19-04-2014 van: http://www.movisie.nl/artikel/maatschappelijk-organiseren-society-30.
Rogers, E.M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press.
In conclusion I can say I have helped my class a small step towards society 3.0, helped my mentor take a small step in het media literacy skills and actually helped myself a big step in my own skills but also in my attitude towards the use of technology in the classroom. I started this minor being a late majority and could honestly say I moved to the early majority (Rogers, 2003). Maybe someday I could become an early adopter or even an innovator…
Van den Hoff, R. (2012). Maatschappelijk organiseren in society 3.0.Geraadpleegd op 19-04-2014 van: http://www.movisie.nl/artikel/maatschappelijk-organiseren-society-30.
Rogers, E.M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press.