Distracted students. Technology addiction. Social media onslaught.
Fast-paced living. Increased anxiety. Sounds like a recipe for a breakdown. Welcome to the new classroom.
Societal changes have certainly brought new challenges for teachers. And with new challenges, comes the need to re-examine current approaches to education. What are some of these new challenges? To start, children are spending more and more time on electronic devices. A 2017 report released by Common Sense Media found that children spent an average of 48 minutes on a device, up from five minutes in 2011. If you factor in all “screen media,” including television, computers, video games, etc., kids generally spend over two hours a day in front of screens.
Initial research on the impact of added screen time is very concerning. For instance, children spending more than two hours a day on screen time had lower language and thinking scores. Those spending seven hours a day or more on electronic devices showed premature thinning of the cortex, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Another concerning trend is rising rates of anxiety reported among today’s youth. A National Survey of Children’s Health for youth, ages 6-17, reported a 20 percent increase in anxiety diagnosis between 2007-2012. Some psychologists have blamed social media for creating never-ending worry about one’s self-image and socialization, particularly when these constructs are at their most sensitive development.
These trends prompt the re-examination of what is taught in schools--what knowledge and skills are still necessary and what new ones are needed-- and whether the current curriculum and school programs are equipped to handle these new challenges. For instance:
Teachers have always faced challenges created by societal change. However, the education system must consider how to adapt and intelligently respond to such changes, thus providingthe support teachers need to be successful. School programs, curriculum, professional development, and paradigms that might have worked in years past will likely not successfullymeet new, never-before seen challenges among children today.
|
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive
top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more!
No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education!
COPYRIGHT 1996-2016 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2024 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.