The Urgency of Authentic Learning

This week I have had the opportunity to do research on the challenges and trends that exist in educational technology. Reading the 2018 NMC horizon report (https://library.educause.edu/resources/2018/4/nmc-horizon-report-preview-2018), I learned about the number of challenges that education will be faced with as higher education strives to integrate technology. Reviewing those issues, the topic of “Authentic Learning Experiences,” which was defined as an experience that “brings students in touch with real-world problem and work situations” not being pervasive at the university level (EduCause, 2018, p. 5) is also a reality I have observed is difficult to create at the K12 level.

In my experience, I have observed a number of reasons for which authentic learning experiences are difficult to create in the K12 setting. In public schools especially, I have often encountered limited funding, staffing, standardized testing and accountability restrictions of time and creativity in how teachers deliver instructional content. Additionally, considering that many current work careers now heavily integrate the use of technology as a tool to find more creative, efficient, and cost-effective to conduct business, many schools in underserved areas have students who have limited and inconsistent availability of ICT resources at school and home, as well as knowledge and skill gaps among students and teachers, and limited wireless connectivity for students in rural areas, indigenous communities, or lower income areas

(https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/media/video/cosn-2019-whats-state-digital-equity-and-how-can-we-improve-it).

Despite these known challenges, it seems essential that schools at the K12 level begin to collectively explore ways to integrate authentic learning experiences, regularly into day to day learning. O’Toole (2017) shares three steps for integrating technology in ways that create authentic learning opportunities for students which include aligning technology with the unit and course objectives. The second step would be to be familiar with technologies that are evolving, plateauing, or are maturing. And finally, understand that instruction should be guided and learning personalized to ensure that instruction is efficient and rigorous ( See https://elearningindustry.com/educational-technology-and-authentic-learning)

This insight emphasizes to me that it is necessary for educators who have been teaching for some time, or who may not have learned, that we must shift our paradigms to ensure we are adequately supporting students to meet the requirements of the workforce and careers for which we are preparing them. I was really motivated as I watched the 2019 VICE News Special Report documentary, produced by HBO, titled the Future of Work.

Viewing this documentary, I am compelled to admit all current and aspiring educators must begin to seriously think about the commitments and choices K12 educators must make daily to ensure our work, lesson activities, and experiences are truly authentic and meaningful while empowering students with the use and support of technology to provide opportunities all students compete for 21st century careers.

References

EdTech. (2019). CoSN 2019: What’s the state of digital equity and how can we improve it? Retrieved from https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/media/video/cosn-2019-whats-state-digital-equity-and-how-can-we-improve-it

EDUCAUSE. (2018). NMC Horizon report preview 2018. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/resources/2018/4/nmc-horizon-report-preview-2018

O’Toole, J. (2017). Educational technology an authentic learning. Retrieved from

https://elearningindustry.com/educational-technology-and-authentic-learning

HBO. (2019). VICE Special Report: The Future of Work [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.hbo.com/vice/special-reports/vice-special-report-the-future-of-work