I am asked this question in my sessions often:
“What is the next big technology in education?”
My answer?
“I don’t know. You probably don’t either.”
There is more to the answer, but I will get back to that in a second.
But here is the thing. I didn’t predict iPads, Chromebooks, the Internet, social media, or a multitude of other things that came our way in education. The majority of people didn’t, and if they did, it is because they already saw them in other fields.
There will always be new things in education, but so many people are trying to predict “the future of schools” and are often connecting it to some type of technology. Maybe flying cars will be in our future? I have no idea.
So let’s go back to my answer (paraphrased) and fill in the rest:
“I don’t know. You probably don’t either. What I do know, is that no matter what comes our way, I will be able to figure it out and leverage it in a way that is beneficial to my learning and the learning of those I serve.”
This is why I have focused so much on mindset, not just “stuff.” It also reminds me of how both “growth” and “innovator’s” mindset are both so crucial. Not only do I believe I can learn (growth), I have the ability to leverage (innovator) my learning.
Instead of focusing on “what’s next?,” we need to focus on what we will do with whatever’s next, no matter what it is. Better yet, we need to focus on creating what’s next, not waiting for it to happen to us.
To sum up, my friend AJ Juliani puts in beautifully.
