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Visions for the School of Tomorrow – Students´Perspectives

How to Handle the Future?Tuomo Lähdeniemi, MEd

1.3.2011 Liedon Vanhalinna

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On Paper, Everything Seems Fine

But,• 8.3 % of pupils at BE-level are in

special education (2008, Statistics Finland)

– During past 15 years the number has septupled

– Inclusion highly problematic in practice

• 8 % of the young (18-24 yrs) haven´t done any post-BE-exams

– Appr. 20 % of 25-29 year old men without any exams after BE

• 7.4 % (> 60 000) of children are child welfare clients (YLE, 2009)

– The number has doupled during last three years

• 16 000 children taken into custody by social welfare authorities (OKM)

• Almost 35 % of youngsters suffer from sleep disorders (Kämppi et al, 2008, OPH)

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We Cannot Change the Past, But We Can Forecast the Future

Some perspectives

• Everyone is an expert when talking about school

• Building up the school system is based on historical, political and cultural development

• Making change takes decades, the results can be seen only afterwards

• Operational environment is very complicated in many ways, causal connections are difficult to understand

• Long-term commitment on the state and municipal level is a challenge; is there a coherent vision for the future school?

• Nobody knows the future

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Observation Filters

"Implanting Strategic Management”by Igor Ansoff. Prentice Hall 1984ISBN 0-134-51808-X

1. Surveillance filter defines the area that we observe, e.g. our current situation, contacts and networks. The challenge is that discontinuities usually come from outside of our current mind set.

2. Mentality filter is formed of previous (success) experiences and we have a tendency to filter novel issues off, because they have not been important to us before.

3. Power filter prohibits people to express their ideas to those who possess more organizational power or power based on expertise.

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Brian Coffman (1997): Growth of signal in a noisy channel

How to Monitor Early Discontinuities?

Zone of highest opportunityand greatest risks

Sig

nal s

tren

gth

Zone of

diminishingreturns

signal

Threshold ofmainstream

awareness

noise

Time

Wisdom of CrowdsFilter Theory

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Challenge: Defining Space of Opportunity

Muutosvoima

Application of Michael Raynor’s concept of Strategy Paradox (2007)

Change drivers

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"Committing to change" (146-160) in Conner Daryl R., Managing at the Speed of Change; How resilient managers succeed and prosper where others fail. John Wiley & Sons 1992, 1998 ISBN 0-471-97494-3

Conner, Darryl R. & Patterson, Robert W. “Building Commitment to Organizational Change.” (18-30) Training and Development Journal 36, 4 (April 1982).

Awareness

Interest

Understanding

Acceptance

Commitment

Internalization

Action

Requires personal reflection and sharing with others.

Result

Building Commitment to Developing the School of Future

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Experts Say – The Educational Trends of the Future

• Electronic education via the Net will enable interconnected learning experiences, choices, and opportunities for billions worldwide

• Educational content will be delivered by new computer, interactive TV, satellite, and Internet technologies

• Interactive online multimedia and multidimensional content will revolutionize learning

• Students and teachers will prefer on-demand virtual learning to traditional school programs

• Virtual Reality scenarios that depict real-world and fantasy experiences will increase the learning impact for all types of education

• Real-time Net chats with other global learners will make virtual education a satisfying social experience beyond the limits of time and distance

Institute for Global Futures 2009

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Our Web-based Brainstorming Method

”When you think about school, what comes to mind first?”

”How could we learn these even better?”

”Our school succeeds in...” – Evaluation of thoughts

”What kind of knowledge and skills do you need now and in the future?”

” How well does our school manage these aspects? - Barometer

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When You Think About School, What Comes to Mind First?

4,0% (2328) 6,3% (3683) 7,4% (4319)

12,2% (7094) 3,5% (2050)

16,3% (9430)

7,5% (4375) 38,7% (22470) 3,9% (2275)

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Sense of Hurry Comes to Mind the Most When Thinking about School

• 39 % of those surveyed chose this picture(43 % of girls, 35 % of boys)

• Pupils talk about their busyness in general, working after school hours, and making it to class and the bus on time, etc.

• Some associate sense of hurry and timetables with school only,others with their life situation and hobbies, as well.

• Work is something you’re supposed to do in school, but I feel some teachers are too demanding. I’m always busy. My teachers give too much homework, so there’s no free time.

• … In school there are exact timetables, so the clock is an essential part of school…

• I’m always stressed out about my assignments. I’m always in a hurry to get somewhere (work, hobbies, friends, events), and then there’s always school work waiting in the queue. I feel I don´t have enough time. Do I have to ditch something and decide what is important and what is not???

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Co-operation and Friendships

• 16 % of those surveyed chose this picture(18% of girls, 14% of boys)

• Pupils talk about friendhips, social relations, and collaborating with others

• Good spirit and good learning environment is also mentioned quite often

• In school, we have good spirit and good possibilities for learning.• I chose this because here in school you get to meet new people, and you’re developing

your social skills all the time.• Studying in comprehensive school is based on co-operation. When you get along with

others, everything goes well.• Specially friends and good teachers create a positive learning environment.• School prepares us for the future – social relations are one of the most important

aspects of that.• To me, this picture means tolerance. It´s not important how my friends look, as long as

they are nice and friendly.

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Kielitaito

Matemaattiset taidot

Sosiaaliset taidot

Luku- ja kirjoitustaito

Yleissivistys

Työelämätaidot

Terveys ja liikunta

Kansainväliset asiat

Opiskelutaidot

Teknologia

Käytännön perustaidot

Taideaineet

Ilmaisutaito

Ilmasto- ja ympäristöasiat

Keskittyminen, motivaatio

69,7

71,7

73,7

75,7

77,7

15,6 16,6Dispersion of thoughts and ideasHow

wel

l are

the

se le

arne

d in

our

sch

ool?

What does Comprehensive School Succeed in?

Ability to read and write

Language skills

Mathematical skills

Social skills

Learning skills

Everyday skillsConcentration and motivation

Technology

Art and design

Climate and environmental issues

Health and sports

International issues

Work skills

All-round education

Expression skills

N=58412OPH, 2010

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Uskonto

Yhteiskuntaoppi Käsityö

Historia

MaantiedeBiologia

Talous

Ruotsi

Valinnaisia kieliä

70,4

72,4

74,4

76,4

78,4

14,8 15,8 16,8 17,8

Evaluation of Some Subjects

Dispersion of thought and ideas

How

wel

l are

the

se s

ubje

cts

lear

ned

in o

ur s

choo

l?

Voluntary languages

Religion

Biology

Geography History

SwedishHandicraftCivics

Economy

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16

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Issues Arising from the Pupil Survey

• While policy makers deal with how many hours each subject should be taught, the pupils want a well-balanced school life

– Lack of connection between school and other aspects of pupils’ lives Pupils get a profound learning experience when they can apply school

learning in real life – there’s a huge need for practical learning and implementation

• How to broaden the learning environment outside the classroom?

• Pupils want to participate in developing the school life – content, methods, facilities, etc.

– How to funnel this need in a constructive way?• Pupils use SOME and other technological solutions everyday – why

do they have to ditch these in the classroom?– Teachers fail to recognice the possibilities furnished by the new learning

technologies – from that perspective, our school is a sinking ship. • Pupils need acceptance, feedback and understanding maybe more

than ever.– Pupils need caring and healthy contacts with adults they can trust– Face to face contact is always important

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The Critical Challenges in Teaching Practice 2009

Dispersion of thoughts and ideas

Est

ima

ted

crit

ical

ness

Group size

Work space and buildings

Mental well-being

Lack of time

Special teaching and pupils

Leadership and leaders

SalaryParents

Developing

Constant changes

Collaboration

Pupils´ problemsSufficiency of resources

Competencies

Extra work

Safety

New technology

N=1332, OAJ, 20009

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The Critical Challenges in Teaching Practice 2011

N=2547, OAJ, 2011

Leadership

Teaching methods

Group size

Lack of resources

Increasing extra work Special pupils

SalaryLearners of a different level

Difficulties in school-going

Lack of appreciation

Changes and renewals

ParentsUnwanted behaviour

Well-being

Insecurity

Technology Work space

Community well-being

Competencies

Curricula

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Issues Arising from the Teacher Survey

• How to let the teachers concentrate on teaching, coaching and raising the pupils?– Trivial extra work, administrative duties and spreading of child welfare issues into

schools exhaust teachers´ motivation• Learning difficulties and other problems are well identified – what say the

teachers? – Reasons? Integration? Inclusion? Special teaching in general? Clinics? Resources?

Visions for the future?– Mental health problems among pupils are increasing rapidly, drugs are becoming a

problem• How and when to intervene?• What is the school’s role?

– What happens to a ”normal” pupil in the midst of all these challenges?• How to describe the reality of school life concretely enough for the public?

– Appreciation of teachers work is decreasing – consequences can be radical• Recruitment, salaries, working conditions, serurity etc.

• Leadership is one of the ticking time bombs in our schools– Principals don´t have enough time to stay omboard – administrative tasks take time– Dealing with matters is totally different from dealing with people– How to motivate principals to motivate teachers?

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Building the School of Tomorrow – What Do We Need?

• Deep and long-term dialogue between politicians, the authorities, teachers, scientists, business people, parents and pupils at the local, regional, national, and international level

• Clarifying the vision: what REALLY is important for us in the future?– VALUES, VALUES, VALUES– Those who complain about the expense don’t understand the meaning

or the value of investing in our children– How to be environmentally responsable and how to raise

environmentally responsable children? – It’s easy to find the change-makers - just look yourself at the mirror!– Talking is important, actions are essential.

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Web-based services for pro-active leadership

Fountain Park is an expert in pro-active leadership.We bring the wisdom of crows into practice.

We believe that good leadership requires constant dialogue between management and employees, customers and other stakeholders, unlimited by space or time.

The core of our services is the virtual brainstorming method which enables the participants to look forward and co-create new ideas.

 The results are used in• strategy work

• developing leadership practices• impacting and influencing