According to author Alvin Toffler, “the illiterate of the twenty-first century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” I dare say for us digital immigrants, this is probably one of the most poignant comments that I’ve ever read. Long gone are the days when we could expect to work for one company until retirement. Yes, those days are indeed long gone. And in all honesty, I’m not sure that’s so bad. Today, more people are aware that there’s very little, if any, job security. This means that if we don’t continue to learn and relearn, we just might find ourselves in a world that no longer exists. Today we must be open-minded and realize that we must not take anything for granted in our professions.
One occupation that has undergone significant changes is teaching. In the not-too-distant past, teaching was face-to-face. As we know, students and teachers met in the classroom, talked on the phone if necessary and took theory on the road by taking field trips and/or bringing in outsiders to provide insight about a particular topic. That was and continues work for many. However, a tectonic shift has taken place in education. When distance learning was first introduced, I remember a lot of hoopla about how it couldn’t work, that there was no effective way to teach students who couldn’t be seen and that this format would lower educational standards as technology would get in the way of learning versus enhancing it.
Of course, when I grew up and even during my undergraduate tenure, there was no such thing as distance learning. My, how times have changed. While improvements in distance learning are always needed, it’s amazing to witness how many of the initially staunch naysayers are now having to embrace distance learning. Many universities are now establishing online programs as more students demand them. And many faculty are being required to upgrade their skills to teach online if they want to continue in academia. Massachusetts Institute of Technology has upped the ante with an announcement two years ago that it was putting all of its courses online for free. And some schools/universities are offering classes in virtual worlds like Second Life.
The changes that will take place in the field of education will undoubtedly be incredible. As an online educator, I can anticipate some changes, while I can only wonder about new learning methods on the horizon.
In order to meet the challenges of the future, I’m certain that we must guard against complacency. We must embrace the humility to continue to learn and admit what we don’t know and the courage to unlearn ideas that are no longer applicable in today’s world. Truly challenging endeavors, but exciting nonetheless.
