Activity 6 Contempoarary issues or trends in New Zealand or internationally

After watching the videos, ‘Global trends: the world is changing faster than any other times in human history’ (Pearson, 2013) and ‘Future State 2030 - Global Megatrend’

(KMPG, 2014) the trends that stood out to me that are influencing education at this point in time are, Asian growth and rapidly changing technologies.

Issue 1: Asian Growth

These images (KMPG, 2013) show that Asia is one of the fastest growing regions and will impact on the face of society globally in the 21st century.  Asia will be important to New Zealand economically, politically, and socially, therefore it is important that students in New Zealand have opportunities to learn about Asia to ensure they are equipped to be successful in this changing environment.

 

‘By 2021, almost 15 per cent of New Zealanders will identify with an Asian ethnic group’ (TKI, n.d.).  Also, Asian culture is now an integral part of our culture, for example the food we eat and the festivals we celebrate.

From Asian Knowledge (TKI, n.d.) are some facts in regards to Asian population in New Zealand:

•  By 2021, Asian children will make up 17% of all New Zealand children. 
• One in five people in Auckland now identify with one or more Asian ethnic groups.
• Our population is becoming more multilingual.
• There are more than 32 Asian communities living in New Zealand.

To ensure students have the required 21^st century knowledge and skills so they can become active and positive members of this changing community, our school needs to develop Asian awareness through our teaching and learning programmes.  This can be achieved through the key competencies and in the following learning areas; sciences, learning languages, and the arts where Asian contexts and content can be integrated into a range of topics.

Issue 2: Rapidly Changing Technology

This image shows that the rate new technologies are being adopted is accelerating.  Writers of ‘Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds’, consider the impact of new technologies as a ‘game changer’ (pp ii).

Further to this image the following two show the impact that digital technologies are having on our global communities.

The impact of technology is expanding on an increasing number of fronts in this decade, no more so than in the access to the internet, the number of technological devices and the access to these that households have.  

This image illustrates this (Singh n.d.).

As teachers we are aware that digital technologies play an increasing role in shaping 21^st century teaching and learning, and that the educational success a student achieves is linked with their engagement.  Digital technologies can engage students, their whānau and communities in learning.

The issue for our school is that with technology changing rapidly there is constant pressure to keep up with trends, and as our school’s operating grant is limited we cannot change our software or hardware regularly nor provide enough devices for a class, let alone one for every student.

One solution to this is becoming a BYOD school, but even this solution has issues.  Firstly, equity; we will still have to provide a device for those children whose parents cannot or will not provide one.

Secondly, the wide range of device types and brands used by the students.  Our school network needs to be able to cope with, and support, all these devices as well as the existing school-owned equipment.  Also some devices do not have the minimum hardware and software specifications required to run the applications we use, not to mention the android/ios debate

Finally, other costs, for example the updating of desktop computers, power bills, security and storage.

KMPG. (2014, May 22)  ‘Future State 2030 - Global Megatrend’.  [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im5SwtapHl8

Ministry of Education, (nd). Asia Knowledge. Retrieved from http://asia-knowledge.tki.org.nz/

National Intelligence Council, (2013).  Global trends 2030: Alternative worlds.  Retrieved from https://info.publicintelligence.net/GlobalTrends2030.pdf

Pearson. (2013, April 6)  ‘Global trends: the world is changing faster than any other times in human history’ [Video file].  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdZiTQy3g1g

Singh, S. (nd). The new mega trends.  Retrieved from http://www.gilcommunity.com/docs/new-mega-trends-sarwant-singh-frost-sullivan/

Stevenson, C. (2014). BOYD in the 21^st century [Prezzie slides]. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/hxlvcjbelbea/byod-in-the-21st-century/

Wenmoth, D. (2014). BYOD in schools: Which device.  Retrieved from http://www.vln.school.nz/blog/view/821978/which-device

Images

Cd schools

KMPG

Pearson

Singh, S