Curriculum in an Exponentially Changing World

1

The world is rapidly changing in an exponential rate. Various milestones happened and will happen in different fields. There are many possibilities that may occur when one tries to predict what shall happen in the next twenty years. But as a firm believer of positivity, I decide to view the world through optimistic lens. Steven Pinker, a psychologist, asserts that the world has become better in comparison to the previous decades. He even created a book to support such argument. There, he backs it up with data and theorizes that the world has less people becoming ill, less deaths, and many people are becoming rich.

I anticipate that such figure will continue to rise. I imagine a better tomorrow where inventions shall continue to be made for the welfare, safety, and convenience of mankind. In the arena of education, there is no exemption. Rapid development shall be seen. Many neurocognitive and psychological findings will be put into use by the academe. I foresee that the digital technologies shall become part of the instruction and facilitation of the learning of the students. The usage of artificial intelligence, video conferencing, virtual simulations shall be integrated in the arena of education.

2

Though the world is increasingly changing, there are still classic skills that do not become outdated. Such skills involve self-awareness, self-management, handling emotions, and dealing with others. No matter how the world becomes complex, these skills play an indispensable role toward emotional stability and, most especially, the flourishing of individuals and society. Furthermore, in order to cope with the demands of the volatile and complex ecology, students should learn how to make sense of the knowledge they have.

I see a proliferation and immense inundation of research and knowledge as years progress by. However, it will not do any help toward improving individuals, organizations, and communities if one does not know how to convert them to practical and viable solutions. The ability to transmute knowledge to real-life applications wisely is indeed fundamental if one wants to adapt and thrive in this world.

3

In my opinion, social and emotional learning should be prioritized. Education system barely deals on such topics. Indeed, they are crucial for the development of an individual. We all know that IQ is not the sole basis to make one successful. Social and emotional learning contributes, according to research, to the flourishing of an individual. We need to consider the emotional and social aspects of a person to make his education holistic. We need to educate the whole person. It is not the cognitive aspect only that we should be concerned about. I argue that social and emotional skills are life skills that can make the individual understand himself and make the interactions harmonious.  They are necessary, no matter in what generation one is in.

Furthermore, these topics never go out of style since they are inherent to a person and we should refine and cultivate them. If we prioritize this, we can expect maturation among students and drastic growth in their lives.

4

We live in a world of change which certainly is changeless and is inevitable. The arena of education, of course, will be affected. It does not have any inoculation against transformation development. The education is evolving; the students are becoming technologically savvy; and the lessons they need should be updated and can make them flourish in this world.

First and foremost, I need to imbibe the virtue of kaizen. I need to continually learn so I can become a better teacher. I must not rely on what I have already learned. I must not stagnate. As a teacher, I must be knowledgeable on human nature, present ecology, and trends on the field of education. I can practically improve myself through reading books. Someone says experience is the best teacher and I offer the fact that reading offers vicarious experiences. Hence, through this, I can improve as a person and professional. Reading, as I can see, can promote self-directed behavior change, which is pivotal to safeguard me from the dangers of ignorance and misconceptions. I also need to have a paradigm shift that technologies are not enemies of learning. It just depends on how we use them. Therefore, I must maximize the benefits of technologies to promote personal powers and capacities.