An Economist Intelligence Unit report
Teachers are superheroes! The enthusiasm and dedication with which they commit themselves to education is truly commendable. The best example for this is the way teachers stepped up and took over the pandemic to make sure children’s education would not suffer.
When things changed across the globe due to covid, the education sector suffered some heavy blows. Schools were shut down. The school managements and teachers had a hard time finding a solution to this. Parents and caregivers were scared of sending their children outdoor but were equally worried of their children missing out on education.
Here, the teachers’ superpowers were discovered. What was thought as a distant idea, was executed. Online classes were born. Teachers world-wide took over the humungous task of imparting knowledge to children digitally – a medium which was the students’ turf but an unknown territory for most teachers.
What educators thought as ‘futuristic’, became a reality in no time. Online classes were conducted and are still going strong in most parts of the world. Educators and teachers have taken it upon themselves to make the best use of this medium to make sure children do not miss out on their education. Teachers are now experts on Zoom and Google classes. They now easily navigate through the system, prepare engaging presentations, and evaluate homework digitally.
The pandemic brought about this major change and sudden shift in the way schools and classes work. But what is the future? How are the teaching practices going to change moving forward? Is this going to change the way schools and classes function?
Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by Microsoft, has come up with a report on ‘Staff of 2030: Future-Ready Teaching’. The report explores how teaching is set to change by 2030, drawing on a survey of early-career and student teachers in primary and secondary schools, an expert interview panel and an academic literature review. It covers curriculum reform, teaching practices, technology and workplace environment. The survey reached 1,034 early-career and student teachers across ten countries.
Here are some of the important take-aways from the survey –
The next generation of teachers back the reforms needed to deliver 21st-century education. From redesigning curricula to utilising novel teaching practices, from augmentative technology to more dynamic learning spaces, survey respondents largely support progressive reforms.
Nearly all survey respondents agree that the purpose of education must shift to helping students know how to collect, interpret and apply information, rather than just learning it.
A majority (60%) think new teachers will increase the use of technology by 2030. Half predict they will focus more on teaching social values and diversity, and nearly half (48%) expect an increased focus on social and emotional learning.
Teachers are not being equipped with the skills and tools they need to deliver a next-generation education agenda—and optimism may be fading on the job.
Only 26% of respondents think their training has equipped them for managing stress and burnout.
Only 38% feel their training is equipping them to use digital technology. This is a worrying minority given that digital competency is now entering curricula in a growing number of countries and technology is anticipated to play an increasingly important role in the classroom.
Read the detailed survey on the Economist official website -
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