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'''H.E.L.P Teaching in 2040: The Evolving Role of Educators in Toronto's Future Classrooms
'''H.E.L.P Teaching in 2040: The Evolving Role of Educators in Toronto's Future Classrooms'''
'''
 
[[File:Keystone 72.png.webp|thumb]]
 
= Abstract =
= Abstract =


Line 7: Line 9:
= Diary Entries =
= Diary Entries =


==== '''The End of Meaningful Evaluation''' ====
'''Diary Entry 1'''
 
6 September 2022
 
Dear Diary,
 
Today is my first day of teachers college at Waterdown University! I am so excited! I am looking forward to making many new friends who share the same passion as me, teaching the children of the future! Can’t wait to see what the next two years have in store for me.
 
Wish me luck!
 
Gemma
 
'''Diary Entry 2'''
 
2 May 2024
Dear Diary,
 
Despite the job postings being released over a month ago, I have now come around to finally applying to my first real “big girl" job! After sitting at my computer for countless hours and almost a hundred applications later, I am hopeful that I will have the opportunity to uplift my students in my own classroom this upcoming September.


Gemma,
Talk to you when I hopefully have a full-time job! Wish me luck!


The information I bring for you must be dealt with in haste. I have told you about the downfall of in-person learning and the role of educators being reduced, but I did not tell you how. This letter will reveal to you the first way technology has taken over our once beautiful and intricate educational system, through the destruction of educational evaluations.
Gemma


Evaluations, once a tool to assess student learning, provide feedback for improvement, and guide students to meet their educational goals, are now met with hollow data. 
'''Diary Entry 3'''


In 2024, evaluation is shaped by the blend of traditional assessment methods and holistic, personalized approaches such as self-assessment, peer feedback, and exams based on the individual learning needs of students. Educators were able to make evaluations an interactive and inclusive process by emphasizing the personal goals of each student, helping them keep track of their own development, and using evaluation as an extension of the learning journey. Students were actively participating in self-reflection and progress awareness. A holistic and personalized assessment system inspired students to apply the skills and knowledge learned in the classroom and independently towards their final evaluations, creating a safe learning environment for all.
7 September 2024
         
Dear Diary,  


Today, in the year 2040, things are not so simple. Evaluation is now an empty and soulless machine, deprived of any humanity or understanding. What was once a dynamic, personalized and holistic process is now an algorithm-driven nightmare. In my world, evaluation is haunted by three complex ideas: algorithmic traps on automated grading, self-assessment as counterproductive tools for autonomous learning, and the death of empathetic human connection in grading.  
I found journal entries from my grandmother and mother today. Wow, times have changed! For them, teachers were so strict and students were so disciplined! They never stepped a toe out of line, and they definitely didn't have phones in the classroom! No technology at all, unlike today.  


In 2040, online learning has initiated the rise of digital assessments such as quizzes, multiple-choice tests, and auto-graded assignments. These assessments were designed as efficient automated tools to be used for personalized grading, not for checking sincere understanding. It is clear an alternate agenda is hidden deep within this system, as cheating and algorithms take over. These new systems of evaluation encourage students to memorize, rather than to think critically, reducing their learning and assessments to data points, checkboxes and scores generated by algorithms. Here, grades no longer reflect a student’s true knowledge. With no supervision or accountability, students have become masters at cheating their way through evaluations from the comfort of their own homes. Regardless of effort, because of this new system, grades and evaluations become meaningless, and teachers are unable to distinguish between students who understand the material and students who simply know how to play the system. Today, a perfect score on a test does not mean understanding, rather it means the student has found a way to manipulate the digital system well enough to pass the algorithm's surveillance. With this advanced virtual method of learning and assessing, an algorithm spits out numbers while teachers have been reduced to evaluation organizers and cheating enablers, a shallow erosion of what once was a holistic, personalized, and fair drive for meaningful evaluation. For both students and teachers, nothing is truly earned.  
Today, if I asked my students to take out a pen and paper, they would stare at me with blank faces! They all use their chrome books, and with many of the kids needing technology for individual education plans, it just works out that way - students need technology in the classroom. They have a hard time differentiating between classroom technology and personal technology like phones…I swear if I hear one more Tik Tok while I'm speaking I'm going to lose it! I can definitely see technology becoming a problem for youth in schools and society today..I mean they walk into class and instead of greeting their classmates face-to-face, they text each other “hi” on Snapchat instead! Crazy! I don’t get it… If we don’t put a stop to this, I can only imagine it getting worse. Students won’t even be able to speak confidently in-person to one another, or generate their own ideas without ChatGPT guiding them. They won’t even want to come to school if they’re learning more from their computers than from us teachers…Wow, that's scary! I really hope technology in the classroom does not continue to become a problem and I sure hope we can stop this trend. I imagine that in the future, students will be able to put their phones aside and responsibly use their technology in the classroom for educational purposes only.  


What was once an opportunity for students to engage with teachers to reflect on their own learning and find ways for personal growth has vanished completely from this dystopian world. Today, without human interaction and in-person learning, students must complete self-assessments without any real guidance or true feedback from educators. Because of this, students are not able to effectively assess their learning or personal growth but rather must grade themselves blindly by checking boxes while filled with self-doubt. The advanced systems of 2040 do not prepare students with sustainable assessment skills (David Boud) to develop their ability to assess their learning. David Boud claims that “assessment that meets the needs of the present and prepares students to meet their own future learning needs” (Boud, 2000) is key to fostering lifelong learning, and teachers have a critical role in doing so (Boud, 2000). Effective self-assessment requires supportive feedback from teachers, which students are simply not receiving. Without feedback from an experienced educator, students are being misled by a new system that does not care for their learning. Evaluation at the institutional level has been completely abandoned, replaced by a counterproductive system that places educators far from the core of what education means. Teachers wait behind screens, biting their tongues from giving feedback, monitoring students as they falsely assess themselves.  
Anyway, today is my first day as a full-time teacher. I've done long-term contracts before, but this is my first real job! Don’t get me wrong, my placements helped prepare me for this moment, however, having my own classroom sure is scary! I hope kids show up! I’m excited to meet them and inspire them to shape their lives for the better and make a difference!  


Today - unlike in your time - teachers are avatars on a digital screen, never truly getting to know their students or building real relationships with them. Personal connection, the cornerstone of impactful education, is now a distant memory, lost among a sea of screens. In the past, teachers would roam around the classroom, whisper words of encouragement to their students, and even pat them on the shoulder. This new technological world has brought with it the death of empathy and compassion in learning and evaluation. Online, a teacher's feedback is often overlooked, comes too late, or is unseen, meanwhile, students feel isolated and alienated in their learning. The teacher’s role in the classroom is reduced to mere administrators of automated feedback and mechanically produced grades that lack personalized student connections or compassion. The meaningful connection once praised in education and evaluation is now forgotten and replaced by machines and empty bots.
Off I go! Wish me luck!
Gemma


In today’s dystopian world, what once was an inclusive and holistic approach to evaluation has become a lifeless system of control. The humanity and creativity that once nourished educational institutions are now replaced by a student's ability to comply with digital instructions and algorithms. Now, evaluations are a representation of artificially produced grades and lack the human compassion needed for fair assessment. 2040 is a year of isolation and disconnection, a future where evaluation is a tool for dishonesty and injustice rather than a means for fostering educational growth. As technology facilitators, teachers have been stripped of their autonomy and forced into rigid and hollow systems devoid of meaning, forced to give students grades that fail to reflect true knowledge.
'''Diary Entry 4'''


Gemma, so long as virtual learning continues to dictate education, the end of meaningful evaluation will continue. You must figure out a way to stop this. The future is in your hands…
[[File:Skills-outlook-2021-blog.jpg|thumb]]


Over and out.
10 October 2024
 
Dear Diary,
 
I am writing to update you on my classroom experience so far! I am teaching grades 9 and 10 History and have been really enjoying it! My students are very actively engaged, building their soft skills in the classroom and making connections, it's a wonderful thing to see! It was hard getting them to put their phones down and chromebooks away, but I am so happy to be fostering such a safe, welcoming and lovely learning environment. Through my first couple of months of teaching, I have felt very empowered and hopeful for the future of teaching and learning. I’m still working on technology-time in the classroom. I’m trying to find a way to continue to use technological tools like Twine, Kahoot, and Padlet in world-building and classroom learning to give students autonomy and creativity.  I hope I am back at Red Rose Public School again next year!
 
Wish me luck!
 
Gemma
 
'''Diary Entry 5'''
 
Toronto, 2040
 
Dear Gemma,
 
[[File:Depositphotos 93018326-stock-photo-blank-white-mailing-envelope-on.jpg|thumb]]
 
We live in a world where every aspect of our lives is dominated by technology, constantly surrounded by the relentless hum of devices and pings of phones. Silence is drowned by the frequency waves of technology. The doom is that we are constantly connected, but have never been so isolated.
 
This may seem like a far and distant land from you, but we are not so different, you and I. In fact, we are very much alike. Both determined to make a change, dreaming of creating a world filled with human connection. Both taking the path less travelled to inspire youth, shape their love for learning, and help them build the confidence they need to navigate the world and discover their potential. For me, this dream has been swept away like ashes in the wind. You, however, can alter the course of history.
 
You might be wondering why you received this letter, who I am, and why you. In time, all your questions shall be answered, but I need something from you in the meantime. Pay close attention to what is about to be revealed to you, it shall become your guiding post.
 
Between 2024 and 2040, the role of technology continues to shape our economy as challenges continue to unfold. As AI advanced, so did remote-working, plummeting the economy, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The job market crashed, housing prices increased, and people grew anxious. They turned to the young generations for hope, but even they were stuck to their screens. Where diversity was once a main priority for a safe, inclusive and accessible learning environment, all identities have been reduced and blurred onto a virtual screen. Equity became hard to track, and with it came the downfall of accessible opportunities for growth.
 
In my world, educators have been reduced to nothing. We seek connection like it is a magical being from our imagination. A myth only to be spoken about in fond memory. Education, once a place for face-to-face learning has transformed into virtual worlds easily accessible from the bedroom. Lessons are streamed from various online platforms, assignments are submitted online with the click of a button, and social interaction is condensed into pixelated 5x5 boxes on a flat screen. Teachers have been reduced to nothing but technology facilitators rather than holistic educators, destroying the profession as we know it…
 
If you do not heed these warnings, this will be your future. If you do not put a stop to this now, if you dismiss addressing the uprising of technology in the classroom, this is how your role as an educator will look…
 
You have been warned. Over and out.


Messenger #346
Messenger #346


==== Jessica - Individual Entry ====
= Individual Narratives =  
==== Vanessa - Individual Entry ====
 
==== '''Challenges for Teachers''' ====
==[[The End of Meaningful Evaluation (Kimia)]]==


The time has come. This is my last letter to you. By now, you must feel overwhelmed by the harsh realities of 2040 and what is to come. Yet, I write to you to express that you, as an educator, are the bridge between what humanity needs and the effects technology has had on us. It is evident that the ones who once said, “Technology cannot replace teachers” were false, and it continues to be a problematic situation in time.
==[[Connection is Key for Learning in Indigenous Communities (Jessica)]]==
Many educators struggle to understand how and why technology has replaced their positions. Motivation is nearly extinct, morale is at an all-time low, and teachers no longer have that spark in their eyes that they once had. My heart breaks more and more every day as I watch teachers slowly walk into their classrooms, where they typically greet their students every day and see no one but their coworkers. For all individuals, the need for human connection is a crucial factor in maintaining mental health.
Now, think about the question as you read the remainder of what I have left to say, “What is the role of the teacher if technology does everything for you?”.
Here in 2040, the presence of technology has created a profound challenge for teachers. Although technology is an issue, the real challenge is human. The rise of mental health has taken a devastating toll on educators. I understand that all teachers do experience burnout, anxiety, and stress. However, what we face now is nothing like what we have previously encountered. It is important to remember that “teachers' psychological and mental health is of utmost importance as it indirectly affects the students they teach”(Agyapong et al., 2022). Without your efforts, willingness, and drive, the longevity of this profession will be at an all-time low.


You may ask yourself, “What can I do today to improve teachers' overall well-being and education as a whole?”. Well, I will provide you with three reasons that I believe will help spark the change that educators need in order to maintain a healthy well-being.
==[[Hybrid Learning (Vanessa)]]==
Three Changes to Improve Teachers’ Well-Being:
Create Professional Boundaries


As a teacher, you understand that saying “No” is often difficult. You either take on too many school teams or overlook too many after-school clubs, but you need to learn to prioritize your mental health. It is important to remember that burnout, “a stress-related problem for individuals who work in interpersonally oriented occupations” (Agyapong et al., 2022) does occur. If you begin to promote self-care, it will lead to fewer worries while you are educating students of the future.
==[[Challenges for Teachers (Chantel)]]==
Encourage Connection


In your classroom, students have their own issues that they may not share. They may be going through a hard time that you are unaware of. By creating check-ins with your students once a week, the students will gain your trust and want to talk to you more and more. Not only will this help your students, but you will feel refreshed and confident as you see your purpose in your position.
= Conclusion =
Create Support Systems
Currently, hybrid learning does not promote support systems. Nor does it promote human connection and relationships. By creating support systems in your classroom and with other educators, teacher wellbeing would be reconnected and an enhancement of job satisfaction would occur.


Before I say my goodbyes, I will leave you with hope. Hope that you understand that your job is not replaceable. A machine or screen does not provide students with confidence, personal growth, and guidance – YOU do. Preserve with purpose through the difficult days that lay ahead. Remember, an educator’s wellbeing may change each day, but your actions today will shape the future generations to come.
'''Diary Entry 1'''


'''Mission complete!'''
Dear General,
 
I have now successfully completed my mission. I have provided the participant with the necessary information about what is to come. Our world has been consumed with technology, and in person communication is failing. Human connection is failing. Face-to-face education is now a sad distant memory. Each warning was transferred discreetly to ensure anonymity and safety of the participant. I do hope she is able to crack the code… H.E.L.P. The fate of education is now in her hands. If Gemma cannot pass the mission, this destruction will be the probable future world of education…
 
I must go now, but I leave behind hope. I have hope that she will save the future.
 
Mission Accomplished! Over and out.


Messenger #346
Messenger #346
'''Diary Entry 2'''
Dear Diary,
I read all the letters…and I’m frightened. I put them all together, and they spell H.E.L.P...I think each letter represents the issues written within. H for hybrid learning, E for evaluation, L for Indigenous learning and P for probelms and chanllenges for teachers. From what I’ve gathered, we’ve constructed a world where knowledge is just a click away, but is that truly the future we want? In the future, evaluation, once a fair and holistic learning tool, is now an algorithmic nightmare driven by automated grading. I can’t believe that in the future we stray away from Indigenous learning when we have worked so hard to make our classrooms a safe and inclusive space for all bodies with varying perspectives. I need to remind everyone how important Indigenous Knowledge is to connect us back to our roots and to each other. I am afraid that I won’t be able to do this by myself.I fear what will happen to the soft-skills that are essential for students' learning and life skills as they grow into adulthood with this hybrid learning model. As students move to virtual learning, this will impact characteristics of each individual and soon they will resemble robots.
I feel the weight of the reality that it described. Mental health is a pressing issue currently as I witness the strain it has had on my colleagues and students. But, knowing that the strain continues to worsen tells me that the future is closer than what we think. If change is not near, disconnection will be worse than what we have ever imagined.
Wish me luck!
Gemma
Grey and gloom have begun to take over the city, creeping into every corner as the relentless hum of technology pervades the air. In the year 2040, no children roam the streets, schools are void, seats are cold, and teachers sit like ghosts in the front of the classroom. Absence lingers, haunting those who once were. What once was a safe, warm, and inspirational learning environment is now lost amongst the domination of technology. Children tucked deep within the shadows of their homes gather around their devices as they stare blankly at the spark they once could have had. Overwhelmed by the endless emails and lack of human interaction, their passion for teaching is diminished by the disconnection between what once was a nurturing exchange between student and teacher. In an empty classroom, silence is deafening, empty desks glance back as time passes entirely too slow. Educators yearn for raised hands and children’s laughter. In stillness, she studies unsaid lessons and wonders if the day shall gift her work to be graded. So the clock ticks, dust settles, the sun sets, as she waits patiently for any sign of hope. One small connection.
Looking forward and imagining possibilities is crucial as it allows us to engage with the future by actively shaping it rather than simply responding to the circumstances we are given. When there is possibility for action and change, participating in it helps us become invested in the emerging challenges, technologies, and societal shifts. By engaging with present issues, such as the rise of technology in the classroom, we are able to recognize that the possibilities of these challenges may actually occur. By considering possible futures, it helps us think critically about the present, past, and future by helping us understand and imagine different outcomes. Through this, we can gain a deeper understanding of how our current situation can shape the future and how we can explore alternative pathways that lead to more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive outcomes.


= References =  
= References =  
Agyapong, B., Obuobi-Donkor, G., Burback, L., & Wei, Y. (2022). Stress, Burnout, Anxiety and Depression among Teachers: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710706
Agyapong, B., Obuobi-Donkor, G., Burback, L., & Wei, Y. (2022). Stress, Burnout, Anxiety and Depression among Teachers: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710706


Boud, D. (2000). "Sustainable Assessment: Rethinking Assessment for the Learning Society"
Boud, D. (2000). Sustainable assessment: Rethinking assessment for the learning society. Studies in Continuing Education, 22(2), 151-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/015803700750035950


Brayboy & Maughan (2009). Indigenous Knowledge and the Story of the Bean, Harvard Educational Review, 79(1).  
Brayboy & Maughan (2009). Indigenous Knowledge and the Story of the Bean, Harvard Educational Review, 79(1).  


Harris. S. Kara. Rogers. E. George., “Soft skills in the technology education classroom: What do students need?” The Technology Teacher (2008).
Harris. S. Kara. Rogers. E. George., “Soft skills in the technology education classroom: What do students need?” The Technology Teacher (2008).

Latest revision as of 12:20, 2 December 2024

H.E.L.P Teaching in 2040: The Evolving Role of Educators in Toronto's Future Classrooms

Keystone 72.png.webp

Abstract[edit]

In 2040, the primary mode of schooling follows a remote-learning format with heavy screen based learning from the comfort of the students home. This poses the question: what is the role of the teacher if students are receiving their knowledge from technology? This paper examines four key topics: evaluation methods, Indigenous knowledge and relationships, hybrid learning, and mental health challenges for teachers. It concludes that by the year 2040, the role of educators in Toronto will evolve into that of 'technology facilitators' rather than the holistic teachers we see today.

Diary Entries[edit]

Diary Entry 1

6 September 2022

Dear Diary,

Today is my first day of teachers college at Waterdown University! I am so excited! I am looking forward to making many new friends who share the same passion as me, teaching the children of the future! Can’t wait to see what the next two years have in store for me.

Wish me luck!

Gemma

Diary Entry 2

2 May 2024

Dear Diary,

Despite the job postings being released over a month ago, I have now come around to finally applying to my first real “big girl" job! After sitting at my computer for countless hours and almost a hundred applications later, I am hopeful that I will have the opportunity to uplift my students in my own classroom this upcoming September.

Talk to you when I hopefully have a full-time job! Wish me luck!

Gemma

Diary Entry 3

7 September 2024

Dear Diary,

I found journal entries from my grandmother and mother today. Wow, times have changed! For them, teachers were so strict and students were so disciplined! They never stepped a toe out of line, and they definitely didn't have phones in the classroom! No technology at all, unlike today.

Today, if I asked my students to take out a pen and paper, they would stare at me with blank faces! They all use their chrome books, and with many of the kids needing technology for individual education plans, it just works out that way - students need technology in the classroom. They have a hard time differentiating between classroom technology and personal technology like phones…I swear if I hear one more Tik Tok while I'm speaking I'm going to lose it! I can definitely see technology becoming a problem for youth in schools and society today..I mean they walk into class and instead of greeting their classmates face-to-face, they text each other “hi” on Snapchat instead! Crazy! I don’t get it… If we don’t put a stop to this, I can only imagine it getting worse. Students won’t even be able to speak confidently in-person to one another, or generate their own ideas without ChatGPT guiding them. They won’t even want to come to school if they’re learning more from their computers than from us teachers…Wow, that's scary! I really hope technology in the classroom does not continue to become a problem and I sure hope we can stop this trend. I imagine that in the future, students will be able to put their phones aside and responsibly use their technology in the classroom for educational purposes only.

Anyway, today is my first day as a full-time teacher. I've done long-term contracts before, but this is my first real job! Don’t get me wrong, my placements helped prepare me for this moment, however, having my own classroom sure is scary! I hope kids show up! I’m excited to meet them and inspire them to shape their lives for the better and make a difference!

Off I go! Wish me luck!

Gemma

Diary Entry 4

Skills-outlook-2021-blog.jpg

10 October 2024

Dear Diary,

I am writing to update you on my classroom experience so far! I am teaching grades 9 and 10 History and have been really enjoying it! My students are very actively engaged, building their soft skills in the classroom and making connections, it's a wonderful thing to see! It was hard getting them to put their phones down and chromebooks away, but I am so happy to be fostering such a safe, welcoming and lovely learning environment. Through my first couple of months of teaching, I have felt very empowered and hopeful for the future of teaching and learning. I’m still working on technology-time in the classroom. I’m trying to find a way to continue to use technological tools like Twine, Kahoot, and Padlet in world-building and classroom learning to give students autonomy and creativity. I hope I am back at Red Rose Public School again next year!

Wish me luck!

Gemma

Diary Entry 5

Toronto, 2040

Dear Gemma,

Depositphotos 93018326-stock-photo-blank-white-mailing-envelope-on.jpg

We live in a world where every aspect of our lives is dominated by technology, constantly surrounded by the relentless hum of devices and pings of phones. Silence is drowned by the frequency waves of technology. The doom is that we are constantly connected, but have never been so isolated.

This may seem like a far and distant land from you, but we are not so different, you and I. In fact, we are very much alike. Both determined to make a change, dreaming of creating a world filled with human connection. Both taking the path less travelled to inspire youth, shape their love for learning, and help them build the confidence they need to navigate the world and discover their potential. For me, this dream has been swept away like ashes in the wind. You, however, can alter the course of history.

You might be wondering why you received this letter, who I am, and why you. In time, all your questions shall be answered, but I need something from you in the meantime. Pay close attention to what is about to be revealed to you, it shall become your guiding post.

Between 2024 and 2040, the role of technology continues to shape our economy as challenges continue to unfold. As AI advanced, so did remote-working, plummeting the economy, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The job market crashed, housing prices increased, and people grew anxious. They turned to the young generations for hope, but even they were stuck to their screens. Where diversity was once a main priority for a safe, inclusive and accessible learning environment, all identities have been reduced and blurred onto a virtual screen. Equity became hard to track, and with it came the downfall of accessible opportunities for growth.

In my world, educators have been reduced to nothing. We seek connection like it is a magical being from our imagination. A myth only to be spoken about in fond memory. Education, once a place for face-to-face learning has transformed into virtual worlds easily accessible from the bedroom. Lessons are streamed from various online platforms, assignments are submitted online with the click of a button, and social interaction is condensed into pixelated 5x5 boxes on a flat screen. Teachers have been reduced to nothing but technology facilitators rather than holistic educators, destroying the profession as we know it…

If you do not heed these warnings, this will be your future. If you do not put a stop to this now, if you dismiss addressing the uprising of technology in the classroom, this is how your role as an educator will look…

You have been warned. Over and out.

Messenger #346

Individual Narratives[edit]

The End of Meaningful Evaluation (Kimia)[edit]

Connection is Key for Learning in Indigenous Communities (Jessica)[edit]

Hybrid Learning (Vanessa)[edit]

Challenges for Teachers (Chantel)[edit]

Conclusion[edit]

Diary Entry 1

Dear General,

I have now successfully completed my mission. I have provided the participant with the necessary information about what is to come. Our world has been consumed with technology, and in person communication is failing. Human connection is failing. Face-to-face education is now a sad distant memory. Each warning was transferred discreetly to ensure anonymity and safety of the participant. I do hope she is able to crack the code… H.E.L.P. The fate of education is now in her hands. If Gemma cannot pass the mission, this destruction will be the probable future world of education…

I must go now, but I leave behind hope. I have hope that she will save the future.

Mission Accomplished! Over and out.

Messenger #346

Diary Entry 2

Dear Diary,

I read all the letters…and I’m frightened. I put them all together, and they spell H.E.L.P...I think each letter represents the issues written within. H for hybrid learning, E for evaluation, L for Indigenous learning and P for probelms and chanllenges for teachers. From what I’ve gathered, we’ve constructed a world where knowledge is just a click away, but is that truly the future we want? In the future, evaluation, once a fair and holistic learning tool, is now an algorithmic nightmare driven by automated grading. I can’t believe that in the future we stray away from Indigenous learning when we have worked so hard to make our classrooms a safe and inclusive space for all bodies with varying perspectives. I need to remind everyone how important Indigenous Knowledge is to connect us back to our roots and to each other. I am afraid that I won’t be able to do this by myself.I fear what will happen to the soft-skills that are essential for students' learning and life skills as they grow into adulthood with this hybrid learning model. As students move to virtual learning, this will impact characteristics of each individual and soon they will resemble robots. I feel the weight of the reality that it described. Mental health is a pressing issue currently as I witness the strain it has had on my colleagues and students. But, knowing that the strain continues to worsen tells me that the future is closer than what we think. If change is not near, disconnection will be worse than what we have ever imagined.

Wish me luck!

Gemma

Grey and gloom have begun to take over the city, creeping into every corner as the relentless hum of technology pervades the air. In the year 2040, no children roam the streets, schools are void, seats are cold, and teachers sit like ghosts in the front of the classroom. Absence lingers, haunting those who once were. What once was a safe, warm, and inspirational learning environment is now lost amongst the domination of technology. Children tucked deep within the shadows of their homes gather around their devices as they stare blankly at the spark they once could have had. Overwhelmed by the endless emails and lack of human interaction, their passion for teaching is diminished by the disconnection between what once was a nurturing exchange between student and teacher. In an empty classroom, silence is deafening, empty desks glance back as time passes entirely too slow. Educators yearn for raised hands and children’s laughter. In stillness, she studies unsaid lessons and wonders if the day shall gift her work to be graded. So the clock ticks, dust settles, the sun sets, as she waits patiently for any sign of hope. One small connection.

Looking forward and imagining possibilities is crucial as it allows us to engage with the future by actively shaping it rather than simply responding to the circumstances we are given. When there is possibility for action and change, participating in it helps us become invested in the emerging challenges, technologies, and societal shifts. By engaging with present issues, such as the rise of technology in the classroom, we are able to recognize that the possibilities of these challenges may actually occur. By considering possible futures, it helps us think critically about the present, past, and future by helping us understand and imagine different outcomes. Through this, we can gain a deeper understanding of how our current situation can shape the future and how we can explore alternative pathways that lead to more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive outcomes.

References[edit]

Agyapong, B., Obuobi-Donkor, G., Burback, L., & Wei, Y. (2022). Stress, Burnout, Anxiety and Depression among Teachers: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710706

Boud, D. (2000). Sustainable assessment: Rethinking assessment for the learning society. Studies in Continuing Education, 22(2), 151-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/015803700750035950

Brayboy & Maughan (2009). Indigenous Knowledge and the Story of the Bean, Harvard Educational Review, 79(1).

Harris. S. Kara. Rogers. E. George., “Soft skills in the technology education classroom: What do students need?” The Technology Teacher (2008).

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