Group 1

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

Abstract

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

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

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,

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

Conclusion

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

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).