Xref: utzoo comp.society.futures:283 comp.edu:751 Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!phri!dasys1!patth From: patth@dasys1.UUCP (Patt Haring) Newsgroups: comp.society.futures,comp.edu Subject: High Schools of the Future Message-ID: <2285@dasys1.UUCP> Date: 21 Dec 87 01:28:56 GMT Organization: The Big Electric Cat Lines: 207 Keywords: Technology, Schools Excerpt from "The Public High School in the Year 2010: A National Delphi Study," doctoral dissertation by Margaret E. McCabe, Copyright 1984 (UMI 8401629). Scenario Imagine, if you will, that it is springtime 2010. A sixteen year old girl awakens and after she has had her breakfast and watched a "talk show" broadcast from France on the family satellite television set (which was part of her foreign language studies requirement), she goes to her desk and turns on her personal computer (PC). Her printer immediately types a message to her; it's an assignment from the Exploratory Language-History Learning Guide: "Write an Essay on the Changes that have Occurred within the High School Education Program Since 1982." The girl places her "source-guide" program into her PC and verbally asks for information on the topic. A crystal clear voice responds telling her which codes and she spends the next few hours listening and reviewing records, documents, old newspaper articles, and interviews with various legislators, governors, and leading educators from the past thirty years. She then interviews her parents (who work at home on their PCs) and several community members to gain their first-hand reports of what the high school was like in the 1980s and 1990s. She contacts her "study teammates" to share information. Finally she sorts out all the information and sits down at her PC to write her essay, confident that she is including the most salient points. When she completes the essay she will send it via the computer to the high school. This is what she writes: Evolution of the High School Educational Program: 1982-2010 Many aspects of the high school educational program have changed during the last twenty-seven years. Much of the change was the result of the citizen unrest and demands during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Business organizations and industries, as well as parents, demanded greater excellence in student performance. High schools across the nation were severely criticized for not assuring student mastery of what was called "basic skills," which was defined as reading, writing and math computation in those days. In response to these demands, some high schools deleted many electives and rigidly focused these three subject areas. An increase in requirements and higher standards for all classes became the norm, which seemed to please most communities in 1990. That was a dramatic change because prior to that time there had been demands to increase the diversity of high school classes. To us, gaining an education in 2010, this may seem like a strange action for the educational program to have taken, but it seems there was great emphasis placed on test scores and the scores of high school graduates had been decreasing over the years prior to all the criticism. Also, during the late 1970s and early 1980s there was a high rate of inflation and excessive unemployment, which no doubt played a part in the citizen unrest which was focused on the schools. Learning Guides, or "teachers" as they were called then, were directly criticized during this time---some people charged that the teachers were lacking ability in those same "basic skills" areas which caused at least one state, California, to implement a teacher competency test, i.e., individuals were required to pass a proficiency test in reading, language, and math computation before they were awarded a teaching credential. Many State Boards of Education also reacted to the criticisms by adopting standardized curricula for high schools---high school graduates were now required to master State-mandated skills in reading, computation, and writing. "Teachers" responded to all the criticism and mandates by becoming more unionized and demanding to be included in all policy decisions. Just before 1990, computer literacy was mandated in many states for high school graduates. Actually, all that meant was every high school student had to take one semester of computer science in order to graduate. Several years later, closer to the turn of the century, demands were made for greater excellence and expertise in the newest technological devices. These included the computer, satellites, and continuing research in the use of fiber optics. Private businesses and industries voluntarily began coordinating with schools to provide training activities for students in these areas. The fact that current training was being provided and computer literacy was required combined with the fact that many high schools across the nation were using computers in most of the classes really brought change to secondary educational programs. A student's course of study was once again diversified and individualization was actually becoming a reality. Teachers were able to spend more time on details and in exploratory discussions with students. Small high school were able to offer more courses, such as the study of various foreign languages and a host of other subject areas they had heretofore been unable to offer due to limited staff. Students were grouped by abilities and interests in many, but not all high schools. Needless to say, the advent and popularity of micro-computers in so many high schools in the 1980s and 1990s caused "teachers" to flock to computer training classes. The micro-computer definitely revolutionized the process and content of instruction in the schools and was more than likely responsible for the great educational programs we have today. The student population of the high schools also changed by the turn of the century---people of all ages were attending schools to update their skills and to gain new skills. The high school became the primary resource in communities that did not host a college. No doubt this event created confusion and great adjustment on the part of those who directed and taught in the school system, but after several years everyone adjusted to this event. The primary catalyst for lifelong learning activities was the information era, which had become intense in the early and mid-eighties. Computers were everywhere, and it was apparent by 1990 that any person who was unable to operate a micro-computer would be constantly behind in terms of general information. Additionally, computer literacy was required for many jobs by 1990, and for most jobs by 2000. The movement of adults entering the schools again changed the curriculum--it became more fluid, continually being updated. It was also much more flexible and diverse than it had been a decade earlier. Community members, specifically those connected with large businesses and industries, went into schools to offer training in specific technological skill and knowledge areas, particularly those involved in research and development of fiber optics and international satellite information centers. Today, gaining an education is very different than it was then. The options are virtually limitless. Individuals can, and many do, attend public and private high schools, but the high school per se is becoming obsolete. In fact, the old buildings are utilized more and more as community socialization centers. People of all ages now gain information and knowledge through international satellite television. Most of the kids, however, use personal computers to complete their formal education. (Schools actually lend PCs to students who can't afford to buy one.) We still have to pass a competency exam to get a diploma, but there isn't any talk about "basic skills"--today we must be proficient in computer operation, i.e., how to access information using a modem as well as software packages. Most of us know how to program pretty well, but only basic programming skills are required to complete high school. We also have to know how to read proficiently and to compute, but computation is accomplished using pocket-size computers, which are very much like the old small calculators. Other areas in which we must be proficient are language skills, mostly because even with our sophisticated electronic communication devices, we must still be able to speak with people. Several times each year we have to attend special debate and public speaking lessons. Written skills are very important, of course, because without them we would not be able to communicate effectively between computers, etc. Real diversity and individualization has become a reality. Students work at their own pace, but there is no need to complete the high school courses in four years--now we have time to study topic areas in great depth. "Teachers" no longer have to dominate the instructional content; they act more as planners and guides in the learning process and they are available for discussion and private conferences much more than in 1980. This is probably why their title was changed to Learning Guides right after the turn of the century. Our educational programs today are similar to the independent study programs of the 1980s I've read about. Great emphasis is placed on the process of learning today; the philosophy is that if we all learn how to learn, how to access information, we can always update our skills and knowledge. (Knowledge and current information has become a more important commodity in our society than in the past.) Another emphasis today is problem-solving. Learning Guides provide us with actual problems and case studies so that we can develop these skills. We really learn where our resources are and how to use them. In fact, we often participate directly in community social and political activities to learn how to resolve problems. Students frequently work in teams to study and resolve problems. Some students are directly linked with each other through TVs and computers, which is a great advantage in that it enables them to work together at any time. Our 3D holograms did not exist in the 1980s either. They really help us understand other geographical areas as well as politics and world events, because we feel we're right in the place. For example, the other day I watched our President talking with some officials in Europe. I'm glad I live now--going to school in the 1980s sounds so restrictive compared to the present time. I wonder what kind of education will exist thirty years from now. For example, the other day while scanning my international satellite TV news stations I saw some interviews with people who are using drugs to increase their memory and level of intelligence. According to the program it really works and seems to be gaining momentum in some places. Reposted from: The U.S. Department of Education BBS (3/12/2400 Baud, 24 hrs) Toll Free: 1-800-222-4922 -- Patt Haring UUCP: ..cmcl2!phri!dasys1!patth Big Electric Cat Compu$erve: 76566,2510 New York, NY, USA MCI Mail: Patt Haring; GEnie-PHaring (212) 879-9031 FidoNet Mail: 1:107/701 or 107/222