Research acces to education in future

ACC E SS OV E R OW N E R S H I P

The definition of wealth will be based on ‘having access to’- acces to people, tools and products. We will only own what is core to our work and life. The rest is easier, cheaper and more updates just to have access to.

Dionne Swinkels Gianluca Mazzarolo Janneke van Hooff

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

- Nelson Mandela

Our first step during our brainstorm session was to focus on where we have access to these days. Technology is something we use every day, because of the mobile phone, computer and the online web we are able to have more access to be connected and stay updated about what is happening around us. Technology is so engaged into our daily routines and we adapt it as our second nature. Even products and services that we use, are connected with technology.

Different important innovations and inventions happened in the last years that gives us access to different sources that makes our lives more easier these days. Uber, airbnb, peerby are social platforms where people provide each other with services that gives us the freedom

the have access to almost everything that is important to have more a comfortable life.

We find it very interesting to see how technology gives us the freedom to have access to all aspects in life. Because of technology we are able to get informed quickly about what is happening around us. We started with researching different fields around the subject access: Democratic, ecological, social, economic, political and education. We decided for this project to focus us on the last one: education.

Like Nelson Mandela said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

In the medieval times, learning was only for an elite few and only this few had access to educational opportunities. These days everybody can get access to knowledge thanks to the online cloud. We don’t have to travel anymore to take classes, read books or follow workshops. And in the future this will only get easier. Does this mean that anyone can change the world?

With access to the internet we get loads of information thrown at us. When new knowledge is found the ‘old’ gathered information becomes unnecessary. Plenty of time will be wasted in the process to reach the knowledge we need. In the future, knowledge won’t be worth that much because anyone has access to this and is able to get easily outdated. So instead of knowledge, students need to increase different skills, skills that don’t become outdated as quick as knowledge does: critical and analytical abilities, concept development, creative skills, knowledge search and most of all the ability to quickly learn knowledge and skills when we need them. ‘just in time learning’ The world becomes more mobile, globalised and digital and education is going to do the same by making teaching available anywhere, anytime of everyone. Even groupwork and feedback can be handled in virtual environments.

‘can anyone change the world’?

Generation X is growing up with technology thrown in there cradle. They know how to work a tablet before they learn how to read and write. All the knowledge in the world lays already underneath their fingertips before they know it. Teachers in the future will only be necessary to guide students to this information.

With access to the internet we get loads of information thrown at us. When new knowledge is found the ‘old’ gathered information becomes unnecessary. Plenty of time will be wasted in the process to reach the knowledge we need. In the future, knowledge won’t be worth that much because anyone has access to this and is able to get easily outdated. So instead of knowledge, students need to increase different skills, skills that don’t become outdated as quick as knowledge does: critical and analytical abilities, concept development, creative skills, knowledge search and most of all the ability to quickly learn knowledge and skills when we need them. ‘just in time learning’ The world becomes more mobile, globalised and digital and education is going to do the same by making teaching available anywhere, anytime of everyone. Even groupwork and feedback can be handled in virtual environments.

The cloud encourages students to learn independent, they can take ownership of their own learning and make it as personal as possible. The students don’t have to learn the exact same thing and follow the exact same rules to graduate. Instead of focussing on their weaknesses we our going to focus on talent. Let students excel in where they are good in and let them distinguish in this way. Even if this means the students are going to be more skilled than teachers.

Students are the centre, not the teacher. The teacher's job is to motivate and inspire. So to get back to the first question: ‘can anyone change the world’? We think the new influencers are the motivated, creative, and innovative minds. It is not about knowing the knowledge anymore, but what you do with it. If anyone find answers on the internet you have to make new ones to distinguish. Or even better: ask new questions.