Prepare the 2030 students’ classroom today

Gone are the days where students are expected to sit quietly at their desks in a bid to make a meaningful impact in the future of a progressive society says Harb Bou-Harb, Senior Director Education, Microsoft, MEA.

Preparing the successful digital conversion for classrooms today as countries focus on their national visions is not determined by the technology, but by how technology enables teaching and learning of a progressive nation said Bou-Harb at the Abu Dhabi, Bett MEA Conference and Expo.

Today’s kindergartners will graduate better prepared for their futures if they have a strong social and emotional foundation that is developed in a personalized learning environment, according to new Microsoft research conducted in collaboration with McKinsey & Company’s Education Practice. The study revealed new insights into the knowledge and experiences students will need to be ”life-ready” and not simply “work-ready” asserted Bou Harb.

While it is difficult to anticipate, what will come in 2030 it is critical that every country considers deployment of educational technologies as they quickly review their curriculum that would match with the transformative trends.

“Adoption and deployment of educational technology is making learning collaborative and interactive through augmented virtual and mixed reality transformative technology that’s enhancing teacher instruction while simultaneously creating immersive lessons that are fun and engaging for the student,” said Bou-Harb.

Owing to the ongoing connectivity, Africa has a great chance to adopt new systems that would help drive and reshaping how the future work environment to be and what constitutes how to learn and develop the skills to work in the future.

While education is one of the last industries to make extensive change, holding on to antiquated methods and practices that do not add value to community and value every student makes the process retrogressive said Bou-Harb stressing the need for digital transformation.

The current speed of technological breakthroughs has led to the coming age of workplace automation, dramatically altering the world of work that today’s students will enter.

In a bid to prepare the students with the trends social dynamics and trends of the times, teachers have begun making drastic changes to their instruction, assessments, the physical make-up of their classrooms at a much faster rate than was expected. However, in Africa, this happening more in private schools.