The Future of Learning
What’s so great about sci-fi and fantasy?
These genres allow us to explore complicated ideas in an intriguing way, and both students and adults love them.
Take The Hunger Games and Harry Potter.
Aside from the excitement of these blockbuster hits, they also tackle real-world issues like poverty, oppression, love, death, and war.
To hook students into the learning process, FLVS tries to find ways to incorporate these types of imaginative elements into our courses to teach and captivate them.
From gaming to virtual reality to medical advances, the FLVS curriculum team is always searching for new and innovative trends that can inform course development.
Game On!
Ender’s Game is a futuristic novel, turned movie, about children trained through tactical games to fight an intergalactic war. While our current technology isn’t quite there yet, games have long been used in education to promote serious learning. For example, in Code Combat, players use programming to manipulate the game world. It’s fun, but the winning mechanic is also mastering programming concepts.
Virtual Reality is Coming Your Way
Back in the 1960s, Star Trek introduced the idea of immersive virtual reality. Today we have the technology to create primitive versions of it. Sit tight—the FLVS Innovation Team is exploring different ways we can use virtual reality to engage students. How? By monitoring the progress of companies, hardware, and software that are providing greater access to these experiences.
The Matrix is Everywhere
Why do so many people love The Matrix? The idea that the future is now intrigues and appeals to us. And with the incredible technological advancements we’re making every day (think mind-controlled drone races and stunning medical breakthroughs), the future has never felt closer. Taking a page from Neo’s playbook we are asking ourselves: What futuristic elements can we use throughout our course development? How can we encourage learning and retention through imagination and possibility?
The Future’s So Bright…
We want to find new ways to keep kids engaged, excited, and eager to learn. That’s why we’re keeping tabs on technology—to figure out how we can use these components to ensure students not only get it, but that they’re also feelin’ it. Through dedication and an innovative spirit, we can work together to inspire students to dream bigger and reach higher.
Post by Joe Greaser, FLVS Curriculum Innovation