Getting used to chαnge

Getting Used to ChαngePreparing Yourself for Transformative Change in

Alberta’s Education System

Stephen Murgatroyd, PhD FBPsS FRSAChief Scout, The Innovation Expedition

Growing Up in My “World”1950 - 1973

Born. Bradford, Yorkshire 1950 Oct 31Educated: St Patrick’s, St Clare’s and St. Francis Primary and St Bede’s

GrammarUniversity: University College, Cardiff

(now Cardiff University)Married: 1970

Children: James (1976) and Glyn (1978)Grandchildren: Lily (2010)

Revolved Around …(1953 – 1969)

Home

School

Spent My Real Leisure Time at..

Vacation

My Education

Elementary(1953- 1961)

St Bede’s Grammar School (1961 – 1969)

University College, Cardiff1969-1973

The Social Contract1969 - 1973

• “Get a good degree you will have a job for life..” Father

• “Don’t worry about looking for work, people will come looking for you…” Careers Guidance Officer

• “Don’t get ambitious, stay where you are and all will be well – its when you get ambitious that things start to go wrong..” Professor

• “Don’t get ideas above your station…” Virtually everyone

The Schools I Went To..• Were conceived in the 1870’s and required in the 1940’s• Designed around industrial production models

– Batched learning – students by age batches– Streamed by ability – grammar, secondary modern and technical– Separated by gender– Taught in groups of 30 (ideal batch size)

• Had one dominant form of pedagogy + sports – great deal of teacher flexibility in what they taught

• Focused on a broad range of subjects – English, history, math, geography, French, Latin, Chemistry, Physics and Biology, Drawing and Music

• Public examinations at 11 (streaming), 15 (in or out) and 18 (if you were still there)

• Required specialization decision at aged 15 (science versus arts)• Did not use technology (until 1967)• Were resistant to change

Technology

The Technologies in My Life1955-1969

Exciting New Technologies1969 - 1973

Quick History of Technology• Colour television in UK 1967• Hand pocket calculators 1972• First handheld cell phone 1973• Apple 1 launched 1976 and the

Apple II in 1977• Microsoft established 1981 • Osborne portable in a suitcase

1982• Dell begins operating 1984• Internet widely available 1994• iPod launches 2001• iPad launches 2010

Imagine a Child Starting School TodayBorn: 2005

Education: That Nice ElementaryUniversity: Sometimes and Eventually Completed University

Married: Probably a Few Times if at AllCareer: Varied with 18-22 Job Changes

instant access

highly customized experiences

producers+

consumers

prosumers

some of their classroomSOME of their classroomexperiences feel like..…

The Impact of the Great Reset

An Age of Significant Disruption(just ask Hosni Mubarak)

The Six Big Disruptions

• Economic Disruption– Decline of the US as an economic superpower and the emergence of the

BRIC’s economies– The great recession and the jobless recovery– Mergers and Acquisitions– Low productivity in Canada Falling competiveness– Decline of traditional industry and emergence of new..

• Political Disruption– Terrorism– Power relationships – China, India, US and EU versus Others (e.g.

Copenhagen COP15)– Federal – Provincial Relations (e.g. health care)– Cause driven movements – anti HST, Tea Party (US) – new democracy

• Social Disruption– Decline of democracy as a form of governance– Globalization and social networks

• Demographic Disruptions– Low level of birth replacement for many northern

countries– High level of birth for aboriginal peoples, India, Asia– Challenges for literacy and numeracy– Global war for talent

• Environmental Disruption– Climate change– Water as a challenge – Eau Canada– Energy and stewardship– Natural resource economies and environmental concerns

• The Disruption of Personal Identity– Blurring the line between connection and

connectivity – marriage, family, community– Shifting identities in the workplace – the

multigenerational workplace

Some Implications We are preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist in industries that are just emerging in economies that are

changing amidst a global war for talent

Students need to focus on problem solvingusing “wicked problems”to harnessknowledge

relevant and authentic

Enable:

TrustRisk-TakingCreativityFounded on sound knowledge ofcore subjects

challenges

design

embrace digital toolsembrace digital tools

harnessthe power of design

customized learning experience

NOT Provincial Achievement Tests

The Implications

more project based work, less instruction

more personalized learning..

more PEER TO PEER learning – less instruction

more OUTCOME based learning – less focus on process & time…

more work /community based learning credits and less school based classroom work

MoreCourse CREDITSfrom non school providers

More Options for the Teacher to Design & Create Learning Opportunities

More ROUTES to High School Diplomas

Six Suggestions for New Learning

• More project based work, less instruction• More personalized & peer learning, less instruction• More outcome based learning, less focus on

process (especially time in class)• More work based learning credits and credit from

third parties• More routes to High School Diplomas• Teach less – learn more.. And more opportunities

for teachers to “own” their curriculum..