Contempory Trends

What is a trend?

Definition of trend

1.

a :a prevailing tendency or inclination 

b :a general movement 

c :a current style or preference 

d :a line of development  

2 :the general movement over time of a statistically detectable change; also :a statistical curve reflecting such a change 

 

3 :a line of general direction or movement 

There are many definitions for the  word "trend". Then there are the "megatrends" which are patterns in social, economic and environmental patterns that will change how we live. 

After reading "The Paradox of Progress" (The National Intelligence Council, 2017), I was feeling more than a little depressed. The future is looking a little dire to say the least. Then I thought about our role as teachers in this fast paced changing world. 

Trend - Global Connectivity 

Technology will connect people like never before (The National Intelligence Council, 2017), which means we have an obligation to prepare our students for this trend. With greater global connectivity comes competition for for jobs and with one million young people from India joining the workforce every month for the next 20 years, our students will need to be competitive. Location is becoming irrelevant when it comes to applying for positions. Our children are also the hope of the future and there are many obstacles facing our planet.

The Pros of Global Connectivity

• Coming from such a small country won't be a problem as we can promote ourselves or businesses worldwide. 
• More up to date information from all over the world will be available.
• It will be harder for crimes against humanity to go unnoticed.
• Education is available to students who, for a variety of reasons, can't or prefer not to, attend an educational institution.
• Jobs in IT will rise.
• You can work from home. 
• Parents and children can be in contact at any time.
• Easier to stay connected with loved ones who live in other countries. 
• People from all parts of the world can work together to come up with solutions for problems 

 

The Cons of Global Connectivity

• Cyber crime will become more of a threat to countries. 
• Online bullying is already a problem. Will it escalate?  
• Terrorists  can infiltrate all areas of society anonymously.
• Health affects of looking at a screen for hours at a time.
• Are we disconnecting socially?

These are just some of the pro's and con's that come to mind. So where do we, as teachers, come into this?

We need future generations to undo the damage done to the world. Therefore we need creative, critical thinkers who have a social and moral conscience. We need our students to have respect and compassion for all races and religions and most importantly we need these new generations to connect with like minded people all over the world, as the trends that are coming are going to need global solutions. Coordination and cooperation (Trends Shaping Education 2016) is going to be essential in solving the worlds problems of climate change, food shortages, pollution and population growth and global connectivity will play a huge role in creating the conditions for this to happen.

With greater global connectivity comes a responsibility to use it for the betterment of the world. Therefore we must educate our children from a young age about the power connectivity has and the dangers.  Using digital devices to work collaboratively and build positive relationships throughout the globe may just be our saving grace.

  "While some doubted that connecting the world was actually important, we were building. While others doubted that this would be sustainable, you were forming lasting connections. We just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. "
- Mark Zuckerberg





References:

Trends Shaping Education 2016. (2016). Trends Shaping Education. doi:10.1787/trends_edu-2016-en 

National Intelligence Council. (2017). Global trends: The Paradox of Progress. National Intelligence Council: US. Retrieved from https://www.dni.gov/files/images/globalTrends/documents/GT-Main-Report.pdf 

While some doubted that connecting the world was actually important, we were building. While others doubted that this would be sustainable, you were forming lasting connections. We just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. Mark Zuckerberg
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/markzucker739593.html?src=t_connecting

While some doubted that connecting the world was actually important, we were building. While others doubted that this would be sustainable, you were forming lasting connections. We just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. Mark Zuckerberg
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/markzucker739593.html?src=t_connecting

While some doubted that connecting the world was actually important, we were building. While others doubted that this would be sustainable, you were forming lasting connections. We just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. Mark Zuckerberg
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/markzucker739593.html?src=t_connecting