I’ve recently started a new class in my Master’s program titled “Critical Issues in Educational Technology.”  The focus of the course, big surprise, is critical or important issues facing educational technology.  As I’ve been pondering just what issues I feel are critical to educational technology, I’ve begun thinking about what issues are critical to education as a whole.

Here is my list in no particular order:

Textbooks:  Most Lutheran schools I know of have a system where each subject or class gets new textbooks every so many years.  One school I know of uses a seven year rotation, but I’ve also heard of schools on a fourteen year cycle.  A case could be made that knowledge in subjects like Mathematics and English doesn’t change very quickly, so a more frequent replacement cycle is not necessary and would be too costly.

However, have you ever done a side-by-side comparison of a new textbook and one that is fourteen-years old?  I have, several times.  Even if content hasn’t changed, presentation of that content has.  Modern textbooks are very visually appealing and tend to be much easier for students to understand.  They also include tie-ins to websites and other online content.  Even more importantly, they are based on our current understanding of students’ brains function in the learning process.

So, how do we get updated textbooks into students’ hands and make sure that each incoming class also has the most up-to-date books possible?  Is the answer requiring students to purchase their own books, just as they will in college?  Or could the solution be in online and electronic textbooks?  Or, alternatively, do we even need textbooks any longer?

Decline of Liberal Arts

The length of the school day was an issue within the public school systems of my community a few years ago.  As a cost-saving measure, several class periods were cut from the public school day.  As a result, graduation requirements were adjusted to fit the now shorter days.  Graduation requirements are now 4 years of English, 3 years of mathematics, 2 years of Social Studies, 2 years of science, 4 years of PE/Health (with waivers offered), and 1 year of Fine Arts/Foreign Language.  Students would also need to take approximately 3 elective courses to fulfill the graduation requirements.

These requirements emphasize English, PE/Health, and mathematics, while de-emphasizing science, fine arts, and foreign languages.  First, let me state that I am glad to see that English and math requirements were kept high.  However, I am saddened that the science requirements were reduced to only 2 years (Biology and Chemistry or Physical Science).  I am also concerned that students are able to graduate without taking both a foreign language and a fine arts course.

I feel one of the strengths of the American educational system is liberal arts, the notion of exposing all of our students to a wide variety of topics from many disciplines.  This eclectic mix fosters the formation of higher thinking skills and also creates well-rounded citizens who are better able to appreciate viewpoints different than their own.

Let me know what you think on the issues I’ve identified or on the issues that you think are critical in education today either in your comments below or through email to jbiddle@lutheraneducators.com.