Thinking About the Classroom of 2040

When thinking about the classroom of 2040, just shy of 20 years from now, how might the classroom be the same? How might it be completely different? I found these questions a bit hard to answer because I really don’t know. I feel some of it will be the same – teachers that are people (no simulations or AI), designated locations for learning (schools), and students grouped together by age. However, I can see a shift into more co-taught classes, where two teachers work together. Research has shown that co-teaching can be very beneficial to students and teachers. I think schools will be more individualized or specialized. Even now, we are seeing specialized schools becoming more popular, such as the High Tech High and the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry. I think students will be taught in a broader age group (for example, grades 1, 2, and 3 in the same class). I also think we will be seeing more outdoor education. Montessori schools already function in this way, and I feel public schools will follow suit. The redesigned B.C. curriculum has already started to shift to a more Montessori approach focusing on core competencies instead of content. I also hope schools will be more inclusive in the classroom, as there is more to inclusion than having additional support for children with special educational needs. Whatever the future may hold, I am excited to see the direction education is heading.