In an article published on January 1, 2014 in eSchool News, Dr. Jeff D. Borden introduces eight trends that he believes may be the future of K-12 education. Many of these predictions, not surprisingly, point directly toward strengths of the First In Math Online Program.
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Number one on his list is the “Gamification” of learning. According to Borden, Vice President of Academic Strategy & Instruction in Pearson’s Research and Innovation Network, games have reached a critical mass in terms of academic credibility and are gaining more and more traction with teachers. He postulates that rigorous research showing gains in retention, outcomes, risk taking, positive failure means that 2014 will see a dramatic increase in the integration of games into curricula to promote richer learning experiences.
Shawn Collier, FIM Implementation Specialist says that he is very excited to see Gamification ranked number one. “After looking at Dr. Borden’s list, and in speaking with educators, I am really looking forward to the next couple of years. I feel that FIM is already doing so much of what the educational community is just now catching on to. Whether its gaming, neuroscience, recognizing growth mindsets, or constructivism—these are pieces that we all believe in and already encourage!”
Number five on the list is a more widespread use of tablet devices in 2014. And, as Android and Microsoft scramble to unseat the reigning device king Apple, more “packaged” solutions for schools will appear.
Number six relates to Neuroscience & Learning Design: Borden says that 2014 will see more and more assimilation of brain science into the culture of teaching. If these terms sound familiar to you, it’s because we’ve been incorporating Neuroscience principles into First In Math’s “Deep Practice” techniques for years.
Read the full article.