Reflections on Emerging Trends

 

My meeting with my classmate Johnny was great. We had an insightful discussion about trends in both of our fields and in adult education in general. I will focus on what we discussed regarding trends in my field, which is currently teaching web development at BCIT. We concluded that the use of AI is definitely a prominent trend in my practice at BCIT, as students use it regularly, and it is also widely adopted in the workplace. Many people I know have shared that their workplaces encourage the use of AI. Therefore, it is more than necessary for us to teach students how to use AI effectively and in ways that are acceptable and ethical.

Obviously, this is all new to us, and we need to better understand the implications of AI in both education and the workplace. However, it is something we cannot avoid.

Another very interesting point we discussed, which Johnny mentioned and is highly relevant to my field of web development, is the importance of instructors staying up to date as professionals in their field. Teachers who have been teaching for a long time may become disconnected from what is happening in the real world. This is why, for example, at BCIT, many instructors also work in the industry, making them highly knowledgeable about workplace practices and how to prepare students effectively for the competitive world.

We also concluded that two significant trends in adult education in general are microlearning and gamification. Microlearning stems from today’s preference for fast and concise videos, like those popular on TikTok and other social media platforms, that deliver short content accessible anywhere via phones, tablets, or other devices. Students love this format, and as instructors, we must adapt to meet their preferences.

Gamification, on the other hand, is something Johnny already integrates into his teaching through role play. To make it even more gamified, elements like competition, rewards, points, and badges could be added—elements that make learning more engaging and game-like. This is why we refer to it as gamification.

Overall, my discussion with Johnny was both enlightening and inspiring.

This will be my last post on this blog. It has been a pleasure being part of the PIDP 3100 course. In fact, I am close to completing my PIDP program, and it has been an incredible journey where I have learned so much about education.

Before I go, I want to take a moment to share the Facebook page for the VCC School of Education. If you're interested in learning more about the department, here’s the link:

https://www.facebook.com/VCCSchoolOfInstructorEducation/

Wishing everyone in the PIDP all the best, and thank you for reading!


© 2024  This blog is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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