Posted by Matthew Hanawalt on Sep 11, 2016; 9:30pm
URL: https://nabble.aealearningonline.org/Topic-4-Narrative-Voice-tp3794p5706.html

As a teacher who is 13 years into my teaching career, I can look back at increases in technology to demonstrate the rapid changes in the economy.  As a high school freshman, the Internet was first available to the general public.  Its advent has changed commerce in many aspects.  Virtually all businesses now have a website and many conduct business online.  As an example, it is much easier to make flight and travel reservations through the Internet than 20 years ago when travel guidebooks or a travel agent was required.  Additionally, the cell phone industry has changed rapidly in the past 20 years.  They have gone from flip-phones to smart phones that allow for access to the Internet and many applications that have changed our daily lives.  

These examples present challenges for educators.  At one point, I read that 65% of school children will have jobs that do not exist yet.  (http://www.successperformancesolutions.com/2013/65-percent-of-todays-students-will-be-employed-in-jobs-that-dont-exist-yet/).  Therefore, that presents challenges to teachers that will be teaching students for new jobs in this rapidly changing economy.  As a math teacher, I have several thoughts on this.  First, one advantage of mathematics is that, generally, the content and foundations of math will remain constant.  Students will continue to need to be numerically literate for their career.  However, students of today have a much different access to technology than 20 years ago.  The traditional methods of teaching are likely not adequate for today’s students.  I think it is imperative that teachers are continually striving to find new ways for students to interact with the classroom content.  It is important for students to be problem solvers.  Since many students will be involved in a career that does not currently exist, it is important for teachers to help students to critically analyze problems and determine ways to solve.  

One difficultly I have found as a teacher is that creating activities high level learning activities can be difficult.  I tend to use a teaching style that is similar to the way I was taught mathematics.  However, I have strived to create learning activities that promote students having to problem solve as they interact with the content.  I feel that this is critical in a world that has a rapidly changing economy and continually changing technology.