In this video, Salman Khan, founder of the Khan Academy, a not-for-profit online education provider, shares his thoughts on what the educational landscape will look like in 50 years. By 2060, Khan predicts three major shifts in education: a change to the classroom model, a change to the credential model and a change in the role of the instructor.
The new classroom
By 2060, Khan predicts classrooms will transform from being passive and lecture-based to being active and discovery-based, with a focus on stoking the creativity of students. Right now, he says, huge amounts of resources are being spent on the transfer of information from an instructor to a number of pupils. Under the new approach to learning, however, students will actively engage in their own education, thus making the learning more effective.
A focus on competency
This active role in learning will lead to a change in the way educational achievement is assessed, where students will earn credentials based on mastery of a skill rather than on seat-time. This will mean that learning from sources other than official learning institutions will be taken into account in a student’s education. Further, it means assessment processes will be more rigorous than they are today.
A transformation in the instructor-student relationship
Khan predicts that instructors will transform into coaches and mentors for students, rather than lecturers, by 2060. In fact, he predicts this change will happen over the next 10 to 15 years. By the same token, he believes that, with this focus on active learning, students will also see their role change. They will be expected to be more participatory in classes and regularly work together to solve problems, as well as teach one another.
