The Future of Education

The technological evolution of recent years has opened doors to new challenges in several fields. Education is no exception and, more than ever, it seems necessary to develop educational processes that keep the students’ interest in the classroom and at school. These students seem increasingly distant from teachers, unaware, highly motivated to use technologies and needy of active strategies that allow them to remain encouraged to learn. The present investigation emerged from the difficulty in feeling students engaged in classes and the need to understand the reasons of this demotivation, which leads many students to indiscipline and school failure. An opportunity arose to collaborate in a research project on pedagogical practices and innovative learning environments, the DELLI Project. This was the mobile for the elaboration of a diagnosis, whose purpose was to perceive what would be an ideal day of classes for secondary school students. From here, the objectives of this investigation were traced: to identify the students' perceptions regarding the idealized school and to contribute with suggestions of improvement of teaching practices. The answers to these questions allowed to identify the difficulties felt in the classroom and other areas where one can intervene, in order to improve learning. The research was based on the Qualitative Paradigm, based on a descriptive study, anchored in some assumptions of a Design Thinking model. The diagnosis was made at two public schools in distinct areas of the country. The data collection was done through a non-formal instrument, which aimed to encourage free responses, appealing to the critical ability to anonymously express perceptions regarding what they consider to be an ideal school day. This survey resulted in texts of which a content analysis was performed exploring the language used, in a structured way, in the search for answers in the words of the participants. In a succinct way, it was concluded that an ideal school day for these students implies the accomplishment of some changes in teaching-learning strategies. Changes related to flexibility, both in terms of timetables and classroom spaces, and especially in the way of being, in the ability of teachers' openness and accompaniment to the way in which their students are taught. The aim of this study was to contribute to an evolution in the performance of schools and teachers, leading to an approximation of what students see as an Ideal School.

Keywords: Students, Teachers, Pedagogical Practices, Significant Learning, Renewal, Design thinking;

References: 
[1] Brown, T. (2009). Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation. Harper Collins Publishers
[2] Pedro, N. (2017). Ambientes educativos inovadores: o estudo do fator espaço nas ‘salas de aula do futuro’ portuguesas. Revista Tempos e Espaços Em Educação, 6597, 99–108