The Future of Education

Two important conclusions that can be drawn from educational research and practice are 1) that highly qualified master teachers can dramatically improve students’ learning outcomes, and 2) that the use of high quality VR experiences in classrooms can enhance student learning.  The idea behind the Umbrella School is to combine these two elements to create high quality VR experiences in each state for each subject matter, and grade level.  These high quality VR experiences, developed and run by highly qualified master teachers, would then be accessible to regular classroom teachers and their students from around the state during the course of the regular school day.  These VR experiences would be used as supplemental and enrichment  materials. The Umbrella School requires teachers who are experts in their subject matter. Real, authentic education, Dewey says, requires educators to construct learning environments where life-like and work-like problems have to be solved, and students are given the materials, tools, and resources—things and people— with which to solve them.  

Key Words: High Quality VR educational experiences, highly qualified master teachers, K-12, John Dewey, Umbrella School