This week in EDCI 336 we were asked to watch the documentary “Most Likely to Succeed” by Greg Whiteley. The documentary follows students and staff at High Tech High and how their approach to education is evolving past the current education system, developed in the 1800’s.

Originally, I thought the ideas and tactics executed by staff at this school had little educational structure. I know how rushed teachers are throughout the year to squeeze in the required curriculum concepts, and I didn’t see how students could learn these concepts if they were spending so much time “playing.” However, it didn’t take long for me to completely agree with their motives. The jobs our current education system is setting students up for can, and are, being replaced by technology. We need to teach kids how to think critically, work as team, and be creative; all things that a computer cannot do. Our world has evolved into a technology dominated place, and we need to evolve too or we will be left behind. Computers can calculate the same things humans can, but at unimaginably faster speeds. Not to mention, the way the system delivers this content to our students is in such a way that it is forgotten almost immediately after graduation.

“[Lawrenceville Academy] asked students to retake their science finals just three months after completing their courses… the average grade on these exams fell from a B+ to an F.”

Greg Whiteley, director of “Most Likely to Succeed”

The students at High Tech High learn curriculum concepts through exploration. Rather than just reading and spitting information back, they are responsible for creating a project of their choice that showcases their learning. And after completing the documentary, it is clear to me that this is a successful system.

“In spite of the fact that teachers don’t waste one minute teaching to the state tests, High Tech High curiously still performs [10%] above the state average.”

Greg Whiteley, director of “Most likely to succeed”

Personally, this documentary spoke volumes to me as someone who graduated from high school two years ago. If you asked me to complete any test from any subject that I took in high school, I guarantee you I wouldn’t pass. I feel like the public school system taught me a lot, but it didn’t set me up for success in the society we live in today. As someone who is a visual learner, I feel like if I was provided the opportunity to use technology and exploration to learn the curriculum, I would have had a way better chance memorizing the concepts.

EDCI 336 teaches us how to integrate technology into education, and the benefits of doing so. This documentary was a perfect example of that. From it, I have learned that some of the best ways for students to learn is through exploration, creative thinking, team work and collaboration. Not only can they learn better this way, but they will be better set up for the future we are headed towards. They need to be prepared for jobs that don’t even exist yet, as the current ones are slowly diminishing at the hands of evolving technology. I plan to use what I have learned in this documentary and apply it in my own classroom, starting on a smaller scale and modifying it as needed. I want my students to be engaged in their learning and excited to come to school. Our students are the future, and it’s our job to prepare them for it.

Special thanks for the photo by Jason Strull on Unsplash