Breaking the virtuous cycle

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to outline the challenges that the current forces of technology change pose for the traditional K‐16 education system and to assess whether the rise of the social networking web 2.0 internet provides the opportunity and sufficient power to influence the change.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is discusive and explores the key issues.

Findings

The paper finds that technological change is in motion throughout education, but the majority of efforts are simply transferring brick spaced learning into “click” or internet space which validates the possibilities of educational technologies, but scarcely realizes them. Real change will happen outside of the system.

Practical implications

There exists a strong possibility that the existing K‐16 system will fragment into a variety of overlapping pieces, including a divide between the “haves” and “have‐nots” and a fragmented curriculum.

Originality/value

This paper highlights some of the challenges that the current forces of technology change pose for the traditional K‐16 education system.

Citation

Abeles, T.P. (2009), "Breaking the virtuous cycle", On the Horizon, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 3-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/10748120910936090