Though we might not have to worry about flying car pileups, hooligans on hovercrafts, or robot rebellions anytime soon, the world around us is always changing. This is especially true with regard to the education world. A new generation of parents is shaking things up, and schools serving their children need to understand the new direction in which education is headed. This article explains the mega-trends in schools.
Times are certainly tough for schools (and likely to get tougher), but we believe that the best way to ensure success for the future is to observe the trends shaping the education world today. There are three “Mega-trends” that will almost certainly decide the direction in which education evolves: Social trends, Economic trends, and Technological trends.
The Society
The new generation of parents is busy. It’s often difficult for parents to juggle their home and work lives- not to mention those of their children. As parents find it more and more difficult to stay involved despite their hectic work schedules, schools are beginning to notice that they might have to change the ways in which they interact with parents. Long gone are the days when every household had a housewife or PTA mom to handle all the school affairs; now, schools need to provide more flexible methods of communication with Moms and Dads who are busy, mobile, and constantly on the move.
Along these same lines, the advent of certain technological advances in the past decade mean that Gen-Y parents expect information to be readily available and easily accessible wherever they go. For many schools, this means that many of the old rules of school communication no longer apply. They need to find a way to market to these parents, using methods that will appeal to the wireless sentiments of this “iPhone” generation. Sending brightly colored leaflets home with children might not be the best way to connect with parents these days; Instead, schools can achieve better communication by paying attention to parents’ desire for flexible, easily accessible information.
Keep your eyes peeled for Part 2: Economic Trends!