Scholars have billed the 21st Century as the era of the information revolution. This is due to the major advances in most scientific fields, underpinned in part by significant strides in information technology. Rapid evolution in information storage, transmission and manipulation technologies /mechanisms such as computers has seen the breadth and depth of information available for any interested party rise to levels unprecedented since the dawn of documented history (Pal, 2008) . The means to convey information have also multiplied from limited physical media such as books to a wide array such as compact disks, thumb drives, and electronic media such as email and the internet. Means of communication have also evolved, facilitating almost instantaneous information exchange and removing the need for physical proximity even for meetings. These changes have also been noted in the school system . In this regard, they have revolutionized teaching methodology and contributed to advances in instruction methods, content delivery and end user interaction with the curricular material. This paper will examine some of the current problems in classroom instruction . It will also propose ways of addressing the noted problems as well as provide possible solutions. Lastly, it will explore possible means of ameliorating the problems especially as seen in the Fulton County School system.
There is a consensus amongst scholars that despite the advances made in information technology , they have not supplant ed the need for teacher - student interaction in a classroom setting. The physical presence of an instructor is still crucial in the classroom environment especially at elementary levels where core learning skills, as well as foundational concepts in language and mathematics, are taught to young learners. The perfusion of modern technology into the society has had an impact on the way young students receive and assimilate information (Pal, 2008) . The effects of interaction with technologies by young students have created new challenges in classroom instruction. Also , greater demands are placed on the teachers to adapt their classroom instruction and accommodate new frames of reference such as collegiality and collaboration (Little, 1990).
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Current Challenges in Classroom Instruction
In schooling, t he teacher-student relationship cannot be overemphasized . Deep personal and emotionally relations between teachers and students rest precisely on the appropriate dispositions and talents of individual teachers (Little, 1990). Thus, f or classroom instruction to be effective, there needs to be a strong positive relationship between the learner and the teacher. Such relationships are built on the ability of the teacher to guide and direct how he or she work s and their relat ionship with their students. Where teacher autonomy is curtailed , the teacher may end up being limited in his or her options for creating an environment that is conducive to learning. Initiatives such as collaborative teaching are well meaning and are made to prevent teachers from working in isolation . This approach may deny their students the benefits of a well-rounded learning experience. However, Little (1990) argues that such approaches as collaboration tend to be counterproductive, saying that participatory work is associated with high transaction costs . This is most prominently in time (an opportunity cost) and the risk of conflict (a cost to organizational cohesion).
Many curriculum and policy development processes exclude teachers. Also, there are many instances where teachers are excluded from decision-making process es especially in matters affecting them. Apart from being demoralizing, such processes fail to incorporate the teachers’ practical, experientially acquired or “craft knowledge” (Clark & Peterson 1984). Such processes then t end to be un-implementable or face resistance from teachers. An example of such an initiative is the “No Child Left Behind” act . The law faced major criticism from many educators for such provision s as the standardized testing as well as the punitive measures it incorporated for schools. (Klein, 201 5 ).
The disruptive effect of technology on classroom instruction cannot be ignored . For instance, m any students in elementary school today interact with technology at an early age . This is through such devices as television and mobile phones. On the other hand, r esearch into the effect of television on the minds of children suggest s that it causes a change in brain activity in children, resulting in reduced concentration spans and a need for greater brain stimulation (Brice, 2012). Reduced concentration disrupts the normal learning process and results in a heavier workload for teachers . This is because t hey have to work harder and establish new means of driving concepts home for their students . Moreover, this phenomenon results in indiscipline as the students tend to be hyperactive in a quest for more mental stimulation.
Solutions to Problems in Classroom Instruction
Many of the challenges experienced in classroom instruction appear to stem from a non-participatory policy framework . This is exemplified by the exclusion of teachers from decision making in classroom - related matters. Initiatives such as collaboration also seem to have been foisted on the teachers by administrators, suggesting a top-down model of leadership. This suggests a need to restructure the decision-making loop in the education system not only to include the teachers but also the students . The i nclu sion of students is important because they are the intended recipients of the teachers’ labors. For instance, i n their book Reframing Academic Leadership , Bowman & Gallos (2010) argue that for the wellbeing of academic institutions, it is necessary that leaders adopt new perspectives.
Adopting new way s of looking at events within the Fulton County School system may not only help to understand the happenings in the schools better but may also be fundamental to the sustainability of the county’s educational initiatives (Bowman & Gallos, 201 0 ). Teachers also need to be allowed a degree of autonomy in the running of their classrooms and their teaching careers as a whole. Observers (including teachers) tend to agree that classroom independence punctuated by occasional contacts among colleagues is the modal reality (Little, 1990). In the end, all the parties in the county educational system desire a successful outcome . Thus, c ollaborations underpinned by a participatory framework may hold the key to success in the rapidly evolving educational environment.
References
Bolman, L. G., & Gallos, J. V. (2010). Reframing academic leadership . John Wiley & Sons.
Brice, M. (2012 ). Interview: Dr. Dimitri Christakis Explains Why Television Is Bad for Babies’ Brains. Retrieved from http://www.medicaldaily.com/interview-dr-dimitri-christakis-explains-why-television-bad-babies-brains-241578
Clark, C. M., & Peterson, P. L. (1984). Teachers' Thought Processes. Occasional Paper No. 72.
Klein, A. (2015). No Child Left Behind Overview: An overview. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overview-definition-summary.html?PageSpeed=noscript
Little, J. W. (1990). The persistence of privacy: Autonomy and initiative in teachers’ professional relations. Teachers college record , 91 (4), 509-536.
Pal, S.K. (2008). 21st Century Information Technology Revolution. Retrieved from http://ubiquity.acm.org/article.cfm?id=1399619
