Edushock: Learning version 2.0

Teachers following social media could not ignore the launch of Edushock. On Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and their blog there was a lot of communication about this book that should shock education with new visions and innovative ideas. It was with great enthusiasm that I put my teeth into the book that wants to encourage more creativity and innovation in education.

The book starts from twenty fictional tweets (short messages of maximum 140 characters on the social network twitter) from the future. Every tweet comes with a future story, the vision of the writers and accompanying tips for the teacher, school policy and students. Let me therefore use a similar format for the discussion of the book: Edushock in 3 tweets:

EDUSHOCK, an incredible source of inspiration for teachers, a wonderful bundle of new trends in the educational world, caught in a book .

Reading in Edushock, that's like drinking from a swimming pool: it just keeps coming! The book is actually a bundle of dozens of books about innovative learning and teaching. The authors mold that knowledge into the format of the book: "What do we think the future will look like and how can we prepare our education for it?" huge reading list once you have edushock out. But all those references also ensure that the limitations of the medium "book" become painfully clear. You are forced to write down references to online videos, interesting websites, etc. on a scrap to look them up later. Edushock is such a book that you should read as ePub. But as far as I know it is not yet digitally available. Maybe an ePub is the medium of the teacher (because that's how the authors name educators who are already changing education) but not of the people who want to shock the authors with this book.

EDUSHOCK flashes by: science fiction becomes reality. The future is today and we are better prepared for that.

The structure of the chapters in Edushock makes the book read like a train: it flashes by. Due to the variation in text forms, the book is never bored. In each chapter you will read a fictional story of the future, an accompanying explanation, a comparative table, a short summary of tips and a conclusion. For me, the story with which each chapter starts was not necessary. From Made to Stick , the authors have remembered that good stories stick. But these artificial fantasies about education in the future did not have that effect on me. The uncertainty about what the future will look like makes it a true naive story. The book Turn your hero into a brand is another book that is hung on a number of stories. But because they are authentic, they still stand as a framework for the content.

The authors dance on a weak rope anyway when they talk about the future . Predicting what the world will look like in ten years and how we prepare our students for it is almost impossible. Fortunately in Edushock you read a lot of tips that are technology independent. We don't have to wait until tomorrow to "teach." Because innovative education has nothing to do with an iPad for every student or surfing at light speed, but all the more with a "state of mind".

Does education need an (edu) shock or are we already on the wave of 'the new normal'?

The word "shock" in Edushock has annoyed me from the beginning. Marketing wise that does of course work, but shocking teachers is about the last thing you want if you want change. Imagine yourself as the umpteenth educational innovator who "has seen the light", then many teachers are already shutting off. They remember that previous educational innovation, and see that those ideas have since been reversed. They also see the daily reality in the classroom and the obstacles that arise from it.

I myself from Digital is the new normal of Peter Hinssen remembering that we are on the wave to the digital age. We are not there yet, but the contours are visible. I recognize with myself and with my colleagues that we have not abruptly switched to the digital age, but are gradually sliding into it. Most of the educators I meet surf the wave at their own pace and need absolutely no shock. And for those who are still standing aside, the tsunami collision is unavoidable.

Hopefully the Flemish teachers can look beyond the shock in the title, because the book contains many tips that are really doable. Tips that you can implement in your classroom practice without major investments or the overthrow of your entire annual plan. By dividing their teaching tips into "for the teacher" and "for the school policy," the authors make it clear that you cannot do some changes on your own. By indicating the difficulty of the tips, they also give teachers time and space to grow gradually.

After the reactions to the book, the authors are looking for a network of teachers who want to contribute to the change of education. In addition, I hope that people will mainly look for teachers who have two feet in the classroom and have tested the ideas. Because nothing works as contagious as practical examples. I can only recommend the authors to take a look at the KlasCement teacher portal (which is also mentioned in the book) and to pay a visit to the ICT practical day . Because there you will find the people who make it happen every day. And if I am still giving tips: if a conference is planned, then organize a teach meeting so that you get the teachers to speak.

Conclusion: EDUSHOCK is the start-up CD for the installation of Education 2.0

Edushock is a real mind broadener, it is a work that opens your eyes to learning. The endless series of references to books and online sources provides an answer to your desire for more and more detailed tips on the subject. A perfect starting point for teachers who want to upgrade their classroom practice to education 2.0.

EDUSHOCK is published by LannooCampus and can be ordered in their online shop for € 19.99. View the edushock website for more information about the book and the authors.