Paradigm Shift

So, what is a paradigm shift exactly, and where is it happening? First, a paradigm is a norm, standard, a way of doing things...you see where I'm going. So a paradigm shift is a fundamental shift in the way we do what we do everyday. Where is this happening? Everywhere and in most everything! I see it happening in the way we do education, religion, daily processes...every fundamental thing. How does this affect us as educators? It means that we need to approach schools and classrooms differently. We need to change the way we think and DO. Every educator has the skill set they need to operate in a classroom under any circumstance. HOW we use those skill sets is what we need to consider revising. We don't know what will be on the other side of this great shift other than what researchers and experts tell us. But we do know that there are different ways of doing things now that respond to these great changes. Project-based learning, BYOT, Flipped Instruction, Blended Learning, Virtual Learning, Hybrid Learning models, and other "different" ways of approaching instruction. Kids are responding to these instructional strategies in amazing ways, so why are we not at least considering them? If we do education the way it has been done since the beginning of time, are we reaching the kids properly? Are your students acquiring learning the way you would want them to, so much so that they are truly retaining what they learn? If they are only receiving knowledge you give them the chances are that the answer is no. Regardless of what our opinions may be, this shift has already started. Will you be a victim and pray that it doesn't affect you, or will you get on the front end of it and respond by rethinking your norm?