A s we approach 2020, it is evident that the future will be quite different than our present circumstances. The infusion of technology into our daily lives will be all-encompassing. Be prepared for widespread smart homes, autonomous cars, increasing artificial intelligence and global connectivity.

The workplace of the future will also look much different than it does presently ­— boasting jobs that do not currently exist is one example — and so will the workforce.

It is therefore imperative that we prepare our children to handle and become masters of the future that looms. We must transition away from the old way of doing things and explore the new frontiers ahead of us. Education provides that unassailable opportunity to prepare for the future.

Jamaica is richly blessed with gifted human resources but our intellectual capital has perhaps not been fully capitalised. Students must be provided with the form of education necessary to thrive and succeed in our globally connected world. This will entail new policies as well as funding.

As we prepare for the future, I believe it is a pressing issue for all our schools throughout the island to have access to high-speed Internet, thus helping to reduce the gap present among our different socio-economic groups. Along with Internet access, students must have up to date connected devices to facilitate modern learning, exposure and collaboration with experts in other parts of the world.

The blended learning approach is a tool that will boost our academic resources and promote learning. This approach includes the use of videos, presentations, quizzes, assignments and other learning tools posted online for all students to have equal access. Utilising technology can also assist in reaching rural communities which may lack skilled teachers. These students could be involved in virtual classrooms where they are still able to interact and communicate with each other, but also facilitates the guidance from an experienced teacher.

Tips to help students prepare for the future

1. Give students autonomy over their learning — We must devise means of tailoring the education system to meet the different learning styles of our pupils. At the same time, students must be empowered with the tools to discover the information they need when they need it.

2. Encourage flexibility — Students should be encouraged to try new things, whether they feel they will be successful or not. Exposure to a variety of tasks and methods of solving problems will help them in the future.

3. Creativity — Give students opportunities to demonstrate their creative side. For example, have them present a topic to their peers in different ways such as skits, video presentations, charts, models, animation, etc.

4. Collaboration — Teamwork is a necessary part of the work world but it takes skills to utilise its full potential. Do not just assign group work to students; rather, we must teach them how to work well together and interact with each other positively. Collaboration with other institutions across the globe can also provide useful exposure for our students. For example, virtual laboratories can assist teachers to demonstrate concepts that the resources available in our country could not afford them to do.

5. Digital skills and computer science — Undoubtedly, this is an area of education which needs greater focus and attention. Students not only need to know how to create a document, but they must now understand the inner workings of the technology so that they can create, improve and problem-solve. This means training teachers and ensuring that they remain up to date with the latest technology. It is clear that computer science will be in greater demand than ever before.

Let us get smart about how we are preparing our young ones for the future and move speedily to advance our education. Here’s to 2020 and beyond!

Dr Karla Hylton, UWI lecturer in biology, is the author of Yes! You Can Help Your Child Achieve Academic Success and Complete Chemistry for Caribbean High Schools . Reach her at (876) 564-1347, biochemtutor100@gmail.com or khylton.com .