The Principal, Olashore International School, Mr Derek Smith
The Principal,
Olashore International School, Mr Derek Smith canvasses the change of habits
and habitats of schools and students in order to increase creativity. According
to him, the habits of our institutions and the habitats they occupy have a way
of influence what they think and what they do. He stated this during his speech
on ‘The Future Of Education’ at the 2016 Africa Outstanding Primary School
Awards recently held in Lagos.
“We need to
consciously change our habits and habitats in order to increase creativity. We
think teaching is all about having teachers stand in front of willing
recipients, but it’s more than that. Critical thinking, Communication,
Collaboration and Creativity will help students learn better. The world is
changing very fast. Every Child is an opportunity. We don’t need to copy the
developmental stages of any country, rather we should think of how to move
ahead. The greatest challenge when you are good at something, is how to keep
being the best.”
“The solution to make
students successful is that we need to engage our learners, transform our
schools, employ efficient and easy use of tools, and connect to the real world.
There’s no right way to do this than to introduce the Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge (TPACK), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK),
Technological Knowledge (TK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), Content
Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The three (3) legs of the
school’s 21st century learning are Pedagogy, Content and Technology,
and that is why we need if and when we are going to create a revolution in
education, he reiterated.”
He pointed out that
teachers need to be trained on the use of technology so they can impact on the
children. “Learning will be effective with technology, however training
teachers should be a pre-requisite for one on one e-learning project. Do not
put technology in any school until teachers are trained in order to give them
the confidence to train the students. Let them know how to combine pedagogical
and technology in teachers whether they are PHD holders or not. Technology can
make teaching real”.
He admitted that
Olashore International School spent about eighteen (18) months planning the
implementation of iPads in the school, and sent teachers for trainings, before
the implementation of the iPad usage in the school. He explained that the
importance of the iPad to Olashore students cannot be far-fetched from
Technology Empowered Training, Apps that enhance learning, Collaborative
learning, Engaged learners, Instant feedback and Happy Learners. He mentioned
the core skills of blending technology with education to include Critical
thinking and problem solving, Collaboration and Communication, Creativity and
Imagination, Global Citizenship, Digital Literacy, and Student leadership and
personal development.
He reiterated further
“Change takes time and deep change may take longer. In future, no one will pay
you for knowledge they can look up. We are however creating graduates perfectly
developed for a world that no longer exists. At the World Economic Forum (WCF)
which brings Business leaders together every year at Davos, plans are made to
see the opportunities that lie ahead of business in five (5) years’ time. In
the same vein, as educationists, we should ascertain what becomes of our
children in five (5) years’ time, this is because the future of education lies
in the continuous application of creativity. He listed some of the expectant
top skills of students as at the year 2020 to include, Complex problem solving,
critical thinking, creativity, people management, coordinating with others,
emotional intelligence, judgment and decision making, Service Orientation,
Negotiation, and Cognitive flexibility”. He stated clearly that divergent
thinking is different from creativity.
Established in 1994,
on 60 acres of land, Olashore International School is a co-educational school
which offers high quality education in a wide range of subjects at Junior
Secondary and Senior Secondary along with a University Foundation Programme in
partnership with Lancaster University and the Institute of Education, Dublin.
Over the past 20 years, the school has succeeded in developing a cluster of
world class services around the school including a first class hotel, a golf
course and a leadership training centre that all combine to give the school a
unique identity. The school is particularly appealing to discerning Nigerians
at home and abroad, as well as expatriates residing in Nigeria, who desire a
school with a strong value system, demonstrable track record and a clear sense
of purpose. @olashore_s
