Summary: <br> Just like you, I can think of many reasons to worry about the future or raise concerns about trends that have developed over the past decade. <br> <br> <br> <br> Photo by Kelsey Knight – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions ://unsplash.com/@kelsoknight?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credithttps<br> <br> <br> <br> Whether that includes increases in school shootings, soaring health care costs, rises in the costs of education, the number of children experiencing trauma, growing concerns in climate change or global and domestic political unrest — the list of negatives can be pretty overwhelming and depressing. <br> <br> <br> <br> At the same time, as important as it is to confront the harsh realities of the world with possible solutions, I want to keep the dangers of this world in perspective with the amazing achievements of this last decade. As we draw 2019 to a close and officially end the 2010’s, I’d like to pause for a moment and celebrate 10 remarkable changes that have taken place in our world – and the lives of those whom we educate:<br> <br> <br> <br> 1. Technology has connected more of the world.<br> <br> <br> <br> Although <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/facebook-when-started-how-mark-zuckerberg-history-harvard-eduardo-saverin-a8505151.html">Facebook began as a clunky social media website for Harvard students in 2004</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/first-phone-anniversary-2016-12">the first iPhone was introduced to the world in 2007</a>, these technologies have only exponentially grown during the past decade. <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2019/02/05/smartphone-ownership-is-growing-rapidly-around-the-world-but-not-always-equally/">Pew Research estimates that 5 billion people</a> around the world now have access to a cell phone. <br> <br> <br> <br> With the world’s population estimated at 7.7 billion, consider the implications of 65% of the world connected through technology. Never before have more people had the opportunity to interact, discover, and influence others with such speed and accessibility. <br> <br> <br> <br> 2. Access to information has increased learning potential.<br> <br> <br> <br> Just as the printing press revolutionized the modern world during the 15th century, we have opened new territories of learning with access to information in the past ten years. <a href="https://khanacademy.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202483180-What-is-the-history-of-Khan-Academy-">Khan Academy</a>, which began in 2008, for instance, has now become a staple for young people around the world who need immediate examples of lessons and examples in most major subject areas of school. <br> <br> <br> <br> In addition, self-starters use YouTube for example, to access lessons or tutorials everything from repairing plumbing to installing camera systems. Since its start in 2005, <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2016/11/10/the-history-of-youtube/">YouTube’s first video to ever hit a billion downloads happened in 2011</a>. This has also been a game-changer for education as schools have introduced blended learning options, 1-1 devices, and more virtual options for student learning. In many ways this has flipped the roles of educators from experts in conveying information to facilitating and guiding students in how to interpret information.<br> <br> <br> <br> 3. Innovation has changed the job market and our work.<br> <br> <br> <br> According to <a href="https://blog.jobbio.com/2018/02/01/10-jobs-didnt-exist-10-years-ago/">Alice Murray from Jobbio.com</a>, new jobs during the past ten years now include App developers, Uber drivers, social media managers, user-experience designers, Airbnb hosts, drone operators, data scientists, genetic counselors and anything involving cryptocurrency. <br>
