Distance Learning—Available Anywhere, Anytime

Barkley emphasizes, “Amp frees up teachers to facilitate rather than lecture. It allows students to pick and choose how they want to learn.” With a focus on how learning best happens, amp is intended to support pedagogy and allow for co-creation. “It is agnostic to OS’s and devices. We need to be helping drop the curriculum and content online in and open source way,” says Barkley.

These distance learning platforms are paving the way for great changes to the infrastructure of education. Moving curriculum online and providing distance learning opportunities has already created a shift in the role of teacher from lecturer to facilitator. “They will be curriculum designers, learning designers, individual designers, creating a learning path for each individual,” Barkley says of future teachers.

Excited about the future of education, Barkley envisions school buildings becoming more hybrid models. “Maybe they will be centers of learning so that when you need the help, there is someone to facilitate. The alternate setting available through distance learning really benefits the kids who couldn’t do normal school days,” Barkley says.