Indeed technology will continue to play a large role in schools of the future. Educators will continue to incorporate technology into the curriculum. According to Caldwell and Hayward (1998) "schooling at the upper secondary level will become more complex and diverse, with multiple providers; combined with advances made possible by technology, the concept of a ¥virtual school' will emerge at this and higher levels of education and training (Caldwell and Hayward 1998)." The authors explain that technology will provide schools with new and innovative ways to teach studen

"New approaches need to be developed that are student-focused so that exactly the kind of flexibility required of students themselves will also be found in Curriculum provision. In the secondary years, students will need to be able to move easily between at least four broad areas of study: Social and Cultural Studies (History/Geography/Civics);fnLiteracy, Numeracy and Scientific Studies; fnVocational Studies; Community Learning Studies (Service Learning and Community Oriented Projects (Kennedy 2001).

Kennedy (2001) insists that these schools should be both moral and purposeful. However, given the predominant models of curriculum change, can schools be both of these? If we review the principal types of curriculum that exist in schools we see that at the present school curriculum is stagnate and change is marginal(Kennedy 2001). The author asserts that the curriculum at most schools has failed to change even with shifts in the school population, social conditions and the workforce (Kennedy 2001). Currently, school curriculum reflects a one size fits all attitude and fail to recognize the differences between communities and various social groups (Kennedy 2001). So then, can the schools of the future become social anchors of the community and be both moral and purposeful: in short, no. In order for schools to become the social anchors that Kennedy proposes schools must change the way they address curriculum and attempt to cater to the needs of the students based on their backgrounds and the communities in which they live. Under the current curriculum, many schools would fail to make integration into the community a moral or purposeful endeavor.

According to GRIPP and the Applied Research Center, schools that are social anchors are particularly important in urban neighborhoods. In a briefing paper on Emerging Issues and Best Practices, the Applied Research Center found that urban neighborhoods could benefit a great deal if schools were renovated and became stable institutions for the community ("Briefing paper on Emerging Issues and Best Practices V Introduction, n.d."). The briefing points out that these schools could serve the entire community and should be open 16 hours a day 7 days a week. The briefing asserts that the schools could serve as day care centers, elderly centers and recreational facilities ("Briefing paper on Emerging Issues and Best Practices V Introduction, n.d."). The briefing also points out that states such as Philadelphia, New York City, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Michigan, full service schools have emerged ("Briefing paper on Emerging Issues and Best Practices V Introduction, n.d.").

"The term "social anchor" has been coined to describe the function of schools in the market-oriented societies of the new century (Kennedy, 1999). In a fast moving, global and technology-driven society, schools must play an important role in providing stability for young people. This indeed remains their basic function in society. It does not imply that schools should remain as they are today or were yesterday. They must address the real needs of young people, recognising the main features of the youth landscape and designing learning opportunities and organizational structures around these (Kennedy 2001)."

"cannot continue to be like monasteries - the self-proclaimed learning centres of the industrial age. They must we

Some common words found in the essay are:
According Kennedy, Obstacles Kennedy, Future Learning, Huskey Wiley, Delta Kappan, Introduction Schools, Caldwell Hayward, Projects Kennedy, Practices Introduction, Research Center, kennedy 2001, virtual school, schools future, florida virtual, florida virtual school, social anchors, school future learning, school future, learning 2002, future learning 2002, virtual school future, future learning, schools social, schools social anchors, author asserts,
Approximate Word count = 2267
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)