KnowledgeWorks Forecast 5.0 points to rapid change on horizon for education
Opportunities and warnings as technology, society transform learning and jobs
CINCINNATI, Nov. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Toxic is the word of the year according to Oxford Dictionaries. Growing media polarization, pressure to succeed and mistrust in institutions are already having an impact on children's daily lives. How can we respond to the current high-stress environment and other rapid changes in our society in ways that create a more hopeful future in which all students and communities can thrive?
This question is just one of many big considerations raised by new future of learning research that national non-profit organization KnowledgeWorks released today. "Navigating the Future of Learning," the organization's fifth comprehensive 10-year forecast, examines current societal trends and potential future impacts on education to help educators, policy makers and community leaders make the best decisions possible for the future of our children and our nation.
"The choices we make now will determine what it looks like to live, work and learn in the new era that is emerging," Katherine Prince, senior director of strategic foresight and co-author of the forecast, said. "We're at a societal turning point. Education has the opportunity the lead the way through this transition and to reconsider how it structures and facilitates learning. We can help learners become resilient and empathetic communicators and team members who advocate for themselves and their communities."
Written by a team of professional education futurists, "Navigating the Future of Learning" makes the case for paying urgent attention to how five societal shifts might impact education and the relationships people have with each other and with technology:
- Algorithms and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly embedded in our lives and already make choices for us every day.
- As trust in government declines and skepticism about corporate influence increases, individuals and organizations are redefining civic engagement by leveraging technology to mobilize action quickly.
- Advancements in neuroscience are making it possible for people to transform their cognitive abilities by "hacking" their brains and by using new kinds of brain-based treatments and practices.
- Polarized media, inequity and stress are impacting our physical and mental health and causing societal strain.
- Economic- and climate-driven population shifts are prompting cities, towns and rural areas to reshape their identities through small-scale production and by growing local cultural assets.
"Navigating the Future of Learning" also presents a challenge to educators and policy makers to examine, adapt and transform current systems designed for past generations or risk letting rapid change be dictated by others or create greater inequity, according to KnowledgeWorks.
"The success of our education system is essential for the future of today's students and tomorrow's communities," KnowledgeWorks president and CEO Chuck Ambrose said. "We need to engage in difficult conversations about how to make education more relevant and equitable, as well as truly preparing students today. And we need to start those conversations now. The forecast offers a framework with which to start."
To access the research, download "Navigating the Future of Learning" or order free printed copies, including posters designed to assist with team conversations.
Research Briefing: Navigating the Future of Learning
December 12, 2018 at 3:00pm ET. Register online for the webinar at http://learn.knowledgeworks.org/register-webinar-forecast-5.html
Join the authors of KnowledgeWorks' new comprehensive forecast on the future of learning to learn how the major societal shifts we are currently experiencing could shape education over the next ten years and beyond. Professional futurists Katherine Prince, Jason Swanson and Katie King will share in-depth research on how critical drivers of change might impact the future of learning and will invite participants to explore potential actions we can take to ensure every child and community thrives.
About KnowledgeWorks
KnowledgeWorks is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing personalized learning that empowers every child to take ownership of their success. With nearly 20 years of experience exploring the future of learning and partnering with schools and state and federal policymakers, our passionate team believes in working together to create a system-wide approach to grow and sustain student-centered practices. Through customized professional development, in-depth research such as our future of learning forecasts and federal education policy guidance and state-level ESSA implementation support, KnowledgeWorks has created opportunities for more than 135,000 students in 20 states through competency-based learning and early college. www.KnowledgeWorks.org
SOURCE KnowledgeWorks
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