Understanding learning environments

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE:

MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE

Module 3

2021

Oficina de Educación

Virtual USTA

Understanding learning environments MODULE 3

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE:

MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE

AUTHOR DIANA MARGARITA ARAQUE TORRES

2021

Oficina de Educación

Virtual USTA

DIRECTIVOS SANTO TOMÁS Fr. José Gabriel MESA ANGULO, O.P Rector Fr. Eduardo GONZÁLEZ GIL, O. P. Vicerrector Académico General Fr. Wilson Fernando MENDOZA RIVERA, OP. Vicerrector Administrativo y Financiero General Fr. Javier Antonio CASTELLANOS, O. P. Decano de División de Educación Abierta y a Distancia Pedro Antonio Vela González Decano de Facultad de Educación AUTOR DISCIPLINAR Maestría en Ambientes Bilingües de Aprendizaje - MABA 22 de febrero de 2021 Understanding Learning Environments Part 3 : Learning Environments for educational change: Moving forward into the future Autor: Diana Margarita Araque Torre ASESORÍA Y PRODUCCIÓN Mg. Carlos Eduardo Alvarez Martínez Coordinador Oficina de Educación Virtual Mg. Wilson Arley Sánchez Pinzón Asesor tecnopedagógico, corrector de estilo y diseñador instruccional Prof. Diego Fernando Jaramillo Herrera Diseñador gráfico Oficina de Educación Virtual Universidad Santo Tomás Sede Principal - Bogotá

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LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE:

MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE

Module 3

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CONTENT OF MODULE 3 Problematization - Situation of learning - Context

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Questions framing

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Instructional analysis (Module topic map - Unit)

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Methodology to address the content of the resource

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Introduction – Presentation

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Shaping ecosystems for learning: Principles and affordances

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3.1 A framework for educational change: The future of education and skills

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1. Why do we need to reimagine the future of education? 2. What transformative forces should be conquered to allow change? 3.2 Trends and educational perspectives

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1. How can we anticipate the future of education?

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2. What major trends could reshape education and learning environments?

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Bibliography / Webgraphy

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PROBLEMATIZATION SITUATION OF LEARNING - CONTEXT CONTEXT: (ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM OR CASE) A mid-size bilingual school, located in a culturally diverse city, seeks to improve the quality of its educational processes and offer students better opportunities for learning by using their resources and spaces in the best way (e.g., technology and infrastructure), but also create connections to nearby communities. However, they recognize certain concepts and considerations should be analyzed and discussed first, also, correlated them to the latest changes in 21st -century society. Therefore, the schoolteachers and board of directors, in cooperation with the local council’s education department, decide to research about learning environments to understand in what ways they could improve. So, they could stablish a reference framework that allows them to decide what are the components and considerations to build effective learning environments. Consequently, they would be capable of executing changes or make decisions that benefit the students' learning and the school’s mission

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QUESTIONS FRAMING What aspects should be considered to transform learning environments so that facilitate students' learning?

INSTRUCTIONAL ANALYSIS (MODULE TOPIC MAP - UNIT) MODULE 3. LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE: MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE

3.1 A FRAMEWORK FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE: THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS

1. WHY DO WE NEED TO REIMAGINE THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION? 2. WHAT TRANSFORMATIVE FORCES SHOULD BE CONQUERED TO ALLOW CHANGE?

3.2 TRENDS AND EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

1. HOW CAN WE ANTICIPATE THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION?

2. WHAT MAJOR TRENDS COULD RESHAPE EDUCATION AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS?

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METHODOLOGY TO ADDRESS THE CONTENT OF THE RESOURCE

This module uses problem-based learning as the didactic strategy to achieve the learning purposes for this module evidenced by the learning outcomes suggested in the course syllabus. This module follows questions to cover facts and central knowledge, followed by examples, discussions, some cases or additional content that include videos, pictures and podcasts. This module aims to make you contribute and disseminate knowledge from your proposals, solutions and results for responding to challenges of bilingualism and learning environments. Later, you will evidence knowledge and skills in the activities proposed in the learning guide.

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Taken from: https://unsplash.com/photos/NkGGF6BvU88

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INTRODUCTION – PRESENTATION This module aims to help you infer which trends and educational perspectives should be considered as a reference framework for innovation and change based on educational and sociocultural considerations. You will recognize the transformative forces for educational change, as well as the current trends and perspectives education and learning environments through a series of guiding questions referencing the main concepts and considerations to reimagine the future of education and learning environments by means of pictures, videos and further readings. Then, you can get the whole picture of education and how it can keep the pace in a changing world. By the end of this module, you will be able to conclude which trends and perspectives should be considered to change or improve the learning conditions in educational contexts taking into consideration the educational and sociocultural background.

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LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE: MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE 3.1 A FRAMEWORK FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE: THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS

1. WHY DO WE NEED TO REIMAGINE THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS? Education is no longer about teaching students something alone; it is more important to be teaching them to develop a reliable compass and the navigation tools to find their own way in a world that is increasingly complex, volatile and uncertain. Our imagination, awareness, knowledge, skills and, most important, our common values, intellectual and moral maturity, and sense of responsibility is what will guide us for the world to become a better place” (Schleicher, 2019. The unprecedented transformation of economy and society in the last two decades has largely influenced the most recent changes in education and the modern world. In order to respond to these sudden changes, education must evolve at a speed and extent never seen before, to deliver its mission for individuals and communities. Nevertheless, this requires a change of perspectives, content, approaches and the reorganization of learning environments; contemplating these changes not only apply to basic and further education but also lifelong learning, particularly important in an ageing world. Moreover, these transformations are accelerated by the outbreak of the virus leading to the latest pandemic in 2020.

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The future, by definition, is unpredictable, that is why being able to recognize the big changes across the world and develop enough tools to adjust to them is so important. Then, we can learn and adapt to thrive in and even shape, and re-shape, whatever the future holds. However, such adaptations need support and guidance in developing not only knowledge and skills, but also attitudes and values towards ethical and responsible actions that lead to positive changes. In Education, the students, educators and leaders need opportunities, assistance and proper tools to take humanity towards a brighter future. Change, as an inevitable force, does not necessarily mean positive or equally beneficial benefits for all. To exemplify this, we can look at the changes brought by the industrial revolution of the 1800s that could be both a source of inequality and the opportunity to eliminate inequalities. However, the revolutions that followed were significantly different, mainly because of the advent of compulsory education, as well as the rapid and deliberate improvement in technology that made industry evolve from the steam power, the assembly line, automation to the most recent cyber physical systems. For example, in 2011, the German government inaugurated an Industry 4.0 strategy, aiming to move towards smart manufacturing and production methods, blending the worlds of production and network connectivity. The strategy created a smart industry in which people, devices, objects and systems combine to form dynamic, self-organizing networks of production. Such changes and evolution of industries require innovations in systems, technology and economic re-shaping, however, these would not be possible if education and skills had not evolved equally. In the following figure, you will see the evolution of the industry from 1.0 to the most recent 4.0:

INDUSTRY 1.0 TO 4.0 SOURCE: MCLELLAN, OECD (2019)

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The changes provoked by the industrial evolution has led to the conclusion that education systems need to undergo transformative changes to keep the pace of changes in the world of work as well as the global changes in economy, society and culture; in which technology plays a major role. As you will see in the following figure, there is a constant race between technology and education, in the timeline these variables experience disparities most of the time that can turn into social pain or prosperity. However, the present represents a breaking point that creates two possible directions, one boosting transformative change or the one creating a slight incremental change leading to a new social pain in the future:

THE RACE BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATIONX SOURCE: THE RACE BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION (GOLDIN AND KATZ, 2010).

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According to the OECD Report on the future of education and skills 2030 (2019), this is the right moment to raise questions and reflect upon the kind of competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes and values) required for the future, also contemplate how the design of learning environments can foster such competencies and facilitate learning. In this report, we will see the vision of education and a learning framework that sets out the types of competencies today’s students need to thrive in and shape their future. The results and principles stated in this report operate for three main motivations. First, to create a common ground that builds understanding of modern education and how every learner can develop his/her potential, regardless of age, background, and learning conditions. Second, to realize in what ways we can participate in shaping a future to benefit individuals, communities, and the globe. Third, to provide reliable information for comparing learning experiences, best practices and education systems to later be spread as a reference framework. Overall, this project aims to stimulate discussion and reflection upon the future of education and skills worldwide. In the following video, you will see how education has changed in response to social forces and the differences of society, industry and education across the 19th and 20th centuries, and the aspirational vision for the 21st century:

HOW HAS EDUCATION CHANGED IN RESPONSE TO SOCIAL FORCES? SOURCE: EDUSKILLS OECD

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlXvQKUS-_Q

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A major change in education systems have been they are now considered as part of a bigger ecosystem, along with a shared responsibility with stakeholders, including parents, teachers, school leaders, the students and the community. All of them are taking now an active role in decision-making to become change agents. Also, learning outcomes and traditional academic achievements have been re-defined as being the top criteria for quality education. Instead, learning experiences, flexibility and expanded focus beyond outcomes has raised value, taking education from a linear and standardized model to a more dynamic model able to adapt to the student’s needs, scaffolding from prior knowledge, skills and attitudes. For that reason, the records and monitoring have also changed to include more varied and complex aspects to value accountability and results. In the following video, you will see a summary of the innovative features of education systems that are just emerging to become the “new normal” in tomorrow’s education systems:

THE “NEW NORMAL” IN EDUCATION SOURCE: EDUSKILLS OECD

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YNDnkph_Ko

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The learning framework created by the OECD to establish the foundations to the changes required for the future is the result of dissertations and insight from experts who suggested using the metaphor of a compass in order to navigate towards the future well-being we want, individually and collectively. In this case, the compass pretends to indicate the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed to shape the future we want. This metaphor was also used to emphasize the need to learn navigate through unfamiliar contexts. The Learning Compass 2030 is composed of seven elements to be described below:

SOURCE: OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030 (2019) ADAPTED BY: MARGARITA ARAQUE

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In brief…

Core foundations

The core foundations provide a basis for developing student agency and transformative competencies. The OECD highlights three foundations as particularly important: cognitive foundations, which include literacy and numeracy; health foundations, including physical and mental health, and well-being; social and emotional foundations, including moral and ethics and digital literacy and data literacy.

Three transformative competencies can help students thrive in our world and shape a better future: Creating new value means innovating to shape better lives, such as creating new jobs, businesses and services, and developing new knowledge, insights, ideas, techniques, strategies and solutions, and applying them to problems both old and new. When learners create new value, they question the status quo, collaborate with others and try to think “outside the box”.

Transformative competencies

Reconciling tensions and dilemmas means taking into account the many interconnections and inter-relations between seemingly contradictory or incompatible ideas, logics and positions, and considering the results of actions from both short- and long-term perspectives. Through this process, students acquire a deeper understanding of opposing positions, develop arguments to support their own position, and find practical solutions to dilemmas and conflicts. Taking responsibility is connected to the ability to reflect upon and evaluate one’s own actions in light of one’s experience and education, and by considering personal, ethical and societal goals.

Student agency/ co-agency

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Student agency is defined as the capacity to set a goal, reflect and act responsibly to effect change. It is about acting rather than being acted upon; shaping rather than being shaped; and making responsible decisions and choices rather than accepting those determined by others. When students are agents in their learning, they are more likely to have “learned how to learn” – an invaluable skill that they can use throughout their lives. Co-agency is defined as interactive, mutually supportive relationships–with parents, teachers, the community, and with each other– that help students progress towards their shared goals.

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Knowledge

The compass recognizes four different types of knowledge: disciplinary, interdisciplinary, epistemic and procedural but also highlights that knowledge and skills are both interconnected and mutually reinforcing, taking into consideration that Education systems around the world have been moving from defining subjects and required curriculum knowledge as collections of facts, towards understanding disciplines as interrelated systems. Disciplinary knowledge continues to be an essential foundation for understanding. Interdisciplinary knowledge can be integrated into curricula: by transferring key concepts, identifying connectedness, through thematic learning; by combining related subjects and, by supporting project-based learning. Epistemic knowledge involves knowing how to think and act like a practitioner. Procedural knowledge is the understanding of how a task is performed, and how to work and learn through structured processes.

Skills are the ability and capacity to carry out processes and be able to use one’s knowledge in a responsible way to achieve a goal, involving the mobilization of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to meet complex demands. It requires flexibility, a positive attitude towards lifelong learning and curiosity. There are three types of skills: cognitive and metacognitive skills, related to the human capacity for creativity, responsibility and the ability to “learn to learn” throughout their life.

Skills

Attitudes and values

The social and emotional skills such as empathy, self-awareness, respect for others and the ability to communicate are particularly important in ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse contexts. The physical and practical skills are associated with daily manual tasks, such as feeding and clothing oneself, but also with the arts, helpful to develop empathic intelligence, which enhances emotional engagement, commitment and persistence.

They refer to the principles and beliefs that influence one’s choices, judgements, behaviors and actions on the path towards individual, societal and environmental well-being in order to build more inclusive, fair, and sustainable economies and societies. As schools, workplaces and communities become more ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse, it will be more important than ever to emphasize the inter-relatedness of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values.

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AnticipationAction-Reflection cycle

The Anticipation-Action-Reflection (AAR) cycle is an iterative learning process whereby learners continuously improve their thinking and act intentionally and responsibly, moving over time towards long-term goals that contribute to collective well-being. Through planning, experience and reflection, learners deepen their understanding and widen their perspective. In the anticipation phase, learners use their abilities to anticipate the short and long-term consequences of actions, understand their own intentions and the intentions of others, and widen their own and others’ perspectives. The action phase is where learners take action towards specific objectives, contributing to well-being. In the reflection phase, learners improve their thinking and deepen their understanding, improving their ability to align future actions with shared values and intentions, and to adapt successfully to changing conditions.

It’s time for Augmented Reality!! In the following pages, you will be immersed in the augmented reality experience to better comprehend and interact with the components of the Learning Compass 2030. Before you start, you will need a mobile device (cellphone or tablet) to download the app: 2. Download Playstore (free): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bear.snappress&hl=es_UY

App store (free): https://apps.apple.com/bo/app/argoplay-snappress/id1111639163

3. Scan. Once you Download the app, point the camera at the augmented content in the following pages:

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THE OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030

SOURCE: THE OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030

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CORE FOUNDATIONS:

SOURCE: THE OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030

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TRANSFORMATIVE COMPETENCIES:

SOURCE: THE OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030

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STUDENT AGENCY:

SOURCE: THE OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030

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KNOWLEDGE:

SOURCE: THE OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030

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SKILLS

SOURCE: THE OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030

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ATTITUDES AND VALUES

SOURCE: THE OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030

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ACTION-REFLECTION CYCLE

SOURCE: THE OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030

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“if we better equip students, now, for what the future will look like, our world will be better” Simon Sinek, In the following video, you will see the best-selling author Simon Sinek sharing his thoughts on: • Finding the ‘why’ of education • Treating learning as a finite game • The power of Generation Z

SIMON SINEK ON EDUCATION - BIG CHANGE SOURCE: HTTPS://WWW.BIG-CHANGE.ORG/REIMAGINING-EDUCATION/

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlBSiiNNchM&feature=emb_logo

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2. WHAT TRANSFORMATIVE FORCES SHOULD BE CONQUERED TO ALLOW CHANGE? Schools must become places where thinking is valued, visible, and actively promoted. As educators, parents, and citizens, we must settle for nothing less than environments that bring out the best in people, take learning to the next level, allow for great discoveries, and propel both the individual and the group forward into a lifetime of learning. This is something all teachers want, and all students deserve. Ritchhart, 2015 In 2015, leading Harvard University researcher Ron Ritchhart, as part of the Project Zero initiative, published the book Creating cultures of thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools (available at CRAI-USTA). In there, he builds the concept of Culture of Thinking as the key to deep learning and the development of the habits of mind, as well as the dispositions needed in a changing world. He affirms creating a culture of thinking is more important to learning than any particular curriculum; moreover, his book outlines how any school or teacher can accomplish this by leveraging the 8 cultural forces described below (adapted from PZ, 2015):

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Recognizing How Our Beliefs Shape Our Behavior

EXPECTATIONS ex•pec•ta•tions |,ekspek’tāSH ns| noun: A set of strong beliefs surrounding future outcomes and anticipated results

As a culture shaper, expectations operate as “belief sets” or ‘action theories’ that influence our own efforts in relation to the achievement of desired goals and outcomes with respect to our teaching. In this way, expectations not only set our course, but also act as an internal compass that keeps us moving toward our goal. It is important to note that this departs from the way teachers more typically think of “expectations”, that is, as an explicit expression of standards used to direct and inform the behavior of others.

LANGUAGE

Appreciating Its Subtle Yet Profound Power

lan•guage |’laNGgwij| noun: The system of communication used by a community to negotiate shared meaning and understanding around ideas, behaviors, and actions.

As a culture shaper, language helps us to direct attention and action. However, the words and structures that make up language not only convey an explicit surface meaning, but also impart a set of deeper associations and connections that implicitly shape thought and influence behavior. This is the hidden power of language: Its ability to subtly convey messages that shape our thinking, sense of self, and group affinity.

TIME

Learning to Be Its Master Rather than Its Victim

Time |tīm| noun: The “containers,” consisting of measurable periods, that we allocate, assign or use to accomplish tasks.

As a culture shaper, all of these conceptions of time are in play. Our allocations of periods of time reflect our values. Our sequencing of events, construction of moments, and reflections on actions allows us to scaffold and draw a connecting thread through learning occasions to create a unity. Finally, our ability to generate, sustain, and capitalize on periods of total engagement allows us to create the energy needed for learning and thinking.

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Seeing Ourselves through Our Students’ Eyes

MODELING mod•el•ing |’mädl-iNG| (Brit. modelling ) verb: To display, demonstrate, or draw attention to as an example for others to follow or imitate.

OPPORTUNITIES op•por•tu•ni•ties |äp r’t(y)oonitēs | noun: A set of conditions or circumstances that make it possible to do or achieve something.

As a culture shaper, modeling operates on both an explicit and an implicit level. Explicitly, we may demonstrate techniques, processes and strategies in a way that makes our own thinking visible for students to learn from and appropriate. Implicitly, our actions are constantly on display for our students. They see our passions, our interests, our caring, and our authenticity as thinkers, learners, community members, and leaders. Adult models surround students and make real a world that they may choose to enter or reject.

Crafting the Vehicles for Learning As a culture shaper, the opportunities present will serve either to constrain or enhance the activity of both individuals and the group as a whole. Although it is possible for opportunities to lie hidden, remain untapped, or to languish; in strong cultures rich opportunities for growth, advancement, and creativity are prominent. In a culture of thinking, these types of opportunities dominate the landscape, guiding and shaping the activity of the group and engaging all individuals.

Supporting and Scaffolding Learning and Thinking

ROUTINES rou•tine |roo’tēn| noun: A sequence of actions designed to achieve a specific outcome in an efficient and productive manner.

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As a culture shaper, routines represent a set of shared practices that constitute a group’s way of doing things. They are the classroom infrastructure, guiding much of the activity that happens there. Routines—whether they are for management, participation, discourse, instruction, learning, or thinking—help to minimize confusion, reduce uncertainty, and direct activity along known paths. Ultimately, routines become patterns of behavior for both individuals and the group. Of particular importance in learning groups, is the presence of thinking and learning routines that help to direct, guide, and scaffold learning and thinking.

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Forging Relationships that Empower Learners

INTERACTIONS in•ter•ac•tions |int r’akSH ns| noun: The dynamic phenomenon that emerges when two or more objects have an effect upon one another.

ENVIRONMENT en•vi•ron•ment |en’vīr nm nt| noun: The physical space occupied by a group or individual, including its design, aesthetic, setup, displays, artifacts, and furnishings.

As a culture shaper, interactions form the basis for relationships among teachers and students, students and students, and teachers and teachers. Interactions knit together the social fabric that binds individuals together in community. The Interactions among group members help to define the emotional climate, tone, or ethos of a place. In a culture of thinking, teacher’s interactions with students show a respect for and an interest in students’ thinking while nurturing their development as valued, competent individuals able to contribute effectively to the group.

Using Space to Support Learning and Thinking As a culture shaper, the physical environment is the “body language” of an organization, conveying its values and key messages even in the absence of its inhabitants. The physical environment of a school or classroom will dictate how individuals interact, their behaviors, and performance. The physical space can inhibit or inspire the work of the group and the individual. Although most educators inherit a physical environment fashioned for an old paradigm of learning, there is still much that can be done in the design of that space to facilitate and promote a culture of thinking.

The previous table evidence Ritchhart knows creating a culture of thinking is not about following a particular set of practices or creating a general expectation of what thinking, or learning, should be like. Instead, the author supports a culture of thinking has the potential to produce the feelings, energy, and even joy that can move learning forward but also motivate students, teachers and leaders to do what, at times, can be hard and challenging. This is particularly important in a world loaded with curriculum reforms that very often neglect the vital role of classroom and school culture play in promoting learning. In fact, one powerful conclusion from this text is the idea culture matters not only to realize curricular goals, but also as a shaper of students’ development as strong thinkers and learners. In the following figure, you will see how the 8 forces help defining a focus on actionable items that influence the culture of a school or classroom. For example, reflecting about each item in a school could help us better understand the required changes needed, also indicate the pathway towards their goals. Module 3

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8 CULTURAL FORCES THAT DEFINE OUR CLASSROOMS SOURCE: WORLDWIDE CULTURES OF THINKING PROJECT, 2015 RON RITCHHART, PROJECT ZERO AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY.

The great strength of the cultural forces as an approach to problem finding and solving in schools is that they provide educators with enough structure while being adaptable to all contexts. Nigel Coutts, 2019

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3.2 TRENDS AND EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVES 4. HOW CAN WE ANTICIPATE THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION? The evidence shows what we instinctively know: If we get education right, we are halfway to solving the rest of the world’s problems. Education is the rock on which sustainable development is built. (Vikas, 2017 Attempting to predict the future of education in a context of uncertainty is naïve to say least, however, identifying a number of factors and exploring possible scenarios is a more realistic approach to start with. In this section, we do not try to assume what lies ahead, but the alternatives and possibilities that provide a broad picture of the future. In this line, the main focus stays on well-reputed reports and voices of experts that help us connect the dots from the past, the present and show some lights to the future. It is also fair to say Education systems currently face multiple pressures that make any prediction more complex, for example economic disruption, international tensions, polarization, and distrust to name a few; all of them permeated by other factors such as large-scale migration and ageing populations. Therefore, we need to understand the future will be more challenging, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic and worldwide crisis that made several other challenges emerge, placing education at the center of a discussion on how unprepared it was for changes. As a result, society has placed huge expectations of the way it should be transformed and how it will differ from the education we left behind when lockdown started. In the following video, you will see four different scenarios for the future of schooling to help us identify the opportunities and challenges that these futures could hold for schooling and education:

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WHAT WILL SCHOOLING LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE? FOUR OECD SOURCE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=WBE-CSSVNEY&FEATURE=YOUTU.BE

The OECD Scenarios for the Future of Schooling report (2020) suggests we should think about the future with a strategic foresight as a structured consideration of ideas about the future to identify ways to make better decisions in the present. However, it is established on the assumption that predicting the future is a rare event, but it is possible to make wise decisions by visualizing multiple futures considering possible changes and a high degree of uncertainty. Strategic foresight holds three main benefits that can be used by educators, school administrators, policy makers, private organizations, or governments: • Anticipation: identifying what’s changing and how to prepare for it; avoiding blind spots; considering developments that do not seem intuitively relevant, likely, or impactful, but which could catch us by surprise. • Policy innovation: revealing options for action that make sense in new circumstances, and which reframe or refresh our understanding of the present. • Future-proofing: stress-testing existing plans, strategies, or policies by subjecting them to varying conditions. This approach does not attempt to identify one correct future that works for everyone, instead, it suggests we should explore multiple versions of the future. At the same time, identify how communities could benefit the most, but also consider in what ways good practices and results could be scaled. In addition, strategic foresight uses many methods and lenses to scan the horizon; for example, integrates the perspectives from well-known organizations and visionary leaders. Such combination of signals creates a vision of the future represented in: Trends and scenarios. Trends show multiple ways in which the past and the present bring about the future by forecasting what might happen. They also help us to tell the difference between what is constant and what is changing.

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In the following table, you will find a summary of the trends are categorized in 5 big themes identified in the consulted reports: Horizon Report 2020, Innovative Pedagogy 2020 and CORE Education 2020. In some of them, you will distinguish some patterns that might relate to more than one theme but also a wide range of perspectives and ideas in each theme. *Find the Reports in the virtual room for details and further information of each trend.

Social

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Ownership Diversity Well-being and Mental health Posthumanist perspective Social Justice pedagogy Equity and Fair practices Data ethics

Technological

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Personalized learning Ubiquitous learning Artificial Intelligence (AI) Interoperability Sustainability Next generation Digital Learning Environments

Economic

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Socially oriented ways of working and sharing wealth Reduced costs of higher education Shift to Remote learning Focus on work and skills Climate change

• • • • • • •

Learning Ecologies Alternative Assessments Micro-credentials Big Data Open data Data analytics Schools becoming more intentionally inclusive

• • • •

Focus on the learner Redefining curriculum and assessment Expanding the concept of school Innovative learning environments

Process

Structural

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Scenarios are alternative futures that intentionally contain fictional details with the purpose of taking actions in the present, in order to prepare in the present for any possible situation in the future. There is no intrinsic value in these scenarios, but they could lead to meaningful reflections, preparing the ground for profound changes and considerations. First, The Horizon 2020 report envisions four possible scenarios for what the future might look like in postsecondary teaching and learning: • Growth: The next decade of higher education is one characterized by significant progress, with growth coming from increases in adult and remote learners, expansion of online courses and curricula, and professional certification and micro-credentialing programs. • Constraint: Efficiency and sustainability are the guiding social values in this future of higher education, with learners carving out faster and more efficient pathways to completion and institutions harnessing the power of data and analytics for greater precision in designing the learner experience and protecting the institution’s return on investment. • Collapse: Higher education as we’ve known it has largely been shuttered, primarily due to economic reasons (rising costs, declining funding), replaced by a new system of education that prioritizes the needs of the job market and the acquisition of discrete skills over programs and departments unable to provide a return on investment. • Transformation: Several dramatic transformations occur in higher education over the next decade, brought about primarily by climate change and advances in digital technology. Learners enjoy more flexible matriculation and degree personalization options, while institutions explore cooperative network models and seek ways to reduce the cost of education. Second, the OECD Scenarios for Schooling presented in the figure below, have been constructed to cover around 20 years from now, to 2040. The significant changes mentioned go beyond immediate political cycles, but still feasible even for futurists and visionaries. Then, these scenarios can be seen as a tool to observe how education systems evolve, identify potential drawbacks or patterns as early signs to take care for, and assess how well prepare we are for unexpected changes that could deeply affect the system:

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OVERVIEW: FOUR OECD SCENARIOS FOR THE FUTURE OF SCHOOLING SOURCE: OECD

What the Future of Education Looks Like after the pandemic? Demographic and technology changes, firmer mandates for access and equity, and whole-child, human-centered commitments — amid growing global connections. EMILY BOUDREAU (HGSE,2020) There is no doubt 2020 has been a wrecking year, involved a global pandemic, school closures, global shifting to remote instruction, protests for racial justice, and many other unprecedented events, the role of education has never been more critical or more uncertain. Thus, the Harvard Graduate School of Education hosted The Future of Education panel on December 9th, 2020. It focused on hopes for education going forward. In the following video, you will see professors Karen Brennan, Jennifer Cheatham, Anthony Jack, Adriana Umaña-Taylor, and Martin West moderated by Dean Bridget Long in a conversation on the future of education:

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HARVARD PROFESSORS CONSIDER WHAT'S NEXT FOR EDUCATION SOURCE: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwG-TZ-mt6A&feature=youtu.be

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BIBLIOGRAPHY / WEBGRAPHY

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BIBLIOGRAPHY / WEBGRAPHY Benade, L., Bertelsen, E., & Lewis, L. (2018). Reimagining and Reshaping Spaces of Learning: Brown, M., McCormack, M., Reeves, J., Brook, D. C., Grajek, S., Alexander, B., ... & Weber, N. (2020). Educause horizon report teaching and learning edition. Louisville, CO: EDUCAUSE. Burns, T., & Fuster, M. (2020). The OECD Scenarios for the Future of Schooling. https://doi.org/10.1787/178ef527-en Constituting Innovative and Creative Lifelong Learners. In Transforming Education (pp. 33-54). Springer, Singapore. CORE Education. (2020) Retrospective Ten trends. Aotearoa New Zealand Kukulska-Hulme, A., Beirne, E., Conole, G., Costello, E., Coughlan, T., Ferguson, R., ... & Whitelock, D. (2020). Innovating pedagogy 2020: Open university innovation report 8. Goldin, C. and L. Katz (2010), The Race between Education and Technology, Belknap Press. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2018). The future of education and skills: Education 2030. OECD Education Working Papers. PZ. Project Zero (2015). The 8 forces that share group culture. Harvard University. Retrieved from: http://www.pz.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/cot_8ForcesThatShapeGroupCulture.pdf Ritchhart, R. (2015). Creating cultures of thinking : The 8 forces we must master to truly transform our schools. ProQuest E-book Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com Schleicher, A. (2019), Presentation at the Forum on Transforming Education, Global Peace Convention, Seoul, South Korea. Vikas Pota (2017) The Future of Education: Innovations Needed to Meet the Sustainable Development Goals, Childhood Education, 93:5, 368-371, DOI: 10.1080/00094056.2017.136722

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Oficina de Educación

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