The new era of education and the future of work relies heavily on our ability to think in new ways (Creativity), do things in new ways (Innovation) and generate new value and opportunity (Entrepreneurship)
Design thinking is an empathy based, creative problem solving process embraced by innovators around the world for addressing complex problems. At its heart, it nurtures the ability to see a situation from someone else's point of view, engineer a solution, and then test and refine your solution based on feedback. It is one approach CSI students will use to master the California Common Core State Standards and build the adaptable thinking skills they will need for success in the 21st century workforce.
The d.school, a design thinking school at Stanford University, has developed a now well-known process that outlines the core elements of design thinking. It may look linear, but design thinking is messy! You can jump into the process at any point and will find yourself moving back and forth between steps as you work toward a solution.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Design thinking is an empathy based, creative problem solving process embraced by innovators around the world for addressing complex problems. At its heart, it nurtures the ability to see a situation from someone else's point of view, engineer a solution, and then test and refine your solution based on feedback. It is one approach CSI students will use to master the California Common Core State Standards and build the adaptable thinking skills they will need for success in the 21st century workforce. The d.school, a design thinking school at Stanford University, has developed a now well-known process that outlines the core elements of design thinking. It may look linear, but design thinking is messy! You can jump into the process at any point and will find yourself moving back and forth between steps as you work toward a solution.
The mellow atmosphere at this year's SXSW EDU didn’t stop Day 3 keynoter danah boyd from lighting up Twitter and sparking countless conference-floor conversations on the merits of media literacy and how to think critically about critical thinking. A refreshing diversion into intellectualism, boyd’s talk was the clear highlight of a day that seemed almost to hum by on its own accord. (Read our full coverage of her remarks here.)
Speaking of mellow, the conference also featured a talk on how Austin’s local schools are getting in touch with their mindful side, though a district-wide program that encourages yoga, stretching and “deep finger breathing.” It’s already helped kids who spoke at a mindfulness session find some inner peace—and big audience laughs.
Here’s what else we saw, along with the answer to the question we’ve all been waiting for.
Does the language we speak influence how much we care about the environment? Our new research suggests that the answer is yes.
Speakers of languages without a distinct future tense, such as Finnish, care more about the environment than speakers of languages with future tense marking, such as French or English. Their respective countries also have stricter climate change policies.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Does the language we speak influence how much we care about the environment? Our new research suggests that the answer is yes. Speakers of languages without a distinct future tense, such as Finnish, care more about the environment than speakers of languages with future tense marking, such as French or English. Their respective countries also have stricter climate change policies.
Yet, there are wonderfully encouraging exceptions. I find hope in these exceptions. When you choose to be the exception, people might call you a dreamer, unrealistic, extreme, or even a troublemaker. Own it. Be the exception and stick with it long enough that a crowd of exceptions help create a new normal in our education ecosystem. Believing that education and schooling can and should be about things like wonder, curiosity, true personal growth and transformation, and deep learning is not the position of pie-in-the-sky dreamers. That is achievable and desirable, if only we regain 20-20 vision from the exceptions around us, and join in helping them to spread.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
"In that moment, I experienced what felt like a combination of embarrassment and sadness. Is that really where we are in education today? We think school is mostly about getting ready for the test? The nuances, the wonder, the intriguing problems and questions, the provocative discussions, the struggle of trying to develop a new habit of thinking…these just fit into the category of “other stuff”, disregarded unless they are going to be tested? Is this really the education system that we want for students…for ourselves? Is this what we believe is going to best equip people for a rich, full, rewarding, meaningful life?"
Aileen Owens has won national acclaim for her efforts to bring cutting-edge computer science education into K-12 schools. Usually, she’s bubbling with ideas about the future.
But last summer, riding in a van through Appalachia, Owens, now 61, was thinking hard about her past.
Long before she became the director of technology and innovation for Pennsylvania’s South Fayette school district, Owens was a dreamy child in rural West Virginia, bristling at the notion that her horizon stopped at the local chemical plant.
The experience forged her desire to expand notions of what’s possible in the classroom.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Aileen Owens has won national acclaim for her efforts to bring cutting-edge computer science education into K-12 schools. Usually, she’s bubbling with ideas about the future. But last summer, riding in a van through Appalachia, Owens, now 61, was thinking hard about her past. Long before she became the director of technology and innovation for Pennsylvania’s South Fayette school district, Owens was a dreamy child in rural West Virginia, bristling at the notion that her horizon stopped at the local chemical plant. The experience forged her desire to expand notions of what’s possible in the classroom.
To understand how value is created in networks, Microsoft Envisioning and PopTech decided to connect with experts and practitioners from around the world. Join us on our journey of discovery. This video is part of a broader body of work by Microsoft's Office Envisioning team and PopTech on the Changing World of Work.
To understand how value is created in networks, Microsoft Envisioning and PopTech decided to connect with experts and practitioners from around the world. Join us on our journey of discovery. This video is part of a broader body of work by Microsoft's Office Envisioning team and PopTech on the Changing World of Work.
The Creative Industries were included as a Strategy for 21st Century Australia by the Australian Government back in 2011. They were seen as having the potential to drive our economy and build future Australian entrepreneurs who could participate in a growing global economy. Around the world Creative Industries are now seen as essential to growth in a modern economy. Our universities offer a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in Creative Industries.
The Creative Industries remain under-exploited in Australia.
Many teachers and careers advisors in Australia do not have a well developed idea of what Creative Industries are, what skill sets they involve and what school subjects underpin this strategic area of future workforce growth.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
The Creative Industries were included as a Strategy for 21st Century Australia by the Australian Government back in 2011. They were seen as having the potential to drive our economy and build future Australian entrepreneurs who could participate in a growing global economy. Around the world Creative Industries are now seen as essential to growth in a modern economy. Our universities offer a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in Creative Industries. The Creative Industries remain under-exploited in Australia. Many teachers and careers advisors in Australia do not have a well developed idea of what Creative Industries are, what skill sets they involve and what school subjects underpin this strategic area of future workforce growth.
Each year, ELI surveys the higher education community to determine key issues and opportunities in post-secondary teaching and learning. These key issues serve as the framework, or focal points, for our discussions and programming throughout the coming year. More than 900 community members voted on the following key issues for 2018.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Each year, ELI surveys the higher education community to determine key issues and opportunities in post-secondary teaching and learning. These key issues serve as the framework, or focal points, for our discussions and programming throughout the coming year. More than 900 community members voted on the following key issues for 2018.
Innovative learning environments sell themselves the moment you walk in the door. They’re open, dynamic, and a breath of fresh air compared to the old-fashioned classroom. Learners move freely within them, collaborating personally and technologically. The focus is on colour, comfort, and connection. Also, there’s a buzz and excitement about learning you simply won’t find anywhere else.
Does classroom design make a difference to what gets accomplished in the room itself? It sure does. Innovative learning environments focusing on colour and comfort have a positive impact on learning and engagement. Further, organizations like 360 Steelcase, Salford University, and Herman Miller confirm this. So where do you begin with designing your own innovative learning environments?
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Innovative learning environments sell themselves the moment you walk in the door. They’re open, dynamic, and a breath of fresh air compared to the old-fashioned classroom. Learners move freely within them, collaborating personally and technologically. The focus is on colour, comfort, and connection. Also, there’s a buzz and excitement about learning you simply won’t find anywhere else. Does classroom design make a difference to what gets accomplished in the room itself? It sure does. Innovative learning environments focusing on colour and comfort have a positive impact on learning and engagement. Further, organizations like 360 Steelcase, Salford University, and Herman Miller confirm this. So where do you begin with designing your own innovative learning environments?
As educators, we have a singular responsibility to prepare all students for a rapidly changing job market, and to educate them to be architects of the world in which we live. In today’s economy, when the future of work is changing faster than our old models of education can accommodate, this is no easy task.
As educators, we have a singular responsibility to prepare all students for a rapidly changing job market, and to educate them to be architects of the world in which we live. In today’s economy, when the future of work is changing faster than our old models of education can accommodate, this is no easy task.
"A medida que adoptamos esta economía impulsada por la tecnología, las universidades también deben cambiar a un ritmo desconocido para la educación superior. Si bien conservamos nuestra misión central de educar a la próxima generación y cultivar nuevas formas de conocimiento, las universidades también deben abrazar el rol en constante expansión de impulsar la innovación y catalizar el desarrollo económico. Nuestras instituciones deben enfrentar los desafíos de la revolución digital y jugar un papel cada vez más importante en nuestros ecosistemas y economías de innovación en cuatro formas clave: 1. Fomentando el emprendimiento, 2. Fomentando la colaboración con el sector privado, 3. Promoviendo la diversidad y la inclusión, 4. Explorando el vínculo de la tecnología y la sociedad."(World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, 2018)
What does it mean to be future ready? Better yet, how can learners become future fit? The Institute for the Future (IFTF) brought together thought leaders on the future of work and learning at the Future Skills convening last week to discuss these topics. At the event, IFTF debuted their newly released Future Skills Workout that is aimed at equipping people with skills needed “to live richer and more fulfilling lives in a society that’s undergoing unprecedented change.” LRNG was excited to be an innovation collaborator for the event.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
What does it mean to be future ready? Better yet, how can learners become future fit? The Institute for the Future (IFTF) brought together thought leaders on the future of work and learning at the Future Skills convening last week to discuss these topics. At the event, IFTF debuted their newly released Future Skills Workout that is aimed at equipping people with skills needed “to live richer and more fulfilling lives in a society that’s undergoing unprecedented change.” LRNG was excited to be an innovation collaborator for the event.
Why Ideagist Global Community We all come up with ideas, but coming up with an idea is not a ticket to success unless it’s put into action. There are many challenges idea makers must overcome in order to convert their ideas into a successful business.
IdeaGist Global Virtual Incubator offers a simple to follow process, access to entrepreneurs, innovators, investors and mentors, and it connects you with other like-minded people worldwide.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Why Ideagist Global Community We all come up with ideas, but coming up with an idea is not a ticket to success unless it’s put into action. There are many challenges idea makers must overcome in order to convert their ideas into a successful business. IdeaGist Global Virtual Incubator offers a simple to follow process, access to entrepreneurs, innovators, investors and mentors, and it connects you with other like-minded people worldwide.
Schools are beginning to recognize that arts education is not merely a nice addition to the learning experience, but rather an important vehicle for kids to learn skills that can also be applied to their other academic studies. Arts integration has become increasingly popular because educators are finding that when art is meshed with content learning, students are more engaged and interested. However, some schools have used arts integration as an excuse to sideline trained arts teachers, a mistake if the program is truly going to uphold rigorous artistic standards alongside academic ones.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Schools are beginning to recognize that arts education is not merely a nice addition to the learning experience, but rather an important vehicle for kids to learn skills that can also be applied to their other academic studies. Arts integration has become increasingly popular because educators are finding that when art is meshed with content learning, students are more engaged and interested. However, some schools have used arts integration as an excuse to sideline trained arts teachers, a mistake if the program is truly going to uphold rigorous artistic standards alongside academic ones.
Education may be the passport to the future, but for all the good teaching out there, it would seem that schools are failing to impart some of the most important life skills, according to one educational expert.
Dr. Tony Wagner, co-director of Harvard's Change Leadership Group, argues that today’s school children are facing a “global achievement gap”, which is the gap between what even the best schools are teaching and the skills young people need to learn.
This has been exacerbated by two colliding trends: firstly, the global shift from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy, and secondly, the way in which today’s school children – brought up with the internet – are motivated to learn.
In his book The Global Achievement Gap, Wagner identifies seven core competencies every child needs in order to survive in the coming world of work.
1. Critical thinking and problem-solving
2. Collaboration across networks and leading by influence
In his book The Global Achievement Gap, Wagner identifies seven core competencies every child needs in order to survive in the coming world of work. 1. Critical thinking and problem-solving 2. Collaboration across networks and leading by influence 3. Agility and adaptability 4. Initiative and entrepreneurialism 5. Effective oral and written communication 6. Accessing and analysing information 7. Curiosity and imagination
Education may be the passport to the future, but for all the good teaching out there, it would seem that schools are failing to impart some of the most important life skills, according to one educational expert.
Dr. Tony Wagner, co-director of Harvard's Change Leadership Group, argues that today’s school children are facing a “global achievement gap”, which is the gap between what even the best schools are teaching and the skills young people need to learn.
This has been exacerbated by two colliding trends: firstly, the global shift from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy, and secondly, the way in which today’s school children – brought up with the internet – are motivated to learn.
In his book The Global Achievement Gap, Wagner identifies seven core competencies every child needs in order to survive in the coming world of work.
1. Critical thinking and problem-solving
2. Collaboration across networks and leading by influence
Education may be the passport to the future, but for all the good teaching out there, it would seem that schools are failing to impart some of the most important life skills, according to one educational expert.
Dr. Tony Wagner, co-director of Harvard's Change Leadership Group, argues that today’s school children are facing a “global achievement gap”, which is the gap between what even the best schools are teaching and the skills young people need to learn.
This has been exacerbated by two colliding trends: firstly, the global shift from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy, and secondly, the way in which today’s school children – brought up with the internet – are motivated to learn.
In his book The Global Achievement Gap, Wagner identifies seven core competencies every child needs in order to survive in the coming world of work.
1. Critical thinking and problem-solving
2. Collaboration across networks and leading by influence
George Couros tells us, if we want innovative students, we need innovative educators. Do you qualify? In his book, The Innovator’s Mindset, Couros challenges
Kim Flintoff's insight:
George Couros tells us, if we want innovative students, we need innovative educators. Do you qualify? In his book, The Innovator’s Mindset, Couros challenges
By Vivek Wadhwa, Distinguished Fellow and professor at Carnegie Mellon University Engineering at Silicon Valley and a director of research at Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization at Duke University. January 23, 2018
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) were supposed to bring a revolution in education. But they haven’t lived up to expectations. We have been putting educators in front of cameras and shooting video — just as the first TV shows did with radio stars, microphone in hand. This is not to say the millions of hours of online content are not valuable; the limits lie in the ability of the underlying technology to customize the material to the individual and to coach.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) were supposed to bring a revolution in education. But they haven’t lived up to expectations. We have been putting educators in front of cameras and shooting video — just as the first TV shows did with radio stars, microphone in hand. This is not to say the millions of hours of online content are not valuable; the limits lie in the ability of the underlying technology to customize the material to the individual and to coach.
One of the key characteristics of someone who innovates is that they run small pilots to test their hypothesis. When they encounter ideas (or interesting intersections of already existing ideas), they tinker with the idea, execute in small chunks and learn along the way to adapt. They understand that to make a few things work, they have to try, fail and learn from many other things. They have to collaborate and network with others. They have to be comfortable with ambiguity and chaos when they experiment.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
One of the key characteristics of someone who innovates is that they run small pilots to test their hypothesis. When they encounter ideas (or interesting intersections of already existing ideas), they tinker with the idea, execute in small chunks and learn along the way to adapt. They understand that to make a few things work, they have to try, fail and learn from many other things. They have to collaborate and network with others. They have to be comfortable with ambiguity and chaos when they experiment.
Walking onto a High Tech High campus is like entering a workshop. Our tour guide, sophomore Caroline Egler, pointed out classrooms that supposedly housed physics or humanities or biology, but most students weren’t in those rooms. They were in the hallways working on projects, huddled around computers together, or even working at desks elevated 8 feet above the ground so they towered over the floor. Students seem to be working with purpose, even if it’s not immediately obvious what they’re doing. The scene is chaotic, but not out of control.
It’s not always like this, Egler assured us, a group of education journalists visiting as part of the Education Writers Association’s Rethinking the American High School seminar. Students at this campus of the San Diego-based charter network seemed more frantic than usual because they were rushing to finish projects they’d been working on all semester, she said. They’d be exhibiting their work to real-world audiences at the end of the week.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Walking onto a High Tech High campus is like entering a workshop. Our tour guide, sophomore Caroline Egler, pointed out classrooms that supposedly housed physics or humanities or biology, but most students weren’t in those rooms. They were in the hallways working on projects, huddled around computers together, or even working at desks elevated 8 feet above the ground so they towered over the floor. Students seem to be working with purpose, even if it’s not immediately obvious what they’re doing. The scene is chaotic, but not out of control. It’s not always like this, Egler assured us, a group of education journalists visiting as part of the Education Writers Association’s Rethinking the American High School seminar. Students at this campus of the San Diego-based charter network seemed more frantic than usual because they were rushing to finish projects they’d been working on all semester, she said. They’d be exhibiting their work to real-world audiences at the end of the week.
The power to create the future of education technology is very appealing. The ability to fabricate and then implement a technological universe that could lead our future generations of learners might be our generation’s greatest achievement. If I were going to put together a formula, I would probably do the following:
1. Identify around 1,000 of the best available education minds from all over the world. 2. Assemble these big thinkers in one place, and over a period of four or five days have open discussion and lively debate around some carefully thought-out subject areas. 3. Include areas of innovation, academics, emotional intelligence, and the business of technology. 4. Invite at least 10,000 working educators and administrators to join in the discussion. 5. Watch carefully as the magic happens.
If I could put together this much firepower in one place and ask the right questions, imagine what could be accomplished.
As it just so happens, somebody beat me to the punch.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
1. Identify around 1,000 of the best available education minds from all over the world. 2. Assemble these big thinkers in one place, and over a period of four or five days have open discussion and lively debate around some carefully thought-out subject areas. 3. Include areas of innovation, academics, emotional intelligence, and the business of technology. 4. Invite at least 10,000 working educators and administrators to join in the discussion. 5. Watch carefully as the magic happens.
Nitzan Pelman was in her twenties when she began to teach herself the basics. How to write a coherent sentence. How to think critically. Labeled a special needs student at a very young age and raised in an educational environment that gave up on her from the start, Pelman had never really believed herself capable of learning much—much less teaching herself. But once she got started, unhampered by limiting expectations and afire with intellectual curiosity, she flourished.
Today, advanced degree in hand and standing at the helm of ReUp Education—which she co-founded—Pelman has every reason to believe in human potential, second chances, and the importance of shedding harmful labels. That belief permeates everything at ReUp, a company that partners with colleges to help them find students who have “stopped out” but want to come back and graduate.
Kim Flintoff's insight:
Nitzan Pelman was in her twenties when she began to teach herself the basics. How to write a coherent sentence. How to think critically. Labeled a special needs student at a very young age and raised in an educational environment that gave up on her from the start, Pelman had never really believed herself capable of learning much—much less teaching herself. But once she got started, unhampered by limiting expectations and afire with intellectual curiosity, she flourished. Today, advanced degree in hand and standing at the helm of ReUp Education—which she co-founded—Pelman has every reason to believe in human potential, second chances, and the importance of shedding harmful labels. That belief permeates everything at ReUp, a company that partners with colleges to help them find students who have “stopped out” but want to come back and graduate.
To get content containing either thought or leadership enter:
To get content containing both thought and leadership enter:
To get content containing the expression thought leadership enter:
You can enter several keywords and you can refine them whenever you want. Our suggestion engine uses more signals but entering a few keywords here will rapidly give you great content to curate.
Your new post is loading...
