Mapping the future of education

Added: (Wed Aug 12 2009)

Pressbox (Press Release) - A new online toolkit has been launched by education innovators Futurelab (www.futurelab.org.uk) to help school leaders envisage education beyond 2025 and prepare for future challenges. Vision Mapper (www.visionmapper.org.uk) is a free toolkit that presents possible outcomes for the future of education and offers a wide-range of activities and resources that can be used for long-term planning.

The toolkit includes six future scenarios that have been developed using research from leading social scientists to provide an informed and inspirational insight into different futures. These scenarios range from a world where education is tailored to the needs of the learner and learning is a bespoke, life-long journey, to a world where education is about the skills, competencies and roles that individuals play in the 'real world'. Using these scenarios alongside case studies and activities, school leaders can create strategic plans for the future.

Those involved with initiatives and projects such as Building Schools for the Future and the Primary Capital Programme, can use the Vision Mapper resources to look at what future schools may need to embody, how to consult staff, parents and students and ensure that they deliver a design that can stand the test of time.

Clara Lemon, Senior Producer at Futurelab, commented: “School leaders are always looking ahead to plan the best route for their schools but limited time and resources can restrict foresight to just a few years. Vision Mapper is designed to offer bite-size, flexible activities and resources that spark discussion and support long-term planning.”

Using Vision Mapper
Highlights from the new toolkit:
Be prepared
The ‘Ideas’ section includes forecasts of the future, such as longer life expectancy, a rise in obesity and economic changes. These forecasts can be used as a basis for discussion and planning – are you prepared for these circumstances?

Get inspired
Case studies of those who are working hard to prepare for the future are available to explore via Vision Mapper, including schools that have redesigned themselves for a sustainable future and schools that have developed a new and innovative curriculum.

Pick and mix activities
The ‘Activities’ section is designed to challenge assumptions and create realistic, achievable action plans. There are 15 activities including ‘Creating Your Vision’ and ‘Test Your Plans’, clearly marked with how long they are expected to take and approximate numbers of people to involve in discussion.

Made to order
For those about to embark on a specific project, the Resource Packs offer ready-made packs of case studies, activities and action plans that can be used by anyone involved in school redesign, curriculum planning and community services.

Vision Mapper is part of the Beyond Current Horizons programme (www.beyondcurrenthorizons.org.uk), designed to help examine the future of education beyond 2025 and to help the education system prepare for and respond to the challenges it faces as society and technology rapidly evolve.