Will We Embrace The Futures of Education? | Will Richardson | 3 Min Read

A lot of folks want to talk about “the future of education” these days. With all that’s been surfaced because of the pandemic and social unrest and the other crises we’re currently battling, it should be a topic worth discussing. 

But what if “the future of education” isn’t the right topic?

I seriously doubt that, as that statement suggests, there is one future for schools. The more appropriate phrase might start with “the futures,” as in the many potential paths to becoming “educated” that we’re on the precipice of. 

While education has never been totally standardized, we have to admit that for the vast majority of kids, the experience is pretty similar. Those schools that turn away from traditional structures like age groupings and timetables and set curriculums are seen as “fringe” and on the edge somewhere. The paths forward to “success” as it’s most often defined usually require a stop at college for a degree. Anything else is seen as an “alternative.”

But what if the “alternative” becomes mainstream? 

We can already see the outlines of a massive shift happening in terms of our access to courses and content and teachers and mentors. This age of abundance we…

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Will Richardson

A former public school educator of 22 years, Will Richardson has spent the past 15 years developing an international reputation as a leading thinker and writer about the intersection of social online learning networks, education, and systemic change. Most recently, Will is a co-founder of The Big Questions Institute which was created to help educators use “fearless inquiry” to make sense of this complex moment and an uncertain future. In 2017, Will was named one of 100 global “Changemakers in Education” by the Finnish site HundrED, and was named one of the Top 5 “Edupreneurs to Follow” by Forbes. He has given keynote speeches, lead breakout sessions, and provided coaching services in over 30 countries on 6 continents. He has also authored six books, and given TEDx Talks in New York, Melbourne, and Vancouver.