I recently wrote about the evolution of learning. A recent article takes this conversation further. Here is a short summary:
Continue readingEducation
Learning’s Next Phase, Captured On Video
Yesterday, I explored a powerful story: how human learning has evolved from vertical to horizontal, and now toward something even more transformative – ambient.
For most of history, learning was vertical, flowing down through families and traditions. The rise of schools, books, and digital platforms expanded it horizontally, allowing knowledge to move sideways across communities and institutions. But today, a new phase is emerging: ambient learning. In this model, knowledge doesn’t just pass down or across – it surrounds us. Supported by AI, sensors, and connected environments, learning becomes ever-present, context-aware, and seamlessly woven into daily life.
Continue readingThe Evolution Of Learning: From Vertical To Horizontal To Ambient
For most of human history, learning was vertical. Knowledge flowed downward, generation to generation, through families and traditions. A farmer taught his child the rhythms of the land, a craftsperson trained an apprentice at the workbench, a parent passed on rituals of faith and culture. The family was the classroom, and survival depended on what could be remembered and repeated.
Continue readingWhat Should My Children Study in School?
As a keynote presenter and futurist, I am frequently asked by parents the pressing question: “What should my children study in school to thrive in an increasingly automated world?” In an era where technological advancements are rapidly reshaping the job landscape, my response emphasizes a balanced education that cultivates foundational skills like critical thinking and emotional intelligence, embraces STEM and digital literacy, and fosters adaptability and lifelong learning. Additionally, I advocate for focusing on human-centric fields, entrepreneurial abilities, ethical reasoning, and global awareness. By integrating these elements, we can equip the next generation with the tools they need to not only navigate but also shape the future of work and society.
To test the appropriateness of my response, I asked ChatGPT how it would respond. Here is the response:
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Transforming Education: Learning In The Modern World
A recent article by Forbes Councils Member MacKenzie Price explores the role of AI and humans in emerging transformation of education. As readers of my Blog know, I view education as the bridge to a new era. Here is a brief summary of the article:
Continue readingWill Virtual Reality Revolutionize Education?
ChatGPT is getting a lot of attention, and one area driving dialog is education. While the attention is warranted, another innovation is quietly making advances. Historically, education has been a bridge between eras – something that I explored in depth here. If you accept that signals point to a transition between eras, then education will be looked at to provide a bridge. But the question that must be answered is this: can education in its current form be that bridge? I maintain that the answer is no. Can that other innovation help? Virtual reality has quietly advanced. This article explores those advances.
Continue readingEducation As The Bridge Between Eras
In the mid-1800s, when operating steam-driven machines required a skilled workforce, education helped the working class emerge from a period of stagnation. Later, high school helped ease the transition from the farm to the factory and office. We find ourselves straddling two eras again. The world economic forum estimates that sixty-five percent of children today will end up in careers that do not exist yet.
Our goal is to double the world’s GDP. That’s a very audacious goal. But education is the only thing that has ever done it in the past. It can jumpstart entire economies
Sebastian Thrun – Chairman and co-founder of Udacity
So here we are again. Education must emerge as the bridge between eras. It must ensure that those educated embody the qualities and competencies essential to life in a society different than our industrial past.
Continue readingInnovation In The Education Space
A great video describing innovation in the education space. Special thanks to April Harris for pulling together another impactful video! Join the conversation on this and other topics by visiting the Reimagining the Future YouTube Channel.
From Sage On The Stage To Co-Creator Of Learning
20th century education was based on the assumption that the teachers have the answers and that their job is to impart those answers to the students, as the “sage on the stage.”
By contrast, 21st century education is, or should be, based on the assumption that the answers are already available in the digital world. The purpose of education should be to inspire the students to ask the right questions and discover those answers for themselves and start applying the answers in their own lives
Steve Denning
That quote says it all and this short video captures the thinking from an earlier post on an Education Revolution. A number of interviews with educators can be found at the Reimagining the Future YouTube Channel.
A New Post K-12 World and A Future Capability Profile
Education is a common thread that flows through posts like this one on Poker and an earlier one on Robot Artists. Steve Denning said it well when he said: “There could hardly be anything more important for the future of the country than the strength of its education system.” This short video clip looks at aspects of an emerging Education Revolution.
Robot Artists And Musicians
I’ve asked this question before: Is Creativity the Sole Domain of Humans? As each day passes, the answer becomes clearer. One of the most impactful videos I use captures a conversation between Sophia the robot and Jimmy Fallon. As you watch their interaction, you quickly lose sight of the fact that Sophia is a robot. It’s easy for humans to be threatened by a robot that seems to encroach upon the characteristics that make us distinctly human. However, the other side of this discussion represents the potential for a positive human outcome. One example is the introduction of Companion Robots that help deal with the challenges of loneliness and isolation. Another is the role of robots in healthcare and elderly care.
Continue readingAn Education Revolution
There could hardly be anything more important for the future of the country than the strength of its education system.
Steve Denning
I read a great Article on education the other day written by leadership thinker Steve Denning. My passion for the future of education is expressed in frequent Posts on the topic – so the article struck a chord. As a leadership guru, Mr. Denning focused on the management of education and provided some fascinating statistics. For example, in 2006, only 43% of school personnel in the US were teachers, while in other countries, that percentage was 70 to 80%. Seems that this imbalance is driven by a compliance focus that has employees trying to monitor and comply with federal and state requirements. Mr. Denning believes that lost in this period of industrial-era bureaucracy is the purpose of organizations involved in education. He describes a current corporate revolution in management and leadership that he believes needs to take root in education. There are two very critical points made in the article that speak to a need to Think Differently.
Continue readingWe Live In A New Era – Our Institutions Need To Catch Up
The world is in a state of transition and has been for a while. Across multiple domains from society and geopolitics to the economy, the future looks very different. Driven in part by societal shifts and rapid advances in science and technology, the foundation of society is changing. However, the institutions that support that society are not evolving or changing fast enough. I call this phenomenon Institution 2.0 and track it as a future scenario.
One of those institutions is Education. Learning – and the role it played throughout history – is key to managing through periods of transition. This YouTube Channel contains a series of interviews that we conducted on the topic. This video teaser describes the role of education in this emerging era.
COVID-19 Impacts University Enrollment
A recent Study found that the number of students enrolling in college immediately after high school plunged nearly 22% this past fall over last year. The future of education is a big discussion topic, as the pandemic is threatening the viability of education organizations and models. Key findings include:
Continue readingEducation In Transformative Eras
I had the pleasure of joining RegalixTV recently for a session focused on education. Host Dheeraj Prasad and I discussed the importance of education in transformative eras, how digital learning experiences are evolving, why there needs to be a shift in focus with respect to skill sets and a whole lot more on Knowledge-Centered Growth.
Tune in to watch the full Interview. I have focused a great deal on education recently. You got explore the topic via my earlier posts.
Capturing The Future Of Education Via Infographic
I’ve dedicated many of my last several posts to the topic of education. I recently joined a Future of Children event and participated in what they set up as a shark tank segment. The pitch was to focus on a the future of education. The message I delivered is captured in the infographic below. At the end of the post you will find links to my other recent education posts.
The Future Of Children
With a continued focus on the Future of Education and our need to Rethink it, I want to share a video from a great event that I had the privilege to participate in. The Children at Risk organization serves as a catalyst for change to improve the quality of life for children through strategic research, public policy analysis, education, collaboration, and advocacy. This event focused on education and learning.
Special thanks to Alexandra Whittington for inviting me to the event. As we gaze upon what is likely the most Disruptive decade in history, children and their future is something we should all rally behind. Enjoy the session.
The Future Reimagined
Over the course of the last several years, videos shared on YouTube have allowed for various forms of story telling. Stories about the future help us visualize possible paths. Recently, new team member Kevin Benedict launched a TV series on the Channel focused on the future of business. He has had several fascinating guests covering a variety of topics. Now, Kevin is moderating a new series where I am joined by various guests focused on a future reimagined. Our inaugural session was launched last week.
Continue readingRethinking The Future Of Higher Education
I mentioned last week that I would spend time on education and our critical need to rethink it. To start that journey, fellow Futurist Alexandra Whittington joins our future of business show with host Kevin Benedict. Listen in to their wide ranging conversation about futurism and the rethinking of higher education.
The Future Of Jobs
Data gathered by LinkedIn, Coursera and the World Economic Forum was captured in a Future of Jobs Report recently published by The World Economic forum (WEF). A good summary is provided by senior writer Kate Whiting in her recent Article on the WEF website. Report content is showing up in varied places, with key finding.
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Reimagining the Future 