This moment–a global pandemic, an economic downturn and an urgency to disrupt racial inequities–is the leadership calling of our time. Leaders can no longer set broad, linear vision for the future. Instead they need to be brilliant at noticing trends, cognizant of context and quick to adapt. This one-unit course will explore the intersection of taking a design, futures and equity lens toward shaping the future in K12 Education.

Throughout this class, we will test a futurist framework for K12 Leaders using a series of design experiences aimed at building their skills of imagination and anticipation, long term thinking, contextual intelligence, pattern recognition and sense making and an understanding power and systems, exponential impact and scaling, emergent strategy and networks and how to craft equitable narratives & communities.

Day One: Becoming a Futurist for Equity

We will introduce the skills of future thinking and how they apply to the ‘d’ of design (data, tech, product, systems, experience, implications etc). Students will reflect on how they have embodied those skills during their personal and professional life.

Day Two: Scenarios at Play

This day will explore current and potential scenarios that embrace long-term thinking that are far-reaching and closer to their context. Students will design approach for how their organization will be ready to face those challenge by incorporating the design abilities and future thinking

Day Three: Design a Future

Students will reflect on practices for building contextual intelligence and creative thinking through a preferred futures framework. They’ll practice emergent thinking through various wildcard events that complicate and disrupt their futures planning. The class will close with their visions of the future--we will test a virtual time machine!

Learn With

Teaching Team