3 Reasons Education Urgently Needs Speculative Design

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I write this from Louisville, Kentucky as I prepare to work with Ascension School tomorrow, then drive up to Ohio to keynote the Southeast Ohio?AI Summit?on Tuesday.?

At the end of the week I?am looking forward to returning to Dubai for the fourth time for a week full of work with various schools integrating AI.?

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School systems hang in the balance.

Education systems around the world are struggling to keep pace with exponential technological growth. In the new age of AI, they stand in a liminal space. Speculative design might just be the answer.

Speculative design is a methodology developed by Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, that uses design to explore and envision possible futures. It's an approach to imagining alternative future realities and bringing them to life through tangible artefacts, scenarios and experiences.

In practice, it involves:

1. Creating detailed "what if" scenarios that push beyond current realities.

2. Developing tangible artefacts, such as prototypes or mock-ups.

3. Crafting immersive experiences that allow people to 'step into' alternative futures.

4. Provoking critical thought to spark discussion and debate about possible futures and their implications.

It might be a design methodology the education system desperately needs, for these three reasons:

1. It Promotes Adaptability In An Unpredictable World

Adaptability isn't just an asset, it's a survival skill. Speculative design methods can help foster this skill.

"Design speculations can act as a catalyst for collectively redefining our relationship to reality," argue Dunne and Raby in their book Speculative Everything. Students and teachers can be challenged to navigate uncharted territories by creating scenarios that represent potential future scenarios. This can develop the agility that will be essential for thriving in an unpredictable future.

Speculative design would encourage students to tackle ethical dilemmas posed by AI or solve complex problems. This approach will help prepare students for the future by empowering them to shape it.

The ability to adapt is vital. Speculative design can turn adaptability into a learnable skill.

2. It Can Make The Abstract Tangible

Speculative design methodologies can transform abstract concepts into tangible experiences. This moves theoretical discussions about the future into reality by creating interactive visions of what could be.

What about a "School of 2050" exhibit that features prototypes and immersive scenarios of new educational settings? Tangible representations could ignite meaningful debates about the value of these futures.

"By embodying ideas, ideals, and ethics in speculative proposals, design can play a significant role in broadening our conception of what is possible," note Dunne and Raby. Speculative design bridges the gap between abstract ideas and concrete realities, making the future of education something we can see, touch and actively shape.

3. It Can Help Us Reimagine Education From The Ground Up

Most crucially, speculative design provides a methodology for completely rethinking the systems and purpose of education.

What if AI handled all factual instruction, freeing teachers to focus on emotional intelligence and creativity? What if schools were focused on helping our children solve real-world problems rather than teaching them traditional subjects? Speculative design could provide a framework for exploring these radical ideas.

"Speculative design is a catalyst for social dreaming," assert Dunne and Raby. This kind of dreaming is needed more than ever in our schools. By creating detailed visions of alternative futures, we can redefine what schooling could and should look like.

Urgency

The need to rethink education is urgent. Speculative design can offer a powerful methodology for this task. It will require a shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive future-shaping. Educators, policymakers and students alike will need to embrace uncertainty and become comfortable exploring multiple possible futures.

The only constant is change. Speculative design might just be the key to creating an education system that isn't afraid of the future, but actively shapes it. Are we bold enough to embrace speculative design and reimagine education?

Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:

1. The ChatGPT Survival Kit: My flagship course on getting started with generative AI using ChatGPT. The Busy Teacher's Guide to Taking Back Your Evenings With AI. Join 10k+ educators who have taken the course.

2. The AI Classroom Bestselling Book: Tens of thousands of educators on every continent have trusted this "Ultimate Guide to AI in Education", to springboard themselves into AI leadership. With a healthy balance of thought and practical guides, this book will supercharge your AI journey.

3.?It's an honour to be an?in-demand international keynote speaker on artificial education in education and business. I?get to work with schools, colleges, universities and businesses to strategically integrate AI and help them be prepared for a future of disruptive technology. Click here to enquire about booking me.