Learning into a Fractured Future

Nice to be here with you in 2024, hope you had a rewarding holiday period, with time for some reflection and relaxation.?? ?

A big theme that came up in my personal reflection time was that how and what we will learn in the future has never been more critical or complex. This summer, down under, the intersection of my interests, expertise, and passion crystallised around one pivotal issue: Learning into the future: A future where the rule book on all industries is going to be up-ended. I'v got my oldest child starting school today, can you tell? Safe to say I have gone deep and uncovered some insights that I think are worth sharing with you, with a little news at the end around what PUR is striving to do about it.? ?

Today's world demands a seismic shift in our approach to education and learning. We're navigating a re-imagination, perhaps a revolution, in how we perceive and validate information. Welcome to the post-truth meets AI era. A new paradigm of truth is unfolding, its contours still debated fiercely. This becomes especially poignant as we observe global elections - 50 countries, representing nearly half the world's population, are poised to make pivotal decisions in 2024. In this AI-driven, personalised content landscape, the fate of nations often hinges on a handful of swing voters. Data, content segmentation, and personalization have never mattered more. We're witnessing a battle to define what comes next. With QI skills that are in demand and predicted to become more so as we move into the future. See the latest report from Microsoft "New Future Of Work Report", with data from the 2023 year of users experimenting with now famous, AI LLMS ChatGPT, forming the basis for the report. The report backs up that the skills needed to run the world of tomorrow are vastly different to the ones we traditionally put emphasis on. So the question remains today, how do we then educate and learn in a world rife with uncertainty? How do we forge an educational system and learning culture that not only prepares but empowers our youth and workforce to confront the world's most daunting challenges? A summer conversation illuminated the state of affairs for me. Friends, expecting a child, quoted dad to be’s father’s response on finding out the news he will be a granddad: "You're believers in the future" he said. At first glance, a heartwarming sentiment. But on deeper reflection, it reveals a stark truth - a pervasive skepticism about the future. In some parts, choosing to have children is now an act of defiance, an assertion of hope in an uncertain world. ?

Where are we going wrong? How do we educate the next generation to not only believe in a bright future but also to actively shape it? Because without hope what chance is there of a bright future??

This summer, amidst reflections on education, climate crises, and narratives of doom dominating our discourse both internal and external (doom scroll) I pondered a crucial question: What messages are we sending to our children?? ?

So at PUR, we're taking a bold step this year. We're using our innovation time to develop a program aimed at empowering children to maintain a sense of agency amid adversity. We're crafting a learning aid that enables teachers, parents, and children to discuss disasters in a way that's empowering, not debilitating. ?

We're in the early stages, seeking open dialogues and partnerships. This is an invitation to join us in shaping a future where our children are not just inheritors of our world but active architects of their own. ?

As we kick off this year let’s commit to facing our challenges head-on and embracing opportunities with open arms. The future is not just something we inherit; it's something we actively create. ?