Learning Futures

Learning Futures is a national initiative across England, to foster, evaluate and share secondary school innovation, around four priorities which they see as central to the future shape of learning in schools (but we’re interested in its relevance to post-secondary learning as well…):

Extended Learning Relationships: The 21st century heralds the possibility of a system redesign that can genuinely respond to the needs of learners and the demands for anytime/anywhere learning, collaborative and independent learning, and personalised learning.

Enquiry-Based Learning: Enquiry-based learning is a key component of the Learning Futures model. Its premise is that how students learn is as important as what they learn, because learning is a skill they can carry with them for their entire lives.

School as ‘Learning Commons’: During the first year of Learning Futures, students have begun using school as a ‘base camp’ for enquiries that take them into the community, thereby expanding their learning relationships. At the same time, the number of people with a shared interest in the life of the school is growing and relationships within school are becoming less hierarchical.

School as ‘Base Camp’: A genuine 21st century school should be a base camp rather than a single destination – a place where students meet to explore learning opportunities that take them into their communities, onto the web, and to local businesses and employers. It should also be a hub that creates connections with families, and with learning partners beyond school.

The Learning Futures Research network builds on the advances made in Learning Futures, expanding the research programme to a global scale as we connect with other regional, national and international initiatives who share our priorities.

For Details of the Full Research Report please contact Ruth.Deakin-Crick@bristol.ac.uk