W5 - Decision-Making Simulation

The scenario I am looking at is called “A Vibrant Learning Grid” from the Knowledge Works resources “Learning in 2025.” I am looking through the lens of a lead learning agent in a medium-sized rural community. The learning environment is no longer characterized by a local school, though the school buildings still exist for learning purposes.

In this scenario, learning is much more flexible and community based, with students enjoying individualised programs to suit their needs. The drivers of change here would have been a need for more individualised and flexible curriculums to prepare students for an evolving job market, as well as a need to move away from standardised learning where “one size fits all” and toward a more realistic and apprentice style approach.

Source Website: http://knowledgeworks.org/learning-in-2025

List of recommended decisions:

• Design initiatives in the community where students from low-income or at-risk homes (where the parents may not be able to be as directly involved in their child’s education) so that all children are still able to take advantage of the best possible resources and teachers/motivators.
• Involve a variety of educators (“learning agents”) as well as community members in the planning and organisation of the community’s educational goals and values.
• Establish a team of people to research and keep abreast to the evolving job market so as to inform the learning agents and best prepare the children in our community for their futures
• Ensure that children in the community are able to both virtually and physically reach outside of the rural community and into the wider community (nationally and internationally).
• Develop a plan where students are still receiving a well-rounded education amongst their more individualised learning.

My two most important strategic decisions:

• Design initiatives in the community where students from low-income or at-risk homes (where the parents may not be able to be as directly involved in their child’s education) so that all children are still able to take advantage of the best possible resources and teachers/motivators.
• Ensure that children in the community are able to both virtually and physically reach outside of the rural community and into the wider community (nationally and internationally).

I chose these because the first decision focuses on one of the major worries in this scenario – that education will not be available equally to all students. The second decision would be integral as this scenario’s education system is very community-based which could end up limiting students’ vision of where their future could lead.

Transferability of my recommended decisions for the scenarios alternatives:

Some of these decisions, such as the development of teams within the community, would not translate to the “provider” scenarios, but would be even more integral in the “Learners Forage for Resources” scenario (though here, they would be more difficult to implement). I think that in all scenarios, I would make it a priority to make sure that education is equitable so that children born into low-income or at-risk circumstances would still have every chance and the support to take charge of their life and education.