Future Frictions / Education

A focused sprint.
Six starting points.

Choose one of six education challenges and one learner. Identify a concrete moment of friction, then work through the five stages together.

These scenarios are possible futures to explore, not predictions. Choose one card to start designing.

90 minutes1½-hour sprint

Choose your challenge ↓

How to use these cards

Choose one card per team. You do not need to complete every challenge.

Read and discuss. Use the scenario and its three questions to identify a possible difficulty for a learner.
Start your challenge. Select the button on your chosen card. Your scenario and workshop duration will be selected for you.
Begin with a learner. In the workshop, choose a learner card, then answer the Engage prompts. Continue through all five stages to develop, test and plan your idea.

Sprint challenge 01

AI Everywhere

Imagine education ten years from today. Every student has access to a highly capable AI learning companion that provides tutoring, feedback, content generation, coaching and personalised support. Many educational tasks can now be completed with AI assistance.

What becomes more valuable?
What becomes less important?
When should a human step in?

How might we design learning experiences that help students develop critical thinking, creativity and judgement in a world where AI is always available?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 02

Assessment Reimagined

Imagine a future where traditional examinations no longer provide confidence that learning has occurred. Universities must develop new approaches to assessing knowledge, capability and human potential.

What should a learner demonstrate?
How could feedback become part of assessment?
What evidence respects privacy?

How might we create meaningful forms of assessment that remain valuable in an AI-enabled world?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 03

Lifelong Learning

Imagine a future where people expect to learn continuously throughout their careers and many workers retrain or reskill every five years.

What can happen in twenty minutes?
How can prior experience count?
Who pays for time to learn?

How might we make lifelong learning engaging, accessible and sustainable?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 04

The Flexible University

Students learn through universities, employers, industry providers, online platforms and professional communities. Traditional educational boundaries become increasingly blurred.

Who defines a worthwhile outcome?
How is local knowledge recognised?
Who supports a learner when a partnership ends?

How might universities remain relevant and valuable within a distributed learning ecosystem?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 05

Learner Wellbeing

Students face increasing uncertainty, information overload and competing personal, professional and academic commitments.

What would make a learner return?
Where does belonging happen?
What could a team test next week?

How might education better support wellbeing, belonging and learner success?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 06

Inclusive Futures

Student populations become increasingly diverse in culture, age, ability, background and learning preference.

Who is missing from the room?
What works with low bandwidth?
How can learners choose how to participate?

How might educational experiences become more inclusive, equitable and accessible?Start this challenge →