Future of Education

  • Museums and the Future of Education (PDF, 9 pages). This paper, co-authored by CFM director Elizabeth Merritt and Scott Kratz, vice president for education at the National Building Museum, provides an overview of educational innovation in a broad cross section of U.S. museums, citing selected examples.
  • TrendsWatch 2012: Museums and the Pulse of the Future (PDF, 26 pages). This report from the CFM includes a section exploring the trends creating a New Educational Era in the U.S., links to examples, comments on what this may mean for society and for museums, and suggests actions museums might want to consider to respond to this trend.
  • The 2020 Forecast: Creating the Future of Learning (website and PDF). Released in 2009, KnowledgeWorks’ 2020 Forecast: Creating the Future of Learning identifies six major drivers of change that are giving individuals and organizations an increasing array of options for creating a world of learning that will be very different from today’s system of schooling.
  • Museums, Libraries and 21st Century Skills. These web resources from the Institute of Museum and Library Services provides material and training on how libraries and museums can help build the skills Americans need. Site links to podcast, transcript and additional resources.
  • Ed Zed Omega. This Alternate Reality Game (ARG) will explore the future of education Ed Zed Omega through a crowdsourced, online exploration of what education is and should be. Created by Ken Eklund in partnership with Twin Cities Public Television (TPT), the game is being presented by the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR) as one of the Localore projects funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
  • New Media Consortium Horizon Project charts the landscape of emerging technologies for teaching, learning, research, creative inquiry, and information management. Resources on their site include forecasting reports for Higher Ed, K-12 and Museums, as well as region-specific Technology Outlooks. 
  • The Mind/Shift blog explores the future of learning in all its dimensions—covering cultural and technology trends, groundbreaking research, education policy and more. It is hosted by the NPR affiliate KQED.
  • The World of Learning Blog is hosted by the KnowledgeWorks Foundation.  It covers innovations in educational innovation, policy and technology.
  • Jesse Moyer, manager, organizational learning and innovation at KnowledgeWorks Foundation tweets and blogs links and commentary on the future of education.
  • U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Statistical Abstract, Education. This section of the abstract presents data primarily concerning formal education as a whole, at various levels, and for public and private schools. Data shown relate to the school-age population and school enrollment, educational attainment, education personnel and financial aspects of education. In addition, data are shown for charter schools, computer usage in schools, distance education and adult education.