Ep 53: Preparing learners to thrive in a changing world

Today, we are launching a new report looking at how students across 150 countries are prepared for the next step in their education journey and for the future beyond education in a rapidly changing world. Navigating the future: Preparing learners to thrive in a changing world, draws on responses from 3,021 teachers and 3,840 students worldwide and 50 experts with profound insight. 

Here to talk us through the research is host and Education Futures Manager at Cambridge, Laura Kahwati. She is joined by a very special guest, Group Managing Director of International Education, Rod Smith.

 

Show notes: 

Navigating the future: Preparing learners to thrive in a changing world report: www.cambridge.org/future-ready-learners

Watch this episode on YouTube: 

https://youtu.be/g2IbUaD80-Y

 

Episode Transcript

(00:21):
Hello
I'm your host.
My name is Laura Kawati and I'm an education futures manager.
We created our brighter thinking pod to support
teachers and school leaders around the world.
Each episode brings you helpful advice
and interesting conversations from authors, teachers, and academics.

(00:42):
Today, we are going to be exploring how
to prepare students for the future, guided
by our insights from our research.
All of the links and the information that we discussed
today are available in the show notes for your ease.
At Cambridge, we

(01:02):
have recently published a report navigating the
future, preparing learners to thrive in a changing world.
This report captures the voices of thousands
of teachers and students from around the globe,
and it offers a wealth of perspectives, of readiness
for the future, from those who are at the heart of education.

(01:26):
Here, today, to give us an overview
of the research, I am joined by our special
guest for this episode, our managing director, Rod Smith.
So, welcome, Rod to the show.
Thank you, Laura.
Yeah.
Good to be here.
Okay, so let's get started
on today's topic.

(01:46):
My first question is, why have we done this research
And why now?
Yeah, no, it's a really, really important question.
Kemridge has always been, you know, trusted by schools
and teachers and learners to be a great curriculum, a great educational experience.
It's why we are in 10,000 schools

(02:06):
around the world, why millions of students take our curriculum and
why we, you know, kind of trusted by universities around the world for the
kind of, you know, curriculum, the education that we're providing students
But I think that that that trust is hard-w, but easily lost.
And I think it's really incumbent on organizations like
us to be continually kind of just taking stock, talking to

(02:28):
our schools, talking to our teachers and and students and ensuring that
that we continue to be really relevant for the future.
And I think that, you know
whilst that's always true, I guess.
I think at the moment also, there's just so much that it's being talked
about in terms of, you know, challenges and changes in
the world and, you know, whether that's the impact
of generative AI, whether that's the impact of other forms of technology or the climate crisis or

(02:52):
geopolitical challenges, you know, more generally or changes.
or, you know, these are all things that are impactive if you like, the world of the moment
and education has to reflect that.
So I think we chose this time to kind of run this really
substantial consultation program because actually
teachers and schools themselves are really really having to get their heads around this

(03:12):
How does what they do stay relevant?
How does what we do in international education continue to be the
best preparation for young people in their next steps?
And this is, I don't, perhaps every generation
says this, but at the moment it really feels like there are a lot of really,
really significant questions that we as educators have got to get our heads around.
And that's why we we led this projects and we've been absolutely delighted with the engagement we've had about it

(03:36):
That's great to hear.
And as you say, really important to understand these things in
a changing world with lots of big questions around to address as well.
So
What does this report tell us?
I say there's one thing overwhelming, I think, that came out for me from this whole thing,
was just that, yes, there are lots of challenges, yes, to a lots of
changes that all of us are facing into.

(03:58):
But actually, more than ever, the role
of education, the role of schools, the pivotal central role of teachers
you know, remains probably more important than ever in
terms of the way that we're helping prepare young people.
And I think that that you know that is even in the
light of the fact that clearly that some of the existing traditional
educational models are ones we've we've got a question

(04:20):
and got a look at.
But actually, the kind of impact of things
like AI, if it's not really being thought along
the side of the issues to do with human intelligence, as well
as AI or what's the value of community in education,
then I think we're only looking at a really small part of the things that we need to prepare young people for.
So, look, I guess I think the overwhelming insight from this report for me, and there's lots of

(04:42):
really interesting sub insights, but the overwhelming insight is just
how important a great school environment is, how central the
teacher still is on helping young people prepare for the future.
I think the one thing that maybe is the most significant
contextual change is, however, is
what really struck a students report is the importance of listening to
students in this debate, that student voice

(05:04):
is now probably more important than other.
And I think there's lots of, you know assumptions and
orthodoxies about that that we can really think about again.
We were staggered by the level of engagement through this consultation process
We expected it from teachers and from schools, but we were a bit surprised,
I think, by just the sheer interest and commitment that's

(05:25):
been, you know, from students, 4,000 students who
we've worked with on, through this report.
A thousand of whom have literally said that they want to be continued to be involved in this
process of engaging with us on this topic.
they need to be a much more active voice in defining what that future looks like.
They're the ultimate beneficiiciaries.
And interestingly, they are looking for some slightly different things.

(05:46):
And I think those, you know, actually one the report dives
into, what I it kind of still stresses the things that have always been important
it's really starting to surface those things that young people think are important for their preparedness for the future
Thank you.
And all the more reason to hear those voices because they have ideas
about what they feel is important, as well as those of us who are looking at education from our perspective.

(06:08):
And I think the critical thing is not just to listen, and that that's the first step, but actually to act
So I think if all you do is listen and you give a kind of formum
for that voice to be, you know, heard, at least to begin with, then
then there has to be action at the end of it as well.
I think you'll lose that commitment, that that passion,
that engagement very quickly if young people don't actually
see some things changing as a result of that.

(06:28):
Absolutely.
And from reading the report, what did she find was the biggest surprise?
I think, you know, as I mentioned, I was surprised
in a way, I think, by how many of
of the things that great teachers in great schools and teaching
at Cambridge curriculum we've been doing for a long time still remain incredibly relevant

(06:49):
So I think I think maybe I shouldn't have been surprised about that.
I think that's been a theme in education for a very long time.
But
I think so much of the narrative out there in the world at
the moment is around you know change and potentially
pessimistic views of what that future could look like.
Actually, at the end of this process, I'm hugely more optimistic,
actually, about the continuing value of education and international education and great international

(07:13):
teachers.
And I think finally, I think for me, probably, this
about, you know, the confidence of young people
actually, that they've got a very strong voice and very strong opinions about
what they need, but actually, not always the confidence
that they are being well prepared for the future
And I think for us, that means it's just we have to keep challenging ourselves about what we are teaching
and the schools we are developing.

(07:35):
But I think also
it's about just communicating a little bit more about, you know, the
skills that you do naturally get, what you know, what you can do, who you are, how you are.
Those things that come through a great human experience, a great experience. education, a great curriculum.
And actually, those things will always help prepare you for the future.
So I think just, you know, yes, we do need to adapt,

(07:56):
but also we also need to give young people the confidence that they
are actually well prepared for a world that is changing
That's so true.
That confidence is so important for young people to feel prepared.
And like you said, we can help with that by being really explicit about the skills that are being taught.
Because although there is that perception that.. they're not prepared
in some areas, in some cases, it may be that they are learning

(08:18):
skills through subjects.
In every single subject, they're learning different skills
that can be applied in all subjects, but they might not explicitly understand that that's what's happening.
Look, in the same way that if you like, you know
implementing just a very content rich you
know curriculum without skills is is only doing half the job.

(08:38):
So is just simply focusing on skills without underpinning knowledge as well.
What is it that you're actually using to apply those skills
in ways that of increasingly innovative or creative or challenging?
And I think there are those two things together are absolutely critical.
And that's certainly what universities have always
valued, that you know, when you come to university, you have
that foundational knowledge, but you have those skills to be able to apply

(09:01):
those in increasingly sophisticated ways.
So, yeah, no, I think that that balances the critical piece.
And we're doing a lot of work at the moment on, well, how can we evidence that more effectively?
You know, how can we show teachers and young people
not just what they're learning, but the skills that they're developing at the same time.
So we're in the middle of a really substantial piece of work at
the moment analyzing those skills that naturally come

(09:23):
out of the different subjects that you're taking in different subjects, actually develop slightly different skills, actually.
That's one of the things that we're we're diving into
To really be able to surface those things for teachers
to be able to focus on them at the appropriate time.
But also for learners to be confident that those are the skills that they're developing.
And you talked earlier about the

(09:44):
different current challenges that many people perceive in education
Do you think one of the challenges is an idea
that generative AI is making
knowledge and foundations of knowledge less important?
Yeah, I don't worry about it, but I do recognise it as a phenomenon.
And I think that actually, that recognition is an important part of thinking of well, what do we do about that?

(10:07):
I think, you know, it would be foolish to, you know, ignore
a world that is clearly, you developing in that direction in terms of the
power and impacts of generative FAI
W's really clear that it education has to adapt somewhat
to reflect that to that changed environment.
But what's incredibly important, though, is is that the things like, you
know, like Genous FAI and technology generally don't actually

(10:28):
make us more stupid.
Don't actually feel like, I mean, I always think back to, when was the last time you looked at a book on maps
to get you to your destination.
You know, it's a long time ago
But I still lose count the number of times I end up in a dead end or in
a farmyard somewhere because I've trusted too much in that information that I'm just, you know, mindlessly taking on.
So for us, it's, you know, for us, we see an enormous potential

(10:49):
in generative AI, but only if it actually empowers
learning, if it actually, you know, builds those, you know, those skills rather than replaces them.
So actually we're using it to increase our
our cap, this is our knowledge rather than substituting that
critical part of finding these things out for ourselves, or
at least evaluating that information, looking at it critically

(11:11):
forming our own arguments, our own opinions
disagreeing with each other well, you know, actually the art
of being able to think about different people's perspectives rather than just simply
aggregating them into a single point of view.
Obviously, you know, I know a subject that's really close to your heart
law, you know, as well, how important those communication skills are going to be?

(11:32):
And communication that's about consensus, not conflict.
So
All of these skills alongside the
undoubted wealth of information that young people now have access
to, much, much more readily, well, how can we use that access to free
up time and bring brain space to be able to do things better,
not just to power what people have already said elsewhere?

(11:52):
And like you say, those skills of
communication, but skills of critical thinking,
skills of being able to disagree agreeably and collaborate,
all of those things, they can be seen
as being learnt through various different subjects.
And then that goes for AI as well.
If AI is being used in teaching, it can be used, like you say, as

(12:14):
a tool to empower or to enhance
Or even as a way of teaching critical
thinking by looking at the need for fact-checking
and seeing hallucinations and things like that in generative AI.
All absolutely, all absolutely right.
And I think that
The other thing that it really brings it back to me, though, is is that how

(12:34):
important so many of those schools are not things that you're developing in isolation,
but developing with Pierce, developing with your,
you know, other students or with your teachers or in
a social context rather than just simp a learning context.
Because a lot of those schools that we're talking about
where that kind of real creativityity and innovation and,

(12:55):
you know, is added is actually the way that we interact with each other.
And, you know, again, where all comes in, where that
ability to build a consensus that are disagreeing agreealy,
which is a wonderful phase, that, you know, those are developed face to face.
Those are developed in communities and being part of a community
a community of schools, 11,000 schools

(13:15):
around the world, a community of of teachers, hundreds of thousands of
teachers that have got really great ideas about how they can develop
those skills, but, you know, sharing that, those insights, sharing those
tips, that experience, and then millions of young people.
And here an international curriculum is extraordinary because not
only does it create an international mindset, but it creates those opportunities

(13:37):
for you to be able to engage with other people in other parts
of the world, with different cultural perspectives, different views
on the kind of topics and issues that we're going to have to face into.
And if we can make those connections
in the classroom, but then across the community, I
think that's where the real value of
education to prepare young people which can really be brought to life.

(14:00):
Yes
Because education doesn't just happen in the classroom, does it?
It happens Learning happens everywhere and it is lifelong
And we don't only want to focus on knowledge
and skills, but we also want to help children with
their social and emotional development, which comes about from being
part of a community and part of those conversations and

(14:22):
teamwork and everything that goes into really good teaching and learning.
Look, and if you do that, if you develop that in school, then
actually what you then have, I believe, for your whole
life is is a an openness to learn and an openness
to kind of continue to be kind of, you know, embracing those opportunities
which is going to be one of the key skills you.

(14:42):
Whatever we know now, whatever we can do now, in
our lifetimes, we're going to have to be learning a lot of new skills along the way.
So it's those habits, it's that enjoyment
of learning, which I think is is built hugely through a community.
That those are the schools as well as the knowledge and
those attitudes and approaches to learning.
Those are the critical things that I think are great

(15:04):
school experience, a great curriculum, great teachers.
That's what's where it really works.
So these are
many of the things you've been reflecting on in terms of the report.
And so I wonder, what does all of
this mean for Cambridge now and for its schools going forward?
Look, I mean, as I said earlier on, you know,

(15:26):
it's not enough to listen.
You know, it's it's got to lead somewhere.
We have to protect what we know is foundational and has always been important in education.
We mustn't chase the latest issues and ignore
those things that have always been at the heart of good education
But you know, so, yes, that we have to remember.
But we also have to think about, well, what is it that we need to change?

(15:49):
Over time.
And, you know, you know, actually the critical thing is, is that we don't,
you know, that we do that with our community, that we do that with with
schools and teachers and learners and continue this conversation, continue
these, you know, these processes of, if you like defining the future together.
I mean, that's one of the great things I think about education, it
creates this sense that actually we don't, you know, we don't have to be passive recipients of a future.

(16:13):
We can develop it.
We can define what a preferred future is and develop that together
What will that look like?
I think it will mean over the next three, four or five years.
These things will start to become deeply embedded in the Cambridge curriculum.
We can continue to build these kinds of skills not
opportunistically, but in a very planned way and really make those clearer

(16:33):
and clearer for our community of teachers and for the learners themselves.
So
You'll start to see these things much more explicit in the curriculum, I think.
we'll be doing a lot, I think, around supporting teachers in
how do you develop these skills, these capabilities more explicitly.
And, you know, so a lot of a focus, I think, on how we support teachers is going to be critical amount. that.
We're really keen to build a community of students around the Cambridge

(16:56):
curriculum as well, and we're going to be launching, you know our own, we've engaged
already with 4,000 and we've got 900 are really keen to continue that conversation.
What' they're going to be the heart of our new student community that's
going to help us be really clear about what we've got to do to be better.
But all of this, I think, comes aboutiety about how can we, you know,
kind of you feel like marshall the great potentialential in this community

(17:17):
of schools and teachers and learners to
just change, you know, actually what it is we're asking people to
learn in a very clear and developmental way.
And then, what are all the kinds of, what does that mean for our publishing?
What does that mean for our teacher development?
What does that mean for our school improvement models with what can we do with school leaders?
These are all things when you think just beyond, what are the subjects we're doing with Cambridge?

(17:40):
Well, these are the things that we can work on together to build that
wider community of best practice to deliver this vision
That's a lot to think about.
And I think the schools and the teachers
and the school leaders who are listening today can also be
thinking about the fact that as they're hearing this, they are not alone
in their communities as well and they might have plans for moving forward after hearing the report too

(18:04):
We have a community of 10,000 here to help.
And in each section of the report, we've
got a how to get started section.
And we'll also be building on this research with
student consultative forums and global summits
and skills profiles as well.
So thank you so much, Rod, for talking

(18:26):
to me today about the report.
And thank you so much as well for embedding
this idea that what's really important at the heart of it is
building a love of learning for everyone.
Well, look, you know
just ending on a thank you.
I want to thank you you know everyone that's been involved in putting this report together.
But in particular actually the teachers and students have really engaged you know with us on this and

(18:48):
Funn enough, in a world where sometimes I think pessimism is the predominant narrative about it
So actually, for me, I'm hugely optimistic at the end of this process.
And mostly because I think, you know, we have this ability
to bring together lots of people to think about what we think the future needs
to be, not what what we are afraid it might be
Our preferred future.

(19:08):
Exactly.
Thank you