Automation and artificial intelligence are transforming work at a dizzying pace. Rapid technological advances will require a forward-looking workforce that is ready to adapt. While much of the policy discussion has focused on the role of college, not all students attend college, and not all who do are ready for a rigorous technology-driven education. To prepare students for an increasingly automated future, we need to modernize K-12 education. This need is particularly obvious as children return to school this year; because of COVID-19, some students are learning online, others in person, and others in pods made up of children whose parents can afford to hire personal teachers.

Students need an educational overhaul to help them build a strong foundation for the economy of the future. To investigate what this reform may look like, we asked four experts how they would redesign K-12 education. They eschew incremental change, and instead reimagine what a successful educational system of the future might look like. They discuss their bold ideas for renovating education in this video series.

Emiliana Vegas, EdD, outlines five key ways to improve universal education:

  • Improve differentiated learning. 
  • Improve technology by: 
    • Scaling quality instruction
    • Facilitating differentiated instruction
    • Expanding opportunities for practice
    • Increasing student engagement through games and videos
  • Recognize the role of schools in non-academic areas, including socio-emotional development and child care.
  • Focus on teaching students transferable skills, including creativity, problem-solving, and analytical thinking. 
  • Provide more attention and resources to those who have the least at home, as laid bare by COVID-19.

Read the full article about reimagining K-12 education for the automation age by Hannah Van Drie, Ember Smith, and Marcus Casey at Brookings.