Self-censorship, Bespoke Learning, and Nature RX

Welcome to 2024! We are looking forward to sharing with you our ongoing exploration of the worlds today’s kindergartner’s might inhabit. We draw inspiration from a statement made by a member of Gen Z at the 2023 Davos gathering: “We are not inheriting the world from our predecessors. We are borrowing it from our successors. What will we have done to make their lives better?”We hope that our wonderings and imaginings help you consider that question through fresh eyes and with fresh minds. In this issue, we consider new research into how Gen Z thinks about and acts toward free speech; two programs that highlight the potential for bespoke learning driven by AI; and a growing movement to prescribe nature to adults and children.

Free Speech and Self-Censorship

Last month, high school senior Zach Gottlieb published an op-ed in the LA Times describing the fear of social backlash that impedes open dialogue, learning and growth amongst his peers. “Just when my friends and I should be trying out many perspectives and figuring out where we stand,” he explains, “we’re self-censoring, following familiar scripts. I had to wonder, if we spend our teenage years afraid we might share our thoughts in the wrong way or at the wrong moment, how is this affecting a crucial ingredient in becoming an adult: the ability to think critically?”Zach’s experiences illustrates the findings of a 2022 Knight Foundation report on high school students' attitudes towards free speech. Students express strong theoretical support for free expression.  89% endorse the right to express unpopular opinions and 91% value the robust exchange of ideas and views. However, only about half would feel comfortable publicly disagreeing with teachers or other students.

This discomfort isn’t limited to young people, however. In a recent community conversation, a member of the Learning Futures team heard someone explain that she chose not to place a yard sign (“Make America Kind Again”) at the end of her driveway because she was afraid of being targeted. The rhetoric in town, she explained, had become so vitriolic that she worried it would spill over into violence.

So what

These examples show a growing conflict: people theoretically support free speech but are often afraid to speak out due to fear of social backlash or even physical harm. The emergence of self-censorship reflects an environment where the social costs of expressing dissenting views can outweigh the perceived benefits of engaging in robust debate, potentially stifling personal growth and community engagement.

If these dynamics continue to play out over the next decade, it isn’t hard to imagine a world twelve years from now where self-censorship has become the norm and public discourse all but vanished. Families have turned inward, with parents teaching their children the perilous cost of public opinion.

Government now relies on AI algorithms designed to make unbiased decisions. However, these algorithms cannot replicate the passion and vision that human leaders bring to our communities. Initially designed to prevent conflict, they now perpetuate a status quo that rarely sees challenge or change. The cultural landscape is one of muted colors. AI systems produce art, music, and film designed to offend none and comfort all. While some subversive art flourishes in secret, its creators and patron risk severe social exile.

The implications of this silence are deep and unsettling: what becomes of us if we no longer debate, no longer dream aloud? Will we be able to generate the necessary creativity and bold solutions we will need to thrive?While the silence is profound in many places, a few communities, have engaged in bold experiments to revitalize public discourse, building off the work of Audrey Tang and other pioneers of new approaches to democratic participation.

In these pockets, AI facilitates dialogue, connects disparate voices, amplifies underrepresented perspectives, and creates shared understanding. The arts reflect the mosaic of human emotion and thought, and are celebrated in festivals that bring people together.

These scattered experiments instill hope that debate, dreams, and loud creativity will not only survive but thrive. The question that remains is whether these experiments can light the way for the rest of the world, inspiring a renaissance of public discourse and a vibrant cultural landscape.

Food for Thought

Given the potential for a future shaped by increased self-censorship, here are some questions that we, as educators might consider:

• How might we demonstrate and instruct on the importance of diverse opinions and the appropriate ways to articulate dissent or disagreement?

• What methods might we employ to cultivate classroom and school cultures that value civic engagement and underscores its role in upholding democratic principles?

• How might we encourage and support students to find and express their unique creative voices, particularly when that expression could lead to ostracism?

• What kind of professional development opportunities might we provide to equip our educators with the tools they need to foster a learning environment that encourages open dialogue and civic engagement?

• How might we engage with parents, community members, and local organizations to create a shared vision for education that promotes resilience, empathy, and the expression of diverse perspectives?

Bespoke Learning Paths

When Bodo Hoehen’s daughter was afflicted by a muscular degenerative condition that left her unable to move her left arm, he used AI to help him identify and master the skills he needed to build her a brain-controlled exoskeleton. Within a year, Bodo, who had no previous background in medicine or neuroscience, had a working prototype. This AI-aided educational journey  led Bodo to found Nolej, which is developing an AI-powered tool that will allow you to set any learning objective you can think of, and then design the curriculum and learning materials to help you achieve that goal. Meanwhile, in Austin, Texas, Alpha, a k-12 private school, has replaced traditional teaching with AI-driven tutoring for core subjects.  Students spend two hours each morning working on core academic subjects with the AI, and the remaining school hours on projects that develop practical life skills like financial literacy, leadership, teamwork, public speaking, grit, and entrepreneurship. While the AI customizes learning to individual pace and comprehension levels, explains cofounder MacKenzie Price, “we do have is a lot of adults who are in the room engaging with these kids, working as coaches. So they're helping the kids get clear on what are some goals that they're working on, what are they doing academically? What are they interested in? How can we really turn on that spark for learning?"

So What

Both Nolej’s and Alpha approach reflect the pivot away from traditional, one-size-fits-all teaching methods toward a personalized approach that accounts for the individual learner's pace, interests, goals, and comprehension levels. The trend towards individualization in education is part of a larger societal shift that favors personalization in many sectors, from media consumption to healthcare.

While Nolej seems to be developing an AI product that could potentially be used in various educational settings, Alpha has fully integrated AI into its daily curriculum, replacing traditional teachers with AI programs for core subjects and using adult guides to facilitate goal setting and coaching. Both signals a trend towards integrating AI to enhance personalized learning and suggest a future where education is increasingly adaptive, individualized, and supported by technology.

If the trends exemplified by Nolej and Alpha private school take hold by 2036, we might imagine a world where education is no longer confined within the walls of traditional classrooms or limited to the early decades of life. Instead, learning becomes a lifelong, on-demand service tailored to individual needs and aspirations, profoundly transforming various facets of society.

In this world, families might approach education as a flexible, customizable commodity, with parents and children selecting 'education packages' that align with their interests, career aspirations, or even leisure pursuits.Teachers may find their roles dramatically redefined. They could become akin to 'learning designers' or 'experience architects', curating real-world adventures, intellectual challenges, or complex, interdisciplinary projects that AI alone cannot offer. Teachers might also monitor emotional intelligence and social dynamics, which are nuanced in ways that AI might not fully grasp.

School buildings may be repurposed as community learning and innovation hubs - transformed into laboratories for experimentation across disciplines where students and community members alike work to solve real-world problems. Other schools might become cultural centers, hosting exhibitions or performances that showcase local artists and facilitating cultural exchanges.

But even as schools evolve into intersections of technology, culture, and community, and technology makes possible empowering bespoke learning experiences for anyone, a critical question remains and continues to divide communities: will these opportunities be available to all, or only to those who can afford it?

Food for Thought

The questions below invite us to consider not only the exciting possibilities that technology and personalization bring to learning but also the profound implications they will have on our roles as educators.

• How might we compassionately hospice educators as they transition from traditional teaching roles to those of 'learning designers' and 'experience architects'?

• How might we proactively involve the community in decision-making processes to ensure that the evolution of education reflects diverse needs and values?

• What can be done to encourage continuous, self-directed professional growth for educators to keep pace with the evolving role of 'learning designers' and emerging AI collaborators?

• How might schools invest in infrastructure that not only supports current educational technology but is also adaptable to future, unforeseen innovations and needs?

• In what ways can schools redesign their spaces to be not just places of learning, but also community centers that bridge digital and socioeconomic divides?

• How might we design learning experiences and environments that remains relevant in an age where students encounter a variety of options to personalize their education through 'various education packages'?

Nature RX

Recent research underscores the link between children's access to green space and a lower incidence of depression, anxiety, and ADHD. A 2020 review found that 'green time' positively influences youth psychological well-being up to age 18. This positive impact is especially pronounced in children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Furthermore, a 2014 study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology suggested that green space in neighborhoods could serve as a protective factor against emotional problems for disadvantaged young children.Researchers like those at the Center for Nature and Health are collaborating with practitioners like those at the Children & Nature Network to apply what they are learning, especially in underserved or vulnerable communities.

Dr. Nooshin Razani, the founder and director of the Center for Nature and Health , explains that she wants their work to “be part of a movement that promotes the idea that access to nature is essential for children because it belongs to everyone, and there should be no gatekeeping associated with it. It’s about reclaiming what humans have experienced for millions of years.”

So What

The idea of “prescribing nature” to adults has grown more mainstream over the past decade as a robust body research has developed“linking time spent in nature with decreased anxiety, reduced risk of obesity and even reduced overall mortality.” In 2018, one survey found that the U.S. had “71 provider-based nature-prescription programs in 32 states.” Cornell is one university that prescribes nature to its students, and is part of a growing network of campuses connecting nature and students.Prescribing nature and other “ecotherapies” connect with a growing emphasis on holistic and preventative healthcare; making urban environments more livable and sustainable through the integration of green spaces; and the impacts of “screen time” on our well-being.

If these trends continue to gain momentum, by 2036 we could inhabit a world where we have taken meaningful steps toward integrating nature into the heart of society. “Nature RX” has is a part of mainstream healthcare. Urban landscapes provide more green spaces, as planners and activists push for cities that breathe and give back to their inhabitants. Schools have broken out of their four walls, taking education outdoors to foster a connection with the environment and enhance student well-being.

In the corporate realm, a growing number of companies have adopted nature-inclusive policies, and some have redesigned workspaces with an emphasis on natural elements, acknowledging the productivity and wellness benefits. Technology, too, has adapted, offering tools to connect with nature in meaningful ways.

However, while more individuals and communities have begun to rekindle their bond with nature, this is a future of contrasts and incremental change rather than a utopian transformation.

Educational reforms that embrace outdoor learning are subject to disparities in resources, leaving some students with less access to these experiences. In the workplace, economic pressures and entrenched corporate cultures slow the progress towards biophilic design. While technology offers new ways to engage with the outdoors, it also can lure us stay inside and sedentary Efforts to democratize access to green spaces are underway, but face the inertia of historic neglect and ongoing socioeconomic divides.

Food for Thought

We're learning more about how nature supports our health and happiness; let's consider these questions as we think about what that means for learning and schools:

• What evidence supports the inclusion of nature in our curricula, and how can we incorporate nature in a way that contributes to well-being and reinforces our educational goals?

• How can time spent in nature be balanced with academic demands to enhance students' well-being without compromising educational standards?

• Given the benefits of nature for mental health, how can we design our school environments to optimize these benefits while also facilitating diverse learning styles and needs?

• How can we utilize technology to foster a relationship with nature that supports health and well-being, particularly for students in urban settings with limited access to natural spaces?

• In what ways can schools collaborate with healthcare professionals and community organizations to promote initiatives that support both student well-being and community health through nature-based programs?

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Generative AI Disclosure and Reflections

For this issue we worked with our signal analzyer bot to explore each signal, associated trends and possible futures. As always, this process was very much a dialogue. We continue to find this bot a helpful collaborator. We are still working to fine tune our editor bot . While it helps us see our drafts with fresh eyes, it’s suggestions still feel a little formulaic. Updates to come. We generated the image of the children playing in a park with the help of  StableDiffusionXL and PromptGenius. All the AI was accessed through the AI aggregator, Poe.