Our latest series, Future Of, features one-on-one conversations that explore the critical ideas, innovations, and challenges shaping the future of Pre-K-12 education.
We talk with experts, researchers, authors, and founders to understand what they’re learning and what they believe the future holds for our nation’s schools. These conversations not only highlight the most pressing questions facing the sector, but also what it’ll take to ensure every child has the skills and mindsets to navigate and shape their futures.
To kick off the series, senior research and impact officer Meghan McCormick sat down with Erin Mote to dive into the future of education innovation.
Erin is CEO and founder of InnovateEDU, a nonprofit that brings together leaders across policy, practice, research, and technology to drive progress in education. Throughout her career, Erin has worked at the intersection of technology and education, having co-founded Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School, managed global development initiatives for USAID, and advised four presidential administrations on innovation.
In this inaugural Future Of interview, Meghan and Erin discuss how schools can prepare students for a less predictable future, and how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are changing what students need to learn and how they learn it.
“Today, our young people are like whitewater kayakers,” said Erin. “We not only have to help them understand that they’re going to have to see the rocks in front of them, but they also have to see the undercurrents… So, what are the skills that we’re building around persistence, being able to work in multifunctional teams, and resilience that really matter?”
The conversation also explores what separates promising ideas from innovations that can improve learning at scale, including the importance of listening to the students and families education innovations are intended to serve.
“I think young people have an enormous amount of wisdom, and it’s important that we listen to them much more deeply. Same on the parent front… Trust-building is really important. I often say that innovation moves at the speed of trust in our space. That’s something we need to double down on right now.”
Watch the full conversation and stay up-to-date on the Future Of series by subscribing to the Foundation’s newsletter, following us on LinkedIn, or subscribing to our YouTube channel.
