Future Forwards: Exploring Frontiers in Education
In October 2015, the Transforming Teaching Project, a project led by the
Harvard School of Education, released a white paper entitled From
Quicksand to Solid Ground: Building a Foundation to Support Quality
Teaching. The report, endorsed by leading educators such as Ron Berger,
educational researchers such as Linda Darling-Hammond, and
educational organizations such as the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards, advocates for action to “Construct the almost
entirely missing R and D System of the kind we find in other fields.”
Specifically they advocate “putting the “D” in R&D by investing in
developing design-based interventions and carry out “critical functions
that are currently no-one’s responsibility.”
Previous volumes of Future Forwards show and tell how the American
School of Bombay’s R&D operating system depends on networking with
intrinsically motivated educators and students, and in some cases
parents, who volunteer to explore, study, and prototype the new
innovations that impact our school and our students. These volunteers
have built a culture of active innovation at the school. But what happens
when our students leave the school after 2. 5 years? How can school
innovation provide all students with access to innovative and relevant
schools to learn in?
In order to globally transform education and meet the needs of all
students, we need more schools to move past being distinct and shining
stars of innovation, to become connected constellations of innovation.
More than ever, innovative schools and their leaders must connect and
share school innovations and their school innovation know-how. We
have taken a step in this direction by creating the Innovation Exchange, a
directory of professionals with expertise in school innovation that meets
students’ learning needs. It is an exchange point where experts can easily
connect, consult, collaborate and share with educators who are seeking
to create or implement new innovations - bit.ly/innovationxchange. We
hope the Exchange provides you with access to school leaders and
innovators who can guide, support, and assist in redefining learning.
