To respond to the challenges and opportunities created by artificial intelligence, transforming education has gone from an aspirational goal to a top priority. Yong Zhao, University of Kansas and Ruojun Zhong, YEE Education have collaborated together to propose a visionary arts-integrated framework. Furthermore, they want to fundamentally improve educational systems. A recap of our ECNU Review of Education special issue illustrates these creative ideas running the gamut. These concepts are key to empowering student agency and curriculum innovation in today’s world.
Equity authors note the critical role that “Time Available for Autonomy” (TAFA) plays in health. This second key indicator is a measure of the power students have in their own learning experiences. They claim that systemic changes are needed, as different aspects of education are all tied to each other. The future of education, according to Zhong and Zhao, depends on the ability to adapt and innovate in response to evolving technological landscapes.
The Current State of Education
Zhong and Zhao’s piece underscore major gaps in current education systems. The current schooling system exhibits rigidity in several areas: curriculum, pedagogy, evaluation, assessment, activities, and even the learning environment. This rigidity is a byproduct of an excessive focus on rote curriculum and high stakes testing that too frequently squelches student imagination and ingenuity.
Students today find little room to pursue their passions or develop essential skills necessary for success in the rapidly changing world. The barriers created by conventional school systems reduce rooms for kids to dive into subjects they’re passionate about. As a result, the educational experience can feel disconnected from the realities that students will face in their future careers.
“The current education system, with its emphasis on standardized curricula and assessments, leaves little room for students to pursue their passions and develop essential skills like creativity and critical thinking.” – Zhong and Zhao
Emphasizing Autonomy Through TAFA
Another key concept, Time Available for Autonomy (TAFA), is as important to Zhong and Zhao’s framework. They contend that additional time — both in school and out — can go a long way toward deepening students’ creativity, grit, and intellectual flexibility. By granting students more control over their learning experiences, educators can cultivate an environment that encourages innovation and personal growth.
As Zhong and Zhao argue, we need to re-imagine the role of time and space in education. They want to reimagine schools in ways that create more autonomy around student learning. Taplin and Hino offer that through adopting a spatiotemporal lens, educators will be able to find different methodologies that more effectively advocate for student autonomy. Together, this shift can better equip our students to navigate the unknowns that an AI-oriented future may bring.
“By adopting a spatiotemporal lens, we can identify new ways to expand students’ autonomy and prepare them for the uncertainties of the AI-driven future.” – Zhong and Zhao
A Call for Systemic Change
Zhong and Zhao advocate for reforms that are not limited to isolated academic units but systemic changes across higher education institutions to push for systemic, meaningful reform. They contend that it’s not enough to just change the pieces, but instead an interconnected strategy is needed. These include deep restructuring of the conventional boundaries of time and space in places of learning.
The authors are convinced that making these changes will help unleash the genius in every one of their students. By designing more active and personalized learning environments, schools can help develop the essential skills that are becoming more and more in demand all around us. They argue that education should change in ways to better serve present circumstances and a future society.
“By rethinking the traditional constraints of time and space, we can create learning experiences that empower every student to reach their full potential.” – Zhong and Zhao