This course explains how we can build an education system to nurture the unique, human capabilities of each child, and lay the groundwork for a more equitable, just and humane future. The course text, The Future of Smart: How Our Education System Needs to Change to Help All Young People Thrive, explains the disconnect between what we want for our children, and what education today provides. Being “smart” today is still about sorting kids based on how well they absorb and retain knowledge. We need education to reflect a different set of values: interdependence, community, diversity, and deep, dynamic learning. We need it to align with human development, facilitate learning for different kinds of brains, and prepare young people for a changing society and evolving workplace.

At the completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

• Understand ideas that will unleash the potential of all students. InTASC 1,2,9,10
• Gain tools to engage in critical conversations about education and culture. InTASC4,9,10
• Be empowered to make meaningful strides to transform students’ ways of being, knowing, speaking, thinking, and engaging with the world. InTASC 2,6,7,8
• Create a holistic, learner-centered approach in the classroom. InTASC 1,3,7
• Implement educational design models that best facilitate learning for all students. InTASC 1,2,3,7,8