Futures Literacy in Turkish Education

GEN Koleji in Istanbul has established itself as one of the first K-12 schools to fully institutionalize futures thinking as part of its regular curriculum, setting an example for educational institutions worldwide.

From Vision to Implementation

The journey began in December 2020 when GEN Koleji, under the leadership of Sevinç Boy Erşen (Co-Founder and Vice President), partnered with the Turkish Futures Association and Teach the Future. The collaboration started with teacher training, where Peter Bishop from Teach the Future trained a group of six teachers in futures thinking methodology.

The implementation followed a structured approach:

An introductory video for parents explaining the rationale for teaching futures
A two-hour online introductory session for teachers
Five follow-up sessions of two hours each with the team and 10 teachers, using the Futures Thinking Playbook

Rapid Growth and Institutionalization

What began as a pilot program quickly expanded:

In Spring 2021, four teachers began teaching futures thinking to 5th and 9th graders using the Futures Thinking Playbook
Despite the challenges of online teaching during the pandemic, they completed half of the playbook's content
By the 2021-2022 academic year, the program expanded to include 5th, 6th, 9th, and 10th grades
The number of students and teachers involved has grown consistently:
- 2020-2021: 56 students and 4 teachers
- 2021-2022: 172 students and 9 teachers
- 2022-2023: 301 students and 9 teachers

Professional Development and Wider Impact

The school held a professional development conference between semesters where all teachers attended sessions on foresight taught by members of the Turkish Futures Association. Most teachers also participated in a second session led by the experienced futures thinking teachers from the previous year. These sessions received excellent evaluations, averaging 4.5 on a 5-point scale.

As Kazim, an educator at GEN Koleji and World Futures Day Facilitator, noted: "By the third week, it became their favorite class, transforming the teacher-student dynamic through critical thinking and student-driven scenarios. This approach spread to other subjects, leading to deeper learning across the curriculum."

Expanding Horizons

The impact of futures thinking at GEN Koleji has extended beyond regular classes:

A student from GEN Koleji, İnci Selen, competed in the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Young Voices competition in September 2022
The program has led to initiatives like the Future Club and Future Lab, extending learning beyond the classroom
GEN Koleji students have participated in global events, connecting with peers from different countries and cultures

World Futures Day - Young Voices Participation

About their yearly participation Kazim, an educator at GEN Koleji and WFD Facilitator, shares: "The celebration connected our students to a global community, allowing them to interact with peers from different countries and cultures. We implemented Futures Thinking as a weekly subject for 5th graders. By the third week, it became their favorite class, transforming the teacher-student dynamic through critical thinking and student-driven scenarios. This approach spread to other subjects, leading to deeper learning across the curriculum. What started with one 5th grade class has expanded to grades 5-8, with initiatives like the Future Club and Future Lab extending learning beyond the classroom."

Recognition and Influence

The success of the program at GEN Koleji has attracted attention from other educational institutions. The President of TED (Turkish Education Association), which consists of 40 schools hosting about 80,000 students, has reached out to explore the "Gelecek Bilgisi" (Futures Knowledge) Program and discuss possible collaboration.

As Peter Bishop noted, "That's what institutionalizing futures thinking looks like." The school's approach demonstrates how futures literacy can be successfully integrated into K-12 education, providing a model that can be followed by schools worldwide.

Through its commitment to futures education, GEN Koleji is preparing students not just to adapt to the future, but to actively shape it, reinforcing the school's motto: "Success is in our genes!"

GEN Koleji:Futures Literacy in Turkish Education