Our colleague Lourdes Rodríguez, Global Hub Director at Teach the Future, was invited last June at the UNESCO-PMU Symposium 2023: Towards Evaluation Framework for Future Literacy and Foresight. She was responsible of moderating Panel 2, where they explored specific tools and approaches that could be implemented in educational contexts. A fantastic starting point to continue discussions and research.
Lourdes made an introduction about the role of Teach the Future in advancing evaluation frameworks in educational settings through the deployment of The Futures Consciousness Scale for Young Voices, which will be published in October in partnership with the Finland Futures Research Centre.
The presentations on her panel were:
“The Futures Consciousness Scale as a tool to evaluate and assess futures education” by Sanna Ahvenharju, PhD, Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director of Finland Futures Research Centre (Finland)
“A New Approach for Research for Future Education” by Yu Jinshen, Joint Doctoral Candidate with East China Normal University and Ecole des Ponts (China) and Bu Yuhua, Professor and Deputy Head of the Institute of Schooling Reform and Development, East China Normal University (China)
“Survey for Anticipatory Stance Evolution” by Norbert Kołos, Managing Partner, 4CF (Poland)
The discussions of the second panel reflected a call to advance capabilities to explore futures by looking into personal and collective anticipatory models, patterns,and assumptions. To this end, each presenter proposed surveys, scales and frameworks they have designed and implemented to measure futures capabilities. This would enable a change in individual and organisational ways of thinking and unearth sources of inspiration to create better, inclusive, and sustainable futures.
The role of education and education systems in fostering a futures-oriented culture and developing anticipatory capabilities among youth and citizens through life-long learning should not be overlooked.
You can read the summary of the Symposium here
Here some of her reflections:
“How can we assess the value of futures thinking in education? How can we evaluate foresight practices in organizations and governments?
Honored to have been part of such insightful Symposium organized by UNESCO, representing Teach the Future, where for two days, we explored evaluation frameworks for Futures Literacy and Foresight. A necessary conversation starter to continue exploring and sharing best practices and research on this relevant topic.
Thankful to the Futures Literacy team at UNESCO for their impeccable work: Christin Pfeiffer, Sally Lin, Christine Kavazanjian you’re the best!
And the icing on the cake was to connect and meet with colleagues in person (and in a wonderful city like Paris) specially with my dear Erica Bol after more than 4 years working exclusively online!
In the picture, from left to right: Laurent Bontoux, Senior Foresight for Policy Expert at European Commission Joint Research Centre; Erica Bol, Teach the Future Ambassador and Foresight & Innovation @ Policy Lab - European Commission, Lourdes Rodríguez Global Hub Director at Teach the Future and Felipe Bosch, Junior Policy Analyst at DG INTPA - European Commission.
But also our new French Hub Director, Cecile Poignant; our colleagues from the European Commission Felipe Bosh and Laurent Bontoux.
In the picture, from left to right: Cecile Poignant, Teach the Future France HUB director; Felipe Bosch, Lourdes Rodríguez, Erik F. Øverland, President of World Futures Studies Federation and Laurent Bontoux.
And many more friends from the futures field. For more to come soon!"
You can read the summary of the Symposium here.