Reimagining

Education Together
- GLOBAL GATHERING 2019 -

Insights, ideas and actions

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PARTICIPANTS
PIONEER PARTNERS
Angga Dwi Martha: student
agency advocate, working with
UN and OECD
Annie Koch: Co-founder of
Wonder
Bharat Mediratta: Co-founder
and President of AltSchool
Fred Swaniker: Founder of
African Leadership Group
Gregg Behr: Executive Director,
Grable Foundation, co-founder
of Remake Learning
Honorable Hekia Parata:
former Minister of Education,
New Zealand
ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS
Ashley Silver: Founder of The
MoveMe Method, creator of
THINK Global’s inside out
curriculum
Beatrice York: Founder of Big
Change, VP Partnerships &
Strategy at Afiniti
Brian Daly: CEO, Daly Enterprises,
award-winning creative advertising
expert
Claudia Barwell: Director of
Learning, Suklaa, convening
education changemakers
Erin Morgan Gore: Principal and
Societal Impact Practice lead at
creative consultancy SYPartners
George Mpanga: a.k.a. George
the Poet: spoken word performer
Holly Branson: Founder of Big
Change, Chair of Virgin Unite
James Manyika: Chairman and
Director of McKinsey Global
Institute
Jack Harris: President & CEO of
3DE Schools
Jelmer Evers: Dutch teacher,
learning expert and innovator.
Global Teacher Prize nominee
Joann McPike: Founder of THINK
Global School, the world’s first
travelling school
Kaya Henderson: Director, Teach
for All Community Impact Hub
Lord Jim Knight: Chief Education
Adviser at Tes Global, former UK
Schools Minister
Mohamed Fadel: President
of AIESEC
Jamie Wheal: Executive Director
of Flow Genome Project, expert
on neuro-physiology of human
performance
Jean Oelwang: President of Virgin
Unite, B Team, 100% Human at
Work
Lord Michael Hastings: Global
Head of Citizenship at KPMG, Vice
President Unicef
Otto Scharmer: Systems change
expert, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT)
Richard Branson: Founder of Virgin
Group, Virgin Unite, The B Team,
The Elders, Oceans Unite
Sara Blakely: Founder of Spanx,
ambassador for girls education and
entrepreneurship
Simon Sinek: Optimist and author
of Start with Why, Leaders Eat Last
and The Infinite Game
Todd Rose: Harvard Professor,
bestselling author and co-founder
of Populace think tank
Friends
Richard Culatta: CEO of Thank you all so much for being with us for an astonishing four days. Not
International Society for
Technology in Education just being, but BEING: with your hearts, souls and minds. Your generosity of
spirit was beyond what we could have dreamed of and it was amazing to
Vicky Colbert: Founder of
Escuela Nueva see and hear the friendships, the trust, the ideas and projects hatched in
Vishal Talreja: Co-Founder of our time together.
Dream a Dream
Vishen Lakhiani: Founder and Together we can fuel big change in the world and we will give each support
CEO of Mindvalley along the way. There is infinite potential in what we can do, shape and
accelerate - fuelling positive and inclusive conversations in our different
parts of the world and ecosystem, and leading the way with light in order
to build enthusiasm and a demand for the change we all want to see.
BIG PICTURE PARTNERS You are all such rockstars doing amazing work under difficult circumstances.
Andreas Schleicher: Director of We couldn’t be more excited about what is to come.
Education, OECD
Pasi Sahlberg: research director
and professor at the Gonski
With love
Institute at the UNSW Sydney
Rebecca Winthrop: Senior
Fellow and Director, Center
for Universal Education at The
Brookings Institution
Saku Tuominen: Creative
Director, HundrED, finding and
sharing education innovations
Sandy Speicher: Partner and
FRAMING CHANGE
Managing Director of Education
and incoming CEO at global
design and innovation firm IDEO
Tom Fletcher: Project Director of Transformational 10
Towards Global Learning Goals,
Intentions, participants 02 Starting with purpose 05
former UK Ambassador and design principles
The social and economic 07 Systemic 11
context for change
Adaptive 12
BIG CHANGE TEAM At scale 13
& GUESTS
ACTION
Ali Hall, Caireen Goddard,
Essie North & Heather Vernon
The power of place, 20
Framing the collective 28
Alexia Hargrave, Jesse Houk, culture and identity
Tensions we need 29
Andy Hourahine and Stephen
Paniccia from 519 Films Perspectives on the 23 to navigate
ecosystem
Building the collective 30
 Three layers of intention
What we set out to achieve together.

BUILD EXPLORE UNITE

Trust Insights Ideas
Connections Lessons Narratives
Relationships Opportunities Commitments

THE
Participants

Pioneer Partners: Ecosystem Partners: Big Picture Partners:

with lived experience of creating change who research,

GATHERING
making transformational in the world beyond encourage and explore
change school big change

Design principles
Bringing together a diverse group of experts
motivated to make big change happen. Me + We: a dual focus on the individual and the
collective, recognising expertise but being inclusive
and not privileging any point of view.
There is so much power and potential in this gathering.
You all bring a boldness and a vision to challenge what
Stories not slidedecks: connect the personal and
has gone before, the courage to continue through
professional, building trust and connections through
adversity and mess, and the humility to make sure you
storytelling, sharing hopes and failures.
are doing that with other people. Our job is to explore
together how we can move from isolated pockets of
great work to systemic and transformative change. Scaffolding not control: framing, setting expectations
Essie and providing support, but allowing participants to share
responsibility for the process and the outcomes.

Magic happens when people come to you and say “I have changed my mind”, which is
another way to say that I’ve learned something new. In education we often experience
failed reform, yet you rarely hear people say “we made a mistake” or “we got it wrong”.
When nobody does this the whole system suffers.
Pasi

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 Leading with purpose, on purpose,
for purpose: education as an infinite game

›› A finite game has fixed rules and known players, and

endpoints. An infinite game has known and unknown
players and rules. The objective is to perpetuate and
stay in the game as long as possible.

›› The problem for leadership comes when you play an There is no such
infinite game with a finite mindset - when players are thing as winning
trying to win an unwinnable game. There is no such
thing as winning education. education.
›› When you play an infinite game with a finite mindset,
you find universal and consistent results: decline
in trust, decline in cooperation and decline in

FRAMING
innovation.

›› To lead with an infinite mindset we need

five elements:

1. A just cause - we are willing to sacrifice

How do we know we need
education transformation?
Whenever I hear people say, “change is hard” I think,
yeah, change that nobody wants is really hard. But there
are moments in time when there is a confluence of
events, when people are not just deeply frustrated with
the way the system functions, but what its purpose is.
Todd
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our interests in order to advance them.
2. Trusting teams - where people feel safe to
raise their hand and admit to mistakes, to be
scared and need help, with the confidence
that they will be supported. At the core, a
trusting team is a vulnerable team.
3. Worthy rivals - seeing competitors as
people who reveal our weaknesses and help When someone is playing
us improve - because the goal is not to beat an infinite game with an
them but to be better. infinite mindset, they
4. Existential flexibility - the capacity to understand there is no
profoundly change the course you’re on or such thing as best - that
profoundly change your business model sometimes you have a better
because you find a better way to advance product and sometimes
your cause. “Be willing to blow up your own your competitor has a better
company.” product. The goal is not to
beat them, the goal is to
5. Courage to lead - society pushes us towards outlast them. It’s not about
maintaining a finite mindset - winning means winning, it’s about staying in
earning more, getting better grades. But just the game.
because the current model is normal doesn’t Simon
mean it is right for the game we are in.
STARTING
WITH PURPOSE Somewhere along the way,
we’ve lost sight of the
human touch in education.
What is at the heart of our aspiration We need to nurture
A shift in purpose would anchor
for change in education? students, embrace their
around these ideas:
natural curiosity and
›› Most transformation efforts don’t actually start What’s so fascinating is recognise their individuality.
Whole child - starting with the needs of
with an articulation of a new purpose. that across the globe you’re We need a seismic shift
the child and taking that seriously.
seeing people rejecting throughout the entire
›› We would expect the new purpose to have a different
this one size fits all view Passion and purpose - orienting around the learning ecosystem.
set of assumptions about young people, about
of success and wanting intrinsic desires of the learner, and helping them Holly
capabilities and what success looks like.
something more personal, develop their sense of passion and purpose.
›› The old and new statements we articulated couldn’t more substantive, and
Human potential - grounded in a We all shine when we
have been more different - which points us firmly more contributory. Wanting
fundamental belief in people and a more are given the freedom to
toward the need for transformation. to make a value to each
expansive view of what they can achieve. work on what we love,
other. Which I think is really,
really optimistic. Community and citizenship - a focus on which is why we need to
Notes on the current purpose Todd reimagine education for all
connections between people, to culture
and places, and supporting young people young people. We really
Starts with the system’s needs - e.g. the to thrive as citizens. need the next generation
workforce, the economy, evidence. It’s easy to focus on the to be inspired to fulfill
purpose of the current Mastery - moving from grades and their potential and help
Focuses on the finite - the current system credentials to mastering the material kids solve some of the biggest
system as negative, but
pushes us towards an ideal state, specific need to live the life they want. problems of our time.
the reality is that there is
endpoints e.g. college, getting a job. Richard Branson
neutrality in all of these
Creation not consumption - young people
Is narrow and exclusive - the endpoints in the ideas. So we need to look
are not just consuming content and knowledge,
system are narrow, so everyone has to compete at what the intent has
but active in creating it.
and compare in order to move forward. been, and decide what is I really don’t want any
no longer relevant. It is for Lifelong - learning is not terminal. other kid to have to go
Intends to unify - the system wants us to learn us to create the dialogue through life thinking that
the same things and align with a particular about what we would like Intrinsic motivation - young people are they’re not smart just
community, culture or a country. the purpose of education to motivated to engage in learning because because they can’t pass
be to help young people they find it personally rewarding. the damn test. That’s pretty
Drive to acquire knowledge - the system’s
thrive in our era. much why I’m doing all this.
core premise is to gain basic knowledge and Personal - responsive to individuals and
Sandy Joann
competency so we can function in the world. being more personal within the system.

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The social and
economic context
for change
What are we adapting to? Reflections on some of the macro shifts
and trends at play and how education must respond.
We hear much about the impact of
politics and society, and of three striking
trends: a rapid rise of mistrust in traditional
institutions; a perception of growing
economic inequality; and a more existential
uncertainty about the future created by
technology. But we hear less about how
to respond.
Tom
How happy we feel has everything to
do with how connected we are, and the
places with the highest levels of emotional
resonance are not the most economically
prosperous. Education in the future must
be about finding the heart to keep people
connected and them learning to journey
together, irrespective of their differences.
Michael
Are we sure we are having the right
conversation for our times? We have to
recognise that there are other systems
and ideas being built by people who are
more organised, more powerful than us.
Many teachers around the world see the
urgency as they experience real threats to
democracy in our schools, like the rise of
illiberalism and surveillance capitalism.
Jelmer
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The quality of basic education is crucial
for social and economic development, for
peace, citizenship and democracy. And,
there is an intimate relationship between
the pedagogical methods we use and the
formation of citizenship and democratic
values.
Vicky
We have to stop teaching things that AI in
our smartphone can solve. We have to
teach transformation, which is about
expanding world views and creating kinder,
more caring, collaborative human beings
who are driven to better our world.
Vishen
I think the field of transformation for
education will be culture. We have to make
use of all the magic that happens in the
cultural industries. We have to utilize that
because it will forever have people’s hearts.
And, formal education can speak to the
heart and become a personal, emotive,
experience.
George
2 big economic shifts: market capitalism,
AI and the future of work
›› Market capitalism, in particular labour market shifts
- as economies have grown they have not been
inclusive and gains have not been shared broadly.
Labour markets are not working well - in some OECD
countries we see high employment but massive
income inequality and wage stagnation.
›› AI and the future of work - most research highlights We will see jobs
that, at least in the next couple of decades, the lost, jobs gained
future will not be jobless. Rather we will see jobs lost,
jobs gained and jobs changed. Where jobs change it
and jobs changed.
will be because technologies will complement what
people already do.
›› How society will need to adapt: 3 big transitions
1. Occupations - as some decline people will
need to change what they do. This may The good end of
happen faster than we are used to and in complementarity is when
large numbers. you have a highly skilled
worker who can do their job
2. Skills and education - demand for certain much better with AI, then
capabilities (empathy, social skills, creativity productivity and wages
and problem solving, digital skills) will go up rise. The other end is where
dramatically. technology is doing the
value added work, and
3. Wages - shifts in the mix of jobs may put
what’s left for the human to
pressure on wages and income in striking ways,
do is less skilled and more
e.g. as there is a rise in demand for occupations
commoditised.
(e.g. teachers, caregivers) that pay less well and
James
a decline in jobs that pay better.
 TRANSFORMATIONAL
We want to see and be part of big change that
transforms traditional models of education and learning.

Transformation vs reform
We see and feel the need to transform,
not tinker with, our current systems of education.

On reform

CHANGE
Too often reform keeps the existing system in place -
tries to make it more effective, efficient, equitable.
All valid endeavours...

- CONTEXT & NATURE -
What kind of change are we seeking
and how can it be achieved?
Reforms are attempts at change that really
don’t change things, because too often they tackle
small or singular aspects of problems which were
actually symptoms and not the real issues.
John Merrow, Addicted to Reform
Shifting purpose
But when we start to think about a shift in purpose,
that’s a very very different kind of change, and is
unfamiliar territory.
Triggering transformation
Demand for a new purpose for education could provide
the external pressure on the current system that is
needed to trigger transformation.
A note on parallel fields
It is not just in education that we see the very purpose
of systems being questioned. See healthcare - keeping
people healthy rather than treating illness, and the
economy - focusing on sustainability not growth.

The courage to lead is to say that just because the model is normal, just
because it is embraced and operated by the vast majority, doesn’t mean it’s
actually the right model for the game we’re in. It’s having the courage that it
takes to stand up and say, “I think we have to do it differently”.
Simon

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SYSTEMIC
Transformation of systems is about innovating
on the system, not within the system.
System transformation is rare
We all know great examples of innovation in
education, but few of them scale and most don’t
transform the system they are part of. This is the
case across social change efforts.
Scale vs disruption
Strategies for change focus too much on scale and
not enough on disruption. This is innovation in the system,
and we need innovation on the system.
Systems are like icebergs
10% is visible above the surface (structure, policy,
behaviours), but there are deeper driving forces below
the waterline that we need to focus on, like interests,
beliefs and mindsets.
Tackle root causes not symptoms
System transformation requires us to investigate
these deeper dynamics and address them at the level
of the root issues rather than at the level of symptoms.
Being multilingual
As change-makers we need to be multilingual:
we need to deliver at the level of the old system
and the new.
The reason why it is so hard to move school systems is because of what sits below
the waterline. This invisible part is about the interests, beliefs, motivations and fears of
the people who are involved in education, and this is where unexpected collisions
occur, because there is no shared understanding or collective ownership for change.
Andreas
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ADAPTIVE
The change we are seeking is at the interface of
societal transformation and education transformation.
A moment of disruption
We live in a moment of profound disruption.
We are seeing axial shifts in politics and the economy
that are driven by the amplification of hate, fear and
ignorance, and which are being supercharged by
technology and big data.
Education can respond
Our society needs many more individuals who show
curiosity, compassion and courage, and education has
the power to provide the enabling infrastructure that
supports these qualities.
Learning that is deep and broad
Transformed education will be co-created and
ecosystem-centric. This means learning that is:
Deeper - moving from the traditional to the
transformed (learning by listening > learning by doing >
learning by co-creating)
Broader - moving from a focus on individuals to a focus
on teams, organisations and entire ecosystems
The need for deeper skills
Education is embedded in a larger system where other
sectors are going through the same transformation, and
these other systems need people with deeper skills.
We know the change we need must transform the system. But this isn’t about
moving from one static system to another. What we need is a new system that is
good at change, that can adapt and flex over time as the needs of societies shift.
Essie
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AT SCale
Perspectives on the need
and opportunity for scale in education.
Shifting the dominant logic in the system
Most education systems have developed in the same
way using three linear steps (access, quality, relevance).
To “leapfrog” we need all these things at the same time.
Leapfrogging: rapid, non-linear transformation
of education to address inequality
Why: The 100 year gap
›› There is massive inequality in education outcomes
for children around the world.
›› If we just keep doing what we are doing, it will
take approximately 100 years for the poorest kids
to catch up with the richest kids.
›› This gap exists not just between countries, but
within countries.

Scale as part of innovation What: Leapfrogging is rapid, non-linear transformation

We need solutions that dramatically improve the
›› It can mean innovating to skip steps, and sometimes
status-quo and can reach scale.
ending up in a new place altogether.

Scaling as mindset ›› It happens in other sectors (e.g. financial inclusion),

Scaling cannot be an afterthought. At every point usually where there is a clear goal (you know
of development, we need to ask “is this scaleable?”. where you are leapfrogging to) and when legacy
If the answer is no, don’t do it. infrastructure can be thrown out. Despite the perceived
wisdom that education is
›› Issues for education - our goal is not always agreed
not an innovative sector,
The system as a lever for scale and we’re not about to throw out the legacy
we know that education
It is possible to drive change through existing infrastructure: our schools.
innovation is happening in
systems if you consider which parts of that system
almost every corner of the
(e.g. structures, resources) can be used as levers. How: We have to shift the dominant logic in the globe. However most of
current system these innovations are not
Adjust for context, build ownership at the center of education
›› Most education systems have developed in the
Scale and sustainability of new models requires systems and many of them
same way using three linear steps (often with
adaptation and intentionality around building ownership may not actually help us
decades in between).
across different stakeholders. leapfrog. For example, of
1. First they think about access (build schools, the almost 1,500 ed-tech
Understanding flexibility vs adaptation get children in them, make them free and innovations in our global
Can be a massive stumbling block in scaling efforts. compulsory), 2. then they focus on academic catalog only 20 percent truly
Innovators need help to see which core elements quality, 3. and then they consider whether what modify or redefine what is
are integral to success and what can be kids are learning is relevant to their lives. possible. The vast majority,
adapted to context. ›› Leapfrogging means doing all these things at the while potentially helpful, are
same time. dedicated to incremental
improvements of the
›› This means transforming teaching and learning, current system.
how it is recognised, diversifying people and places, Rebecca
and leveraging tech and data.
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Insights from stories of scale
3DE Schools (US)
Key questions to help focus on scale
Through integrated public-private
partnerships, 3DE uses case methodology
to reengineer high school education
and create more experiential learning
environments. Starting with one school in
2015, they are expanding to 55 schools by
2024 and have a goal of 500 schools by
2030. As they have developed the model
with a view to scaling, 3DE have focused
on some key questions:
›› Is this aspect scaleable? Scaling
cannot be an afterthought, you have to
consider it from the outset and at every
point of development. If the answer is
no, don’t do it.
›› What works well already? It is possible
to create change within the existing
system by using some of the structure of
that system as a lever for scale. By asking
what should be retained, we can focus in
on redesigning the new elements.
›› What does the local context need?
Some innovators stick to their blueprint
and don’t adapt to local communities or
involve key stakeholders in the change,
but that doesn’t create sustainability.
›› What is fixed and what is flexible?
Understanding flexibility vs adaptation
is one of the massive stumbling blocks
in scaling efforts. The innovators are
often too close to the work to be able
to see which are the core elements that
are integral to success and what can
be adapted and changed in different
contexts.
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Escuela Nueva (Columbia)
3 aspects of viability that enable scale
and spread
One of the most sustainable bottom up
education innovations in the developing
world. Started as a local innovation at the
margins of Columbian society in rural,
isolated, multi-grade schools - “invisible
schools”. The diversity within the schools
necessitated innovation, and teachers were
the actors of change. They focused on 3
aspects of viability within the model:
›› Technical: Every teacher had to be
able to deliver it and have success.
›› Political: The unions were strong and
their support was important, so the
model was co-created with teachers.
›› Economical: The unitary cost per
child had to be affordable, so funders
could see it was deliverable. Offers of
supportive technology were turned
down at every stage because this
would elevate the cost.
It doesn’t work to say “this is a
100% of what we do, take all of
it or take none of it”. That rigidity
doesn’t fly in local settings and it
doesn’t create local buy in or local
consensus. We’ve been really
focused in on what are the things
that need to be consistent, but then
where is the flexibility that we can
create for local communities.
Jack
Dream a Dream (India)
Modelling existential flexibility to achieve scale
Developed over 19 years to help children from vulnerable
backgrounds to overcome adversity and flourish in the 21st
century using a life skills approach. The approach has seen
a number of key stages, having shifted direction multiple
times in response to new insights about what was needed
and where impact at scale could be achieved.
›› Stage 1: Access to learning opportunities
Started with a focus on giving children access to
learning, but quickly realised that the complexity of
their lives was not allowing them to grasp learning The easiest thing would
opportunities - needed to design something in have been to roll out
response. the curriculum we had
already designed, but
›› Stage 2: New standardised curricula there was resistance at
Designed a curricula working with child psychologists, every level. So we went
and standardised everything in order to achieve scale. across the bureaucracy
But it didn’t work because it wasn’t responsive to
listening to resistances,
context. making people feel seen
›› Stage 3: Focus on human transformation and heard. We took them
(200,000 children) through our approach and
Had to rethink the assumption that curriculum was they built the curriculum
king - the teacher/educator was the most important with us in 6 weeks.
element. Realised the need to design something that Vishal
would give teachers the power and agency to do
what’s needed in their context, to build relationships
based on empathy and care for their children - that’s What are the incentives
what creates the magic. Designed a programme of for innovation and for
behavioural change for educators that transformed
transformation? In Africa,
belief systems.
Latin America and India
what you have is a crisis -
›› Stage 4: State-level, co-designed happiness
an unemployment rate
curriculum (1,000,000 children)
of 70% - we need a
Minister of education wanted to move from focus on
solution next week.
getting the basics right to preparing young people
How do you artificially
for the future. Deep engagement and co-design
create that urgency in
with individuals at all levels of the bureaucracy,
developed countries,
including engaging them in the behavioural change
because there is no real
programme, led to the widespread implementation
problem right now?
of a happiness curriculum, now with interest from five
Fred
state governments.
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5 pitfalls to scale in education Support for scale and spread

Tech as tool and additive: 3 key insights

Questions to
1. Ignoring context We focus both too much and too little on tech because explore further
Antidote: Adjust for environment we don’t know where to focus.
Recognise that common principles are not the
We need to be modest and
same as common implementation. We need to adjust 1. There is an appropriate level of technology for
humble about the difficulty
for the environment. every problem. It is our responsibility to find the right
of making scale and spread
level and lead it, rather than access to technology happen in education.
leading our thought process.
Q. In virtually every other
2. Boiling the ocean
2. We must not be technology first. Tech cannot sector there are systems
Antidote: Build minimally viable products
of support to take proven
Don’t try and tackle all the problems at once - this just leads solve big problems in education, but in the service
innovations to market. What
to unhelpful complexity. Consider not “what is the most we of system change it can be incredibly additive. But
would those systems look
can do” but “what is the least we can do” to have impact. only when you have determined the change that is
like for education?
This is about building a minimally viable product (MVP). needed, then you figure out where on the continuum Saku
you need the tech.

3. We need fast scaling technology as leverage, we Scaling in education means

3. Too much focus on tech & 4. Not enough focus on tech taking my idea and putting
just don’t know which one. Scaling within human
Antidote: Apply tech in the right way it in new places, but in other
systems is hard and it is slow because you have to
Tech is never the solution. It is neutral. It is an accelerator. industries we see so many
move whole ecosystems. If we want to accelerate
But, when it comes to scaling, after a certain point, the other models, like mergers
the rate of change in the next decade we will
cost of trying to scale without technology will be and franchises.
ultimately need to employ some kind of fast scaling
prohibitive. (And tech will always be necessary to Q. What would merger or
digital technology as leverage. We just have not
support data collection.) franchise models look like in
figured out which one.
education and how could we
The antidote is to apply tech in the right way - it needs to
facilitate them?
support the human role in an innovation, not replace it.
The system has a scaling problem Erin

›› We have experience of scaling products and

5. Prioritizing ownership over buy in A lot of entrepreneurs know
services in many different industries, but education is
Antidote: Let others take the credit they are not ready to scale and
fundamentally different and very complex. that they want to do deeper
Collaboration is necessary for scale, and a desire for the
innovator to keep “ownership” of the solution is prohibitive. ›› In education, we are pushing new ideas to the work, but we have philanthropic
Innovators have to be willing for others to take the credit system all the time and many of them don’t work, organisations putting a ton of
which has led to an image problem for “innovation”. influence on them to move to
and to morph or flex the idea to allow for joint ownership.
spread as quickly as possible.
Though there is an appetite for things that are new,
relevant and that work. Q. How do we get our
philanthropic friends to
›› The world is full of innovations that are proven and appreciate the complexity of
Scaling requires collaboration and, ultimately, letting others own the solution. scaling process and to rethink
that have the potential to make change at scale, but
This requires humility and that the innovator asks if they would rather be the co-owner their approach?
knowledge about how to scale and spread is not well
of a widely adopted idea, or the sole owner of an impactful, but obscure, project. Kaya
articulated. For profit innovations get scaled more
Richard
easily because they have the resources to do so.

17 18
 The power of place,
culture and identity
We need to put context and connections at the heart
of our transformation efforts.

Developing local ecosystems for change

›› Pittsburg have mobilised over 500 organisations

(including schools) as a local ecosystem to
“remake learning”.

ECOSYSTEMS
Remake - because we need to honour what we
already do well as well as be mindful of what is As we progress this
needed for the future. conversation I want you
Learning (not education) - because kids live and to think about place and
learn in so many places. Schools are essential but the important human, very
- PERSPECTIVES & LEVERS - not the only focus for learning. localised way in which our
greatest aspirations and
How do we engage, connect and support ›› The ecosystem respects the interests of individual dreams can come true.
the different parts of the ecosystem organisations, allowing them to focus on what’s Gregg
to create change? important and work with others where there is
alignment.
›› Working within an ecosystem can mean being If we start with place, and
Successful collective impact requires actors to play a role that is not cities but the ones that
comfortable with making lots and lots of small bets
aligned to their unique strengths and position, and equally to recognise are most broken, then we
and seeing the cumulative impact.
their limitations and the valued contributions of the other players. can build lighthouses.
Big Change, Reimagining Education Together report ›› We need to be very explicit about equity. It’s not Jim
enough to say we are committed, it has to be named.

Education as experience: we exist in

relation to our social ties

›› All reality is a construct. We exist in relation to our

social ties (Bourdieu) - to understand me you need to How can some of the
consider where I am from. disruptive trends we are
seeing in society and the
›› We could change the interface between societal economy facilitate a more
transformation and educational transformation by experiential, personal and
making education an experience: a feeling that emotive form of education?
occurs within the body that feels consistent with life George
that is experienced beyond the classroom.
19 20
 National governments:
Influential but unwilling to
admit to mistakes. Rarely
win support over education,
because it takes so much
more than an election cycle
Parents, youth and teachers have
to translate intentions into
huge potential to drive change
results. Parents believe
Global institutions: Less
influence in the system
than before. We assume
that they have the lead, but
they are unable to use it.
Why? Incoherence, lack of
resource, lack of agility.
Teachers: Profound impact
on individual learners,
but often feel powerless
in the system. Top-down
accountability leaves
little scope for autonomy
and change. BUT many
examples of changemakers

ohamed
Business: High potential

YOUTH
they have it sorted. Pioneer in the classroom - with
governments are out there, for influence but need to more bottom-up trust and
POTENTIAL

be more vocal, e.g. take

M
but need to show results to support could “flip the
act as talismanic force for a stand on recruitment system”.
rest. practices that could
TY create a shift away from Civil society: Governments
Universities: The biggest qualifications. Government have responsibility for

SOCIE

Vicky
obstacle to change and off needs business to reinforce education, but civil society,

VIL
CI the scale on lack of desire
for that change. Heavily
invested in the factory
model. Government has
existing views and actions. alongside public private
partnerships can contribute
Parents: Potential to break to quality, sustainability
the system but scared and and to innovation. The

DESIRE to create change

S
Vishen significant control over why unsure of change. Strongly challenge is being heard.
SINES

HE acts as it does. Needs influenced by universities,

new incentives, driven by business and government. Youth: May have high desire
BU

media, learners. Big diversity in what for change. Are strongly

Mapping the ecosystem

parents want. Important to influenced by business and

Media: Significant influence, approach conversation in universities (control of entry
Who are the actors and how are they positioned

TIONS especially on government right way. into market). Potential to be

dreas
NSTITU

and parents, but low level powerful in leading change

of interest in change. but only as a collective.
An
LI

GLOBA

ent
nm s
Questions to explore further:
S
ephen

lmer
l go er

EACHER
MEDIA
Jim

Q. Where to find the partnerships and confidence building measures

v

Je

to create change?
St

nationa T

Q. What about the tech industry as a key barrier? Too much about
the tech, not about learning, and too much treating symptoms than
ES
to influence change?

contributing to solutions. Do we need a tech manifesto?

audia
ch ard

rents
IVE TI
RSI

Q. What is the view, influence and potential role of civil society organisations
pa

Cl
Ri

UN
as part of the ecosystem for change in education?

Q. There are individual leaders in every sector. What can be done to

POWER to create change identify, connect and support the pioneering and bold leaders who are
willing to take action?

Q. Can we imagine, and lead a conversation about, the university of the future?
21 22
Perspectives on
the ecosystem
Deep dives on the views of key actors and
where there are opportunities for change.
The people most affected
Teachers by the problems we
›› Real change happens in the school/classroom are trying to solve have
and generally teachers want to do what is right information, insights and
for their students. ideas that, when combined
with “expert” knowledge,
›› Teachers have the power to collectively say yield better outcomes. To
no, and there have been big successes around lead in this way requires
anti-standardised testing. humility and the ability to
share power, but the results
›› Imperative that we build greater trust within
are always better.
the system through different forms of
Kaya
accountability.
›› Teacher unions need to be seen as allies, and
We need to work with
they are undergoing change (union renewal)
teachers as a collective,
to become less hierarchical, more democratic,
not as an object - as
networked, more focused on wider social justice
professionals with individual
issues and educational issues.
and collective agency.
›› Change leaders in this area could use support. We need to build this
professional capital and
respect them as equal
partners in the change we
want to see.
Jelmer
The greatest opportunity
to support system change
in education is dramatically
improving the effectiveness
of teacher preparation and
support - for in-service and
pre-service teachers alike.
Richard
23
If we can convert parents’
Parents demand for education in
›› The conservatism of parents, which drives almost every country in
conservatism among policy-makers and teachers, the world into a force for
is unlikely to change unless we change the change for a different type
gateways/exams in education. of education, that probably
has the highest chance of
›› All parents agonise over what their children need sustaining change.
to “live a good life” and want their children to thrive. Rebecca
›› But even when parents feel that school isn’t
working and express the desire for change, they
will also be afraid of their children being “guinea
pigs”.
›› In the absence of ways to assess different
outcomes of learning, and because of the
requirements for a place at the right university or
business, they are blinkered by the need to pass
The opportunity to grow
the test.
youth leadership capabilities
is lacking from the current
Youth
system. Young people need
›› Students and youth need to be co-owners more opportunities to put
of the future of education. theory into practice before
they enter the workforce
›› Inclusive and meaningful youth participation Mohamed
sees young people as mutual partners, not as
objects or targets.
We need to move to a
›› Young people feel and understand the complexity learner centred model,
and challenges of the world, and many of them navigated by a cultural
want to take positive action. compass, at the confluence
›› Meaningful engagement relies on structured of education, technology
participation that doesn’t treat students as a and diversifying economies
homogenous group. Hekia
24
Business Universities
We need to focus on
›› The business community has a vested interest activating large company ››
in improving educational outcomes for students CEOs to “rethink” employer
in relation to future talent pipeline, workforce engagement and influence
development, economic development, etc. in secondary education
through, for example, a focus
›› But businesses struggle to know how to engage on competencies, hiring ››
in education: to them the system feels nebulous practices, direct integration
and difficult to navigate. (authentic scenarios and
people engagement),
›› This often results in either inaction or misplaced
actions that don’t necessarily move the needle on internships 2.0. ››
systemic change. Jack
›› There is tremendous opportunity for the business
community to influence the change we want to Levers for change
see in education. That opportunity needs to be Shifting demand away from
meaningful and student-centred. qualifications by changing
hiring practices to focus
more on competencies and
building more authentic
connections to schools.
National governments and politicians
Levers for change
›› The politician is accountable to the electorate Values and operating
and so will be alarmed at large scale parental principles for education
dissatisfaction. that extend beyond
political cycles. Could be
›› Most politicians will do what they can to avoid implemented through
bad headlines. a legislative framework
and/or clear delineation
›› Most politicians will be personally attached to
HE, having been to the most elite universities of responsibility within
themselves. Reforms, e.g. to exams, won’t happen education, e.g. to an
if they are not favourable to universities. independent body.
›› Employers are influential on vocational reforms, Policy provocation - using
but vocational education is secondary in the minds a tangible policy proposal to
of politicians. spark a wide ranging debate.
e.g. abolishing standardised
testing.
25
Unfortunately, simply
When we think about ways to bring change to telling kids not to go to
elementary and secondary education, higher/ college is not a sustainable
further education is one of the most powerful solution as not going
levers that exists. disproportionately
disadvantages the students
Curriculum is mapped, all the way back to most in need. Instead, we
kindergarten, to meet the entrance requirements must do the hard work to
for college. Teaching models are designed to reinvent and redesign the
prepare students for success in university classes. model, and give choice and
It is incredibly difficult to change higher education. variety to match the needs
There are several reasons for this: and interests of a wide
variety of learners.
1. First is their perceived role. Many universities do Richard
not consider teaching students as their primary
purpose for existing. Research is their primary
purpose and teaching is a by-product of their Levers for change
contract with the governments that support Data on effectiveness -
them. make data on the
effectiveness of higher
2. Second is the accreditation system. The system
education institutions visible,
that monitors and accredits colleges and
e.g. whether students get a
universities is designed to ensure consistency of
job, how long they take to
experience (common definition of credit hours,
graduate, whether they pay
learning experiences that can be evaluated in
back their student loans.
the same way across institutions, etc).
3. And third, the financial model. In most systems Perception of universities
funding for college (whether it comes in the vs other pathways - as long
form of government grants or subsidized federal as there is an assumption
loans) can only be used at accredited higher ed that university brings status
institutions. This artificially limits the competition it is hard for other pathways
and therefore innovation in the higher ed model. emerge, even if they are
really good ones.
26
 FramINg the collective
What are our starting points for working together
and for engaging others?

This is an exploration
In how to create a post-conventional,
emergent, action-oriented collective.

Urgent patience, stillness and speed

We need to listen to our intuition, learn from others and
stay centred, acting together to build confidence.

Different collective forms and modes of action

Collectives can be more or less centralised,

ACTION
and they might act in the background, and/or come
forward and be public on key issues.

A clear North Star and moral purpose

- Commitments and next steps -
How will we build the collective,
using shared action and support for
one another as a foundation?
Every collective needs them, but they don’t need to
take a single form and can emerge over time.
Balancing the individual and collective
We need to act with humility on our shared agenda,
find different ways to contribute and support each other
in our individual work.

Having an open tent

We as a group have to figure out how we
are going to work together, and how we are
going to behave in ways that model what we
want for learners and for the system.
Caireen
Inclusivity needs to be at the heart of how we function
- inviting others in, engaging openly and curiously.
Being humble: this is not a battle
We are not “fighting” the education systems we have now.
There is a lot to admire and, in the spirit of the infinite game,
we need to think about what flaws those systems can
reveal about our thinking and work.

We need to ask ourselves the question – how am I showing up here?

Am I bringing my role, my title, my ego, my competitiveness and my agenda?
Or, am I bringing curiosity, listening, respect, trust, empathy?
Vishal

27 28
TENSIONS WE What I loved about the
framing of this conversation
NEED TO NAVIGATE is that the systems we have
in place are phenomenal for
Individual vs collective, being in an where we have been, and it is
infinite vs a finite game. not about rejecting them. We
need to help people see the
speed with which change is
We are running an experiment - how do we create happening and to have a new
post-conventional, emergent collective organisation? outlook on what is possible.
There’s a recurring pattern - we get together amazing Beatrice
talented people, they go “holy shit, I’ve found my
tribe, my people” and there’s this moment of absolute
exhilaration. The puzzle pieces come together and we
Building a movement
create a picture we didn’t know was even possible. A movement is something
Until the moment that there are actually negotiations that allows our ideas for
and trade offs around money, power, time, influence, change to be accepted.
platform. Then that moment of initial bonding fractures We can think of the
again and everybody spins off into their original orbit. movement as a series of
campaigns strung together
We were all built and trained in the finite game,
for an ultimate purpose.
in a rivalrous game. Even if it’s my idea, no matter
We need to agree on release
how noble it is, it’s still my idea and I want to see it
dates and accept that some
to fruition. So what does it mean for us to transition
of our best work may be on
into the infinite game, the anti-rivalrous version of the
campaigns we never release.
game? That shift has to be based on trust, and we are
Brian
all wounded soldiers who have fought hard for what
we believe in. So when it comes to whether I am willing
to lay my banner down in service of this bigger thing I
Build confidence
have to trust that you guys care for the same things I and ride the waves
do as much or more than I do, or there’s a temptation Beyond a set of values or
to just take my ball and go home. We have to trust in principles, we need loads
something emergent, to know that we are enough and
of confidence building
that in the end we are walking each other home. measures - little partnerships
Jamie and projects that join us
up. And then we’ve got to
be ready to ride the waves,
so that when the moment
comes that people are
ready to listen, we’ve got our
coalition ready to go.
Todd
29
Building
the collective
Early work and actions we will pursue together.
We will co-create the following:
1. Shared values and a statement of
purpose - what binds us over time
2. Questions and problems to solve for
- for us to take out into the world and
explore with others
Questions
New opportunities for shared action
va l u es
As well as many ways to support and grow
each other’s work, we have identified new
PURPOSE
opportunities to take action together
focused on different parts of the ecosystem
and different levers for change.
These include:
Global leaders Universities
Support key Advocate around
education leaders a shared vision for
on their own the university of the
transformation future.
journey.
Youth
Employers Co-create a youth-led
and business campaign for change.
Engage and activate
key players to take a National Government
Big Change will play the role
stance. Create a manifesto for
of “quarterback”, enabling the
education for a future
Parent (more enlightened) collective to continue to:
Create a “new UK Government. 1. Build trusting relationships
education playbook”
for parents. 2. Create connections between
existing work
Place
Establish a network 3. Identify and unite around new
of pioneering cities. opportunities for collective
Build place-based action and voice
talent pipelines.
30
REFLECTIONS
To just set down our burdens, just for a few
days, in a beautiful place and go “holy fuck,
you too, yeah, me too” and then put our
packs back on with a bit more spring in
our step. That’s more than I can ask for.
Thank you.
Jamie
It was a bit like going to see an amazing
piece of theatre that is both a deep learning
experience and profoundly emotional… so
when you walk out and someone asks you
what you thought, you actually can’t say in
that moment. It needs space around it.
Claudia
We were wrapped with love and spoilt with
ideas – every moment a visual feast and
every conversation a savouring memory –
and now the challenge is the “what next”
to turn the radicalism of big ideas into the
delivery felt by children, parents, teachers,
business, institutions, lifelong learners. All
changes need a journey of covenants – the
absolute determination to not stop till the
first inklings appear and so in our design
for the future, let’s build in urgency and
infinity!!!!
Michael
31
First, I sincerely thank all of you for making
the experience so valuable. I don’t think I’ve
ever learned so much in such a compressed
time ever before in my life. You are all
amazingly inspiring to me and your work
gives me hope for the future.
Richard
I have been to many of these things and
this was by far and away one of the best -
in three short days you managed to curate
an environment where we all bonded, and
have a sense of shared purpose. This is rare.
Rebecca
You all did a phenomenal job getting such
a high quality and diverse group together
and driving the conversation forward. Not
an easy task. Thanks for having me there
and having a somewhat different voice at
the table.
Jelmer
The reflections from Necker roll on. Every day
new thoughts, but there comes a moment
when I have to play some of those back and
restate my profound gratitude to every one
of you for such an extraordinary week.
Jim