Building a More Equitable Future for Learners in Our Post-Pandemic World
Four years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted our world and changed everything. In the midst of this unpredictable chapter, we teamed up with IDEO to capture these shifts in our education systems and to learn how they were impacting learners.
This joint project resulted in Learning Reimagined, a 2020 report that set forth bold provocations for transforming learning systems with an equity lens. With the pandemic now behind us, we revisited this body of work in 2023 to understand the significant ripple effects of the pandemic and ensuing crises; and to fully appreciate the lasting impacts on learners. This work involved in-depth research with 65+ experts across the field, who either have direct experience in classrooms and/or are leaders who have the power to shape the future of education and learning systems.
Our latest collaboration, Learning Reimagined: The Next Chapter--Reflecting on Philanthropy's Role in the Future of Education Equity, synthesizes what we learned from educators, policymakers and advocates about how to create a more resilient and equitable future for learning. Grounded in a systems-led approach, the report also considers what is required on an individual, community and systems level to bring about change; and importantly, provides a map for philanthropic priorities, partnerships and investments.
This report is organized into four key focus areas for tangible action, informed by our research:
1. Elevate proximate leaders as decision-makers
Leaders that reflect the identities of their communities are more than knowledge holders. It’s essential to shift power and resources in their direction. Doing so requires putting new ways of work into action that underscore trust in proximate leaders and that elevate young people to be included at the forefront of change.
2. Embrace learning that builds on and supports local, cultural nuance
The stronghold of Western norms define global education standards. The field urgently needs to embrace localization and cultural nuance. Doing so requires reimagining learning outcomes and measurement based on the lived realities of communities, while ensuring that curricula, educational standards and evaluation benchmarks prioritize cultural contexts.
3. Create enduring infrastructure to safeguard movements
Sustained and structural commitment to advancing our learning systems towards equity is necessary to ensure continued, tangible progress. Doing so requires shifting from baseline efforts towards brave new ways of centering racial, gender and economic equity. Additionally, it requires prioritizing sector-wide, global collaboration while honoring the place-based nuances of how equity is experienced and understood.
4. Navigate emerging forces to responsibly meet the moment
As it’s often said, change is the only constant. To thrive, we must develop our muscles to adapt quickly to what emerges. AI, climate change and mental health are currently three major forces that are disrupting learning systems. Building awareness of these forces—how they are evolving, at what pace and in which directions—we invite the field to consider and be mindful of how they can be interwoven and integrated into efforts to advance equity within education.
Tell us what you think. We want to hear from you as you read the report. What sparks your curiosities? Did anything surprise you? What resonated with you the most?
We hope these insights inspire the needed mindset shifts and joint action necessary for building more equitable learning systems and accelerating progress for all learners.
Tell us what you think. We want to hear from you as you read the report. What sparks your curiosities? Did anything surprise you? What resonated with you the most? Share with us on social media #LearningReimagined and communications@imaginablefutures.com.