School of the Future: Understand the vision

Microsoft and the School District of Philadelphia have joined forces to create a 750-student high school that embodies innovation and technology. The goal of the partnership is to create a technology-based educational model that can be replicated in communities around the globe. The school is scheduled to open in West Philadelphia in September 2006.

The School of the Future is rooted in the vision of an empowered community where learning is continuous, relevant, and adaptive. The school will:

School addresses needs of the 21st century learner

The speed of change has become a defining characteristic of the information ageⁱ. The socio-economic impact of this shift is global and far-reaching—connecting people, families, and local communities in new ways while increasing global connectedness.

The first part of the 20th century saw a fundamental shift from a predominantly agricultural economy to a manufacturing one. Similarly, the last part of the 20th century witnessed the advent of the personal computer and Internet—technologies that galvanized the economy and paved the way for e-commerce. These economic shifts have had enormous impact on everyday life and work, yet our model for public education in the United States remains much as it has for more than a century.

The current model for public education was created at the end of the 19th century, when the industrial revolution was bringing about extensive mechanization of production systems. At that time, 90 percent of the population left school after the eighth grade to work in mills or on farms.ⁱⁱ A basic grasp of the "three R's" (readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmetic) provided workers with a sufficient educational foundation to cope with the demands of a job. Indeed, many manufacturers sought workers who could perform one task repeatedly and accurately, not to exceed the upper or lower limits of industrial specification.

Today, the three R's don't cut it. Twenty-first century businesses seek employees with a host of sophisticated skills, including the ability to solve problems, communicate effectively, think critically, and grasp complex systems. As a result, today's workers require a significantly more advanced education than their 19th century counterparts. Beyond the demands of formal education, workers need ongoing and timely training to meet the needs of the workplace—and to create opportunities for themselves.

In 1983, the U.S. Department of Education published "A Nation at Risk," the landmark report that found that a rising tide of mediocrity was eroding the educational foundations of American society. The report provoked widespread educational reform across the country. Twenty years later, the impact on society of science, technology, and globalization demand even greater reform. Employers seeking workers with sufficient skills—technical, communication, and others—are finding them in short supply.

The call for educational reform has come from a variety of sources—educators, policy makers, industry leaders, parents, and learners of all ages. Microsoft has participated in national commissions and partnerships that address compelling questions concerning the 21st century learner. The experience has proved vital to the School of the Future project, ensuring that the community is fundamentally committed to preparing students for the 21st century.

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Identifying critical success factors

The School of the Future Curriculum Working Committee has identified five factors that are critical for the school’s success:

Success factor 1: An involved and connected learning community

The School of the Future project should involve all stakeholders, including students, parents, community organizations, and businesses. The project must establish multiple means for communicating, sharing information, and soliciting input. Digital tools as well as electronic and print media should be used to eliminate barriers of language and economics. Finally, the entire learning community must provide opportunities that promote learning as a lifelong process.

Success factor 2: A proficient and inviting curriculum-driven setting

The school's physical setting must be conducive to the continuous and changing needs of the learning community. The technical infrastructure must support current and future mobile and fixed technical equipment and should enable the sharing of all data types. Classrooms, labs, and other learning spaces must provide the necessary elements that allow for instruction and learning. Furthermore, they must be adaptable to different teaching and learning activities.

Success factor 3: A flexible and sustainable learning environment

A truly effective learning environment is one that adapts to the ever-evolving needs of community members. Such an environment must focus on student-centered instructional models that encourage students to realize their full potential. The learning environment must limit the dependency on time and place for instructional opportunities to occur and must demonstrate instructional relevance for students. In addition, the environment should be independent of changes in faculty and administrative personnel.

Success factor 4: A cross-curriculum integration of research and development

To ensure a continuously evolving, integrated curriculum, the professional staff, led by the director of research and innovation, should incorporate the latest findings in research and development from business, technology, and educational institutions. In addition, the school should act as a learning laboratory where staff and students can design, carry out, and evaluate appropriate projects to enhance the teaching and learning process.

Success factor 5: Professional leadership

The leader of the School of the Future must embody a number of strengths and characteristics. He or she must be able to: 1) affect instruction positively; 2) think strategically; 3) motivate and engage stakeholders; 4) engage technology at every appropriate opportunity; 5) design and present professional development programs to address identified needs; 6) interact and communicate with the community; 7) demonstrate fiscal responsibility; and 8) continuously evaluate and revise instructional programs in a collaborative manner. This individual must walk and talk the school’s vision, mission, and philosophy.

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Technology to play an important yet supportive role

The profile of a "traditional student" is constantly evolving. Once defined by "school age" (5 to 24 years), this student attended school full time. Upon graduation, he or she encountered hurdles to further education in the form of jobs, families, and other adult commitments. In the past decade, computers and the Internet have opened a new world of opportunities for students of all ages, making it "possible for more individuals than ever to access knowledge and to learn in new and different ways."ⁱⁱⁱ

The Internet has expanded access to information, removing both teacher and student dependencies on a limited amount of information sources. Education is no longer bound by the limits of the teacher, textbook, or the books in the school library. Instead, it is limited only by the student's interest and ingenuity. New learning models enable the teacher to serve as a learning facilitator, mentor, and guide for subjects that do not always require students to spend time in a classroom. Moreover, the Internet offers students in low-income and remote locations far more information than any single traditional library. In short, technology has greatly expanded the boundaries of the "traditional" student.

We all recognize that access to technology is not evenly distributed. A disparity still exists between the digital haves and have-nots. Only 31 percent of U.S. students enjoy Internet access at home, while 56 percent have Internet access at school.^iv

It takes more than access to technology to create a digitally connected world. It also takes digital "literacy"—the knowledge and skills necessary to use technology. Understanding how technology works and adapting that knowledge to new devices helps students succeed in both the workplace and society. In the School of the Future, technology will play an important yet supportive role. It will assist in inquiry, support content distribution, and increase efficiency. Technology will not be an end but a means to an end, driven by a rigorous curriculum and justified by its capability of enhancing instruction.

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Benefits of school will flow to every part of society

The School of the Future "will be the most unique educational structure in the world," said Jim Nevels, chair of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission. The School of the Future is about redefining the norm. It is about demonstrating what learning must look like in the 21st century for all students, not just those who are fortunate. As we step into the physical and technical development stages of this historic project, we remain committed to our vision—a vision of an empowered community where learning is continuous, relevant, and adaptive.

In his book, The Road Ahead, Bill Gates said that harnessing a passion for technology and applying it to learning will "empower people of all ages, both inside and outside the classroom, to learn more easily, enjoyably, and successfully than ever before. Improving education is the best investment we can make because downstream benefits flow to every part of society." The School of the Future project personifies this mission and will demonstrate the benefits of such an investment.

i Oblinger, Diana; Verville, Anne-Lee, What Business Wants from Higher Education, 1998.

ii O'Banion, Dr. Terry, A Learning College for the 21st Century, 1997, p. 8

iii The Power of the Internet for Learning, Report of the Web-Based Education Commission to the President and the Congress of the U.S., Foreword, Sen. Bob Kerrey, Chair; Rep. Johnny Isakson, Vice Chair, Dec. 2000

iv Report of the Web-Based Education Commission to the President and the Congress of the U.S., December 2000, p. 26    

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