The School of the Future project should involve all stakeholders, including students, administrators, teachers, parents, community organizations, and businesses. The project must establish multiple means for communicating, sharing information, and soliciting input. Digital tools, in addition to 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. Read Building the School of the Future: New Models for Learning (.pdf, 12.31 MB) for more information.

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. Download Building the School of the Future: Principals of IT Infrastructure planning (.pdf, 388 KB) to discover the five principles used to design and develop an IT infrastructure for the School of the Future.

A truly effective learning environment is one that adapts to the ever-evolving needs of community members. It must focus on student-centered instructional models that encourage and equip 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.

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. 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. Participate in a Microsoft Institute to learn more about tools and resources to create and support innovative learning environments.

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. Learn more about developing leaders in your learning environment.