Skills in practice.

Combining all the elements of the previous modules makes futures literacy: challenging assumptions, imagining different futures, and considering other perspectives. In this chapter, we'll find out how you can apply these in your daily life.

We'll do this with Loes Damhof.

She is part of the UNESCO Chair on Futures Literacy.

Futures literacy is the ability to understand the role of the future in everything you see and do.

Because how we think about the future has an impact on actions in the present.

Are these uncertain times?

Yes, says Loes. But that’s nothing new.

So, futures thinking is the ability to deal with uncertainty constructively.

And that's easier said than done!

Basically, there are two ways in which futures thinking affects the present.

(Click on the terms to read more)

Planning

Imagine you want to go on a trip abroad with a good friend. You’ve probably already formed a picture of the future in your mind. You can imagine some things, and almost daydream of them already! And those images have an impact on the choices you make today. Which hotels to book, which clothes to pack and which language guide to study.

Preparing

At the shops, you just bought a brand-new phone. You're proud of it! You suddenly realise how annoying it would be if you dropped it. That's why you buy a hard case at the same time. After all, you never know!

But futures literacy goes beyond preparing and planning.

Sounds likely, right?

You might assume there are things you're sure about. According to Loes, those assumptions make it harder for you to create a flexible future.

Everyone has assumptions about education.

According to Loes, we should be more liberal about it. And it's okay if it seems weird. After all, that leads to more futures!

What if?

According to Loes, it doesn't hurt to let go of accepted visions of the future and remain open to alternatives. One way to do that is to ask ‘what if’ questions.

Reframing.

You can use special techniques to find the right ‘what if’ questions. Reframing is a good example.

(Click on the terms for two examples)

Reframing context

For example, someone who believes that good education will always cost money is thinking of the costs a school makes: teachers, school buildings, learning materials, equipment. Education may become cheaper or even free if less of each is needed. If that person investigates, they discover that entire courses are already available online for free, and that there are already groups of parents whose children learn in groups outside official systems.

Reframing meaning

In education, you may have a particular view on the use of computers, tablets, and phones. True, they don't always have a positive effect on learners. But what if these devices provide cheap or even free education for everyone in the world?

Another perspective.

If you experience something as negative, you often also look for a negative intention behind it, which can hinder your ability to think positively about the future. It can be helpful to let go of that way of thinking and start discovering positive intentions, especially when talking to people who think differently.

So, it CAN be done!

Is there anything you think will never happen? Then it may help to think: In what kind of world does this event even make sense? If you do your best, you will see that even for ‘extremely improbable’ events, there are always signs that they could happen. It’s called reframing the context.

What guides your decisions?

In the last video of this chapter, Loes again emphasises the difference between probable and desirable futures.

Do you anticipate based on your assumptions, or do you assume what you would like in the future?

- Loes Damhof

In summary.

This chapter covered the following:

The future only exists in our imagination.
So, how we think about the future determines our actions in the present.
With this in mind, it's good to be aware of your assumptions and occasionally stretch your imagination a bit with other visions.
And ask yourself whether the future you aim for is yours, or one suggested by others.

You’re halfway there.

In the next module, you’ll learn how to spark your imagination. You can't do without imagination to work towards ‘the dream’ of a desirable future.

Module 5 Completed!

UP NEXT: The power of imagination

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