The Future of Learning at JMU
The faculty and students who participated in The Future of Learning at JMU would like to thank the many supporters we had on campus who helped us make this experimental course a reality: the offices of the President and the Provost; and JMU X-Labs. Many thanks also to the many visitors who visited us over the course of the semester: Vice Provost Fletcher Linder; Dean Bethany Nowviskie; Dean Bob Kolvoord; Professor Cara Meixner; Dr. Nick Swayne; Professor Andreas Broscheid; Dr. Brent Lewis; Professor John Almarode; and Professor Bryan Alexander.
Course Methods
The Future of Learning was driven by different design methods such as Design Thinking and Scenario Planning. The interactive graphic below represents different phases of Scenario Planning overlaid on an image of The Design Squiggle—a visual representation of the design process that moves from from mess (on the left) to clarity (on the right). We used the “Design Squiggle” to characterize the flow of our semester’s collaboration, from an emergent beginning that increased in clarity and focus toward the end.
Scenario Planning
In The Future of Learning at JMU, we wanted to blend creative and rigorous thinking about how learning at JMU might change in the coming years. Scenario planning is a foresight practice used in both for public and private sectors to help organizations strategically plan in the mid- to long-term range. Our time horizon for this class is ten years.
Scenario planning brings research and evidence together in a structured process of analyzing drivers, or the trends and variable conditions that are likely to impact our goals and our institution. It is not about predicting the future, but about identifying plausible trajectories to facilitate strategic planning.
Time Horizon: 2031
Step 1: Drivers
Identify relevant drivers using the STEEPLE framework (social, technological, economic, environmental, political, legal, and ethical)
Conduct literature reviews and stakeholder interviews to better understand the likelihood and impact of a given trend or variable condition.
Step 2: Scenario Cross
Select two drivers, and define plausible outcomes for each
By starting with two drivers, each with two plausible outcomes, we narrow our analysis to a set of four possible scenarios. Then we do this many times, generating many scenarios.
Step 3: Scenario Development
For a given scenario, ask: What could have lead to these two outcomes being true in our time horizon (i.e., 2031)?
Answering this question draws on research to flesh out a full scenario, or a story about a particular trajectory.
Step 4: Implications
Now that we have fleshed out our scenario, ask: What are the implications of this scenario for our goal and our institution?
By assessing the implications for a particular goal, we can identify opportunities and potential solutions to anticipated challenges.
Step 5: Takeaways
Given these implications, ask: What are our key takeaways for planning purposes?
Takeaways might be specific recommendations and/or identified “milestones” to look for to help our organization recognize if this scenario may be playing out over time.
Faculty Team
Dr. Diane Wilcox
Professor, College of Education
Diane Wilcox teaches courses in Visual Literacy, Instructional Technology & Instructional Design. Her research interests include innovative uses of technology in education, the use of virtual reality to develop spatial ability, and the effective use of media elements in e-learning.
Dr. Emily York
Assistant Professor, School of Integrated Sciences
Emily York teaches courses in the social, ethical, and political dimensions of science and technology. She conducts research on responsible innovation, expertise, interdisciplinary communication and collaboration, and pedagogy. She is the Co-Director of the STS Futures Lab at JMU.
Dr. Jonathan Stewart
Associate Director of Finance, IT, and Assessment
Jonathan Stewart is an administrative faculty member within Student Affairs. His research interest include using Arts Based Pedagogy to promote empathy, ethical reasoning, and leadership in students, the ethical use of finance within higher education, and data-informed change management.
Dr. Seán McCarthy
Associate Professor, School of Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication
Seán teaches courses in digital media, community engagement, and he also teaches and designs courses at JMU X-Labs.
Dr. Kenn Barron
Professor, Department of Psychology
Kenn Barron teaches courses in research methods, statistics, and motivation. Kenn conducts research on student motivation and directs JMU’s Motivation Research Institute (MRI), whose mission is to foster a community of researchers and practitioners dedicated to advancing the study and application of motivation theory.