What should school look like in an age of AI, anxiety, disengagement, and rapid social change?

In this episode of NOW and NEXT, Dave Trafford speaks with educator and author Dr. Cinde Lock about redesigning education for a generation that needs more than standardized testing and rigid curriculum structures.

Drawing on innovative programs developed at Pickering College, Dr. Lock explains how schools can connect academics to purpose, community engagement, entrepreneurship, creativity, and real-world problem solving.

The conversation explores why traditional education models are struggling to keep students engaged, how AI could help personalize learning, and why the future of school may depend on giving students greater ownership over what and how they learn.

Dave and Dr. Lock also discuss:

• Student mental health and absenteeism
• Project-based and experiential learning
• AI-assisted curriculum design
• Civic engagement and community partnerships
• Entrepreneurship, creativity, and resilience
• The future role of teachers
• Why education systems must evolve beyond industrial-age thinking

The episode also features remarkable examples of students working on homelessness awareness campaigns, environmental restoration projects, bee hive sustainability initiatives, and community advocacy efforts that produced real-world impact beyond the classroom.

Dr. Lock’s new book, Connections, Academics and Purpose: Designing the Future of School, explores how education systems can evolve to better prepare students for an uncertain future while helping them discover meaning, purpose, and confidence along the way.

Chapters
00:00 - Dave welcomes you to this special edition of NOW and NEXT.
03:00 — Introduction: Designing the Future of School
Dave Trafford introduces Dr. Cinde Lock and the conversation about rethinking education beyond the traditional classroom model.
08:59 — Testing, Standardized Assessments and Student Anxiety
The discussion examines EQAO testing, academic pressure, and whether schools have become too focused on evaluation rather than engagement.
14:46 — AI, Personalized Learning and Student-Driven Curriculum
Dr. Lock outlines a future-facing vision where students navigate curriculum through personalized projects, mentorship, and AI-supported learning systems.
23:34 — Breaking the System: Scaling Educational Innovation
Can innovative learning models work beyond elite schools? The conversation turns to implementation, teacher culture, and public education reform.
34:08 — Real-World Learning: Homelessness, Civic Engagement and Community Impact
Students work with Blue Door and local organizations to tackle homelessness stigma, influencing public debate and local political thinking.
40:43 — Failure, Resilience and Why Real Learning Matters
From bee hive collapses to environmental restoration projects, Dr. Lock explains why experimentation, setbacks, and iteration are essential parts of meaningful education.


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