If the goal of education is to prepare students for the future, why are we not teaching them explicitly about the future?

In an age of rapid change and uncertainty, what might education look like if imagination was treated as essential as literacy or numeracy?

🎙️ Episode Summary

In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, host Louka Parry speaks with Dr. Peter C. Bishop, executive director of Teach the Future and retired professor of strategic foresight from the University of Houston. Together, they explore why futures thinking is not only possible but essential in education. Dr. Bishop challenges conventional education models that overemphasize empirical certainty and neglect imagination, agency, and the capacity to navigate uncertainty. With stories from global classrooms and reflections on decades of foresight education, this episode is a compelling call to reimagine schooling as a place of skills-based learning, deep engagement, and preparation for an unpredictable future.

👤 About Dr. Peter Bishop

Dr. Peter C. Bishop is a leading futurist, educator, and executive director of Teach the Future, a global movement promoting futures thinking in education. He served as Associate Professor of Strategic Foresight and Director of the Graduate Program in Foresight at the University of Houston until his retirement in 2013. A passionate advocate for futures literacy, Dr. Bishop has authored key texts including Thinking About the Future and Teaching About the Future (with Andy Hines). His work focuses on helping educators and students develop the mindset and tools to navigate uncertainty, embrace imagination, and become agents of change in their own communities.

What if peaceful system transformation isn’t led from the top, but from within — through the everyday choices of those embedded in the system?

In a world craving certainty, how might we learn to embrace dissonance and cracks as the starting points of meaningful change?

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry speaks with renowned systems thinker and facilitator Adam Kahane, author of Everyday Habits for Transforming Systems. Drawing on more than 30 years of global experience—including his involvement in South Africa’s democratic transition—Adam explores how radical engagement and individual agency contribute to peaceful system transformation. Together, Louka and Adam unpack the hidden grammars of schooling, the pitfalls of top-down reform, and the power of everyday habits to drive sustainable change. From Leonard Cohen to the Bhagavad Gita, this conversation is a deep and practical exploration of how we might lead with love and power in a time of profound flux.

About Adam Kahane

Adam Kahane has more than 30 years of experience in more than 50 countries working with thousands of leaders to transform social systems at all scales (organization, city, country, globe). His work has addressed many of the most important challenges of our time, including racial oppression, violent conflict among warring groups in countries, insecurity and inequity, drug problems, social unrest, unsustainable food systems, and climate change. 

Kahane is a bestselling author whose five previous books each have sold between 20,000 and 100,000 copies: Solving Tough Problems, Power and Love, Transformative Scenario Planning, Collaborating with the Enemy, and Facilitating Breakthrough. He is the director of Reos Partners, an international social enterprise that helps people move forward together on their most important and intractable issues.

What are we at risk of losing in our pursuit of efficiency, innovation, and AI-driven transformation in education?

Are we designing systems for resilience—or are we unintentionally reinforcing inequality through the paths of least resistance?

In this insightful conversation, Louka Parry is joined by Tracey Burns—Chief of Global Strategy and Research at the National Center on Education and the Economy, former OECD leader, and international systems thinker. Speaking from Paris, Tracey draws on her global experience to explore how education systems are evolving—and what we risk losing in the process.

Together they dive into the accelerating impact of AI, the legacy of the OECD’s Four Future Scenarios for Schooling, and the urgent need for wisdom, not just innovation, in navigating complexity. From learning models to system inefficiencies, Tracey unpacks why we must be more intentional in preserving what matters—especially the deeply human relationships at the heart of learning. This episode is a call to anticipate, adapt, and interrogate the uncomfortable truths shaping our futures.

What if the key to transformative leadership lies not in having answers, but in asking the right questions?

How can embracing curiosity over certainty revolutionize our approach to education and organizational growth?

In this episode, Jeff Wetzler delves into the transformative power of asking questions and how it can unlock hidden wisdom within organizations and educational systems. He introduces the “Ask Approach,” a five-step method designed to foster deeper understanding and innovation by tapping into the insights of those around us. Jeff shares personal anecdotes and professional experiences that highlight the importance of curiosity, psychological safety, and active listening in leadership and learning. Listeners will gain practical tools to enhance their decision-making processes, build stronger relationships, and drive meaningful change in their communities.

Jeff Wetzler is an expert in learning and human potential, with over 25 years of experience spanning business and education. He is the co-founder and former co-CEO of Transcend, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming learning environments through human-centered design and innovation. Prior to Transcend, Jeff served as Chief Learning Officer at Teach For America and worked as a management consultant at Monitor Group, advising Fortune 500 companies. He holds a Doctorate in Adult Learning and Leadership from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Brown University. Jeff is also the author of Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs in Leadership and Life.

Share your thoughts with us on social media or visit our website www.thelearningfuture.com.

📘 Episode Summary:

In this deeply thoughtful episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry is joined by Dr. Katrin Kaeufer—author, educator, and co-founder of the Presencing Institute at MIT. Together, they explore how the emerging future can shape our present actions through the practice of presencing, a method that integrates mindfulness, leadership, and systems change.

Katrin shares personal reflections on stepping into novicehood, how embodiment reshaped her approach to teaching, and why reclaiming our attention is the defining challenge of our time. The conversation navigates the shift from ego- to ecosystem-thinking in economics, education, and leadership, and invites listeners to imagine regenerative futures through practices that deepen awareness and foster relational trust.

Whether you’re an educator, changemaker, or systems leader, this episode offers insight into the practices and paradigms that are shaping the future of learning, work, and social transformation.

About Katrin Kaufer:

Katrin Kaufer leads the Just Money Program at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning (CoLab) and is Managing Director of the Presencing Institute. Her research and teaching focuses on leadership, organizational change, finance and participatory action research. She founded the Leadership Academy of Global Alliance for Banking on Values (gabv.org). Recent publications include: in 2025 „Presencing. 7 Practices for Transforming Self, Society and Business“ co-authored with Otto Scharmer and in 2013 Leading from the emerging Future (Berrett-Koehler Publishing); in 2021 Just Money. Mission-based banking and the future of finance. (MIT Press). Katrin holds a doctoral degree from University Witten/Herdecke, Germany.

🔗 Resources mentioned:

- Presencing Institute

- Presencing: Seven Practices for Transforming Self, Society, and Business

- MIT CoLab

Follow Louka Parry:

- LinkedIn

Tune in to be inspired, challenged, and reminded why love truly is at the heart of learning.

Share your thoughts with us on social media or visit our website www.thelearningfuture.com.

How might we design AI not just to personalize learning, but to truly make it personal, enabling each learner to discover and design their own purpose?

What would professional development look like if it mirrored the learning experiences we aspire to give young people—human-centered, delightful, and deeply relevant?

In this rich and forward-looking conversation on The Learning Future Podcast, host Louka Parry is joined by Sunanna Chand, Executive Director of the Reinvention Lab at Teach For America. Together, they explore the future of learning, focusing on how artificial intelligence (AI), human-centered design, and learning ecosystems can unlock new educational possibilities.

Sunanna shares insights into Future Shock, a project-based program that equips young people with the skills to design their own futures—combining interest-based learning with strategic uses of AI.

She also reflects on the need to design professional learning for educators with the same joy, relevance, and depth we desire for students. The conversation touches on AI’s potential as both a partner and a risk, advocating for technology that enhances human connection rather than replacing it.

Together, Louka and Sunanna unpack how we might move from standardized education to personalized, purpose-driven learning while acknowledging the real constraints educators face. They stress the power of networks, radical imagination, and equitable design in reshaping learning for the 21st century.

About Sunanna Chand:

Sunanna Chand is the Executive Director of the Reinvention Lab at Teach For America, where she leads future-focused R&D efforts to reshape education through design, equity, and innovation. With a background spanning learning ecosystems, human-centered design, and system transformation, she previously led Remake Learning, fostering district-level change through powerful cross-sector networks.

A passionate advocate for learner agency and equity, Sunanna explores how tools like AI can support—not supplant—human connection in education. She is a national voice for reimagining what high-quality, personal, and purposeful learning can look like for all young people.

Stay Connected with Sunanna Chand:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunannachand/

Learn more about the Reinvention Lab: reinventionlab.org

Stay Connected with Louka Parry:

For the latest learning innovation follow Louka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loukaparry/

Share your thoughts by visiting www.thelearningfuture.com

Tune in to be inspired, challenged, and reminded why love truly is at the heart of learning.

Tune in to be inspired, challenged, and reminded why love truly is at the heart of learning.

Share your thoughts with us on social media or visit our website www.thelearningfuture.com.

What if we designed our education systems around relationships instead of outcomes—what would change in how we measure success?

As AI rapidly integrates into learning environments, how do we safeguard and elevate the irreplaceable value of human connection in a child’s development?

In this thought-provoking episode of The Learning Future Podcast, host Louka Parry is joined by Isabelle Hau, Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning and author of Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Education. Together, they explore why relationships must be placed at the center of learning systems—from the neuroscience of early childhood development to the role of love, play, and human connection in lifelong learning.

Isabelle shares powerful insights from her research, including the impact of nurturing relationships on brain development, the hidden costs of technology-induced disconnection, and the decline of free play in childhood. They also discuss the promises and perils of AI in education—highlighting its potential to either enhance or erode our relational capacities depending on how it’s designed and used.

Whether you’re an educator, policymaker, or parent, this episode offers a compelling call to action: to reimagine learning as a relational, joyful, and deeply human experience.

Resources mentioned:

- Love to Learn by Isabelle Hau

- Research on the Romanian orphanages and brain development

- The Stanford study on AI companionship

- Tool for Observing Play Outdoors (TOPO)

Tune in to be inspired, challenged, and reminded why love truly is at the heart of learning.

Share your thoughts with us on social media or visit our website www.thelearningfuture.com.

What if Emotional Intelligence Was as Essential as Math? Are We Truly Preparing our peers to Lead with Emotional Intelligence?

In this special episode of The Learning Future Podcast, host Louka Parry welcomes back the podcast’s inaugural guest, Professor Marc Brackett, a global authority on emotional intelligence and founder of Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence. They dive deep into the significance of emotional education, reflecting on how far the field has come and the challenges that lie ahead in embedding emotional intelligence into schools, workplaces, and communities.

Marc shares personal stories, research insights, and practical strategies to build emotional intelligence systems, such as the RULER framework. Together, they explore questions like why emotions matter more than ever in today’s world, the importance of implementation in education reform, and how to create environments where people feel truly cared for.

What You’ll Learn:

• The origins and evolution of the RULER emotional intelligence framework.

• Why emotional intelligence is a necessity, not a luxury, for navigating life’s challenges.

• How to create emotionally intelligent schools and workplaces.

• The critical role of adult emotional education in shaping young minds.

• Marc’s reflections on technology’s impact on emotional health and practical strategies to address it.

• Inspiring stories about how emotional intelligence transforms communities.

Key Quotes:

• “Every child deserves one adult who is irrationally crazy about them.” – Uri Bronfenbrenner, shared by Marc.

• “Emotions aren’t gendered—they’re what make us human.”

• “It’s not about fixing people; it’s about creating environments where they feel seen and heard.”

About Marc Brackett:

Marc Brackett is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, a professor at Yale University, and author of the bestselling book Permission to Feel. His work focuses on integrating emotional intelligence into education systems and organizations to improve outcomes for children and adults worldwide.

Resources Mentioned:

• RULER Framework for Emotional Intelligence

• Book: Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett

• Studies on social-emotional learning and their impact

Join the Conversation:

What resonated most with you about emotional intelligence and its role in education and life? Share your thoughts with us on social media or visit our website www.thelearningfuture.com.

How can educators and designers cultivate learning experiences that prepare us for a future that is constantly unfolding?

In a world where the pace of technological change accelerates, what roles do emotion and creativity play in shaping our educational paradigms?

Carissa Carter is a designer geoscientist and the Academic Director at the Stanford D School. Carissa guides the development of the D School’s pedagogy, leads instructors, and shapes its class offerings. She is known for her expertise in emerging tech, climate change, and data visualization and has played a pivotal role in the creation of educational resources that blend design with real-world applications.

Scott Dawley is a writer, designer, and the Creative Director at the Stanford D School. Scott has been instrumental in overseeing projects ranging from books to digital products focused on the future of learning and design. He co-authored “Make Space: How to Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration” and has taught numerous courses in design communication.

In this episode, we delve into the heart of speculative design and its implications for education and future thinking. Carissa and Scott, co-authors of the influential book “Assembling Tomorrow,” discuss their journey of writing and their experiences at the Stanford D School. They explore how speculative design can act as a powerful tool in educational settings, allowing both educators and students to experiment with future scenarios in safe and meaningful ways.

Listeners will gain insights into the process of creating a book that not only discusses future possibilities but also actively engages with these ideas through a series of speculative fiction stories. The discussion also touches on the role of emotion and creativity in shaping learning experiences that are not only informative but transformative.

This conversation is not just about the theories of future learning but a profound look at how these ideas are practically applied and continuously evolved to meet the ever-changing demands of society and technology.

Get in touch at [email protected]; and find the transcript at our website www.thelearningfuture.com.

How can educators balance the need for structure in the classroom with the importance of fostering student agency and creativity?

In what ways can design thinking be leveraged to challenge and dismantle oppressive systems within our education systems?

Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel is an esteemed educator and designer known for her work on equity, social justice, and the inclusion of underrepresented voices in design education. Currently transitioning to OCAD University in Toronto, she previously served as a professor at North Carolina State University and held leadership roles at Tulane University and Stanford's d.school. Dr. Noel's work is deeply influenced by Paulo Freire and bell hooks, focusing on how design can be a tool for liberation and social change.

In this episode, Louka Parry and Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel dive deep into the transformative power of design education. Dr. Noel discusses her journey from Trinidad and Tobago to Brazil, the U.S., and now Canada, and how these experiences have shaped her views on education, equity, and design. They explore the importance of agency in both students and educators, the role of emotional intelligence in design, and the critical need for education systems to support diverse identities and perspectives.

Listeners will gain insights into how to challenge the status quo in education, the significance of cultivating emotional and social awareness in design, and practical approaches to fostering more inclusive and equitable learning environments. Dr. Noel’s reflections on her own positionality and how it informs her work provide a powerful reminder of the importance of self-awareness in creating meaningful change.

Get in touch at [email protected]; and find the transcript at our website www.thelearningfuture.com.