Frontier Ideas in Education, From Hakuba

I’m in Hakuba to attend the Hakuba Forum, a retreat for school leaders with the theme “Designing Schools As Centers Of Well-Being”. It is a purpose-driven gathering of leaders from some of the most exciting schools from across the globe. Whilst I do not run a school in the strictest sense of the word, I have been working on reimagining the future of learning for the last ten years.

Forum participants are asked to share a “frontier” idea, one bold idea or question that helps all of us imagine new possibilities in the future. As I sat down to think about my frontier idea, I saw the Cabin Porn book sitting on the cafe’s bookshelf. Cabin Porn is edited by Zach Klein, the founder of Vimeo and DIY.org.

A couple of years ago I was in pretty deep discussions with Zach about DIY.org, an incredibly beautiful website he built to help kids explore their interests and passions. Here I am sitting in a cafe in Hakuba, reading Zach’s book and chatting with the owner about how the book inspired him to build this coffee hut.

We are all so connected in so many different, amazing ways. Regardless of where we are from, what languages we speak. The world is so connected both online and offline. We have so much to give each other - unique skills, stories, experiences, values, cultures etc. To live in the 21st century is to be a global citizen. So, the first pillar of my frontier idea is about global citizenship. We need kids who can communicate, collaborate and empathise with people who are not like them. The breakthrough innovations of the next few decades are going to be built by global teams that can find and harness unique talents from all over the world.

The second pillar of my frontier idea is endless exploration. Zach built DIY.org to help kids discover what they are interested in and what they are good at. DIY.org hosts thousands of how-to-videos, challenges and activities kids can try on their own. Kids are encouraged to go from cooking to gaming to rocketry without committing to any one particular interest area. On DIY.org, every kid is a creator. It is the act of creating that matters, not the level of expertise attained.

Zach is a great example of someone who has built a successful career across different domains, all in pursuit of his interests and passions. From building Vimeo - the first credible competitor to YouTube, to starting DIY.org to becoming the CEO of a publishing company focused on modern living and architecture, Zach has made an impact in media, education, tech, architecture and publishing.

Sadly, 99.99% of kids will not become Zach Klein. Not because they lack talent, but because they lack opportunities. Opportunities to explore, opportunities to connect with folks from different parts of the world, opportunities to be freed from the shackles of mainstream education. Shackles because so much of what goes on in the classroom today is still bound by geography, curriculum and the requirements of standardised tests.

Global explorers. Young people who think globally, explore endlessly. That’s my frontier idea.

Because the world needs more Zach Kleins.

If you enjoyed this week’s issue, you may want to check out issue 35 of Education & Catastrophe ‘Finding Meaning’.

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