The world is changing and so are the education needs of the leaders of tomorrow. Conversations around the re-framing of the education strategy place more emphasis on wholesome personal development of the learner. Individuals who will prosper in the future are those that adopt life-wide and life-long learning. 

Emerging technologies such as automation, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence are increasingly being used to solve society problems. Jobs in the immediate and distant future will require the holder to connect the virtual world and the physical world to effectively solve problems.  

Unrestricted learning           

Effective and efficient problem solvers of the future need a learning environment that doesn’t restrict them to the traditional classroom. Learning “within the walls” cannot help learners develop as whole, dynamic, and collaborative people.  

In a world where everything is changing, an effective education system needs to prepare students to be dynamic. The learners should be assisted to appreciate and be inspired by the fluidity of things. The learning environment should give them freedom to see, think, and feel concepts outside the walls of a classroom. 

Allowing students to think freely will enable them to find “outside the box” solutions to the most pressing societal needs.  

Learning with technology  

Integrating technology in learning is another way of taking learning beyond the walls. Studies show that most jobs in the future will involve heavy use of technology. Therefore, making technology widely and readily available to young learners is a crucial aspect of education designed for the future. 

Learning with technology will help students to grow not just as users of technology products, but as innovators as well.  

Social and emotional awareness 

Learners need to develop life-long social and emotional awareness and skills, which are often gained outside academics. 

Higher emotional intelligence will help them to not only persist through near-term education goals but also navigate the dynamism of the world at large. Support for passions, curiosity, and inquiry is key to helping learners become aware of themselves in society. 

Focusing on personalized learning is instrumental in supporting self-motivated learning because it appreciates uniqueness as opposed to stifling it.  

Real-world experiences  

Part of a learning experience beyond the classroom is helping students to create real-world connections. Partnerships with respected individuals, community organizations, businesses and higher learning institutions provide a way for young students to adopt an authentic and experiential learning approach.  

Many forward-thinking schools are taking time to design an educational experience that they give learners. Verso International School – an international school in Bangkok – is a good example of a school that is taking education beyond the classroom.   

Verso has a unique architectural and administrative design to allow for flexibility of learning. Students can easily move from the classroom setup to the natural world and into the technological world. They have partnered with other organizations to design a learning system that allows students to learn through hands-on experiences. The system is also designed to support students gain self-identity as well as develop awareness of the people and society around them.  

Learning beyond the classroom prepares students to be ready for the future, to be self-confident and to take control of their learning progress. It allows them to develop critical thinking and flexibility in readiness for the fast-changing world. This type of learning also equips them with skills that will help them to use technology to take advantage of opportunities and face challenges of the future.

So if your child is still learning within the wall, then it’s time to guide them out of it. Life for your child begins beyond the wall.