A Curricular Vision from 2025

Chris Riesbeck
Northwestern University

All Rights Reserved, 2014

Monday, April 28, 2014

 A presentation found in a time capsule,
from October 20, 2025!

2014.04.01
2025.10.20

http://www.futurepkg.com/shop/images/capsules/new_sally2.jpg

All Rights Reserved, 2014 2

Monday, April 28, 2014

 The Curricular
Good evening,
everyone! Welcome Revolution:
to tonight's lecture.
The View from 2025

All Rights Reserved, 2014 3

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Here in 2025, it may
be hard to appreciate
just how different
education was even as
late as a decade ago.

Tulane Public Relations

Let me describe some of its

more bizarre aspects, from
curriculum to classroom.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 4

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Universities used to
offer a long list of
majors, like this!

http://admissions.ucdavis.edu/majors/

All Rights Reserved, 2014 5

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Majors in turn
were made up of
courses like this.

http://engr.iupui.edu/energy/plan.shtml

http://www.drexel.edu/catalog/plan/mech-biomechanical.htm

All Rights Reserved, 2014 6

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Most courses
taught basic theory,
applied to synthetic
examples.

start here!

http://www.seas.virginia.edu/acad/programs/engrsci/

Real world practice came

only after years of study.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 7

Monday, April 28, 2014

 A typical class
schedule: lectures,
quizzes, and a
final exam.

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee120/node/47

All Rights Reserved, 2014 8

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Assessments at the
end of a course
determined grades.
Grades defined
success.

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee120/node/47

Students were thus discouraged

from in-depth independent
exploration. Faculty were
pressured to "teach to the test."

All Rights Reserved, 2014 9

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Assessments
measured ability to
do the work for the
course just finished.

Nothing measured ability

to do future work.
Nothing aligned courses
to future needs.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 10

Monday, April 28, 2014

 1st year CS

Students in a class
were of the same age, 1st year CS
with the same 1st year CS
1st year CS
background, or lack
thereof, in the
material.

1st year CS

All Rights Reserved, 2014 11

Monday, April 28, 2014

 I'd like
to help Dee, but I have
to be fair...
Huh?
But don't ask stupid
questions!

The teacher had two

jobs: help the
students learn, and
assign grades.

Both sides felt the inherent

conflict between those two
functions.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 12

Monday, April 28, 2014

 At this time in
history, computers and
Technology and
the Internet had
dramatically changed Learning in 2015
business and social
interactions.

So, how had

technology changed
education?

All Rights Reserved, 2014 13

Monday, April 28, 2014

 MOOCs
For the worse, mostly. multiple choice
Instead of removing quiz makers
flipped classrooms
compromises made to
teach 30 or 100 students
in a classroom...
automated essay gamification
graders

...technology was used to

compromise the education
for thousands of students at
a time.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 14

Monday, April 28, 2014

 It's not that there
Ideas in Learning
weren't interesting
ideas in how to
in 2015
improve learning.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 15

Monday, April 28, 2014

 collaborative learning
Many excellent ideas
were explored on how portfolios
to foster true project-based learning
collaborative team-
based learning by
doing... goal-based scenarios simulations

serious games

...but they all missed the

biggest problem.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 16

Monday, April 28, 2014

 If you put the
wrong thing in the Body of
knowledge
center of your
theory...

All Rights Reserved, 2014 17

Monday, April 28, 2014

 ... no amount of Body of
patching is going to knowledge
save you.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 18

Monday, April 28, 2014

 The goal of learning
is not "to know
something" or even Professional
Identity
"to do something."

The goal is "to be

something."

All Rights Reserved, 2014 19

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Education in 2025
So where are
we now?

All Rights Reserved, 2014 20

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Medical device company
Today, in 2025, a Tech startup
university is not a University research lab
collection of
departments... Corporate IT group
Publishing house
Manufacturing firm

http://admissions.ucdavis.edu/majors/

... but a set of venues,

modeled on real life, within
which learning and the
application of learning naturally
takes place.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 21

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Today, in 2025, a
major is not a
collection of bodies
of knowledge...

http://www.ics.uci.edu/ugrad/degrees/degree_cgs.php

http://vista.engines4ed.org/home/index.htm

... but a progression of

roles from novice to
skilled practitioner.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 22

Monday, April 28, 2014

 A course is not a
set of topic
modules...

http://vista.engines4ed.org/sportsMedic/index.htm

https://sites.google.com/a/bmhs.org/sports-medicine/syllabus

... but a sequence of increasingly

challenging scenarios.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 23

Monday, April 28, 2014

 Corporate IT group
These scenarios occur web site project web app project mobile app project

within the venues, html / css javascript, java

providing a familiar programming concepts team project skills

context that students logical reasoning planning

return to over time.

University research lab
compiler project distributed OS project

c/c++ programming networks

formal languages systems concepts

Through these repeated

experiences, students learn both
practical and general reasoning skills,
and find areas where they wish to
become experts.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 24

Monday, April 28, 2014

 administrator 1st-year MBA

Members in team-
based scenarios are 1st-year CS 2nd-year
often not at the same 1st year designer
"grade level," in the developer
same "major," or even
science
still a student. faculty

design
faculty

3rd year user

experience specialist

As in real life, learners in

different roles may be at
very different points in very
different careers.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 25

Monday, April 28, 2014

 administrator 1st-year MBA

1st-year CS 2nd-year
The total school 1st year designer
experience is not developer
one of separate
science
silos, but interacting faculty
paths.
design
faculty

3rd year user

experience specialist

Collaboration and mentoring

across ages and careers occurs
constantly. Life-long learning is
inherent in the process.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 26

Monday, April 28, 2014

 basic computer skills exam
Web page author

logical reasoning exam

Robot coder
Instead of final
exams... HTML/Java exam
Web app developer
General coding exam
Database developer

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee120/node/47

... we have entrance exams,

to assess readiness to pursue
advanced roles.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 27

Monday, April 28, 2014

 If you need
current market data,1st-year MBA
a good place to look
for might be...

With progress
1st-year CS
measured by the 2nd-year
1st year designer
roles and scenarios developer
done, teachers are
no longer graders.

3rd year user

experience specialist

Their role is to coach,

critique, mentor and
inspire.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 28

Monday, April 28, 2014

 These changes were
Technology and
enabled by the
intelligent use of
Learning in 2025
technology.

All Rights Reserved, 2014 29

Monday, April 28, 2014

 #$(%)(*+;*%<12#/"7(%/(#1<(=4&
!"#$%&
'($)#$"*&+%,)$-.$/&0123)%453,-%#&6")$"%&7%,1"$"*&8"9$12"4%".-&
&
&
69%19$%:&
&
>#2)?(0@).%(=& ?(.#1$1A& *(1/(#%& ?(.#1$1A& .*/$9$/$(%& .#241=& /"(& $19(%/$A./$21& .1=& =(9(?2-0(1/& 23&
Critiquing tools
%2?4/$21%& /2& *20-?(B& #(.?$%/$*& -#2)?(0%<& C27(9(#D& 72#+$1A& 21& #(.?$%/$*& -#2)?(0%& *.1& )(&
Goal-based Scenario
(B-(1%$9(&.1=&(9(1&=.1A(#24%&32#&%/4=(1/%D&.1=&%4--2#/$1A&%4*"&-#2E(*/%&$%&9(#:&?.)2#@$1/(1%$9(&
32#& /"(& 3.*4?/:<& !20-4/(#@).%(=& $1/(#.*/$9(& ?(.#1$1A& (19$#210(1/%& -#29$=(& #(%-21%$9(& .1=& %.3(&
Simulations
It all started when I got bored
of us having to give people,

%(//$1A%&32#&=2$1A&#(.?$%/$*&-#2)?(0@).%(=&?(.#1$1A&.*/$9$/$(%D&)4/&%4*"&%:%/(0%&.#(&(B-(1%$9(&.1=&
every year, to king Minos of
Crete. You might think that's
not too bad, and so did I until

*20-?$*./(=& /2& )4$?=& 2#& *4%/20$F(<& G2& .==#(%%& /"(%(& -#2)?(0%D& 7(& ".9(& )4$?/& H1=$(D& .& *21/(1/@
my dad told me that they were
fed to a terrible beast called a
minotaur. I thought I could go

$1=(-(1=(1/& /22?& 32#& .4/"2#$1A& .1=& =(?$9(#$1A& 7()@).%(=& $19(%/$A./$9(&

and kill it if I went with the
people

*".??(1A(%<&&
& Do
& Review
Technology within ;<-.%4&
& Re-do
courses enables rich H1=$(& $1*?4=(%& .& #41@/$0(& (1A$1(& .1=& .1&
.4/"2#$1A& /22?<& G"(& #41@/$0(& (1A$1(& *#(./(%& .1&
It all started when I got bored

learning Teacher applies a

of us having to give people,

.4/"(1/$*& ?(.#1$1A& (19$#210(1/&

every year, to king Minos of
Crete. You might think that's7"(#(& %/4=(1/%&
library of common
not too bad, and so did I until

*.1& #41& %$04?./(=& (B-(#$0(1/%D&

my dad told me that they were
.1.?:F(&
critiques, asks for/(%/&
experiences...
fed to a terrible beast called a
minotaur. I thought I could go

#(%4?/%D&32#0&#./$21.?(%D&.1=&*21%/#4*/&.#A40(1/%&
resubmission if non-
and kill it if I went with the
people

/2& %4--2#/& 2#& #(34/(& -2%%$)?(&trivial problems exist

":-2/"(%(%<&
5/4=(1/%I& 72#+$1A& -#2A#(%%& $%& #(*2#=(=& $1& /"(&
%:%/(0& .1=& 0.=(& .**(%%$)?(& /2& /"(& 0(1/2#%& 32#&
*#$/$J4$1A<&K(1/2#%&*.1&-#29$=(&*#$/$*.?&*2.*"$1A&
/2& /"(& %/4=(1/%& /2& *20-?(0(1/& /"(& 3((=).*+&
A(1(#./$21& 3#20& /"(& %:%/(0<& !2##2%$21&
H19(%/$A./2#&$%&.1&(B.0-?(&23&/"(&H1=$(&?(.#1$1A&(19$#210(1/&21&)$23$?0%&$1&7"$*"&(19$#210(1/.?&
Collaborative documents
(1A$1((#$1A& %/4=(1/%& /.+(& /"(& #2?(& 23& *21%4?/.1/%& "(?-$1A& .& -.-(#& -#2*(%%$1A! *20-.1:& 3$1=& /"(&
*.4%(&.1=&*4#(&32#&#(*4##$1A&-$-(&*2##2%$21&-#2)?(0%<&&
&
H1=$(I%& .4/"2#$1A& /22?& -#29$=(%& .& 32#0@).%(=& 7()&
$1/(#3.*(&/"./&.??27%&(B-(#/%&/2&=(%*#$)(&/"(&*21/(1/&23&
.1& $19(%/$A./$9(& *".??(1A(D& /"(& /(%/%& %/4=(1/%& *.1& #41D&
.1=&%2&21D&7$/"&12&-#2A#.00$1A<&H1&.==$/$21D&0(1/2#%&
*.1&$1/#2=4*(&1(7&0./(#$.?%&$1/2&/"(&%:%/(0&.%&1((=(=&
./&#41/$0(<&
&
&
;/2=%&
&
H1=$(& *.1& *#(./(& ?(.#1$1A& (19$#210(1/%& 32#& =$33(#(1/&
=20.$1%&7"(#(&=$.A12%/$*&(9$=(1*(@).%(=&#(.%21$1A&$%&
.--#2-#$./(<& G"(& 3?(B$)$?$/:& 23& H1=$(& 3.*$?$/./(%& /"(& -#2*(%%& 23& )#$1A$1A& -#2)?(0@).%(=& ?(.#1$1A&
.*/$9$/$(%&$1/2&/"(&*4##$*4?40D&7"$*"&7$??&#(%4?/&$1&02#(&(33(*/$9(&/(.*"$1A&.1=&?(.#1$1A<&
&
&
&
All Rights Reserved, 2014 30 &
>21&421%&$"?214,.$2"@&9$%:A&:::B/-B"21.C:%-.%1"B%#(DEF$(D$"#$%&

Monday, April 28, 2014


Technology enables
just in time delivery of
goal-based scenarios to
ad hoc groups of
students with diverse
skills and careers...
All Rights Reserved, 2014
Monday, April 28, 2014
Scenario Cohort Marketplace Run a Startup
simulator
Looking for a web developer
(HTML5 and CSS skills a
must!) and a project Newbie BME looking for a
manager to work on "the
graduate level medical
eBay for artists scenario"
device designer and biz
<link>! Contact... school entrepreneur to work
on "the portable dialyzer
scenario" <link>! Contact...
Peer review sites Mentoring communities
... via a global
marketplace of
learners.
31
 2015
departments
knowledge-centered
To summarize some foundations-first curricula
of the key topic-driven lecture
transformations in courses
the education. homogenous student
cohorts
backward-looking final
exams
technologies for virtual
classrooms
All Rights Reserved, 2014 32
Monday, April 28, 2014
2025
venues
role-centered practice-
first curricula
challenge-based scenarios
multi-skilled multi-career
student cohorts
forward-looking
placement exams
technologies for team-
based immersive scenarios
 Albert Willoughby
Apprentice Historian of Education
Thank you! I'd Public Presentation Challenge #2
appreciate your November 2nd, 2025
feedback on how I did
in this challenge.
Many thanks to the members of my cohort:
Yin Xhang: Presentation designer (apprentice)
Max Anoudi: Reference researcher (novice)
Sandy Williams: Senior historian (mentor)

All Rights Reserved, 2014 33

Monday, April 28, 2014