Dr. Na’ilah Suad Nasir, President of the Spencer Foundation, envisions an education system for the 21st century.
This is a challenging time for education; a time of extreme social and racial inequalities, a time where educators and systems are weary navigating the complexities and fallout of COVID-19 pandemic and national political polarization, and a time in which we are increasingly aware that learning is a political act, as well as rooted in processes of cognition, identity, belonging, and social-emotional well-being. However, there are also openings to new ways of thinking about the goals and means of education, an expansive scholarly knowledge in the learning sciences, and education systems more aware than ever of the need for fundamental change. In this talk, Dr. Na’ilah Suad Nasir crafts a vision for the future of learning, offering a definition of the kind of learning we need for the 21st century. She also considers what needs to be true in our education and learning systems to create the spaces for that kind of learning. Dr. Nasir offers a few thoughts on the role of research in bringing this vision to reality. At the core of the talk is the question of how we reimagine our education system to serve the needs of a true multi-cultural democracy.
You can watch the full Dean’s Lecture Series event below or on YouTube.