Education Reimagined

August, 2029

The Inception of a New School

Five years passed by so fast. It was early in 2024 when Mario met with his friend Ana in their favorite cafe, just around the corner from Mario's office and a few blocks from her apartment.

Mario, a computer science graduate, began his career as a software engineer at an e-commerce startup. Ambitious and curious, he participated in various activities and explored different roles over the years. He has been working at an AI startup for the last two years, leading the product team. Product, design, and tech are his passions. His current role feels like his dream job most of the time.

Always looking to learn more and inclined to explore his creative side, Mario completed an MBA two years after graduating from college. He then took several online courses, ranging from on-demand programs on Coursera and Udemy to other longer programs at his university and Section School. Music is his other passion; he grew up playing piano and has continued to learn and enjoy playing it; those moments when he sits down to rehearse and play some of his favorite pieces are the best way to disconnect from the day-to-day, relax, and recharge.

That cold February morning wasn't particularly special; it was just another day at work. Following his Tuesday ritual, he left his backpack at the office and walked around the corner to meet Ana. They met while studying for their MBA, and for the last three years, they have met every Tuesday at the same cafe. They have mutual friends and sometimes meet at parties and other places, but they use this time to talk about work, passions, challenges, and learnings.

A new idea had been circling around Mario's head for a couple of months. It was probably sparked by a conversation with his younger cousin Mariana, who visited during Christmas break. She was in her second year of college, studying Marketing.

Mario was surprised, perhaps annoyed, to learn how similar her classes were to the ones he had taken almost ten years ago. He felt the classes, topics, and projects she was working on needed to be more relevant to the challenges he had seen in the companies he worked for. At the moment, it wasn't a big deal; just another conversation about college, complaining about some teachers, gossiping about friends and classmates, with at least a couple of "When would I use this in my job?; It's just a waste of time" comments.

It wasn't until a few weeks later that something clicked. Mario started thinking about education and AI. He couldn't stop thinking about the coming changes and how rapidly some roles were evolving with the incursion of AI in the day-to-day. He realized how static and outdated Mariana's college education felt—which applied to the latest courses he had taken.

In a world where experts' time is no longer limited, information is readily available, and reasoning is essentially free, what is the future of education? Why are things not evolving faster in this space? These questions kept circling in his mind, and soon, they were all he wanted to discuss with Ana.

Ana was intrigued. The idea sounded plausible, interesting, somewhat crazy, and definitely not like a good business plan. They continued to talk and debate the concept on and off over the next few months. In November, Mario asked Ana to meet after work. They booked a meeting room at Ana's office, and that afternoon, he presented not just an idea but a bold and well-structured plan.

It took them a year and a half to secure their first investor, someone uniquely passionate about both technology and education.

A New College Vision

"Today, we are welcoming the first generation of our college program. After two years since we launched the first online programs, with thousands of students joining us and a growing, vibrant community of followers, mentors, friends, researchers, and partners, we take one more step toward our mission," said Ana during the inaugural speech.

Mario and Ana decided to partner to launch a new school. In the first couple of years, they focused on online courses, developing their methodology, building technology, and producing content. These online programs were primarily targeted at professionals. However, some were designed for high school students, bringing them content and activities that were previously unavailable to them, especially programs that helped them to accelerate their professional careers before even starting university.

They saw lives transform as many graduates returned to take more courses and stayed active in the alum network. One day, they proposed a crazy idea to their team and later to their board. Initially, the idea sounded a bit crazy, but they persisted.

They partnered with the University of Arizona to offer a single degree: Bachelor of Science in Integrating Studies and Innovation. This program emphasizes the ability to learn, create, communicate, and collaborate in an AI-driven world.

The degree program is structured to be flexible and interdisciplinary, allowing students to combine courses from various fields and integrate their learning into cohesive, practical projects. Students are encouraged to apply their knowledge through project-based learning cycles, working on real-world problems that require innovative solutions and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

The first generation of students consists of only 50 people from around the country. Their diverse ambitions and interests reflect the dynamic career landscape the school prepares them for.

Students engage in multiple activities throughout the day. Mornings and afternoons include various fitness and wellness classes. Everyone is enrolled in a wellness program providing physical training and health and body awareness education.

AI-Native Learning Experience

A significant part of the curriculum centers on learning how to create products, build, and work with technology, particularly AI. Most of the tools used at the school are developed in-house and are open-source. Students build technology by solving their own problems and enhancing the products and experiences they interact with daily. The AI Tutor is continuously improving, with everyone participating in developing new skills, better memory, more accurate responses, and more.

AI is deeply embedded in the school's educational framework, revolutionizing the learning experience for both students and professors. A central element of this integration is the AI Tutor, a sophisticated tool designed to personalize the educational journey. The AI Tutor continuously monitors students' progress, preferences, and learning patterns. By doing so, it can provide real-time feedback, tailor educational materials to individual needs, and suggest resources to help students overcome specific challenges. This personalized approach ensures that every student receives the support they need to excel, regardless of their starting point.

The AI Tutor also builds memory from its interactions with students. It keeps track of their performance, preferences, and feedback, using this information to refine and improve its guidance. This continuous learning loop enables the AI Tutor to offer increasingly accurate and effective support over time. For instance, if a student struggles with a particular concept, the AI can identify this pattern early and provide targeted exercises and explanations to address the issue. This memory-building capability benefits students and helps professors by highlighting areas where the entire class might need additional focus.

Beyond the AI Tutor, the school employs a range of AI-driven tools to enhance the educational environment. AI systems handle routine grading tasks, freeing professors to engage more deeply with students on complex topics and projects. These systems ensure quick, consistent, and objective assessment of assignments, allowing students to receive timely feedback. Additionally, intelligent tutoring systems provide round-the-clock support, ensuring that help is always available when students need it. These AI tools also analyze data from student interactions to identify trends and insights that can inform curriculum improvements and teaching strategies.

Furthermore, AI facilitates collaborative learning through intelligent project management tools that help students efficiently plan, execute, and review their group projects. These tools can assign tasks based on each student's strengths and track the project's progress, ensuring balanced contributions and fostering effective teamwork. By integrating AI in these various capacities, the school creates a dynamic, responsive, and supportive learning environment that prepares students for the challenges of an AI-driven world.

Art and music classes are also integral to the program. These classes focus on storytelling and creativity, essential for developing a product mindset. Each performance or finished piece becomes a product, designed and executed to achieve a specific goal. Exploring multiple languages and forms of expression improves communication and fosters creativity.

Professors from other colleges and industry professionals participate as equals in the learning process. They act as coaches and facilitators, bringing their expertise and passion to help students achieve their goals.

The program lasts three years and culminates in a bachelor's degree. One of the school's primary goals is to ensure students are successful and ready to join the workforce with competitive salaries and a career path that matches their potential and aspirations. Finding a job in the traditional sense is not necessarily the top priority; students must learn how to take advantage of multiple sources and forms of income and fundraising. 

Throughout the program, students engage in multiple internships and collaborations with partner companies. These companies bring experts and mentors, offering students opportunities to tackle key challenges, gain real-life experiences, and build professional relationships.

As Mario and Ana look to the future, their vision continues to evolve. With plans for further innovation and expansion, they are committed to ensuring that their school remains at the forefront of educational excellence.

Relevant Sources:

• Possible Podcast - Sal Khan on K-12 Education
• Possible Podcast - AI Will Change Education Forever
• World Economic Forum: AI in Education
• AI in Education Report
• Lifelong Learning Report
• Against the Rules Podcast
• Shape Up by Basecamp