COVID-19 has turned schooling into a universal large-scale experiment. Education systems, schools, and classrooms have had to stop many old practices and invent new ones. These changes were difficult and undertaken in a period of social crisis. However, as teachers return to school this fall, it would be a great mistake to slip back into…

Although there has been much debate about how "learning loss" is conceptualized and the degree to which the pandemic has affected it (Dickler, 2021; Jacobson, 2021; Strauss, 2021), one thing is certain: the pandemic has likely exacerbated the instructional gaps that students already had, especially in the case of those who attend…

The "elephant in the room" when we talk about preparing critical thinkers for the 21st century, Gallagher believes, is U.S. students' lack of reading proficiency and their general disinclination to read. Gallagher's provocative argument is that a significant factor behind the decline of reading in young people is a set of practices…

Bethpage Union Free School District in New York is a high-performing district by almost any current accountability measure. Yet administrators and teachers worried that they were not doing enough to prepare their students as critical thinkers for the 21st century. Inspired by the curriculum framework of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the…

The reasons for, history of, and present standing of interdisciplinary education are discussed. Finally, implications and recommendations are set forth. (Author/MLF)

The World Future Society, an association to study alternative futures and a leading source of futures information, is a nonprofit educational and scientific organization that acts as an impartial clearinghouse for a variety of viewpoints. The society publishes three periodicals, "The Futurist,""Future Survey," and "Futures…

Maintains that in the previous article Dammeyer's methodological approach and assumptions about the future are highly questionable, but his conclusion is correct. (JM)

Maintains that most of Dammeyer's projections in a previous article are convincing, but faults his assumption that economic pressure is sufficient to create the climate for change. (Author/JM)

Examines what kind of curriculum is needed for the next quarter-century, using a survey of the past two decades, 1955-65 and 1965-75, as a guide. (Author/MLF)

Lists futures resources under categories of societal futures publications, educational futures publications, information groups, magazines, classroom resources, and media. Information about the World Future Society is provided. (MLF)

Criticizes John Naisbitt's bestselling novel, "Megatrends," for reifying constructs (industrial society and information society), treating these entities as mutually exclusive, and endowing them with a life cycle. In addition, claims the novel is marred by faddish jargon and is statistically unreliable. (MLF)

Shows the limitations of the Pony Express's hypothetical planning and restructuring process; planners failed to consider new realities and opportunities (like telegraphs and railroads) when trying to better the organization. Missions should be related to reality and results, not to rhetoric and good intentions. (MLH)

A futurist predicts a renaissance in schooling because of the oncoming information era and because new people moving into positions of responsibility will generate enthusiasm for "making tomorrow work" in school and society. (MLF)

The alternative futures approach helps administrators identify signals of changes and emerging discontinuities in sectors of the external environment that require their attention or response. ED QUEST is a strategic planning model integrating futures research techniques and divergent thinking methods into a participatory group process that…

Describes an Indiana elementary school's first family day, in which over 200 parents participated in a full day of activities (discussions, films, singing, dancing) with their children. This rewarding experiment will pave the way for future attempts to celebrate the family and strengthen school pride. (MLH)