Individually, you will write a 1,200 to 1,500 word essay describing, analyzing, and interrogating one aspect of teaching, learning, and education in 2035.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I choose 2035 because it is the near-future. It allows time for many aspects of education (whether formal or informal; k-12, higher ed, or corporate; etc) to change, while ensuring that we’re not *that* far into the future as to imagine that technology will replace us or circumvent all of our systems. In so doing, my goal is to help you imagine futures that are possible, futures that we should be striving for or futures that we should resist. In other words, your essay does not need to be optimistic, though it certainly can be if that’s what you would like to write about, but it could also be pessimistic if you believe that such a narrative may help us avoid certain futures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In imagining and writing about this future, your writing should be informed by the broader literature. Two things will do more for the quality of your essay than anything else: name your context and keep it narrow. Focus on your organization, your school, your department, one program etc. Be specific and then don’t forget to say what makes you think we will actually get there so you can showcase your synthesis and analysis and the reasoning that underpins it. Your paper should cite at least 7 scholarly sources (i.e. peer-reviewed papers, books, scholarly reports)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have lots of flexibility to write about very many things, but your writing should connect to the literature and to readings that we have either engaged with; that you have read in previous courses, or readings you identify yourself (e.g.,informed by the history of the field, by current geopolitical tensions, by potential\/current technologies, etc). You will notice that several of the readings in Unit 3 were written between 2019 and 2023 about the period we are living in now. Many of them are seminal in the field and I encourage you to read them as historical documents as well as arguments. Reflect on what they got right? what did they miss? what did they anticipate for the wrong reasons? what aspects of our current system did the speculating about it highlight? This is all very useful to consider as you work on your document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This assignment aims to help you develop your research skills including identifying, organizing, analyzing, critiquing, and synthesizing literaturw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I recommend following the process get you started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we discussed together, your sources must be accurate so do check them. Currently, generative AI invents scholars, institutional affiliations, and citations with considerable confidence. Remember, \u201cthe appearance of confidence is not proof of accuracy\u201d (Dingle, 2026). If you use an AI when working on this assignment, you are bound by the RRU guidelines on AI use<\/a> which are built from the assumption that students will behave ethically and comply with the University Policy on Academic Integrity and Misconduct<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A word of caution – Do not use AI to brainstorm ideas for you. If you ask a generative AI system to imagine the future of education, you will get a consensus future which will be the median of everything written on the topic which in practice will be the industry future. This is a very poor place to begin your own thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this assignment you will need to include a paragraph (separate from the assignment word count) that outlines how you plan to use AI in this assignment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A gentle reminder, as with all LRNT courses, you are expected to incorporate APA standards for citations, formatting, and references and to back up your writing with evidence and appropriate academic literature as necessary. Don\u2019t forget all that you have read to date in the program that you may be able to draw upon to support your position. You are required to pay attention to grammar and clarity and to avoid colloquialisms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n References are not included in the assignment word count. There are numerous resources available to you as you build your competence and fluency with APA formatting and writing style. In particular, check out the RRU APA 7 formatting checklists<\/a> as well as RRU WriteAnswers<\/a> where you can ask your APA questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Submit your essay to the Assignment 3: Speculative Futures Essay (Individual)<\/a> dropbox in Moodle, and post it on your blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The assignment will be evaluated according to the following rubric.<\/p>\n\n\n Individually, you will write a 1,200 to 1,500 word essay describing, analyzing, and interrogating one aspect of teaching, learning, and education in 2035. I choose 2035 because it is the near-future. It allows time for many aspects of education (whether formal or informal; k-12, higher ed, or corporate; etc) to change, while ensuring that we’re… Read More »Assignment 3 | Speculative Futures Essay (Individual)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"parent":75,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","neve_meta_reading_time":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_ti_tpc_template_sync":false,"_ti_tpc_template_id":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-93","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca\/lrnt523\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca\/lrnt523\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca\/lrnt523\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca\/lrnt523\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca\/lrnt523\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca\/lrnt523\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6021,"href":"https:\/\/malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca\/lrnt523\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93\/revisions\/6021"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca\/lrnt523\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/75"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca\/lrnt523\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Formatting Requirements:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Value:<\/strong> 35%<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Submission:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rubric:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n \nAssessment Criteria<\/th>\n Excellent<\/th>\n Proficient<\/th>\n Satisfactory<\/th>\n Unsatisfactory<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Citation and APA format<\/strong><\/td>\n All citations and APA format are correct.<\/td>\n Most citations and APA formatting are correct.<\/td>\n Some citations and APA formatting are correct.<\/td>\n Few citations and APA formatting are correct.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Style, Grammar, Spelling<\/strong><\/td>\n All aspects of grammar and spelling are correct.<\/td>\n Most aspects of grammar and spelling are correct.<\/td>\n Some aspects of grammar and spelling are correct.<\/td>\n Significant spelling and grammar errors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Evaluative orientation<\/strong><\/td>\n Essay shows exhaustive, thoughtful, and meaningful connections between sources.<\/td>\n Essay shows some thoughtful and meaningful connections between sources.<\/td>\n Essay shows some thoughtful and meaningful connections between sources, but it is mostly descriptive rather than analytical.<\/td>\n Essay lacks thoughtful and meaningful connections between sources.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Organisation and flow<\/strong><\/td>\n Essay flows seamlessly. The document is is clearly structured and is well organized to support understanding and follow main points and sequence of ideas.<\/td>\n Essay flows seamlessly with minor interruptions. The document is structured and organized to support understanding and follow main points and sequence of ideas.<\/td>\n Essay flow is somewhat choppy and impedes understanding. Organization is somewhat evident and could use improvement. Occasional missing sections or awkward transitions are present.<\/td>\n Essay is poorly organized in multiple ways and inhibits reader to such an extent that the structure significantly detracts from the thesis.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Content and Analysis<\/strong><\/td>\n Essay is thoughtful and demonstrates excellent development of each idea, focusing on relevant details and connection to pertinent sources. Most statements are backed by evidence and information is discussed, not just stated. The context is clearly bounded.<\/td>\n Essay is thoughtful and demonstrates good development of each idea, focusing on some relevant details and connection to pertinent sources. Many statements are backed by evidence and information is discussed, not just stated. The context is reasonably specific.<\/td>\n Essay is thoughtful, and demonstrates some development of each idea, demonstrating some connection to pertinent sources. Many statements are backed by evidence and information is often stated but not unpacked. discussed, not just stated. The content is loosely defined.<\/td>\n Essay needs more details on every level, and lacks thoughtfulness and development. Many statements are not supported by evidence. The context is generic.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Creativity<\/strong><\/td>\n Essay is original, unique, and engaging. It explains the mechanisms and conditions by which this future could come about and considers what would have to be “true”.<\/td>\n Essay includes elements of originality and uniqueness, and is engaging. The mechanisms for how this future could come about area mostly explained.<\/td>\n Essay is mostly original. The future is described more than it is examined and explained.<\/td>\n Essay fails to engage the reader, is unoriginal, and is uninviting. The future is asserted with no discussion of how it could be a possible future.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"