Alternative Scenarios for the Elementary School Curriculum in 2036: A Foresight Approach

In an increasingly complex and uncertain world of the future, exploring alternative paths for future of education and the curricula in terms of fulfilling the mission of educational systems is necessary. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the foresight of the primary school curriculum in 2035. The study was conducted using a foresight approach and a scenario-planning tool, which resulted in four alternative scenarios. The first scenario, called "The magic school bus" represents "curriculum as a personal roadmap". The second scenario, entitled "The pursuit of happyness", describes "the curriculum revival". The third scenario, named "The Ice age", represents the "curriculum collapse". The fourth scenario, entitled "Dead poets society", narrates the situation of the "curriculum in limbo". The findings showed that innovation comes from agency rather than structures, and requires a transformation in perspectives about the education aims in the digital age, as well as an increase in the authority and empowerment of schools.