The future of education

There are two main challenges for this chapter and both relate to definitions: what is meant by the concepts of firstly ‘the future’ and secondly ‘education’. Throughout the chapter clues about the future of education have been taken from government policy and this has given rise to one particular conceptualisation of education about which, through various activities, you are invited to join the debate. The chapter will explore the future of education in the compulsory, further and higher education sectors. It is worth noting that some current policy documents have deadlines of 2020 – which may well be the year you are reading this and the future has suddenly become the present, or even the past!