I have seen Jane McGonigal present before, and I really enjoyed her message. Looking forward to another fabulous keynote address from her at SXSWedu this year, I was not disappointed.
McGonigal’s presentation was, “How to Think and Learn Like a Futurist.” If you feel like that is impossible, then you should know that a futurist is not someone who predicts the future. As McGonigal states, “I am making the future!” And, “To create something now, you have to imagine how things can be different.”
A futurist does these 4 things:
- collects signals from the future
- combines signals into forecast
- creates personal foresight
- plays with the future
I can’t really do her talk justice by summarizing it here. Suffice it to say that it involves jellybean recipes, a Mega NFL where you can earn power ups for your team by being fit, and an intriguing idea that shows a complete shift in the education paradigm, resulting in lifelong learning.
To learn more, please watch McGonigal’s keynote. Yes, it is an hour long – but she will open your mind to new possibilities and new ways of thinking. If you teach children or have some of your own, you will be fascinated with the potential workforce and education they may may face in one or two decades.
For more information on futuristic ideas, visit the site of Institute for the Future, where Jane McGonigal works along with other inspired and creative futurists.
