UNESCO’s AI and the Future of Education: Disruptions, dilemmas and directions is a landmark work that frames artificial intelligence as one of the most urgent forces reshaping learning globally. It asks powerful questions about what it means to learn, to teach, and to be human in an AI-driven age. Reading through this work, one cannot help but identify how closely it aligns with the themes in 2059: The Future of Education. Here are three key areas of alignment—and how 2059 takes the conversation further.
1. Shared Foundations
Both UNESCO and 2059 stress that education must remain human-centered, ethical, and equitable. UNESCO calls for “ethics of care by design,” while I highlight agency, teacher irreplaceability, and human-AI collaboration as non-negotiable anchors for the future.
2. Complementary Perspectives
UNESCO = The Global Policy Lens
Frames AI in education as a matter of ethics, governance, and the public good. It sets the why and what.
2059 = The Practitioner’s Playbook
Offers futurist methodologies, frameworks (like the Fusion Model), and case studies to help educators and leaders put these principles into practice.
Together, these perspectives move the field from philosophy to action.
3. Key Alignment Areas
Assessment: UNESCO warns that AI challenges traditional exams; 2059 outlines AI-powered formative assessment and blockchain credentials as practical solutions.
Teachers’ Role: UNESCO emphasizes relational anchors; 2059 declares “You cannot be replaced” and equips teachers with tools to lead innovation.
Equity & Access: Both works warn of inequalities in AI adoption, but 2059 provides strategies to amplify access and agency in classrooms.
The Next Step
UNESCO’s book sets the stage for global dialogue. 2059 is designed as the next step—a roadmap for educators, policymakers, and leaders to act on those big ideas with structured tools, scenarios, and strategies.
If UNESCO provides the scaffolding, 2059 offers the compass.
👉 I invite you to explore 2059: The Future of Education and join me in shaping a future that is not only technologically advanced but also deeply human, equitable, and sustainable.
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Thank You Dr. Shippee for your email; I really enjoyed your PD workshop at Lincoln International Academy. I am already using AI in my math classes to instill self-studying skills in addition to deepen curiosity and real-life math connections. Once again, thank you for motivating me to head my instruction to a striving level.
Great to hear! Have a good school year!