Reimagining Education: The Intersection of AI, Innovation & R&D

Can inclusive, boundary-breaking R&D shape the future of education?

Each year, the Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) invites some of the most forward-thinking minds in education to explore what’s possible when changemakers rethink the limits of traditional research and development (R&D). This year, their fellowship program, AdvancED, received hundreds of proposals and ultimately selected eight fellows to embark on an ambitious 12-week journey. 

To support fellows’ bold visions for reimagining education, AERDF sought experts in the field to provide coaching, resources, and concept development. With a deep understanding of education and technology–including the ways AI can both challenge and enhance learning–the team at Intentional Futures (iF) were brought in as thought-partners to empower AERDF’s fellows to integrate their developing ideas with the possibilities inherent in emerging technology. 

During the fellowship, each AdvancED finalist embarked on a journey to refine and advance their innovative ideas, exploring the intersection of technology and education. They explored concepts like:

• Building an inventory/foundation of data on neurodiverse learners: how AI can support gathering data, insights, and patterns on learners with varying/different needs for the field to learn from and eventually build tools to benefit all students. 
• Blending neuroscience and learning science: how advancements in neuroscience could integrate with learning science to create more effective strategies for teaching & learning. By combining these fields, they proposed evidence-based approaches for fostering student engagement and retention.
• Exploring AI’s implications for pro-social spaces: considering the broader implications of AI on social spaces for students, exploring not just whether emerging technology is “good” or “bad” for students, but the nuances of tech for pro-social good.

Throughout their investigations, the fellows turned to iF for expertise in AI, emerging technologies, and the EdTech market, using this knowledge to ground their ideas in practical, actionable research. With one-on-one coaching and customized research support, they pushed the boundaries of what’s believed to be possible in education innovation.

For each fellow, we met to ask questions, thought-partner, help push their thinking, and conduct research to support their developing ideas. To ensure fellows had a strong foundation, we designed a primer on AI/ML and emerging technology, providing a shared knowledge base for deeper discussions. We built individualized coaching relationships with each to support the integration (or implications) of AI in their concept. Our team, consisting of strategists from our education and digital innovation teams, brought a unique set of expertise intersecting pedagogy, EdTech, and bleeding-edge technological insights. After each conversation, we provided relevant academic and developing tech research, suggestions of (and introductions to) leaders in the field, and relevant thought-pieces or news specific to their pitch.

Partnering with these visionary leaders gave us a front-row seat to transformative ideas aimed at reshaping education. Other fellows from the program have gone on to explore their unique ideas and develop solutions that were not possible before engaging in the fellowship, making way for potential shake-ups to the field. Through the opportunity to engage with these extraordinary leaders, we found relationships that yielded wide-thinking and ambitious opportunities to push the bounds of educational innovation and research. These results are deeply reflective of wider themes we’re observing in the larger ecosystem of education and technology. 

Looking ahead, these fellows are poised to address some of the most pressing challenges in education, driving transformative change for learners who need it most. By fostering ambitious ideas and providing the resources to bring them to life, AERDF's AdvancED fellowship is creating ripple effects that will shape the future of education.