In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, understanding Learning Futures is paramount. Experts like Laura Czerniewicz and Catherine Cronin offer crucial perspectives, drawing from their extensive experience in digital and open education. Their work highlights the importance of addressing equity and social justice as we navigate the transformations shaping how we learn and teach.
Laura Czerniewicz, Professor Emerita at the University of Cape Town, has dedicated her career to education across various roles, including teaching, publishing, and research. Her work is deeply rooted in a concern for digital and social inequities, a critical lens through which she examines the changing forms of teaching and learning in the digital age. Czerniewicz’s research delves into the datafication of education and she advocates for open education, expressing concerns about the increasing corporate influence in higher education. Her insights are essential for understanding the ethical and equitable dimensions of learning futures.
Catherine Cronin, an independent scholar based in Ireland, focuses on critical and social justice approaches within digital, open, and higher education. With a background spanning higher education, community education, and activism, Cronin brings a rich interdisciplinary perspective to the discussion of learning futures. Her recent work with Ireland’s National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education demonstrates her commitment to practical, sector-wide improvements in digital and open education. Cronin’s research on equity-focused, community-based, open knowledge, encapsulated in her Just Knowledge project, provides valuable frameworks for creating inclusive and accessible learning futures.
Both Czerniewicz and Cronin’s contributions underscore the necessity of embedding principles of equity, openness, and social justice into the fabric of learning futures. Their combined expertise offers a powerful guide for educators, policymakers, and learners navigating the complexities of the evolving educational landscape. As we look ahead, their work serves as a critical reminder that the future of learning must be intentionally shaped to be inclusive, accessible, and just for all.
