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Seeding Possibility: Empowering Student Visions for a Better World
Seeding Possibility: Empowering Student Visions for a Better World
Brianne, a dedicated science teacher, actively integrates Action-Oriented Pedagogies (AOP) and sustainability education into her curriculum and extracurricular initiatives. Particularly impactful are her efforts to embed Imagining Preferred Futures—the process of envisioning equitable and regenerative possibilities—into her classroom practice for sustainable futures.
Photo: Nicole Oster
Brianne intentionally weaves the AOP element of Imagining Preferred Futures—engaging with students to envision and actively work toward multiple potential solutions for real-world problems using diverse perspectives—into her science units.
Each unit typically begins with an exploration of a real-world problem or phenomenon. Students use their growing foundational science knowledge to imagine and predict potential future scenarios. For instance, after learning how CO2 traps heat, students predicted how this process could alter a system, such as the Arctic, and how those changes might impact their own future, making connections between global issues and their personal lives.
Critically, every unit concludes by challenging students with the questions: "What are we going to do about this?" and "How can you make a change for the future?" This consistently encourages them to think about innovation and adaptation as responses to the problems they study.
Furthermore, Brianne incorporates the critical practice of considering diverse perspectives when students imagine possible futures or analyze potential solutions. To help students imagine futures that are inclusive and realistic, she incorporates multiple perspectives—asking students to weigh trade-offs and consequences from different social, economic, and ecological viewpoints, such as those of a rancher or a private homeowner.
Rather than simply analyzing differing arguments, students are guided to engage in futures-oriented decision-making that accounts for long-term impacts, competing values, and the interdependence of systems. She notes that this helps students understand the complexity of sustainability issues, and she strives to ensure that students consistently view these problems from multiple angles beyond a narrow scientific lens. When students analyze potential solutions, they are encouraged to consider factors beyond science, including economics, culture, and the impact on affected communities. Brianne strongly validates student ideas, explicitly telling them their thoughts are important and necessary because they are the ones who will drive the future and shape the visions of what is possible. She strives to create opportunities for students to act on their own ideas rather than merely following prescribed steps.
Brianne's broader educational goal extends beyond standard academic proficiency to cultivating scientifically literate members of society who are capable of analyzing data and making informed decisions for themselves and others, understanding the broader impacts of their actions on the world. This vision for students is intrinsically linked to the AOP principle of Imagining Preferred Futures.
Brianne aims to empower students to be innovative and think expansively about solutions, a goal she pursues by drawing inspiration from her own understanding of current innovations. This knowledge helps her think bigger for her kids and shows them what's possible, fostering their capacity to drive the future and shape the visions of what is possible.
Photo: AdobeStock
"Real Work, Real Consequences" Stories feature real-world examples of Action-Oriented Pedagogies (AOP) in practice. Each story illustrates how students—across grade levels and contexts—engage in meaningful work that addresses pressing sustainability challenges with tangible outcomes. These stories exemplify the AOP framework’s core commitments to Imagining Preferred Futures, Planning for Co-Produced Impact, Taking Agentive Action, and Leaving a Legacy.
By sharing these stories, we aim to spark ideas, foster collective inspiration, and demonstrate the varied roles students take—from innovators and artists to scientists, stewards, and advocates—in shaping a more sustainable and just world.
This "Real Work, Real Consequences" Story was written by Nicole Oster
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