By: Alireza Hejazi
Completing academic education is one of the
greatest ambitions every man or woman may have during his or her
life even in the last years of life. When this comes to futures
studies we face with a more interesting
phenomenon.
Since futuristic thinking can be regarded as the
precondition of futures studies, every kind of curriculum should be
made enough flexible to futuristic thinking and improving futurist
attitude and capacity especially in young
futurists.
So what kind of curriculum can meet this
essential need? Should we return once again to students'
self-designed courses and programs? This can be a real challenge in
futures studies as mainly important issues are designed trough a
systematic approach rather than a negotiated solution between the
student and the teacher.
Those students who are studying futurology do
know that they are in urgent need of futures knowledge basics and
principles, but what should they do with their own preferences? How
can they freely think about the futures with out making their minds
preoccupied by traditional futures teachings?
I think a tailored program or course can be a
good response to our modern age educational needs. In a tailored
course the professors design the main framework of studies for the
students. On the other hand, the students negotiate about their
preferences and incorporate their desired configuration as much as
possible within the designed program in choosing those units which
are more connected to the subject of their thesis.
As the students of futures studies especially in
MA and PhD levels mainly need to qualify in presenting new ideas on
futuristic thinking at their seminars, I think the configuration of
academic programs should be tailored for each student regardless of
time and energy that this process may take with the students or the
educators.
Surely every wise and thoughtful professor or
educator at postgraduate level prefers quality over quantity and
this is what we really need in our contemporary futures studies:
"Futuristic Thinking".