YOUTH FUTURES: YOUTH FUTURES: ANTICIPATORY ANTICIPATORY KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE

Arthur HarkinsArthur Harkins

University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota

First, what is knowledge?First, what is knowledge?

Knowledge is the result of thought Knowledge is the result of thought processes that create meaning.processes that create meaning.

Knowledge is built up from information, Knowledge is built up from information, much of it tacit rather than explicit.much of it tacit rather than explicit.

Knowledge reverts to information once it is Knowledge reverts to information once it is made explicit by the originator and/or made explicit by the originator and/or within a social context.within a social context.

Knowledge is developed continuously Knowledge is developed continuously within healthy, involved people, including within healthy, involved people, including youth.youth.

Second, what is anticipatory Second, what is anticipatory knowledge?knowledge?

Anticipatory knowledge is the result of Anticipatory knowledge is the result of everyday and professional/artistic thinking everyday and professional/artistic thinking about “what could be”.about “what could be”.

Anticipatory knowledge is the major Anticipatory knowledge is the major product of anticipatory thinking.product of anticipatory thinking.

Anticipatory thinking is a survival Anticipatory thinking is a survival mechanism.mechanism.

Anticipatory knowledge reverts to Anticipatory knowledge reverts to information once it is made explicit by the information once it is made explicit by the originator and/or within a social context.originator and/or within a social context.

Problems retaining and using Problems retaining and using anticipatory knowledgeanticipatory knowledge

Personal, social and cultural contexts Personal, social and cultural contexts must support anticipatory knowledge if it is must support anticipatory knowledge if it is to become explicit.to become explicit.

Most anticipatory knowledge is locked up Most anticipatory knowledge is locked up inside the minds of individuals, rendering it inside the minds of individuals, rendering it useless beyond the impact of the useless beyond the impact of the originating mind. It is “only” implicit.originating mind. It is “only” implicit.

Youth have a major problem with “locked Youth have a major problem with “locked up” anticipatory knowledge.up” anticipatory knowledge.

Leapfrogging the problem ILeapfrogging the problem I

Our task is to help youth unlock their tacit Our task is to help youth unlock their tacit anticipatory knowledge and make it anticipatory knowledge and make it socially and culturally available as socially and culturally available as information.information.

To do this, our schools and youth services To do this, our schools and youth services institutions must allocate at least one-third institutions must allocate at least one-third of their resources to promoting of their resources to promoting anticipatory thought.anticipatory thought.

The other two-thirds of their resources The other two-thirds of their resources must be allocated to anticipatory practices.must be allocated to anticipatory practices.

Leapfrogging the problem IILeapfrogging the problem II

These steps act to reorient schools and These steps act to reorient schools and youth services agencies from the present youth services agencies from the present and past toward alternative futures.and past toward alternative futures.

These changes permit These changes permit Leapfrog ForwardLeapfrog Forward, , or actions that project, anticipate, and or actions that project, anticipate, and create detailed alternative futures.create detailed alternative futures.

Leapfrogging the problem IIILeapfrogging the problem III

Such changes also permit Such changes also permit Leapfrog Leapfrog BackwardBackward, or actions that project, , or actions that project, anticipate, and create anticipate, and create alternative alternative presentspresents that are suitable contexts for that are suitable contexts for selected youth futures.selected youth futures.

If no suitable presents are available, they If no suitable presents are available, they must be anticipated, virtually created, and must be anticipated, virtually created, and then concretized to make a suitable then concretized to make a suitable contexts for selected youth futures.contexts for selected youth futures.

Leapfrogging the problem IVLeapfrogging the problem IV

In effect, alternative youth futures are placed in In effect, alternative youth futures are placed in virtual time for the purpose of making them part virtual time for the purpose of making them part of a selected, alternative present, where of a selected, alternative present, where concretization can take place convincingly.concretization can take place convincingly.

Leapfrog Forward and Leapfrog Backward, Leapfrog Forward and Leapfrog Backward, together with the creation of suitable alternative together with the creation of suitable alternative presents, removes alternative futures from clock presents, removes alternative futures from clock time, allowing them to become the demystified time, allowing them to become the demystified foci of everyday school and youth service foci of everyday school and youth service agency activities.agency activities.

Leapfrogging the problem VLeapfrogging the problem V

Leapfrog Forward, Leapfrog Backward, Leapfrog Forward, Leapfrog Backward, and alternative presents create: 1) options and alternative presents create: 1) options for youth to use their imaginations; 2) for youth to use their imaginations; 2) permission to use their ‘natural’ tendency permission to use their ‘natural’ tendency to create anticipatory knowledge; and 3) to create anticipatory knowledge; and 3) opportunities for both of these to mine opportunities for both of these to mine alternative futures to create new presents.alternative futures to create new presents.

The bottom line IThe bottom line I

The study of the future becomes the study, The study of the future becomes the study, creation, and actualization of alternative creation, and actualization of alternative presents, a new product for futures research and presents, a new product for futures research and development.development.

Youth can now work imaginatively in real and Youth can now work imaginatively in real and virtual worlds without suffering the incapacity of virtual worlds without suffering the incapacity of adults to actualize futures and to marginalize adults to actualize futures and to marginalize clock time for that purpose.clock time for that purpose.

Youth are now free to use their imaginations, Youth are now free to use their imaginations, and to create anticipatory knowledge beyond and to create anticipatory knowledge beyond conventional social and personal boundaries.conventional social and personal boundaries.

Youth are now free to develop, explore, and Youth are now free to develop, explore, and disseminate their tacit anticipatory knowledge.disseminate their tacit anticipatory knowledge.

The bottom line IIThe bottom line II

The civic and work forces now have millions of The civic and work forces now have millions of productive new members.productive new members.

Youth have a seriously important new complex Youth have a seriously important new complex of roles to play in forging new futures.of roles to play in forging new futures.

Schools become interesting and worth their Schools become interesting and worth their budgets. Youth service agencies set their sights budgets. Youth service agencies set their sights much higher.much higher.

Lots of adults require reeducation and retraining.Lots of adults require reeducation and retraining.

A note to historians and ‘social A note to historians and ‘social realists’…realists’…

A future can be located anywhere in virtual A future can be located anywhere in virtual or clock time.or clock time.

This means that no part of history or pre-This means that no part of history or pre-history, or ‘the’ present, is excluded from history, or ‘the’ present, is excluded from what we have proposed to bring youth into what we have proposed to bring youth into a productive relationship with civic and a productive relationship with civic and work forces.work forces.