Part 2 of an interview with Leonardo Knol, co-founder FutureED
by Ria Uiterloo
In part one of the interview Leonardo provided invaluable insights into the transformative power of education and the vision driving FutureED’s mission. As we navigate the complexities of the modern educational landscape, initiatives like FutureED stand as beacons of innovation, empowering students to embark on their educational journeys with confidence, competence, and clarity.
As he delved into his master’s degree studies, he envisioned a resource that could transcend borders, benefiting high school students in both the Caribbean and the Netherlands alike. This resource, FutureED, aimed to revolutionize education by bridging the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application.
The initiative of Leonardo Knol and his friend Sunny Hsieh was dedicated to empowering youth with practical skills essential for seamless integration into society. Collaborating with St. Dominic High School, FutureED aimed to equip students with the tools needed for success beyond graduation. Intrigued by the potential impact of this endeavour, I embarked on a detailed interview with Leonardo, the visionary behind FutureED, to delve into the intricacies of this transformative project.
Part 2:
Can you describe or elaborate on your choice of the health chapter which is to me the most important one (specifically talk about the areas stress and anxiety and digital detox for instance). How has your experience contributed to creating that module?
Creating good habits and being conscious of a good health did not only help me get good grades, but it also allowed me to be more focused in general and get more out of day-to-day life. Right now, this module is in the beginning stages as it is one of our latest additions to the content, but it has a lot of potential in terms of what can be accomplished with it. I think being aware of stress and anxiety is extremely important as it is in human nature to be confronted with these emotions, but it is not always clear how we should deal with them.
Can you describe the strategies in those areas or what scientific methods (if there are) are being introduced?
The content we implement is based on either scientific sources or blog post which contain scientific sources or from established podcasters/performance coaches such as Andrew Huberman, who revolutionized neuroscience, Lex Fridman, computer scientist and Brendon Burchard, a top motivational and marketing trainer and more. We are still at the begin stages of this chapter and see a lot of room for improvement regarding the specifics and depth of the topics to cover. Together with the input from institutions or professionals within this domain such as Foundation Catholic Education St. Maarten and Mrs. Gianne Wilson-de Weever, we believe that the module revolving around health can provide many useful insights for students.
This platform is still in the implementation phase (or not)? What is the feedback from institutions you introduced it to, so far?
The contents of the modules are continuously in development. However, we are already entering in a pilot project for the current school year with St. Dominic High School and St Maarten Academy. With this pilot project we hope to collect data regarding the feedback of the students and teachers who make use of the platform such that we can improve and see where we are either missing content or providing too much content. Overall, the institutions both in the Netherlands and Sint Maarten which we have spoken to, are very interested and give positive feedback with respect to the main theme and idea.
What are your expectations?
To be honest I never have high expectations going into any situation. But what I do hope is that our pilot project can provide a fruitful collaboration to lay the foundation for future education where we focus more on the metacognitive development and practical knowledge which is directly applicable to life. We are already very happy to see such positive engagement with schools and students who show a keen interest in our approach. All I can say is this is only the beginning of a journey to shrink the gap between education and society of the future generations which should be available to every student. Afterall, the 21st century is bringing along many innovations, therefore we believe education should also be at the forefront of it.
Through Leonardo’s insights, it becomes evident that FutureED’s commitment to holistic education extends beyond mere academic proficiency, aiming to empower students with the tools essential for flourishing in all facets of life. As the project continues to evolve, its impact promises to resonate far beyond the confines of the classroom, shaping the educational landscape for generations to come.