If I were Minister of Education, I'd generate a Policy Delphi for the #NewNormal

This crisis in public health that has closed schools is, in one respect, a terrific opportunity to make important changes to learning systems.  While many education systems are trying to figure out how to go back to "normal," others realize that that probably won't happen. Fine, let's get ready to do things differently.

Because learning systems can not and should not return to the status quo of the past, a hasty strategic plan is needed. Of course, there will be howls of outrage about jurisdiction and tradition, but collaboration and positive action are needed if only to protect the interests of learners and society. We need to quickly generate a plan, to save the best of what we have, to find the necessary new resources, to build support for new approaches, to facilitate positive proactive change. Who is this "we"? Somebody has to take charge.

If I was Minister of Education, I would conduct a massive policy Delphi:  what are the changes that we need to see and how do we achieve them. My PhD was a computerized policy Delphi - I know how to do this easily with all the technology available to us.  We would engage citizens and learners, grandparents and policymakers, futurists and educators, people who didn't finish school - everybody.  We would set out the possibilities for deliberation, but first, we would require a DRAFT strategic plan - and this is critical because people need something to react to.  The Delphi process would, over successive iterations, generate a sound and consensus-based plan.

1. Step One:  a clear, concise, objective SWOT analysis snapshot of the present 
1. Strengths to build on, e.g., technology tools, pedagogical skills
2. Weaknesses to address, e.g., curriculum gaps, lockstep approaches
3. Opportunities to seize, e.g., online mentoring, portfolio management of learning
4. Threats and risks to avoid, e.g., trying to do the same old things
2. Step Two:  an environmental scan
1. trends in related fields, e.g., environmental science, spiritual wellness
2. potential wildcards and scenarios, e.g., the sudden shutdown of the internet, global war
3. best practices in all system elements, e.g., why everyone loves the Finns
4. worst practices in all system elements, e.g., ignoring refugees, standardized testing
3. Step Three:  Visioning
1. stakeholder synthesis:  perspectives and priorities
2. options analysis:  combinations of online and onsite
3. Strategic objectives
1. new, different, and better learning objectives and intended outcomes
2. new, different, and better processes leading to those outcomes
3. new, different and better resources and inputs to facilitate the processes
4. new, different and better quality assurance and feedback mechanisms

All the best and worst ideas would be sorted, presented, and deliberated by all the stakeholders.  It would be magic.