Abstract:

To understand how pupils, conceptualise their future within the wider theoretical framework of Transition Pathways and Management (TPM), is the aim of this research paper, which stands in a row of last year’s ad EDULEAERN18 presented paper about “Visioning Futures”. For the first time in futurology, the group of interest was at ages between seven and nine. The reason why, could be traced back to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) regarding intergenerational equity and related issues, e.g., governance deficits as well as implementation challenges.

Thus, the prima facie argument that those who are affected by should have a say in that decision defines the evolution and implementation of TPM agendas, e.g., regarding future event- and experience-management. Given their socio-cultural context, approach to technology, their experiences of risky and volatile times, etc., 7-9-year-old people are likely to have very different notions of their specific future, and the way experiences and events are evolving within this while respecting UN SDGs as well.

50 Swiss pupils, living in Oberrieden, at ages between seven and nine were asked to draw a picture about their future visions firstly. Secondly, this paper applied – as a quite rare but creative methodology – storytelling. This led to 50 recorded explanations, or to be precise stories, about the content, aim, meaning, etc., of the drawings and how they relate to transitions with the corresponding investigation of the implications of this for the private and public sector.

The stories were transcribed, qualitatively analysed (using MAXQDA as coding software). As different experts recommend, for reasons regarding research quality (e.g., enhanced objectivity, reliability, validity), to bring appropriate software tools into action, at this stage, the decision fell in favour of Leximancer because this software allows visual analysis of texts to mirror concepts.

To sum up, to analyse visual data by a visual method is a trailblazing set-up. Further, to demonstrate the suitability of storytelling as research method as well as tool-kit for future professions regarding experience- and event-orientation operations, are striking observations. Moreover, the analysed explanations/stories contained astonishing perceptions of pupils’ future lifestyles and event-oriented imaginations. Above all, this research inspired pupils’ confidence of conveyed interest in their awareness and future visions.

To conclude, this research covered many conference topics, e.g., the identification of best practice educational trends, especially about primary education, creativity, ethical issues in education, and showed links between education and research, precisely regarding the method of storytelling in the context of experience- and event-oriented topics, management, communication as well as marketing.

Keywords:

Future research, creativity, governmental deficit, inter genarational equity.