As futurists we often look to the future and assess trends to determine what might be ahead.

While the future is what we look to, we also need to look back and see the events that have preceded us. In this article we provide a year in review and look at the key trends and events that impacted 2025.

Key Trends and Events of 2025

Welcoming Generation Beta: January 1, 2025, marked the birth of Generation Beta (those born 2025–2039).

The Return of Trump: The inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20 set the tone for a year of tariffs and volatility. The “America First” approach rippled through global markets, accelerating the trend toward economic fragmentation, tariffs and the U.S government shutdown.

Hollywood had a mixed year for movies, but in global news the Chinese animated film “Ne Zha 2” shattered records, grossing nearly $2 billion globally, signaling a shift in the center of gravity for cinema. Meanwhile, “A Minecraft Movie” became a nearly billion dollar hit driven by Gen Alpha fans and their craze for Chicken Jocky.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement with a wedding expected in 2026. Jeff Besos also got married to media personality Lauren Sánchez in Italy.

Rage Bait and Parasocial Voted Words of The Year

The Oxford word of the year being ‘rage bait’ is defined as “Online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media account.”

Capturing a key feature of social media platforms that amplify not which is correct or true, but that which gets engagement and increases time on device, rage baiting has become a strategy for content creators to create engagement and provoke conversations.

The Cambridge Dictionary named ‘parasocial’  their word of the year. Defined as “Involving or relating to a connection that someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know, a character in a book, film, TV series, etc., or an artificial intelligence”. Again amplified by social media, streaming and now AI platforms, people can have a sense of connection to celebrities or influencers they know only through a screen.

Other words considered include aura farming, biohack, tariff and AI slop.

Colour of The Year

Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2025 was Mocha Mousse “Capturing a Global Mood of Connection, Comfort, and Harmony”. The color expresses a level of indulgence but has a nod of humility in its grounded and foundational nature.

“For Pantone Color of the Year 2025, we look to a mellow brown hue whose inherent richness and sensorial and comforting warmth extends further into our desire for comfort, and the indulgence of simple pleasures that we can gift and share with others.” – Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute

In our research on the megatrends shaping the consumer landscape, we wrote that even during economic strain, consumption decisions are intertwined with identity. People try to navigate financial challenges with dignity and style. Prioritising small luxuries during these times can often provide comfort, when other aspirations feel out of reach. Customers are stuck between valuing affordability due to their circumstances and splurging on what makes them feel good.

Generation Beta started Being Born

This year was particularly special as we welcomed Generation Beta. Coming after Gen Z and Gen Alpha, Generation Beta is defined as those born between 2025 and 2039. By 2035 they will make up 16% of the global population, they will be the children of younger Gen Ys (millennials) and older Gen Zs and many will live to see the 22nd century.

We’ve seen the impact of AI on adults over the past few years, for Generation Beta they will be immersed in it from birth. If the trend of digital payments and currency continue they’re likely to be the last generation to touch physical money, and may even live in a world where the majority of cars are self driving. For more on Generation Beta download the infographic.

TIME Person Of The Year

The TIME magazine announced “The architects of AI” as the person of the year. The acceleration of AI and it’s growing investment made it’s mark on 2025 with ongoing competition from companies creating the frontier models, along with companies like Nvidia making chips and the companies providing data centres that run the infrastructure.

What’s Ahead For 2026?

Every year at McCrindle we launch research on the trends we expect to influence the year ahead. For leaders and decision makers looking to understand and engage with the different generations and respond to the trends download the Trends of 2026 infographic.

Article supplied with thanks to McCrindle.

About the Author: McCrindle are a team of researchers and communications specialists who discover insights, and tell the story of Australians – what we do, and who we are.

Feature image: Canva

Every year we launch our research backed trends that will impact businesses and organisations in the year ahead. In this article we provide a summary of the trends.

1. Supply-demand squeeze

Housing shortage meets population growth, eroding the Australian dream

In this we are seeing the growing pressure on communities, families and individuals who are experiencing the housing supply – demand squeeze.  The problem with this shortfall is that housing becomes more expensive when demand exceeds supply, incentivising further investment into a rising price, further reducing accessibility to affordable housing and disadvantaging a younger generation of Australians who are simply priced out of the housing market.

This challenge is slowly eroding public confidence and creating intergenerational frustration, especially among young people who feel they are being actively disserved by past policy decisions and a system that no longer rewards hard work with the same security their parents enjoyed.

2. Intentional living

A shift from passive engagement to active choice, where people are living life on their terms

Intentional living is a purposeful shift from passive consumption to active creation. It’s a mindful rejection of “hustle culture,” where people make conscious choices about their time, energy, and resources. When it comes to the long-term goals people have there is a lift in the social, health and financial goals as well as simplicity of life and time spent outdoors.

People are being more selective with their relationships and investing in social currency. This trend prioritises community connection, personal well-being, and alignment with core values over societal pressures or expectations.

3. Productivity pivot

Integrating AI through workflow redesign, unlocking AI-driven productivity

The future of work is undergoing a fundamental shift, moving past the old fears of human vs. machine and into a new era defined by the productivity pivot. As artificial intelligence and powerful tools like ChatGPT become commonplace, the focus for both businesses and employees is no longer on if AI will impact their jobs, but how to effectively integrate it. This has raised the skills floor for everyone, creating a new imperative to redesign workflows and retrain the workforce.

71% of workers are integrating AI into their workflow in some capacity. But not all workers are integrating AI into their workflows, Gen X are twice as likely as Gen Y and Gen Z to not currently use AI in their work. The Gen Y cohort is leading the redesign of workflows, they’re now well into their careers and have become experienced workers and managers. They’re closely followed by the digital natives Gen Z who are also redesigning workflows.

The two big benefits of AI integrated workflows is the improvement in productivity and efficiency, as well as the improved quality of work. As AI becomes more embedded into workflows it’s more than just a mindset shift from seeing AI as threat to a tool. 2026 will be a time to train your people to review and redo workflows, and the best place to go to start is where there’s repetitive elements in your current workflows.

4. Personality premium

Amidst declining trust, consumers are looking for unique and relatable brand personalities to engage with

In an era marked by declining institutional trust, consumers are turning away from faceless corporations and placing their trust in individuals. As society becomes more sceptical of traditional institutions, be it government, media, or large companies, people seek genuine connection and authenticity from the people behind the products and services. This has given rise to a new marketing paradigm where a brand’s most valuable asset is its relatable, authentic, human element.

As society becomes more sceptical of traditional institutions, be it government, media, or large companies, people are seeking genuine connection and authenticity from the people behind the products and services.

5. Hope under strain

Cultivating agency in an uncertain world

The pressures of rising cost of living, geopolitical volatility and polarisation is taking a toll on global wellbeing. The current outlook for Australia is marked by declining optimism, a reflection of the external threats and challenges many face. While 64% of Australians remain optimistic about the country’s future in three years, this has declined from 72% in 2021.

Across society, uncertainty is rising and people are responding by building personal resilience and agency. It’s a shift from passive coping to proactive action, where individuals actively cultivate hope. By focusing on what they can control, their well-being, skills, and values, they empower themselves to navigate a complex environment, reducing reliance on external institutions.

Article supplied with thanks to McCrindle.

About the Author: McCrindle are a team of researchers and communications specialists who discover insights, and tell the story of Australians – what we do, and who we are.

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Are we getting more Christians in the West? Or less? Is there a quiet revival? Or is that just noisy hope?

For every set of stats such as the Bible Society UK’s Quiet Revival report, there is a pooh-poohing naysayer who says that it’s all smoke and mirrors. And it’s hard to argue with the census data over the past twenty years.

Australian data shows that in the past two censuses an extra 900,000 people ticked “No Religion” each time. What’s the bet that that occurs again in 2026 with the next census?

But something is going on. We’re seeing a definite Christianity vibe shift. It’s clear that the public conversation around Christianity has increased hugely in the past few years. The algorithm doesn’t lie:

Whether at the intellectual level, with the likes of Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tom Holland; the popular cultural level with the likes of Nick Cave and Joe Rogan, or the baldly theological conversation level – with the likes of spokespeople such as Justin Brierley and Wes Huff, the conversation is ramping up. So perhaps not a revival, but signs of spring. Or as Brierley would say, a returning tide.

And of course there are the anecdotes. If I had a fiver for every pastor or ministry leader who tells me that – contrary to any experience in the past – young people, especially young men, are turning up “cold” at church to ask questions about faith and baptism, then I’d race down to the Nike store and buy me a couple of pairs of those expensive carbon-plated racing shoes.

Put it this way, the stats may be still saying that religion is in decline, that there are less Christians. But what is becoming clear is that those who are Christians are more Christian! We’re not necessarily experiencing “more Christians”, but we are certainly experiencing a phenomenon of those who are either staying Christian, or indeed becoming Christian, being “more Christian”. They’re signing up for all of the add-ons.

They know there are few kudos from the world for holding Christian views, so they are coming to the faith with eyes wide open. They’re past caring whether they may get cancelled by people whose own lives are so despairing and whose opinions are so random, that they cannot be taken seriously. So there is a definite surge in interest right at the very time many were predicting the Christian branches to die off and wither completely.

Which kinda makes sense. Pope Benedict said of the church, “Pruned, it grows”. Perhaps what we have seen has been as much a work of God as anything else. Honestly? I want heterodox churches to die. I don’t want them hanging around like vultures seeking out the pickings. I also don’t want lost young people turning up at such churches and being made twice the sons of hell that they were from these cultural pharisees.

We knew that the pruning idea is a theological reality well before Benedict ever said it, but I believe we are seeing that now in a major way. The falling away was a necessary falling away. In fact what we have experienced the past couple of decades is John the Apostle’s assertions writ large and wide:

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. (1John 2:18-19)

The collapse of nominalism in the West can, at some level, be linked to the ” going out” – the drift from a robust orthodox faith, that was experienced in the West. Not to say that dead orthodoxy doesn’t kill either, but not in this most recent decline. The terminal collapse of a modernist, progressive Christianity antithetical to orthodox beliefs and practices is antichrist in all of the ways that the Apostle John speaks of. And it shows that “Less Christian” is merely a stepping stone to “Not Christian at all”. At least not in any way that the Bible would describe.

But then again when the Bible is no longer authoritative in your Christian community, then it won’t be long before it isn’t a community of Christians. It won’t be long before it is a community of activists whose gospel seems, conveniently and suspiciously, to line up with whatever agenda is on the progressive “to-do” list this decade.

Don’t think, however, that progressives are re-examining their beliefs and saying “You know, maybe we got this wrong!” Not on your life! Such types tend to double down and see orthodox beliefs as the enemy of progress. They are withering and dying. They aren’t even robust to be pruned. They’re just dropping off.

But that’s no great loss. In fact the census data, including here in Australia, is proof that we are experiencing a reduction in the “More Christian” category, but simply a collapse of non-attending, non-observing nominalism.

Once it was easy to put a pencil strike through the religion of choice that you never engaged with. Now it’s just as simple to put an online “tick” on the “No Religion” option.

The fact that 1.8million Australians ticked the “No Religion” box in the last two censuses, is simply an acknowledgement of this nominal decline. Whoever they were, they weren’t you! You weren’t coming to census night after a particularly bad Kids’ Church experience on Sunday when one of the mums had a go at your pedagogy, and saying “Right, that’s it! I’m done with Jesus!”

By and large the young men seeking faith (and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that young men are turning up unannounced at churches), are not seeking it in places that have deconstructed. Or in other words, apostatised. I’ve said it often, but no one is committing to churches that seem no different to what is on offer in the world. Why get out of bed on a cold Sunday for that?

So we may not be seeing “more Christians”, but we are definitely seeing that those seeking Christianity, are seeking the “More Christian” version of it. Or as James Marriott calls it in The Times article he wrote this past weekend, Full-Fat Faith. None of this skimmed milk version. And spare me the oat “milk” or almond “milk”. Or in US terms, give me the full 3.25 % stuff, none of this aenemic 2 per cent.

Marriott, an agnostic himself, makes this observation:

The pseudo-rebellious anti-Christian pose once common in the mainstream media makes little sense to younger people. “You don’t feel the need to rebel against it because it’s not hegemonic in the first place,” says Esmé Partridge, 25, a writer and recent convert. If you’re young, the establishment is obviously secular. Nowadays, it is precisely Christianity’s marginal status that lends it glamour and charisma, comparable perhaps to the appeal of exotic-seeming eastern religions in the 1960s. Bizarre as it may seem to older readers, “trad” Catholicism, with its mantillas, rosaries and the Latin Mass, has been a feature of New York’s edgier-than-thou hipster scene for so long it is now almost a cliché.

Which is all just hunky dory. Except of course, with this caveat: When we live in a culture in which to be on the edges is to be the “cool kids” then we might just find out that when “cool” shifts again, people will leave again in droves.

Yet my experience in talking to pastors is that no one is coming because of the “cool” factor. They’re coming primarily because of the other critical observation that Marriott makes:

Meanwhile, the traditional consolations of a well-lived secular life are weakening. Romance, friendship, family and materialism figure less prominently as sources of meaning in the lives of a generation that is poorer, lonelier, less sexually active, less sociable and less likely to start a family. And in the age of the smartphone, inane short-form videos and social media doom-scrolling are undoubtedly addictively entertaining but not very profound or spiritually nourishing.

The meaning and purpose bucket has been emptied by the shallowness of the modern immanent frame. It’s as if living life only for yourself and for your immediate pleasures and fulfilment – the expressive individualism we all speak of – isn’t the way life is intended to be lived. Fancy that!

Now this is not to say that many young people reject the traditional Christian faith because of its robust and angular (in their eyes) perspectives on sexual relationships. There are many young people seeking out Tarot, Psychic readings etc, which all offer you a sense of control over your world with any pesky ethical commitments. But there’s no “full-fat” in any of that stuff. It will exhaust itself eventually. I am confident of that.

So are there “more Christians” That much can be, and is being, disputed. But are those who are becoming Christian – especially the younger crowd – “more Christian”? That much seems to be clear. Let’s see where it goes.

Article supplied with thanks to Stephen McAlpine

About the Author: Stephen has been reading, writing and reflecting ever since he can remember. A former church pastor, he now trains church and ministry leaders, and in his writing dabbles in a number of fields, notably theology and culture.

Feature image: Canva

As the world of work rapidly evolves, forward-thinking leaders are turning their attention to one of the most powerful forces shaping organisational performance: the intergenerational workforce.

Today’s teams are more diverse in age than ever before, bringing together the experiences, expectations and energy of five generations. This mix presents both opportunities and complexities, particularly for leaders seeking to build resilient, future-ready organisations.

A Changing Workforce Landscape

The workforce is set to undergo significant changes over the next decade. Generation Z is on track to make up 34% of the Australian workforce by 2034, with Generation Alpha entering the workforce around the same time. In fact, by 2034, Generation Z and Alpha will comprise half of the workforce.

This demographic transition is not simply about age. It reflects deep changes in values, work expectations and communication styles. Older generations often bring stability, experience and a long-term perspective, while younger generations bring digital fluency, adaptability and a hunger for purpose. The key challenge for leaders is not viewing this diversity as a problem to be solved but a tension to be managed, alongside learning how to unlock it and use it as a strategic advantage.

With this change will come interesting intergenerational dynamics. Across the generations there are different approaches to the various aspects of work. When it comes to leadership, Baby Boomers respond to traditional, authoritative leaders who provide clear directives and demonstrate integrity. Gen X values autonomy, appreciating approachable leaders who offer guidance while promoting individual ownership. Generation Y, juggling competing priorities, seeks clear communication and work-life balance. Generation Z thrives under coaching or mentoring styles, valuing approachable and transparent leaders who support professional growth.

In terms of communication preferences, all generations prefer face-to-face meetings. The difference, however, is in the strength of this preference across the generations. Among Baby Boomers, almost nine in ten (87%) prefer face-to-face meetings compared to 59% of Gen Z. Younger generations, however, are more likely to prefer online chat messages with 40% of Gen Y, and 35% of Gen Z preferring this method, compared to 26% of Gen X and 11% of Baby Boomers.

Harnessing The Power of Diversity

Diversity, when not intentionally harnessed, can become a source of division, particularly when people are approaching problems from different angles without shared understanding. But when teams are aligned around a common purpose and facing the same challenge side by side, the true power of generational and cognitive diversity is unlocked. In this posture, differences in perspective become strengths rather than stumbling blocks. Leaders who create clarity around the “why” and foster mutual respect across age groups enable their teams to collaborate more effectively, think more creatively and solve problems more holistically. It’s not about everyone thinking the same, it’s about everyone thinking together.

Work As A Means To Create A Life You Want

Beyond earning an income, work is often used as a tool for individuals to craft a life tailored to personal purpose and fulfilment. Almost four in five workers (78%) believe their work serves as a means for crafting the life they want, rather than believing work is an opportunity to use their expertise to positively impact the world (22%).

Gen Z (80%) and Gen Y (80%) are slightly more likely to believe work serves to craft the life they want than Gen X (76%) and Baby Boomers (73%), who are slightly more focused on impacts.

Gen Z Are Looking For Regular Feedback

All generations thrive at work when they receive regular and constructive feedback. Yet, there are differences in how communication is best received by each generation. More than half of Gen Z (54%) would prefer praise at least a couple of times a week compared to 28% of Gen X. While this amount of praise may sound like a lot, Gen Z are looking for constructive feedback in equal measure.

With more generations contributing to the workforce, working in a cohesive generational team will be paramount for success. Given Gen Zs preference for frequent feedback, it is unsurprising that Gen Z are 1.5 times more likely to see feedback delivery (35% compared to 24% Gen X) and 1.4 times more likely to see feedback frequency as challenges of an intergenerational team (26% compared to 19% Gen X).

Alongside feedback from their leaders, Gen Z prioritise a safe space to share ideas (48%) and collaboration (48%) more so than their older counterparts. Generation Z thrives under coaching or mentoring styles, valuing approachable and transparent leaders who support professional growth. Ultimately they’re looking for leaders who value them and create a fun working environment. Fun in the workplace may seem like a nice-to-have but is increasingly becoming a non-negotiable. It is not enough to just have a compelling vision, accessibility and strong remuneration, people want to enjoy coming to work to bring about lasting impacts.

Generational Intelligence: A Strategic Leadership Capability

To lead effectively across generations, leaders need to develop generational intelligence – that is, the ability to understand, value and respond to generational differences in the workplace. This goes beyond flexible policies or communication adjustments. It is about creating a culture where everyone, regardless of age, feels respected, heard and able to contribute meaningfully.

For example, Baby Boomers tend to respond to leadership grounded in integrity and experience. Generation X often values autonomy and trust. Gen Y seeks balance, feedback and authenticity, while Gen Z craves transparency, mentorship and personal development. Leadership sets the tone for any organisation. Therefore, leaders who recognise and adapt to these preferences can unlock higher engagement and performance across the board.

Measuring and Improving Cultural Health

It is culture, not goals, that sets teams apart and, therefore, needs to be on the radar of leaders. Culture is the personality and values of an organisation that dictate how things are done and determines the overall organisational health. Culture is integral to achieving organisational goals and attracting and retaining talent of all generations.

Recognising the integral role culture plays for organisation health, McCrindle developed the Cultural Health Index (CHI), a cultural analysis framework comprising seven domains, to help leaders create thriving workplace communities with culture at the centre.

By collecting team-wide insights and benchmarking them against national norms, leaders can gain a clearer picture of where cultural strengths and gaps exist. Insight into these domains, particularly from a generational perspective, can help shape engagement and retention strategies that hit the mark. If leaders are not investing in culture for the health of the organisation today, then they must invest in it for the future of the organisation and its ability to attract talent from emerging generations.

Culture As The Anchor For Retention

Culture is no longer a soft metric. It is a strategic asset, and in many cases, a competitive advantage. A strong workplace culture is one of the most effective retention strategies an organisation can have. When people feel connected to their team, valued by their leaders and aligned with the organisation’s purpose, they are far less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. This stability is not only good for morale, it is good for business. High retention reduces recruitment and onboarding costs, preserves institutional knowledge and builds momentum toward long-term goals. A flourishing, cohesive team creates a sense of continuity and confidence that drives performance. In a competitive talent market, culture is no longer just an HR initiative, it is a leadership imperative.

McCrindle’s Cultural Health Index found that the strength of cultural health is positively correlated with retention. More than three quarters of workers (77%) at organisations with excellent cultural health (score of 90+) intend to remain with their organisation for the next 12 months. Comparatively, 66% of workers at organisations with poor cultural health (<10) intend to look for a new job in the next 12 months. The tipping point occurs around organisations with low cultural health, where workers are almost equally likely to look for a new role as they are to stay.

Practical Strategies For Leaders

To build high-performing, intergenerational teams, consider these strategic approaches:

1. Develop Generational Intelligence across leadership teams
   Provide executive and middle managers with training and tools to better understand generational motivators, behaviours and communication styles. Make this a core leadership capability.
2. Use data to inform culture strategy
   Employ tools like the Cultural Health Index to gain real-time feedback from employees. Use these insights to guide investment in leadership, communication and employee experience programs.
3. Establish cross-generational mentoring
   Pair emerging leaders with experienced professionals to facilitate knowledge transfer and build mutual respect. This supports succession planning for the intergenerational knowledge transfer while fostering collaboration.
4. Invest in multi-channel communication
   Different generations prefer different communication styles. Provide a mix of in-person briefings, digital platforms and collaborative tools to ensure key messages are consistently understood.
5. Promote shared purpose across the organisation
   Unite teams through a strong organisational purpose that resonates across generations. Reinforce how each role contributes to larger outcomes, particularly those that create positive social change.
6. Create tailored growth pathways
   Offer diverse development options that cater to different career stages and aspirations. Younger employees often seek clear progression and feedback, while older employees may value mentoring or legacy-building opportunities.
7. Celebrate generational strengths
   Design recognition programs that acknowledge a wide range of contributions, from digital innovation to long-term service and mentoring. Reinforcing the value of all contributions builds cohesion and respect.

Leading for The Future

In a world where the pace of change is accelerating, building culturally healthy, intergenerational teams is no longer optional, it is essential. The future belongs to organisations that can blend experience with innovation, tradition with transformation, and structure with agility.

Leaders who invest in understanding and responding to generational dynamics will be better positioned to drive engagement, attract top talent and build adaptable, high-performing cultures. Tomorrow’s teams will not be built by accident. They will be shaped by leaders who are curious, courageous and committed to creating workplaces where every generation thrives.

Article supplied with thanks to McCrindle.

About the Author: McCrindle are a team of researchers and communications specialists who discover insights, and tell the story of Australians – what we do, and who we are.

Feature image: Canva

In a rapidly evolving world, the ability to shape and adapt the educational environment is crucial for educators, parents, and students alike.

With changing demographics, technological advancements, and the drive for academics as well as personal development, the future of education holds both exciting opportunities and complex challenges. Here’s how we can prepare for a reimagined education system by 2035.

Education is pivoting to keep pace with changing students, evolving parental expectations, and a fluctuating operational climate. Recognising that the future is not a predetermined endpoint but an opportunity for transformative action, can empower educational leaders to proactively shape this dynamic landscape.

Balancing a Focus on Wellbeing and Academics

As societal focus on mental health deepens, educational institutions are striving to find a balance between supporting student wellbeing and maintaining academic rigor. We found that 75% of educators have noticed increased tension between these two priorities over the past five years. Addressing classroom management challenges and discipline disparities are vital steps toward achieving this balance.

Insights from parents, students and educators suggest differing attitudes towards discipline. Around half of parents and educators believe their school has a healthy approach to discipline. Students are a little lower at 39%. Students, however, are more likely than parents and educators to believe their school is much/somewhat too strict with discipline.

A quarter of educators believe the school is much/somewhat too relaxed with discipline, making them the largest stakeholder to hold this perspective. When the data is cut by government and non-government school educators, government school educators (29%) lean towards feeling their school is too lenient compared to their non-government peers (19%). Good classroom management remains essential for facilitating learning and creating an optimal academic environment.

Increasing Academic Focus in a Wellbeing Era

Building upon the topic of discipline and classroom management, is a renewed focus on academic development among school communities.

The majority of parents (70%) , students (68%) and educators (65%) believe it is more important to teach for the academic development of the student, compared to around 30% who believe it is more important to focus on the holistic development of the student.

This is a shift from 2023 when just 34% of teachers believed it was more important to teach for the academic development of students, and 66% prioritised the holistic development.

While there is still a desire to support student wellbeing and help them navigate their mental health, it seems that the focus on academics has declined too much, and that there is a shift among school communities to bring the academic aspect of education back into focus.

Learning in the digital age

As technology becomes increasingly integral to education, the need for strategic implementation is paramount. The digital revolution, spearheaded by tools like generative AI, presents both opportunities and challenges. While these technologies can aid learning, it’s crucial to ensure they supplement rather than replace human-driven educational experiences. A balanced approach that fosters critical thinking remains essential.

Despite general optimism about technology’s effective use in education, there is simultaneously a concern over its potentially excessive role. The priority is to find the right balance and ensure that technology aids without overwhelming the teaching process.

There’s no doubt that AI is playing a part in the classroom. And despite the majority of parents, students and educators agreeing that there is too much focus on teaching aided by technology, parents and students shared with us that a key opportunity they see is the personalisation of the learning experience through AI. Educators also agreed that it could help identify and address learning gaps.

Reclaiming Community Through Education

Interestingly, the increasing influence of technology and individualised digital learning can inadvertently weaken communal bonds. Educators, parents, and students alike recognise the inherent value in shared experiences and real-world interactions. Upholding these connections is vital as we look to the future, with many advocating for measures like banning smartphones in schools to foster physical community and collective learning.

Transition to Online Learning: Opportunities and Considerations

The flexibility of online learning has gained significant traction, with numerous educators, students, and parents open to virtual schooling. However, blending online platforms with in-person interactions is critical to preparing students for real-world engagements and careers.

When it comes to online schooling, we found that nine in ten educators (90%) and students (89%) are open to it (extremely/very/somewhat/slightly open), compared to 77% of parents.

While online schooling may present benefits, there are also trade-offs to consider. Stakeholders noted benefits such as greater focus and flexibility, to challenges such as less socialisation and too much screen time.

The Importance of Lifelong Learning

The modern career landscape demands adaptability, with shorter degree relevancy and career volatility becoming the norm. Thriving in this future requires critical thinking, adaptability, and the ability to seamlessly integrate information into actionable insights. Prioritising these skills will support students as they embark on ever-changing, dynamic career paths.

Key Considerations for Educational Leaders

As leaders navigate the education landscape towards 2035, the agency lies in the hands of educational leaders. Here are some ways leaders can respond.

• Develop a robust parent engagement strategy: This is crucial for building trust and cooperation, which enhances the learning environment.
• Foster a safe and resilient environment: A supportive atmosphere encourages students to grow, take risks, and learn effectively.
• Approach AI with optimism and caution: Integrating AI should enhance learning experiences without undermining the human elements crucial to education.

By embracing change with optimism and wisdom, we can drive a future where technology, academic excellence, and human connection coexist to foster generations of critical thinkers and lifelong learners.

Article supplied with thanks to McCrindle.

About the Author: McCrindle are a team of researchers and communications specialists who discover insights, and tell the story of Australians – what we do, and who we are.

Feature image: Canva