The role of adventure in the advanced-tech future of education
- Josh Bulpin
- Apr 9
- 9 min read
Updated: Apr 16
I’m often pondering the role of adventure in supporting the readiness of young people for the world we are in now, and the unknown world of their future. Thank goodness, it’s my chosen vocation!
An interesting conversation between Natalie Monbiot (strategist and pioneer in AI) & Sinead Bovell (Futurist) about AI and the future of education has provided some excellent food for thought, and has inspired me to put some words down around the crucial role of adventurous learning for young people as part of their human journey in this space. If this interests you, I’d love you to read on, and let me know your thoughts.
If you’re interested in listening to/watching the conversation, here’s the link:
What I understand from this conversation (as someone NOT involved closely with AI) is that (with awareness of some potentially harmful outcomes, and successful thought and planning around those), if higher level educational planners and providers (departments for education etc) effectively implement a root and branch systemic overhaul of education, focused on enabling the appropriate strengths of AI to provide meaningful student-led, actively differentiated learning that meets the needs of the individual student, this has the potential to be a significant positive for the formal education experience of so many students. No longer a one-size-fits-all approach, but one that is directed by student interest and is inherently agile, responsive and intuitive. While it’s clear from the discussion that we're far from that at the moment, with teachers largely being tasked with implementing reactive procedures around the perceived risks of AI (on top of all the other demands of their role), and often without sufficient support, there is hope and seemingly deliberate focus on developing a considered approach in the future.
What I have also taken from this discussion, and our real-time canvassing work with students and teachers we work with, is that if and when a version of the above is in place, this will greatly increase the individual student's connection and interaction with advanced technology, something that is already an ever-present part of young people’s reality. Without careful thought, increasing this connection could potentially harm the opportunity for the development of deeply human skills through real-time personal and shared human experience. What's meant by Deeply Human Skills? Think critical thinking, curiosity, imagination, collaboration, conflict resolution, empathy, intuition and compassion to name a few. Sinead Bovell argues in the discussion above that in this world, one ever more involved with advanced technology in all its forms, these deeply human skills become increasingly vital in preparing students (and ourselves for that matter) for whatever journey the next technological adventure takes us on.
And that's where we come in.
Not to fight technology, that would be futile, and not to be AI experts, that would be a distraction. Not to try and take young people back to a time before it all - that's impossible and makes me feel that sick feeling when people older than me used to utter those words "back in my day". The future, whatever it looks like, belongs to those who live with advanced technology as an intrinsic part of existence. It belongs to the young people who will design the tech that’s coming. In truth, as it has always been, no-one really knows what that future will look like. But, until it doesn't, that future involves humans, and I’m convinced that humans as conscious, emotive, social beings will always need opportunities to develop deeply human skills learned through authentic connection with themselves, meaningful connections with other human beings, and an active awareness and connection with their place as part of a natural world. After all, it is the humanity of the future advanced-tech designers and users that will shape the journey ahead.
In the conversation above Sinead and Natalie discuss the role of educators in the age of advanced-tech led education. I agree in their assertion that teachers and schools are well-placed to facilitate the development of deeply human skills, and I’m also passionate about the growing need for students to access this crucial part of their human journey away from the classroom and away from their day-to-day life bubble. Anecdotal conversations with teachers in this space suggest it's vital for them too!
For me the most powerful vehicle for students accessing effective development and the associated outcomes in this space, is adventure.
Why?
Short answer below. I could write a pretty thick book on the topic, but hopefully this brief summary of a few key points paints an initial outline.
In the discussion, Sinead argues it’s crucial that systems designed to support the future readiness of young people centre on human experience, and on the confidence to utilise deeply human skills. By necessity, adventurous experiences for young people exist in a space entirely separate from the structures, routines and landscape they move through on a daily basis. They’re an experience that doesn’t “teach” human skills but require/ inspire /provoke /challenge and support their use and development through the experiential nature of the adventure at hand. They can (but don’t have to) provide an opportunity (not always easy) to completely step away from tech for a while, and live only in the world of present human and natural interaction.
In their conversation, the two futurists are aligned in suggesting that one deeply human skill, critical thinking, is crucial in supporting the choices we make around technology, enabling us to consider how we interact with it and shape it through the lens of independent thought and morality, beyond the knowledge constructs of Artificial Intelligence. Below I’ve offered some brief examples of how the development of critical thinking, and other deeply human skills shows up on adventure.
When students embark on adventurous school trips they’re tasked with working as teams (not solely in partnership with a chat-bot/imaginary friend). They are removed for a short time from technology as a source of “answers” and challenged to consider a large number of decisions based on a plethora of information, such as: where to camp, how to cook, how to stay safe in the environment they find themselves in, what is in fact appropriate when it comes to movig through, and contributing in some way to the people and places they explore. They have access to information, physical and human, and they are actively engaged in critically assessing situations together with their peers, stretching their intuition muscles and making decisions/ taking actions based on their critical analysis. Often there isn’t one right solution on adventure, there are many, and the opportunity to engage in these situations and experience the concept of exploration, both physical and metaphorical grows capacity in this space. Personal learning is drawn out through a mix of skilled facilitation and active reflection and analysis (teachers/eductors). Participants consider how they felt about a decision or experience and what they might do if faced with a similar situation again, not only from a knowledge standpoint, but through the lens of holistic human experience.
Critical thinking is one human skill. Let’s take another, collaboration. Student adventure teams often include their peers (some known, some unknown), their teachers from school (not always known to them), their adventure leaders, and more often than not, local providers with specialist areas of expertise. Scenarios requiring the critical skills attributed to effective collaboration are not contrived in adventure, they exist in the reality of the experience. Effectively hearing all team members involved in making decisions that will affect the team (e.g where to camp), questioning local experts to discover the information they require for that element of their adventure (e.g working with local conservationsists to understand the WHY and HOW behind their voluntary contributions ), understanding the strengths of each team member and how to work with them to support the team experience; these are all examples of effective collaboration that support both individual and group experience and outcomes.
Being part of an adventure team, living cheek-to-cheek with your tent mates, living without most of daily life’s trappings (normal structure and routine, family, technology, fashion, social norms) fosters deep empathy and compassion, for ourselves, for others, and for the environment we adventure in. Part of adventure is often difficult. Anyone involved in teamwork facilitation is aware of the forming, storming and norming journey of all teams, and the nakedness and innate egalitarianism of adventure exposes groups to very real opportunities to explore human emotion and truth, and learn how to resolve conflict. Learning how to truly hear someone else’s experience, really get to know your own and how to care for that, as well as care for the environment that holds you builds empathy and compassion like nothing else.
Finally on this short list of deeply human skills fostered through adventure is the one that Sinead so passionately advocates for: confidence.
All of the above require active engagement from students in owning their experience. And by challenging themselves in this way, supporting themselves and their peers through adventurous activity and the implicit development of the above skills and more, they sow strong seeds of innate confidence among themselves. Confidence in their humanity, confidence in their capacity, and confidence in their worth.
It should also be said that adventure is also a whole heap of fun! With a lot of opportunity for unstructured play, students build and consolidate these crucial human skills simply through mucking around with their peers.
Most of the above is encapsulated by this thought from Ann, who adventured with us in 2024:
“Spending 5 days with The Living Project team on the Discover Dartmoor Adventure was truly transformative. As a student from Brighton College, I had the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, away from everyday life, and immerse myself in the stunning, rugged beauty of Dartmoor. Exploring the wild, watching the sunset, and spending a night under the shooting stars were just parts of this unforgettable journey.
This adventure taught me invaluable lessons about gratitude, resilience, and the power of community. Volunteering with the Dartmoor National Park Authority made me appreciate the importance of preserving our natural spaces. Achieving the John Muir Discover Award was a proud moment, symbolising our collective efforts and dedication.
The bonds I formed with my peers and the guidance and support from our incredible teachers, along with the inspiring leadership of Matt and Emma have left a lasting impact on me. I’ve returned with a renewed sense of confidence, a deeper connection to nature, and a commitment to living mindfully. This experience has truly enriched my life and will stay with me forever."
And so what?
On our adventures with students and adults alike we provide journals. Throughout the adventure each participant is asked a staged journey of a minimum of three questions. The final question is always “And so what? “
With this in mind here is my So What as it stands now.
As part of a systemic approach to re-structuring educational systems through the use of advanced technology I, along with the two futurists in the conversation above, feel strongly that this requires a commitment to considering how best to ensure students are supported in their development of the deeply human skills, and the confidence required for; 1: A life as a healthy human being in a world with other human beings. 2: A life as a healthy human being that will live with, and be responsible for the advanced tech to come.
My preferred vehicle for young people building their human skill set: Real-Life Adventure.
I’m excited at the thought that by honing in on critical human skills teachers, educators and adventurists provide the opportunity for students to truly own how they interact with advanced technology and hopefully foster a desire to engage with and create ethically responsible tech in the future. Adventurous learning connects us with ourselves, others, and (not discussed in too much detail in this article), the natural world of which we are a part. At the moment however adventurous activity is a luxurious, privileged add-on in education. It's often a one-off, so sparks of curiosity, learning and commitment often fade quickly on participants return to "normal".
With this in mind I would love to see a commitment to building adventurous activity more deliberately and more intrinsically into a holistic educational approach. One that commits to utilising adventurous activity (which can happen in a local park over the space of a morning, as well as on an epic adventure somewhere "out there") to grow and practise these skills throughout young people's learning journey - enabling them to be flexed and utilised as sub-consciously as their interactions with the super-computers they hold in their hands.
Excitingly, as I write, the Scottish Parliament are debating the Residential Outdoor Education Bill which could see all young people in Scotland given the opportunity to experience the transformational experience of adventurous education. My fingers and toes are crossed that Scotland paves the way for the whole of the UK.
Whether that happens or not, I am confident that one result of any students engaging in adventurous activity is that the people responsible for, and the people on the end of the technological journey to come, stand a greater chance of being more inclined to make decisions for the good of society as a whole, including themselves and the natural world – the greatest teacher on any adventurous activity.
At The Living Project we’re a small part of the big mission to support future generations to thrive, but we’re a committed part, and we’ll continue to listen to students and schools in this space in order to continue to meet the changing needs of students on their human journey.
Josh, Founder - The Living Project - April 2025
If you'd like to chat more on the above, I'd love to hear from you direct on josh@theivingproject.life
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