Course Modules

Course Modules - what to do and when to do it

-- a university of arizona course on methods and approaches for studying the future

This is a guide for taking this course on your own. The five modules approximate a semester class (those in class use this same guide) - about 2-4 weeks for each section (the spaces between listings on the activity links (right side) roughly indicate weekly intervals for my regular class). Break it into more periods if you like, or just take shorter or longer for each period to fit your own schedule. The activity links take you into specific sections of the course for learning or reviewing. Not everything in the course is listed, so do a little exploring on your own. You can just look around or use the 'search' facility. In general, the course is weighted for heavy internet exploring and learning in the beginning and heavy Caucus discussion use at the end.

Study Periods and Topics	Activity Links
1. Getting Your Bearings • Introduction to course • Overview of Futures Studies • Learning about the last 25 years • Selected tours and tutorials • History, change, and foresight • Develop your image of future (Caucus) • Define Caucus discussion topics	Tutorial 1: Futures in a nutshell Tour 1: Tour of this class Examples of images of future Seminar 1: Selected book reviews Futures glossary Looking back 25 years Change History Futures Overview A few books Possible discussion topics for Caucus Description of a Good Futurist Study Questions Course Review
*2. Exploring and Learning from Others* • Explore subjects widely • Look at futurist around the world • Look at futurist organizations • Look at futures web sites • Read selected futurists • Begin interactions with guest faculty	Tour 2: Selected Futures Web Sites Tour 3. Futures Readings Seminar 3. Futures Literature Review Workshops and Courses (if interested) Look at Futures Organizations Look at Futurist's Viewpoints Look at Instructor's Viewpoints Expeditions 1-3 General references Subject/topic references Trends/graphics examples Lists of futures links by others Seminar 2: Futures Techniques Study Questions Course Review
*3. Techniques and Putting it all Together.* • Learn futures techniques • Libraries • Learn about big picture and paradigms • Learn about driving forces and trends • Review and build scenarios • Systems thinking/strategic planning • Critical thinking/ignorance • Understand foresight • Visions and values • Begin paper on 'future of your career'	Tutorial 2: Building Scenarios Tutorial 3: Making Your Own Futures Study Paradigms Driving Forces Trends Foresight Look at the Big Picture Critical Thinking Systems Thinking Strategic Planning Ignorance Visions and values Libraries Careers Rewrite image in 2025 and post in peer reveiw caucus Begin paper on future of your career (post in caucus when complete) Study Questions Course Review
*4. Keeping Your Eye on the Future* • Face-to-face meetings • Learn about the next 25 years • Knowing what you don't' know • Best practices as guide to future • Reading a few good books • Understanding foresight • Continue work on paper and with teams	Seminar 4: Face-to-face meetings Tour 4: Distributed Learning Sites Foresight Best practices Looking forward 25 years Reviewing a few good books Study Questions Course Review
*5. Review and Summary* • Course review • Futures overview • Defining a good futurist • Course summary • Study questions • Course evaluation/feedback	Futures Overview (again) Big Picture (again) My Viewpoints (again) Course Summary Becoming a good futurist Take the "Shortcourse" - A review of futures studies Prepare a 30 minute talk on fhe future (see a sample) Paper on future of your career (instructions) Open discussion and questions (Caucus and class) Revise image for 2025 following peer reviews Evaluation (done via email with a third party summarizing them) Study Questions Course Review

Return to "Anticipating the Future" course home page
Prepared by Roger L. Caldwell