Why On Deck is the Future of Education

In my opinion, there are a few striking parallels between our current agricultural system and our current educational system; both are based on age-old fundamentally flawed structures. Our modern day systemic issues in both, could be solved by Regenerative Farming in the former, and what I’d like to call Regenerative Learning, in the latter. Let me first discuss the analogies in the two systems. Then I’ll elaborate on what is meant by Regenerative Learning and how On Deck is the perfect embodiment of this concept.

Fundamental flaws

Throughout history, agricultural revolutions have always led to significant spurts of human productivity. The foundations for modern-day “conventional” farming stem from 10,000 BC, when the first hunter gatherers settled down and started domesticating and specializing certain crops. Ever since, we have continued to innovate our agricultural practices based on these two fundamental beliefs; specialization and domestication. We erode and exhaust the soil, genetically modify and chemically fertilize to ensure that we can cheaply mass produce food, at all cost.

We have created crops that destroy our ecological environment, that don’t adapt to ever-changing natural circumstances, and that lose their unique idiosyncrasies (and flavors!). We have innovated, but on the wrong fundamentals. Similarly, our ancient educational institutions are destructive to our desired (meritocratic learning) environment. They are unfit to adapt to continuously changing workforce demands, and the systems are organized to conform students, to erode individual creativity and to mainstream personalities.

In the end, conventional farms and colleges alike are stuck in a negative cycle, one that produces crops/graduates that the modern day consumer/company does not want to eat/hire and fundamental innovation is long due.

Regenerative learning

Just like with Regenerative Farming, Regenerative Learning promotes adaptability, diversity and cross-pollination. There’s a lean central structure, that is (human) nature-reinforcing, transparent, data-driven and meritocratic. This central system:

• Creates a diverse environment that enhances the cross-pollination of ideas (like having many different crops)
• Captures different types of value and ensures that it flows back into system (like bio-sequestration)
• Obtains resources and ensures the optimal flow of these resources (like water cycle improvement)
• Introduces specialists into the ecosystem to add new knowledge (like introducing new flora/fauna to the ecosystem)
• Keeps a close pulse on market demand and adapts easily to meet it; closing down curriculums when graduates can’t find jobs, and starting up new courses as it notes a rise in demand

A limitless garden

The vision for On Deck is the manifestation of this Regenerative Learning concept. On Deck is like a garden for knowledge and learning that, thanks to its virtual nature has no physical bounds and is therefore unlimited in its growth, inclusion and opportunity. This self-reinforcing learning cosmos, filled with ambitious and growth-minded people, is the answer to our archaic education system. Using software to scale the way knowledge is shared, and creating a global community around these knowledge networks is the future of education. I believe On Deck will reshape the way we think about education and they are creating an infrastructure that will accelerate human progress beyond imagination.