Transcend x Halcyon Recap: AI, Agency, and the Future of School

As we continue to navigate a rapidly changing world of AI, the pace of innovation often feels like it’s outrunning our ability to fully understand its implications. What once felt like a distant possibility is now embedded in our daily lives, reshaping how we learn, communicate, and make decisions—especially within the classroom. In this shifting landscape, the challenge is not only to keep up with the technology, but to think critically about how we—and our students—choose to use it.

On Monday, 20 April, Halcyon teamed up with co-author of The Disengaged Teen, Jenny Anderson and Jeff Wetzler of the education non-profit, Transcend for a two-part event focused on students in this shifting AI landscape. 

The two-part event began with a design sprint hosted by Halcyon, welcoming more than 20 school leaders from across London. The meeting was built around the question: If you were designing a school from scratch for 2036, what would you keep and what would you scrap? School leaders and a few Halcyon students looked at data on student learning and wellbeing, examined the inadequacy of how schools are currently structured, and tried to imagine something better.

Most notably, Wetzler, author of the book Ask, posed a question to the students in the room: “In your opinion, what should school look like?” Students expressed the importance of having greater agency over their learning; the more involved they are in decision-making, the more invested they become in their education. At Halcyon, this principle is foundational to our model. For example, Halcyon’s annual Model United Nations (UN) conference which is entirely planned and run by students, and the Grade 10 English/Drama Shakespeare performance is fully student-directed and performed.

Grade 8 student Sasha, reflecting on the future of school, emphasised the importance of “receiving an engaging education that makes students curious to learn more.” Her comments aligned with her peers, who highlighted the importance of understanding why they are learning what they’re learning, so they can apply their teachings meaningfully in their own lives. This perspective closely reflects the core of the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, which prioritises connections between academics and the real world, preparing young people for success in further education and beyond. 

Bringing together leaders from a diverse group of schools there was a clear consensus that emerged: the future of education must be grounded in relationships and genuine human connection.

After an engaging afternoon of roundtable discussions, the evening transitioned into a fireside chat featuring Wetzler, Anderson, and moderator Jeff Lippman. A key highlight was Anderson’s introduction of the Four Modes of Learning from her latest book, The Disengaged Teen. She outlined the four modes in which students turn up in their learning—Passenger, Resister, Achiever, and Explorer. 

In the different modes of learning, Explorer represents the pinnacle of the “engagement mountain.” Per Anderson, this is “where curiosity meets drive, where persistence builds resilience.” In short, it is where we want students to spend much of their time while learning.

But, as for why it's especially important for students to reach Explorer mode in the age of AI? Anderson argues that AI can perform many of the tasks associated with Achiever mode—those focused on results-oriented success. What differentiates Explorer learners from Achiever-level learners and beyond, is agency: “the ability to set a meaningful goal for yourself and marshall the skills and will to meet it.” While AI can support student learning in many ways, it cannot generate or replicate a student’s internal drive to succeed.

As a parent himself, Wetzler addressed the role of parents in the equation, and how they can lead by example as Explorer learners. He asks, “what would it look like to learn something new? Trying something different, trying something on, failing, and celebrating that together?” This kind of modelling, he suggests, may be just as impactful as anything parents verbally encourage their children to do when it comes to learning.

While AI will undoubtedly continue to transform education, the most meaningful learning remains grounded in student agency, purpose, and connection. Conversations like these serve as an important reminder that the future of education is not just being shaped by technology, but by the voices and experiences of the students at its centre.