As an ongoing endeavor, we present a set of questions along with plausible, albeit incomplete and unsatisfactory, answers. We hope this can act as a catalyst for global awareness, reflection, and thoughtfulness. Consequently, we aim to ignite ideas, encourage academic publications, stimulate meaningful actions, and thereby galvanize collective efforts in reaching a shared global educational goal.

1. Is a shared Global Educational Goal necessary? Why Global Harwell? Why now?
   (Chee-Kit Looi)

The need for a Global Educational Goal stems from the increasing interconnectedness of our world. While different jurisdictions or international organizations can and should pursue goals that respect their unique contexts, cultures and political contexts, a Global Educational Goal focused on Harwell provides a common direction and vision for all. It builds on UNESCO's work and makes explicit that harmony and wellbeing are goals that bring widespread benefit. It ensures that, despite our differences, we are all working towards a world that values harmony, wellbeing, human rights, equity, and justice.

For example, such concerns were recently raised by leaders of the International Society of the Learning Sciences: 'Can we develop partnerships, processes, and learning environments that reduce divisiveness and engender abilities to talk, work, and learn across differences? Can we design to disrupt othering and hate and to promote empathy and care?' If 'we can' is our answer to these questions, then we need a worldwide shared goal to drive collaborative thinking, exchange concerns, develop common values, and take collective and coordinated actions, bringing all our efforts together for a better world.

2. What does it mean to have or agree on a shared global educational goal?
   (Chee-Kit Looi)

Developing consensus for a global education goal means establishing a universal objective or vision for education that transcends regional, cultural, and political differences. It serves as a shared direction towards which all educational initiatives and systems can work, ensuring a collective commitment to a common outcome. This does not negate the importance of localized goals which cater to specific cultural or regional needs, but rather, provides a broader framework that encompasses and elevates these individual objectives.

In the context of Global Harwell, as articulating such a shared global educational goal signifies a worldwide agreement to prioritize harmony and wellbeing in educational practices and outcomes. This agreement implies a collective effort to integrate these values into all aspects of education, from curriculum development and teaching methods to school culture and community engagement. Ultimately, it's about fostering a generation of global citizens committed to creating a harmonious and sustainable world - indeed, future generations that might value cultural difference and intercultural understanding as foundations for global citizenship.

3. As an educational goal shared globally, are there any better alternatives to Global Harwell?
   (Tak-Wai Chan)

Currently, we are not entirely certain whether Global Harwell can serve as an overarching educational goal shared worldwide. There may be better alternatives, and we are actively searching for them. If we find a few, their coverage will possibly overlap substantially with that of Global Harwell; if none are found, Global Harwell may represent the common core of all educational goals across different cultures, religions, ideologies, and belief systems.

4. How does the Global Harwell goal differ from, or complement, the visions/goals of organizations like UNESCO or the OECD or the Ministry of Education in different countries/regions?
   (Chee-Kit Looi)

Global Harwell aligns with many of the existing educational visions and goals of organizations like UNESCO, OECD, and various Ministries of Education. It complements these goals by providing an overarching, global perspective that emphasizes harmony and wellbeing as essential for a peaceful world. While each organization or jurisdiction may have specific goals aligned with their cultural, political, or regional needs, Global Harwell is a universal goal that transcends these differences.

5. Would emphasizing harmony in the Global Harwell goal lessen the importance of competition?
   (Tak-Wai Chan)

Competition drives progress, whether it is among individuals or groups. In various aspects of life, such as sports or business, collaboration and competition often coexist; groups compete while collaborating. For example, universities that share common profiles often join larger networks for a wide range of reasons such as benchmarking and to foster student mobility. If the rules are fair, competition is socially acceptable. Competition can teach valuable lessons about harmony, just as cultural difference can. Global Harwell recognizes the importance of competition in the same way it values cultural difference.

6. How can Global Harwell be integrated into existing educational systems?
   (Suluan Wong)

The integration of Global Harwell into existing educational systems would require a multi-faceted approach. This could include incorporating its principles into educational reforms, curriculum design, teacher training, and educational policies. For curriculum design, for example, learning about every subject or topic should address its history, both locally and globally, and its potential positive and negative impacts on humanity. It could also involve fostering a school culture that values harmony and wellbeing; and engaging with parents and the wider community to support these values. Hence, the concept of 'global family,' which suggests a sense of belonging, empathy, and mutual support extending beyond the immediate family to encompass a larger, inclusive group, should be actively advocated in schools. Consequently, regardless of nationality or background, everyone across the world is seen as a valued family member and should be treated with kindness and consideration.

7. What potential challenges or barriers might arise in the pursuit of realizing Global Harwell, and how can they be effectively identified and addressed? How can stakeholders collaborate to overcome resistance and foster meaningful progress towards a more harmonious and interconnected world?
   (Su-Luan Wong)

The pursuit of Global Harwell may face challenges such as differing interpretations of what constitutes harmony and wellbeing – such as resistance to change and discrepancies in resources and capabilities across different regions. These challenges can be overcome through open dialogue, collaboration, capacity building, and a commitment to equity and inclusiveness.

8. How can education be tailored to learners to emphasize and elevate the importance of Global Harwell?
   (Su-Luan Wong)

Tailoring education by prioritizing Global Harwell may be achieved through the integration of its concepts into the learner experience. Incorporating Global Harwell principles into existing curriculum across various subjects can provide exposure throughout teaching and learning. For example, designing activities that emphasize experiential learning and inquiry-based learning empowers learners to think out of the box and develop critical thinking skills. The integration of technology into learning environments opens up opportunities for learners to make real-world connections. When educators explicitly teach and assess global competencies, learners are encouraged to embrace diverse societies which in turn can lead them to contribute positively to global harmony.

9. What roles do educators and learners play in advancing the achievement of Global Harwell? How can they contribute to inculcating virtues such as compassion, inclusiveness, and mutual respect on a wider scale?
   (Su-Luan Wong)

Through curriculum design, teaching practices and real-world examples, educators can facilitate and act as role models to guide learners to appreciate the importance of global harmony and wellbeing. Through the integration of Global Harwell concepts into instructional design and pedagogy, educators have the capacity to empower learners to embrace diversity, nurture empathy and develop a sense of responsibility. Learners will appreciate the sanctity of human life irrespective of race, faith and culture. On the other hand, educators create opportunities for learners to engage with Global Harwell concepts where they learn about compassion through acts of kindness, empathy and respect to others. Learners can be encouraged to contribute meaningfully to a culture of inclusiveness and mutual respect within their learning environments. Working hand in hand, educators and learners play pertinent roles in promoting Global Harwell to inspire positive change for a more harmonious and interconnected world.

10. What strategies can be employed to seamlessly incorporate the essence of Global Harwell into existing curricula at all levels of education? What steps should be taken to ensure its broad acceptance and impact by all stakeholders?
    (Su-Luan Wong)

The integration of Global Harwell essence into existing curricula requires various approaches that incorporate both curriculum and instructional design as well as stakeholder engagement. The revision of learning outcomes and assessments to align with Global Harwell principles and development of interdisciplinary subjects that explore global issues are possible integration strategies. At the same time, teachers require professional development to acquire the necessary pedagogical skills and knowledge to integrate Global Harwell into their teaching practice. Developing partnerships with stakeholders such as policymakers, community organizations and industries is crucial given the support and resources that they can provide. Similarly, networking with other organizations where synergies exist will be mutually beneficial. Opening up communication channels with transparency are key to ensuring acceptance by all stakeholders. Garnering support for Global Harwell Initiatives is crucial and can be attained by initiating meaningful dialogue and receiving feedback from various stakeholders. By involving all stakeholders and convincing them on the shared benefits of promoting global harmony and wellbeing will likely ensure broad acceptance and meaningful impact across all education levels.

11. How can individuals contribute to the achievement of the Global Harwell goal?
    (Chee-Kit Looi)

Individuals can contribute to the achievement of the Global Harwell goal in a variety of ways. This includes adopting its principles in their own lives, advocating for its adoption in their local schools and communities, and supporting policies and initiatives that align with its vision. By acting in these ways, every individual can play a part in realizing the goal of global harmony and wellbeing.

12. With respect to Global Harwell, what are the portraits of future-ready learners?
    (Tak-Wai Chan)

Besides being competent with skills such as collaboration and communication, creativity and imagination, critical thinking and reflection, and complex problem-solving, individuals may need to adopt Global Harwell as their personal goal. This involves developing lifelong learning habits, being able to co-create ideas and things with both humans and AI, and pursuing multiple interests across different domains, particularly as a sportsman or an aestheticist. In sum, a future-ready learner may be portrayed as a GH-PISA:

Global Harwellian: A person who adopts Global Harwell as a personal value or life objective.
Polymath: A person who is knowledgeable in a wide range of disciplines, particularly in the humanities, and continuously cultivates diverse interests in different areas.
Interest-Driven Co-Creator: A person who, driven by their individual interests, habitually co-creates ideas or things with other people and/or AI.
Sportsman: A person who plays sports well and habitually.
Aestheticist: A person who appreciates, enjoys and pursues beauty and art.
13. In anticipating ‘future education,’ as mentioned in Part1, what do we envision for the future digital world, and in what ways might learning proceed?
    (Tak-Wai Chan)

An approach to describing plausible future learning environments and how learning happens in there is to introduce two notions: Seamless AI World and Seamless AI Learning. Seamless AI World (SAIW) refers to a real world where almost everything is seamlessly connected, including physical and virtual spaces, and AI-empowered. More specifically, SAIW should be a world in which resource can be seamlessly and equitably accessible, AI-empowered and safe. To justify this requirement, we need the notion of seamlessness which allow us to talk about accessibility seamlessness (e,g, digital support), continuity seamlessness (e.g. continuity of activity across time, physical & social spaces), and resemblance seamlessness (e.g. the portrait of human-like AI companions). For each type of these seamlessness, we may further define its degree of well-seamlessness (positive impact due to seamlessness) and ill-seamlessness (negative impact due to seamlessness).

In the learning environment of SAIW, Seamless AI-empowered Learning (SAIL) is referred to a form of learning that provides coherent and uninterrupted experiences as learners move from one context to another. This continuous and cohesive learning journey spans various physical locations, social groups, virtual environments, and times, highlighting the fluid transition of knowledge and skills from one setting to another. Whether transitioning from the classroom, campus, home, workplace, zoo, park, or outdoors, and from face-to-face interactions to digital platforms or immersive environments (e.g., metaverse classrooms, virtual labs, and field trips), SAIL ensures a seamless educational experience. It is worth noting that the metaverse will facilitate global classrooms where students from different parts of the world can collaborate on projects, share perspectives, and learn from diverse cultures. Key aspects of AI support in such a learning environment include adaptive learning with data-driven insights and real-time feedback, multilingual support for collaborative global classrooms, moderation and facilitation with virtual or robotic AI learning companions, and lifelong learning with flexible learning paths and continuous improvement. In sum, SAIL aims to provide quality education in the SAIW, accessible anytime and anywhere, by making learning more engaging, relevant, and effective, preparing individuals to adapt to the evolving demands of the future world.

14. What roles will digital technologies, especially AI and the metaverse, play in achieving the Global Harwell educational goal in the future digital world?
    (Tak-Wai Chan)

Students engage in learning with or without digital technologies. Often or not, technology support for learning is inevitable. Yet, if Global Harwell is our shared global educational goal, then the very reason for adopting technologies for education is to achieve it. In this perspective, ‘AI companions,’ whether virtual or robotic, will play a critical role. This is because a person’s values or life objectives are heavily affected by whom they interact with, especially through everyday conversation and modeling. It is obvious that we will interact with various AI companions in a future not distant from now with the adoption of large language model technologies such as ChatGPT. By ‘companion,’ we broadly define humans or animals with whom we frequently interact in our lives. Thus, my mother, spouse, child, friend, teacher, fellow classmate, or even my pet are my companions. For learning in SAIW, students will interact with various AI companions playing the roles of competitors, collaborators, tutees, peer tutors, troublemakers, critics, or clones. These roles include not only non-authoritative figures but also authoritative ones, such as parents, tutors, and experts, who are more knowledgeable and possess higher social status. Thus, with the support of metaverse technologies and AI companions, global classrooms or connected classrooms within a country will play a considerable role in achieving Global Harwell. This is because, together with their AI companions, students from different places and cultures can easily and closely interact in their native languages through AI-supported instant interpretation, significantly increasing their communication. In sum, learning with AI companions in such an SAIW presents precious opportunities to infuse Global Harwell values into students, and how to do so will represent a significant future research avenue as well as a challenge.

15. What kind of design theory, as mentioned in Part1, can be adopted when designing future learning with Global Harwell as the educational goal?
    (Tak-Wai Chan)

To date, there are various learning design theories, such as self-regulated learning, experiential learning, cognitive apprenticeship, problem-based learning, and others. Almost all of these theories can contribute to the design of learning with the Global Harwell goal.

Among current design theories, Interest-Driven Creator Theory (IDC Theory) (Chan et al., 2018) is a macro design theory that consists of three core concepts: interest, creation, and habit. By addressing the development of learning interests across different domains, viewing learning activities as creative endeavors, and emphasizing the fostering of lifelong learning habits, IDC Theory could be a strong candidate for designing learning with the Global Harwell goal. It should be highlighted that, in IDC Theory, treating the learning process in a domain as the nurturing of interest in that domain is a substantial enhancement to wellbeing in learning. Furthermore, to accommodate the future necessity of frequent co-creation among humans and between humans and AI, IDC Theory may need to evolve into the Interest-Driven Co-Creator Theory. This implies that Seamless IDC Theory could potentially suggest how to design IDC-based activities as a form of Seamless AI Learning in the Seamless AI World to achieve the Global Harwell goal.

16. What possible concrete initiatives can be taken to promote harmony and wellbeing at the societal and global levels?
    (Su Luan Wong, answers provided by Tak-Wai Chan)

With careful planning and design, numerous projects could be aimed at achieving the goal of harmony and wellbeing at both societal and global levels, thereby significantly accelerating the transformation of education worldwide. For example, we may initiate and undertake a project called 'Global Harwell Educational Park' as follows:

1. Establish experimental and model educational sites that take Global Harwell as their fundamental educational goal in various countries and regions.
2. Create a ‘Global Harwell Educational Park’ by interconnecting all these sites with frequent exchanges among students and teachers.
3. Disseminate Global Harwell education developed by this experimental educational ‘park’ to other schools or educational institutes.
17. How can Global Harwell be measured and assessed?
    (Chee-Kit Looi)

The measurement and assessment of Global Harwell could involve a combination of qualitative and quantitative indicators, such as levels of social cohesion, rates of conflict, measures of physical and mental health, and indicators of environmental sustainability. It would also require regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure progress and identify areas for improvement. This can be a good research agenda for the future.

18. What are the objectives at different stages in the timeline of achieving Global Harwell?

Identifying objectives at different stages will require collective, sustained, and extensive discussion among the global community of researchers and practitioners. However, we can focus on determining the next step.




22, November, 2024



19. What roles will digital technologies, especially AI and the metaverse, play in achieving the Global Harwell educational goal in the future digital world?
    (Chee-Kit Looi, Siu-Cheung Kong, Xiangen Hu, Lina Na Li; with content possibly extending some pervious items)

Digital technologies, particularly AI and the metaverse, possess transformative potential in realizing the Global Harmony and Wellbeing (Harwell) educational goal in the digital era. On the one hand, AI technologies provide affordances and rich resources with great potential for personalized learning (Kong & Yang, 2024). This potential contribution for individualized learning is a cornerstone to address diverse needs of students in the educational context and therefore might foster inclusivity which is quite impossible to realize before the AI and metaverse’s era (Holmes et al., 2019). AI can be effective “partner”, if developed well, in transmitting the knowledge and skills in the education curriculum, supplement and even surpass human teacher in some areas (Tan, 2020). For instance, students might benefit from the generative AI-assisted academic writing if there are well-designed pedagogical models to support the learning (Kim et al., 2024; Kong & Yang, 2024). On the other hand, metaverse can boost students’ self-efficacy and digital competency in immersive scenarios (Al-Adwan et al., 2023). By leveraging sophisticated data analysis, AI identifies learning gaps and proposes targeted interventions, thereby promoting equity and justice within educational systems. This personalized or individualized learning approach not only ensures that every learner receives the tailored support they need to thrive but also aligns with Global Harwell principles by fostering a sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing across diverse communities.

The metaverse complements AI by offering immersive, interactive environments that bring the ideals of Global Harwell to life. Through simulated experiences, students can engage deeply with pressing global challenges, such as climate change, social justice, and public health (Bailenson, 2018). These virtual spaces cultivate empathy and foster an appreciation of diverse perspectives, enabling learners to practice harmony and collaboration in a shared digital realm. By creating opportunities for students to collaborate across cultures, regions, and disciplines, the metaverse dissolves traditional barriers and nurtures a sense of global citizenship—an essential element of the Global Harwell vision.

AI-driven platforms further enhance this vision by facilitating global collaboration among educators, researchers, and learners. These technologies transcend geographical and cultural divides, fostering an exchange of ideas and best practices that contributes to a global educational community committed to harmony and wellbeing (Seldon & Abidoye, 2018). AI also supports the development and dissemination of educational resources that emphasize shared values, ensuring that the principles of Global Harwell are embedded in curricula worldwide.

However, it is crucial to recognize that having better tools for learning to acquire knowledge does not directly translate to fostering higher responsibility or humanity in learners. Advanced technologies can enhance access to information and skill development, but cultivating ethical awareness, empathy, and accountability requires intentional integration of moral and social dimensions into educational frameworks. Without this deliberate effort, learners may excel in knowledge acquisition while neglecting the deeper human qualities essential for advancing global harmony and wellbeing.

To ensure technology serves its highest potential, we must maximize its utility in helping learners understand their higher purpose as human beings. The role of advanced technology should extend beyond knowledge acquisition to inspire and empower learners to engage with their roles as responsible, empathetic, and ethical members of society. If these tools are used solely for learning to acquire knowledge, they risk bringing unintended harm, such as the erosion of critical thinking and intelligence, and diverting focus from humanity’s higher goals. This could undermine the very purpose of education, which is not only to inform but to transform learners into individuals who contribute meaningfully to a harmonious and equitable world.

Furthermore, the integration of AI and the metaverse into education must be approached with caution, prioritizing ethical considerations and the preservation of human dignity (Floridi et al., 2018). Collaboration among stakeholders—including educators, policymakers, technologists, and community leaders—is vital to establish clear guidelines for the use of these technologies. These guidelines should ensure that digital tools enhance human connections, uphold social equity, and promote sustainable development. By aligning technological advancements with ethical frameworks and a focus on humanity, AI and the metaverse can become powerful allies in achieving the Global Harwell educational goal, transforming education into a driving force for global harmony and wellbeing.

20. What does it mean to have or agree on a shared global educational goal, and are there better alternatives?

(Jon Mason, Chee-Kit Looi, Tak-Wai Chan, Wenli Chen; with content possibly extending some pervious items)

Agreeing on a global educational goal establishes a universal vision for education transcending regional, cultural, and political differences. It provides a shared direction for initiatives, fostering collective commitment to a common outcome. This goal does not diminish localized objectives addressing specific cultural or regional needs; rather, it offers a broader framework that includes and elevates these unique aims.

In the context of Global Harwell, establishing this as a global educational goal signifies worldwide commitment to prioritizing harmony and wellbeing in education. This reflects efforts to embed these values into all facets of education—from curricula and teaching methods to school culture and community engagement. Ultimately, it aims to foster global citizens dedicated to a harmonious, sustainable world, with cultural diversity and intercultural understanding as key pillars. Such aspirations have also been articulated by others. UNESCO’s SDG4 is the most prominent contemporary example. Notably, notions of “character attributes” sit alongside a range of literacies and core competencies in frameworks depicting these skills (World Economic Forum, 2016).

We may also ask: As an educational goal shared globally, are there any better alternatives to Global Harwell? Currently, we are not entirely certain whether Global Harwell can serve as an overarching educational goal shared worldwide. There may be better alternatives, and we are actively searching for them. If we find a few, their coverage will possibly overlap with that of Global Harwell; if none are found, Global Harwell may represent the common core of all educational goals across different cultures.