Designing Remote Educational Futures is a Master of Research project which asks: In what ways can design research methods enable learners and teachers in island schools to participate in
the creation of educational futures? The project follows a designer’s exploration of educational reform across the archipelago between 2016-2019. This culminates in a case study, with approaches for building educational futures with remote school networks. Analysis of the case study identifies opportunities for innovation in design research methods and participatory educational reform in Scotland. The thesis provides a practitioner’s guide for the five-phase
approach to ‘design with social impact’ and novel methods including ‘walkshops’ and ‘futurescapes’.

The project works across three areas: people, place, and policy. There is a focus on the people that make up a school network, including learners, parents/carers, teachers, and the broader
connected community. These stakeholders share the need for increased creative participation in shaping their future, with attention paid to the agency of mainstream learners (4-18 years old).
Secondly, the study is embedded in place - unpacking the identity of islanders from the far northwest of Scotland’s mainland, and defining the role of schools in rural island communities. The
third contextual focus explores the policies and publications that have led to a transformation in digital learning in recent years, and how these blueprints affect the plausibility of visions of the
near future. The policies include Curriculum for Excellence and Scottish Approach to Service Design.

The study was conducted by a designer who uses creative and participatory methods to engage with the subject matter. Walkshops were conducted with key stakeholders and design-led workshops were held in five schools across the archipelago and one online virtual learning environment (e-Sgoil). These engagements culminated into a set of diegetic prototypes (futurescapes) which illustrate near-future aspirations and were shared at Scottish Parliament’s Future’s Forum and the Goodison Group Scotland, an educational think tank. Further methodological analysis resulted in contributions to the fields of Educational Futures and Service
Design.

The impact of Designing Remote Educational Futures is found across two main groups. Firstly, to increase educationalist awareness, particularly in Education Scotland, of the role of young
people in shaping their future. Secondly, to generate impact through feeding into the Scottish Approach to Service Design with guiding principles and methods set for creative engagement that promote agency.