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  3. Free Tool: Preparing to write about the future
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  3. Free Tool: Preparing to write about the future
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  3. Free Tool: Preparing to write about the future

Free Tool: Preparing to write about the future

Look at how society discussed the same topics in the past

Twenty years ago, students were submitting Creative Writing stories and researching Global Issues topics for Future Problem Solving competition. Those students researched topics and projected their ideas into the future, just like our current students do. Problem solvers in all of our programs can benefit from exploring the past as they plan for this year’s competitions.

Find news and articles from the past

Take a trip to the past and explore the way the world was discussing a current real world issue to inform your ideas about the future.

  1. First, select the issue you want to develop a futuristic story or action plan and a time range 20 years ago.
  2. Next, use a search engine like Google or another database to do a simple news search. Use the topic name as your search term and use the news and time range settings to define your search parameters.
  3. Then, review some of the new stories in your search results and explore the trends, technology, and terms from 20 years ago. Keep a record of interesting things you find.
  4. Last, use your notes to start imagining what the world might look like 20 years from now. Think about these questions as you explore the topic:
    • Has the terminology changed around this topic?
    • What technology was new at the time? Does it exist today?
    • What seemed to be the trend in how society discussed this topic? What similarities and differences can you see in your current research?
    • What programs and initiatives were starting at the time? Did they succeed or fail?

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April Michele

April Michele Bio

Executive Director

A seasoned educator, April Michele has served as the Executive Director since 2018 and been with Future Problem Solving more than a decade. Her background in advanced curriculum strategies and highly engaging learning techniques translates well in the development of materials, publications, training, and marketing for the organization and its global network. April’s expertise includes pedagogy and strategies for critical and creative thinking and providing quality educational services for students and adults worldwide.

Prior to joining Future Problem Solving, April taught elementary and middle grades, spending most of her classroom career in Gifted Education. She earned the National Board Certification (NBPTS) as a Middle Childhood/Generalist and later served as a National Board Assessor for the certification of others. She was trained and applied the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) in Humanities, which helped widen the educational scope and boundaries beyond the U.S. In addition, April facilitated the Theory and Development of Creativity course for state level certification of teachers. She has also collaborated on a variety of special projects through the Department of Education.

A graduate of the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s in Elementary Education and the University of South Florida with a master’s in Gifted Education, April’s passion is providing a challenging curriculum for 21st century students so they are equipped with the problem solving and ethical leadership skills they need to thrive in the future. As a board member in her local Rotary Club, she facilitates problem solving in leadership at the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute and earned her certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Edyth Bush Institute at Rollins College.