The Active Playful Learning model: Reimagining education for the 21st century

The traditional “factory” model of education from the early 1900s is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the 21st century workforce. Indeed, employers are recognizing that today’s graduates lack necessary skills like communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Moreover, today’s students are not engaged in school. 

It is internationally accepted that we must reimagine education. But how do we do this? Detailed in the May 2025 working paper “Teaching in the way that human brains learn,” the Active Playful Learning model offers a practical, evidence-based alternative to conventional models that simultaneously maintains the focus on traditional content—like math and reading—while also supporting a broader suite of skills like communication, creativity, and problem-solving.

On September 10, Senior Fellow Kathy Hirsh-Pasek along with co-authors of the study, educators, school administrators, and state representatives will discuss solution-based models, including Active Playful Learning. This webinar will offer listeners a glimpse into the way stakeholders on the ground are collaborating and using active playful learning as a way to rethink pedagogical approaches and to achieve curricular goals.

Viewers can submit questions by emailing [email protected].