The incredibly fast pace of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies are set to reshape many aspects of our lives. Schools are not immune from these effects. How do we ensure that they do not become relics of the past?
Incremental refinements to existing systems may once have sufficed, but the speed of technological and cultural evolution calls for a fundamentally new approach to innovation in education. We can no longer rely solely on adding efficiency to outdated methods. We need a strategic framework that empowers us to operate effectively in the present, willingly discard what no longer serves us and build a more daring, forward-looking model of schooling.
It may seem unusual to look for a business framework to guide us in education. Education is not driven by quarterly profits or product launches. Yet the fundamental challenges businesses face—disruption, growing competition and shifting demands—are no strangers to the education sector. Schools around the world are experiencing deep transformations: AI technologies are posing existential questions about our assessment systems and even the future role of the teacher. Global market demands require skill sets that scarcely existed a decade ago, and cultural shifts press for more inclusive, personalized learning. The world is in a state of flux. Education leaders must adopt bold strategies that will ensure their leadership in the future. This is precisely where The Three Box Solution excels.
Developed by innovation expert Vijay Govindarajan, The Three Box Solution is a strategic framework that addresses three temporal dimensions of any organization—Box 1 involves managing the present, Box 2 involves letting go of the past and Box 3 involves creating the future. While these concepts originated in business, their principles map elegantly onto the education landscape. Schools, colleges and universities also need to excel in their current operations, courageously abandon outdated practices and design new models that prepare students for an uncertain and AI-driven world.
Box 1 represents the here and now—the engines that keep a school running on a daily basis. In many education systems, this includes traditional subjects, standardized assessments, traditional teaching methods and well-established administrative processes. Incremental improvements here are “linear innovations:” refining processes and incorporating new tools that make our day-to-day practices more efficient. These changes can be powerful. They help teachers personalize lessons with real-time data, streamline lesson planning and maintain a stable, functioning system.
Focusing solely on Box 1 creates a trap. Placing all attention on simply improving our existing models risks irrelevance as the world outside evolves. For example, schools can use AI to quickly differentiate materials, but if the goal remains to raise test scores tied to an outdated curriculum, they are only honing yesterday’s solutions for tomorrow’s challenges. Box 1 innovation is necessary—but not sufficient. It stabilizes the present and frees resources for more ambitious transformations.
Box 2 is about pruning away traditions, methods and structures that no longer serve our ultimate mission. This can be the most emotionally difficult step because it requires leaders, teachers and policymakers to question long-cherished practices. Do rigid curricula and standardized tests reflect the skills that students need in an era of AI-augmented creativity, critical thinking and adaptability?
We must shed approaches that were once successful but are no longer needed. Releasing old methods opens the mental and organizational space to adopt practices that empower students to navigate complexity and harness AI as a tool for problem-solving.
An education system guided by strategic innovation ensures that future generations are prepared not just to cope with emerging technologies, but to shape their ethical and creative uses.
Schools that excel in Box 2 create an environment where deep reflection is encouraged. They cultivate a culture that values continuous improvement over nostalgic attachment. By letting go of what no longer fits, we gain the freedom to envision what could be a stepping stone to Box 3.
This is where transformative innovation lives. Box 3 innovation is not about making current systems more efficient; it’s about fundamentally rethinking what education can and should be.
In the AI era, this might involve reimagining the curriculum to emphasize interdisciplinary learning, creativity, empathy, entrepreneurial thinking and advanced digital literacy. Rather than teaching isolated subjects in rigid silos, schools could adopt problem-based learning models where students tackle complex real-world challenges that demand critical thinking, teamwork and ethical reasoning. AI-powered simulations can create immersive learning experiences that blend the physical and digital realms, helping students develop resilience and adaptability.
Creating the future also means building institutional capacity for ongoing experimentation. Schools might establish “innovation labs” or pilot programs that test new pedagogical models, measure outcomes and iterate rapidly. Educators can partner with technologists and community stakeholders to identify weak signals of emerging trends—whether it’s breakthroughs in AI, shifts in cultural values or unprecedented global events—and respond proactively rather than reactively. Leaders who excel in Box 3 welcome uncertainty and see it as an opportunity to design something better.
A common misconception is that these boxes operate in isolation, but their real power emerges when they work in harmony. The success of Box 3 innovation depends on resources freed by Box 1 efficiency, and on the conceptual room created by Box 2 abandonment of outdated ideas. Without a well-run present (Box 1), a school lacks the stability to allocate resources to futureoriented projects. Without letting go of the past (Box 2), there is no space for the entirely new ideas needed to build tomorrow’s models. The Three Box Solution encourages leaders to maintain equilibrium among these dimensions.
Education will not reach a “finished” state; it must keep evolving. Today’s cutting-edge Box 3 innovations may become tomorrow’s outdated Box 2 relics. That is the nature of progress—an ongoing cycle of building, evaluating, discarding and reinventing.
Leadership that thrives in this environment is transparent, mission-driven and deeply committed to student success. It sets clear criteria for resource allocation, ensuring that the institution’s present needs do not eclipse the urgent task of preparing for an uncertain future. It also provides educators with professional development and support to navigate this complex landscape. By fostering a culture where risk-taking is encouraged and failures are seen as learning opportunities, leaders inspire staff and students alike to embrace innovation, rather than fear it.
An education system guided by strategic innovation ensures that future generations are prepared not just to cope with emerging technologies, but to shape their ethical and creative uses. Educators, leaders and policymakers must adopt a balanced, strategic approach that optimizes the present, courageously sheds the past and actively creates the future.
Dan Fitzpatrickis director of Thirdbox, Ltd. Known as the AI Educator, he is the author of The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education. He is an international speaker and is the keynote speaker for NCEA 2025.
dan@theaieducator.io