This document outlines an approach to nurturing versatile thinkers for the future called "versatilists." It discusses using curated material from multiple perspectives to help students develop contextual understanding of complex issues. It recommends providing tools to help map systems and relationships, including computer simulations. Experiential learning through interactions with experts and real-world experiences can help students see issues more deeply and sensitively. Developing habits of thinking includes asking better questions, recognizing cognitive biases, and understanding paradigms of causality and change. The goal is to equip students with the abilities to understand complexity, connect interrelated factors, and develop holistic solutions.

1. GIFTED CURRICULUM
TO NURTURE VERSATILISTS
FORTHE FUTURE-
AN INDIAN EXPERIENCE
VishnuteerthAgnihotri

2. Ethanol vs Gasoline/ Diesel..ATechnological
Innovation

4. Biofuels
■ USA
– Ethanol + Gasoline- mainly from corn
■ Europe
– Palm oil fats + Diesel
■ Brazil
– Ethanol + Gasoline- mainly from sugarcane
– Others like Soy/ Jatropha

5. Bio-Fuels..
‘surface
lens’
Cleaner
burning;
better air
quality

6. BioFuels..
US Lens

7. Cleaner
burning;
better air
quality
Energy Security
Ethanol
Subsidies
Bio-
Fuels..
US lens
Growth- corn
production
Corn
Prices +
Small
refineries -
Water
Depletion

8. View from a Global Lens
“352 kgs of corn to fill a 50-litre car tank
Food for one child for one year…….”
Washington Post

9. Bio-fuels as a response to air pollution and
climate change?

10. Bio-fuels as a response to air pollution and
climate change?
4 litres vs 0.05 litres!

11. Cleaner
burning;
better air
quality
Energy Security
Ethanol
Subsidies
Bio-Fuels..
Global Lens
Growth- corn
production
Corn
Prices +
Small
refineries -
Water
Depletion
Food Prices +
*US Per Capita
Consumption of
Gasoline > 80X of India
Little Impact on GHGs*
DisplacedIndigenous
People
Airqualityin
SEAsia

12. What was
missing in
this
picture?

13. SomeThoughts
“Technopoly is a state of culture. It is also a state
of mind. It consists in the deification of
technology, which means that the culture seeks
its authorization in technology, finds its
satisfactions in technology, and takes its orders
from technology.”
- Neil Postman,Technopoly:The Surrender of Culture toTechnology

14. BUT…
How do we teach when we don’t know the answers?
SomeThoughts…
“Vision without systems thinking ends up
painting lovely pictures of the future with no
deep understanding of the forces that must be
mastered to move from here to there.” -Peter M.
Senge,The Fifth Discipline

15. “Versatilists” can connect the dots and
“see” better…
“If this generation lacks a
comprehensive view of the
cosmos, the future of life will
be decided at random”
-Yuval Noah Harari, 21 Lessons for the 21st
Century

16. “Versatilists” ask better questions and
synthesize a richer understanding…
………
He continues quick and dull in his clear images;
I continue slow and sharp in my broken images.
He in a new confusion of his understanding;
I in a new understanding of my confusion.
- Robert Graves, In Broken Images
Characteristics of Gifted Children

17. NurturingVersatilists- CurricularApproach
Budding
Versatilist
Tools to
Understand
Complexity
Computer
Simulations
Ways to Map
Systems
Curated
Material
Contextual
Understanding
‘Distant’
Consequences
Multiple
Perspectives
Habits of
Thinking
Awareness
of Biases
Paradigms
of Causality
Better
Questions
Experiences +
Expert
Interactions
See and
Connect
Deeper
Sensitivity

18. Urban Mobility
■ 3 sets of Readers/Videos
– Introducing issues & data (congestion, air pollution,
safety)
– Range of proposed solutions (mainly tech based-
driverless vehicles; tunnel systems; buses over cars etc.)
– Systemic views or urban mobility (public transport;
land-use planning)
■ Drawing maps and Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) to
visualize important factors and relationships
CuratedMaterial

19. Urban Mobility…. Reader Set 1
CuratedMaterial

20. Urban Mobility…. Reader Set 2
Transit Elevated Bus becomes Reality in China-
Closevoice.com
CuratedMaterial

21. Urban Mobility…. Reader Set 3
Match Density toTransitCapacity (Guanzhou)
Flyover 
Stream (Seoul)
CuratedMaterial

22. Urban Mobility….Toolsformappingrelationships

23. Urban Mobility….Toolsformappingrelationships

24. Science &
Scientific
Enquiry
Mathematical &
Computational
Thinking
The Planetary Web-
Nature, Society and
the Individual
Technology,
Design and
Making
Tools for Thinking
and Communication
Traffic Congestion
Access/ Equity/
Environment
BulletTrain using
renewable energy
Develop
multiple cities
in a region
Communication-
WorkVirtually
Insights into
Group Behaviour
Distance between
cars for optimal
flow
Experiments to
evaluate
alternatives
Simulating
Complex Systems
Perception of
Public
Transport
CuratedMaterial

25. Urban Mobility….Experiences&ExpertInteraction
See- become aware -become sensitive - take action

26. Urban Mobility….Experiences&ExpertInteraction

27. Urban Mobility.. asking better questions
• What can be the unintended consequences of building more roads?
• Who is the city for?
• What kind of city do we want?
• Who all will be affected by the plans?Which stakeholders should we
consult when developing plans?
• What are possible future scenarios? How can we plan for different
scenarios?
• What are the needs and goals of different stakeholders? Are there reasons
that they will not adopt the plan?What needs to be addressed for plan
adoption?
The quality of questions we ask determines the quality of answers we get..
HabitsofThinking

28. HabitsofThinking
Urban
Mobility
….

29. Urban Mobility….HabitsofThinking

30. Projects-Transfer of ‘Meta-Learning’

31. NurturingVersatilists- CurricularApproach
Budding
Versatilist
Tools to
Understand
Complexity
Computer
Simulations
Ways to Map
Systems
Curated
Material
Contextual
Understanding
‘Distant’
Consequences
Multiple
Perspectives
Habits of
Thinking
Awareness
of Biases
Paradigms
of Causality
Better
Questions
Experiences +
Expert
Interactions
See and
Connect
Deeper
Sensitivity

32. TakingThings Forward
■ 2 day to 2-week modules that can be used by any teacher
– Curated material
– Questions & Prompts
■ Supporting teachers to build and deliver lessons
■ Supporting teachers in the use of mapping tools and other
simulation tools
■ Experiential programs for teachers

33. vishnu@GenWise.in
+91 9342247734
https://GenWise.in
https://www.facebook.com/GenWise.in/
https://twitter.com/GenWise_
Be inTouch

34. APPENDIX

35. Elon Musk & PublicTransportation-
Twitter

36. Elon Musk & PublicTransportation-
Twitter….

37. Moral Concerns of the Gifted Child
“Antoine (age 6) is a worrier. He bites his nails, he loses sleep and if he is
really worried about something he finds it hard to eat or sleep.These
worries can be the ozone, endangered animals, NASA funding. I think
this sensitivity comes from an in-depth understanding of what the actual
consequences of his concerns can be. He knows that if we do not protect
a species that it will no longer be in existence so his children and their
children will never know what they were like.That’s what makes him
worry…. He is my righter of wrongs; truth, justice and fairness are his
requirements.”
- Mother of a Gifted Child (source- Linda Silverman)
Majority of 1800 gifted children tested at GDC displayed high moral
sensitivity- Linda Silverman

38. Abilities of the Gifted Child are suited to
tackling Complexity…

39. Has a unique learning style (often
visual-spatial)
Often grapples with complex moral
issues
Learns rapidly Has a large vocabulary; loves words
Is developmentally advanced Is often a perfectionist
Is very curious; asks complex
questions
Has a highly developed sense of humor
Gives complicated, detailed
explanations
Often sees many solutions to a
problem
Is quick to grasp relationships Has a long attention span
Organizes information in new ways Tends to be intense
Often has varied interests Highly sensitive
Has more abstract thought processes May be very energetic
Sees ambiguity in "factual"
information
May have a strong fear of failure
Usually has a good memory Often prefers older companions
Often enjoys working independently Is asynchronous (develops unevenly)
Is committed to areas of interest
GiftedCharacteristicsfromLindaSilverman

40. TraditionalThinkingVs SystemsThinking
Traditional Thinking SystemsThinking
Understanding
Workings
• Linear Causality (More roads ->
Less traffic)
• Single Perspective (Build roads
for vehicles)
• Interconnectedness (More roads ->
Induced demand -> Urban sprawl ->
same traffic)
• Multiple Perspectives (Access is the
goal; not roads)
Developing
Responses
• Top-down (Administration's
view of issues)
• Simplistic, deterministic tools
(Road network planning tools)
• Focus onTechnology (Better
engines & fuel- lower
emissions)
• Top-down and Bottom Up (City
Planning based on stakeholder
consultation; Low cost housing)
• Tools capturing emergence and
unintended consequences (Scenario
Planning; Feedback Loops)
• Technology and other elements
(Public transport provision with last
mile connectivity)
• Changing the Story/ Paradigm
(Cycling is Cool)

41. US pushes for Bio-Ethanol

42. Complexity- multiple factors, interests,
different paradigms……interconnected!
Corn Farmers
Politicians
Technologists
Developing Countries
Oil Refiners Technology
Trade Agreements
Food
Prices
Greenhouse
Gases
Per Capita
Fuel
Consumption
Cleaner Emissions (per
gallon)
Biofuel SubsidyCars
Public
Transport
Oil Imports

43. View from a Global Lens
• Speculation on food market
• Bio-fuels
• ‘Dumping’ by developed countries at lower
prices
352 kgs of corn to fill a 50-litre car tank
Food for one child for one year…….

44. NurturingVersatilists….
Elements of our curriculum
■ Curated Material
– Contextual understanding
– Different perspectives (disciplines; stakeholders)
– Unintended consequences
■ Tools to understand complexity
– Pen-paper & computer simulations
■ Experiences & Expert Interaction
– See- become aware -become sensitive - take action
■ Habits ofThinking
– Asking better questions
– Cognitive Biases; Mental Models
– Paradigms of causality & change