Abstract

In response to democratic backsliding, social and environmental crises, and the inadequacy of purely technical approaches, this article advocates for a fundamental reimagining of education. Traditional, rigid, outcome-focused models are failing to prepare learners for twenty-first-century complexities. The article argues for a shift toward open-ended, process-driven education, embracing indeterminacy and challenging established norms. “Aesthetic action,” a philosophy emphasizing ambiguity, process over product, and open inquiry, is proposed as a guiding framework. Design-based research (DBR) is explored as a method to translate this philosophy into practical change through iterative design and real-world problem-solving. Creativity, viewed socio-culturally, and “futures literacy,” equipping learners to navigate uncertainty, are crucial components. Grounded in ethical imperatives of inclusive education, informed by Freire, Baldwin, and hooks, we address the ethical complexities of “unsettling” norms and fostering creativity. This article shows how “aesthetic action,” DBR, and “futures literacy” can “unbind” education, fostering a more equitable, creative, and transformative future. This exploration seeks to start a shift toward a more open and humanizing educational paradigm, not to provide definitive answers.