True Digital, the digital design and online marketing agency, has created an innovative new online airspace for Beyond Current Horizons – a research project by education innovator Futurelab and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to help education to prepare for our rapidly changing world.

The interactive website www.millionfutures.org.uk invites visitors to –share views of how changes in society and technology could impact on children, schools and families beyond 2025.

Prompted by a series of questions including “What do you want your country to be like?” and “What should education be like for our grandchildren?” it encourages adults and children to anonymously share their hopes, concerns and dreams for the future.

The views are written on virtual paper planes which fold before your eyes and fly to join circles of others in a blue sky dotted with picture book clouds, all to a soundtrack inspired by summer days.

Each plane is given a flight number so visitors can track their own planes or search by flight number, question or keyword. There are random surprises built in to the flight patterns and the site includes lesson plans (for teachers who want to use the site as part of a classroom activity) and instructions on making real paper planes.

Tim Jones, True Digital’s Head of Planning and Strategy, says: “There are several strands to Beyond Current Horizon’s research, but a key part is that it gathers opinions from the general public as well as experts. Our job was to devise, design and build a website where all kinds of children and adults would enjoy taking part.”

He adds: “We loved the simplicity and universal appeal of paper planes as a device to carry views of the future. It opened up great possibilities to extend the research

offline too, especially in schools. For the design, we’ve stuck with the delta-wing model that’s long been a classroom classic.”

The responses gathered on Million Futures will contribute to a report on views about education in the future to be published on the Beyond Current Horizons website (www.beyondcurrenthorizons.org.uk) in Spring 2009. This report, and other findings from the programme, will be used to inform the Government’s long term planning for children, schools and families.

To have your say on the future, go to www.millionfutures.org.uk.

For more information on the Beyond Current Horizons programme please visit www.beyondcurrenthorizons.org.uk or take part in discussions at blog.beyondcurrenthorizons.org.uk.