What Can We Learn from AIRBNB to Prepare Students to Lead in the 21st Century

As educators we know that we are preparing our students for jobs that either do not exist today or will be siginificantly different in the near future. I recently read Fortune's 7.1.15 article on The Education of Brian Chesky.  Chesky and friend Joe Gebbia were unemployed without enough money to pay their rent when they decided to sell sleeping space in their apartment to trade show attendees. They put air mattresses on the floor, called it the Air Bed and Breakfast, and three guests stayed in the extra space. The design trade show heard about this unique arrangement and blogged about it stirring up interest. They expanded the site to allow others to rent out space in their homes before becoming AIRBNB where today you can rent "unique places to stay from local hosts in 190+ countries".  40 million people rented AIRBNB locations between its beginning in 2008 and today, valuing the company at $24 billion. How did this rapid business growth happen for a 33 year old new CEO? And how can this example of necessary 21st century skills inform the way we teach students?

In the article, Brian Chesky describes himself as "intense, focused, and really, really, really curious" (Fortune, p.95). Initially he needed to be able to generate a solution to his problem. He needed rent money, he knew there was a need for housing during the trade show, he evaluated his unused floor space, and he quickly devised a plan. What teaching strategies help students learn these necessary 21st century skills? How can we build upon natural curiosity to empower students to investigate, think strategically, generate solutions, in a rapid progression?

Chesky needed additional skills to build his company. Using technology, he researched deeply to find the top expert in each required area then contacted these high level leaders to seek advice by "hacking leadership." He located investors to launch the business, divided management and technology demands between leaders, and dealt with issues quickly as they arose. Because this was a new business AIRBNB encountered problems they could not anticipate in advance so the ability to quickly analyze, evaluate, seek expert advice, and act made Chesky's company surge. Decisions need to constantly be made about hiring, firing, marketing, and expanding worldwide. Companies today are global and those who manage them effectively must think globally.

Knowing these are the skills needed in business today, how can we best prepare students to effectively lead? We must empower them to ask questions, find answers, contact experts, evaluate options, synthesize information, think globally, make strategic plans and decisions, and accomplish this in a rapidly changing technological world. Teaching methods that focus on student-directed active learning can increase student curiosity and ability to solve problems.

1. Makerspaces build upon student interest and allow them to make, share, collaborate and reflect upon their learning attempts. Creating an area in the classroom filled with a variety of items students can take apart, build, and experiment with encourages curiosity.

2. Project-based learning begins with a real-world problem that students attempt to solve through sustained inquiry. Students evaluate each attempt, reflecting upon what is needed to make it even more effective, before creating the next project. Projects are shared publically with the goal of improving living conditions.

3. STEAM encourages students to integrate science, technology, engineering, art, and math to focus on the learning process as much as the product. They try multiple ideas by sketching, building, evaluating, and documenting real-life learning.

4. Video Conferencing brings students in contact with experts and learners globally. Many projects can be completed collaboratively online today including blogging, discussions, labs, interviews, and guest lectures. Mystery Skypes can connect two classrooms in a fun way by asking yes and no questions to determine location. Teachers can then have students in these classrooms collaborate for further learning and feedback in authentic contexts.

Excited about preparing teachers for 21st century classrooms and careers!



"Brian Chesky" by LeWEB12 (OFFICIAL LeWEB PHOTOS) - Cropped from http://www.flickr.com/photos/leweb3/6477359505/. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brian_Chesky.jpg#/media/File:Brian_Chesky.jpg

Gallagher, L. The education of Brian Chesky. Fortune, July 1, 2015, pp. 92-100.