Future Application

At a Glance

• Time: 2-3 minutes
• Prep: None
• Group: Individual writing then optional sharing
• Setting: Any classroom
• Subjects: Universal
• Energy: Low

Purpose

Combat the "when will I ever use this?" question by having students explicitly imagine and articulate future contexts where today's learning will be relevant, building intrinsic motivation through personal meaning-making while strengthening memory through elaborative encoding that connects present learning to future scenarios.

How It Works

1. Prompt (15 sec) - "When and where will you use what we learned today? Describe a specific future situation."
2. Individual writing (90 sec-2 min) - Students write or think through concrete scenario: "I will use this when I [specific future context] because [specific application]"
3. Optional pair-share (60 sec) - Partners compare scenarios

What to Say

Opening: "We just learned [concept]. Think about your life—not just school, but your actual future life. When might you use this? Describe a specific situation. 'I'll use this when I ____ because ____.' Be concrete—not 'someday maybe' but 'next week when' or 'when I'm 25 and'."

During: "Make it real. Where will you be? What will you be doing? How will this knowledge help you?"

Closing: "When learning connects to your future, your brain pays more attention. You just told yourself why this matters—remember that reason."

Why It Works

Motivation research shows that perceived utility value—students' belief that material is useful for future goals—significantly predicts engagement and achievement (Hulleman & Harackiewicz, 2009). However, teachers stating "you'll need this someday" is far less effective than students generating their own relevance connections. Self-generated utility arguments create deeper investment and better memory encoding through elaborative processing. The activity also provides teachers valuable insight into whether students accurately perceive transfer opportunities.

Research Citation: Utility value intervention research (Hulleman & Harackiewicz, 2009)

Teacher Tip

Listen for misconceptions about how knowledge transfers. If a student says "I'll use algebra when I'm an engineer" but has no interest in engineering, gently redirect: "What about careers or situations you're actually interested in?" Help students find authentic personal relevance rather than repeating adult clichés about usefulness.

Variations

For Different Subjects

• Math/Science: "Describe a problem you might solve using this—at home, at work, or in a hobby"
• Humanities: "When might understanding this perspective/event/theme help you make a better decision?"
• Universal: "Imagine you're 5 years older. How would you use this knowledge?"

For Different Settings

• Large Class (30+): Written individual reflection; teacher collects and reads a few aloud anonymously
• Small Group (5-15): Go-around sharing with whole group

For Different Ages

• Elementary (K-5): "When will you use this at home, at recess, or with your family?"
• Middle/High School (6-12): Standard approach with emphasis on careers, college, and near-term applications
• College/Adult: Focus on professional applications and specific work contexts

Online Adaptation

Tools Needed: Chat function or digital response board (Padlet, Mentimeter)

Setup: Prepare shared space for submissions

Instructions:

1. Post prompt in chat: "When will you use what we learned today? Be specific."
2. Students type responses privately (60-90 sec)
3. Submit to Padlet or shared document
4. Teacher reads 3-5 examples aloud
5. Discuss: "These are all valid applications. Your reasons for learning are personal and different—that's perfect."

Pro Tip: Create "Application Wall" that accumulates responses over the year; revisit when students ask "why do we need to know this?"

Troubleshooting

Challenge: Students write vague responses ("I'll use this in college") Solution: Require specificity with sentence stem: "Next [week/month/year], when I [specific activity], I'll use this to [specific application]"

Challenge: Students claim they'll never use it Solution: Reframe: "Even if you never use the specific content, what SKILL did you practice today that you will use? (analyzing, communicating, problem-solving, etc.)"

Challenge: Responses reveal students don't understand the concept's actual applications Solution: This is valuable diagnostic information! Follow up with mini-lesson on real-world applications with examples.

Extension Ideas

• Deepen: "Application Spectrum"—identify near-term use (this week), medium-term (this year), long-term (after graduation)
• Connect: Invite alumni or professionals to describe how they actually use concepts from your course
• Follow-up: Create "I Was Right!" board where students post when they actually DO use the knowledge in real life

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Related Activities: Connection Web, Goal Setting Sprint, Transfer Scenarios