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Possibilities Literacy: Empowering learners for an uncertain world

Glăveanu, Vlad Petre orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-6029-6718, Tromp, Catrinel and de Saint Laurent, Constance (2026) Possibilities Literacy: Empowering learners for an uncertain world. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 61 . ISSN 1878-0423

Abstract
In an era of rapid change, uncertainty and complexity, individuals and societies must develop new capacities to engage with the possible. This article introduces Possibilities Literacy as the cluster of inter-related competencies that allow individuals and groups to understand, generate and ethically act on diverse possibilities across personal, social, and cultural contexts. Drawing from cognitive and sociocultural perspectives, we propose a distinctive five-dimensional framework – Perception, Crafting, Engagement, Stewardship, and Mindsets – each explored through three orientations: Constraints, Alternatives, and Agency. At each intersection, we identify key competencies such as reframing constraints, playful generation, co-creation, futures deliberation, and self-authorship. Together, these enable learners to recognize limitations as invitations, map emerging possibilities, act with resilience, and steward futures aligned with shared values. We offer a rubric to support the development and assessment of Possibilities Literacy across contexts and conclude by rethinking literacy itself not as content mastery but as the evolving capacity to navigate uncertainty and co-create shared spaces of possibility.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:Possibility; Literacy; Futures; Creativity; Ethical imagination; Education for uncertainty
Subjects:Business > Commerce
Business > Organizational learning
Business > Innovation
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > DCU Business School
Research Institutes and Centres > Centre for Possibility Studies
Publisher:Elsevier
Official URL:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
Copyright Information:Authors
ID Code:33074
Deposited On:06 Aug 2026 15:17 by Tam Nguyen . Last Modified 06 Aug 2026 15:17
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