Learning’s Next Revolution: Will Schools Keep Up?

Remember Blockbuster? The go-to spot for movie rentals, a giant in its heyday. It didn’t fail because people stopped watching movies. It failed because it clung to a model designed for a world that no longer existed. And now, we have to ask ourselves: is traditional schooling heading down the same path?

The thirst for learning is still alive and well, just like the love of movies. But the way people access and engage with learning is changing. Schools today face a choice: adapt to this shift or risk becoming obsolete.

Blockbuster relied on physical stores and late fees long after the world began shifting toward on-demand streaming. Similarly, many schools remain tied to rigid schedules, standardized testing, and classroom-based instruction. Meanwhile, the world outside the classroom is moving toward personalized, flexible, and technology-driven education. Learners today are asking for more. They want real-world skills, opportunities to think critically, and preparation for a future that’s wildly different from the past.

Blockbuster assumed its customers would keep coming to stores because that’s what they’d always done. But Netflix didn’t make the same mistake. It listened to its audience and gave them what they wanted: streaming. Any movie, anytime, anywhere. Convenience won. Schools face a similar challenge. Today’s learners want education to be relevant and adaptable. They want to learn at their own pace, in ways that reflect how they live and work. Yet many schools are still preparing students for jobs that no longer exist and focusing more on tests than on life skills.

And then there’s the story of Blockbuster’s missed opportunity—the moment it could have bought Netflix for $50 million but laughed it off. Schools, too, have had opportunities to embrace bold innovations, from AI-driven personalization to hybrid and competency-based models. These ideas could transform education, making it more engaging, accessible, and future-focused. But are schools seizing these opportunities, or are they brushing them aside, assuming the traditional model will hold steady just a little longer?

Blockbuster’s downfall wasn’t just about missed opportunities; it was about leadership blind spots. Its leaders couldn’t imagine a world where digital streaming replaced physical stores. They were so focused on preserving what they had that they couldn’t see the potential of what could be. In education, we often see the same hesitation. Policymakers and administrators sometimes cling to tradition, viewing change as a threat rather than an opportunity. But the world isn’t waiting.

Here’s the hard truth: if schools don’t adapt, learners will find alternatives. We’re already seeing a rise in micro-credentials, online platforms, bootcamps, and self-directed learning models. Families and learners are choosing paths that offer flexibility, relevance, and creativity. If schools refuse to innovate, they risk becoming relics—fondly remembered but no longer needed.

Yet, this doesn’t have to be the fate of traditional schools. It’s an opportunity to reimagine what education can be. Schools can embrace new ways of teaching, from hybrid learning to AI-driven tools that make learning personal and powerful. They can listen to learners and build programs that teach skills for the future. They can foster curiosity and a willingness to experiment, turning resistance to change into a culture of innovation.

Education doesn’t have to follow Blockbuster’s path. It can be the Netflix of learning—a system that evolves, innovates, and meets people where they are. The question isn’t whether learning will continue—it will. The real question is whether schools will rise to the challenge of transformation or cling to the familiar and risk irrelevance.