1.4 Changing the educational paradigm

We live in a world of accelerating change. New industries are constantly being born and old ones are becoming obsolete. A report by the World Economic Forum reveals that almost 65 percent of children today will end up in careers that don't even exist yet. The research conducted by the World Economic Forum in some of the world's leading companies, regarding what would be seen as the most important job skill in 2020, shows that the number one response is complex problem-solving. Other skills on their top ten list include 

• critical thinking, 
• creativity, 
• collaboration, and 
• emotional intelligence.

Of course, not everyone agrees with Sir Ken Robinson; one of the sceptics is British education blogger, teacher, author and expert on education research Tom Bennett. He disagrees with Sir Ken Robison from a teacher’s point of view, as Robison was never a teacher. Tom Bennett thinks that Robinson doesn’t have a full picture of the public education system and that there is no evidence to support what Robinson says. Click here if you want to learn more about why Tom Bennett disagrees with Sir Ken Robison.

ACTIVITY

Do you agree with Sir Ken Robinson?

Do you agree with Sir Ken Robinson that the educational systems are still based on an industrial paradigm, they are outdated and not suitable for the 21st century? If you agree, share the most important things you think should change. If you disagree, share your views on how the current educational system is preparing students for the job market. 

PADLET

My contribution

I agree with Sir Ken Robinson in some points. I agree that the current educational system in many countries, like here in Greece, is prioritizing mechanical knowledge based on recalling and memorizing procedures. There are a few activities in the curriculum, promoting team work, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving, but apart from being very very few, in the end, the assessment of the students is totally based on the old methods of who can memorize best and who writes down what the text book says! There is a significant urge for rearranging the current educational system, but this is not easy. The teacher in a classroom of 20 and 25 students cannot use personalized teaching methods and students cannot be taught only what they desire. Furthermore, not all subjects or topics can be taught only with hands-on activities or with challenging ways of learning. Another thing to mention is that we should not base all our teaching in ICT and technology. These are only some of the means that a teacher can use. To sum up, there is a great need to reform the educational system, but we cannot reject all these parameters that have worked well in the past.

Thoughts of other participants:

Cecilia G, Italy

I've been teaching for 11 years and I notice that  the more years passes throug, the more is  difficult to chatch the attention of pupils for more than 15 minutes. How should I teach them? What do I have to teach? I don't know if Sir Ken Robinson is right or wrong. I know pupils are losing their connection with the "real world" (i.e. the current education system).

Manolis/Crete/Greece

It isn't easy to create an ideal plan for Education! There are many factors to be considered! So I think it is not a balck and white prossecc! School education firstly create correct and well-behaved people with open mind and the right sense of fair and justice and secondly give them the neccessary tools to find a job! Yes the education sytem must be flexible! But we have to wait and see how it will work, assess it and re-arrange it!

Athanasios, Greece

I think there is no strongly agree or disagree. On one hand Sir Ken Robinson is right saying that our educational system has to focus on real life problems and that should develop critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and problem solving skills to our students. On the other hand before that, we should focus on activities that promote solidarity, open minded thinking helping each other with an acceptable behaviour with equity and fairness between them. These are the necessary skills to achive things described by Sir Robinson.

MIrela-Romania

I partial agree with Sir Ken Robinson. First of all if we think that medicine can solve behavior problems, we're wrong.I think people usualy exagerate the interpretation of children behavior. We should take into consideration the stages of child's personality development, as Piaget said.(No, Piaget is not obsolete). Try to understand the child's changing and emerging growth, and development, give him the chance to have a an ordinary childhood , enhance the family role and care ,let the positive values to lead the life ,give them great principles of a good living(peace, goodness, loyalty,justice, truth,compassion, mercy etc) and he will grow a good person. I agree that our schools are somehow timeless.But reforming school means reforming the pedagogical paradigm, reform de methodes, the curriculae, the assesment and that is in our hands.