TALK for The Science of Life Group
- Otto van Nieuwenhuijze invited John Wood to present this talk on 3rd December 2023
- TOPIC: reshaping our education systems for global paradigm change.
- See the Video and summary
Key Takeaways
- Future education system should equip citizens for facilitating paradigm change.
- This would mean learning to address "wicked problems" (e.g. climate change & global extinctions).
- Emphasis on reading/writing augmented by embodied, emotional, & playful forms of knowledge.
- We propose a "Salamander University" - i.e. local centres that are tiny, unique and globally interconnected.
- They would normally seek to cultivate personal curiosity and passion
- They would also encourage co-learning in small convivial teams.
- Suggests assessing learning by mapping relationships between elements like context, design, product, recipient.
- Wisdom and synergy are important omissions from standard university syllabus.
Topics:
- Education System Issues
- Education system supplies expectations of current paradigm rather than enabling paradigm change.
- Tradition of monastic/books - focused on precision, facts, knowledge & truth.
- Not teaching people to question purpose of writing or deal with "wicked problems."
- Learning driven by curricula and the quest for high grades rather than from curiosity and passion.
Salamander University
- Local and globally networked, learning as byproduct of community action.
- Teach how to learn, bespoke, driven by curiosity and passion.
- Co-learning in small teams, university as broker between learners and experts.
- Ultimate aim of activities would be to generate new assets, values and/or meanings.
- Assess by mapping relationships between context, design, product, recipient.
Rethinking Knowledge
- Beyond just facts and writing, need embodied, emotional, playful knowledge.
- Wisdom and synergy missing from standard syllabus.
- Challenge is incorporating embodied learning in digital world.
Next Steps:
- Follow up discussion on mind, learning, purpose of universities.
- Explore realizing opportunities beyond current paradigms.