Is education going the right way or do we need to recalibrate?
An article titled A new education agenda based on The International Science and Evidence Based Education Assessment, published on 10th May in npj Science of Learning, considers the aims of education from a different direction – shifting from focusing on economic growth and instead prioritising human flourishing.
Almost 300 scientists from 45 countries investigated whether current educational practices align with the UN Declaration of Human Rights and its Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which aims to promote lifelong learning opportunities with an emphasis on equality.
So, what if human flourishing was given a greater focus in education and societal agendas?
Key findings
- Refocusing on human flourishing – focusing on developing the ‘whole’ person could build stronger relationships, families and communities.
- Social and emotional learning – placing greater importance on this type of learning supports individuals to be able to better relate to others in society, as well as reach their own potential.
- Reducing inequalities – recognising the student’s potential in place of a ‘merit-based’ system could be a more equitable measure of their diverse talents and capabilities.
- Technology in the right place – EdTech is beneficial but should be used thoughtfully, in in the right place and at the right time.
The article prompts us to think about the effectiveness of our existing educational systems – are they a fit for a modern world that is on the cusp of huge change driven by technology?
