Whilst studying for a Masters in Education, I have been spending time reflecting on the holistic purpose of secondary education. Einstein famously said that 'Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school'. Such a timeless and obvious concept seems to have fallen by the wayside in recent years and a chasm has grown between teaching and learning in school and the skills and competencies required for success in the innovative knowledge economy of the UK. Some have gone as far as to say that 'Secondary Education is cutting rather a sorry state in educational thinking' (OECD, 2012)
What is education?
With the publication of the Schools White Paper: The Importance of Teaching (DfE, 2010) and the consequent National Curriculum Review (DfE, 2011), it is an ideal time to reflect on the purpose of learning and education. UNESCO in their report titled 'Treasures Within' (1996) discuss the concept of learning through life and the four pillars of education. Where students:
'Today, education and training need to prepare people for more rapid change than ever before, for jobs that have not yet been created, using technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems that we don’t yet know will arise.' (2012).
As I see it, as a geography teacher, the key to a successful education is the development of geographical understanding within a conceptual framework that links ideas, data and information together. Education ‘that is ambitious, sophisticated and multidimensional, and which has its roots in the notion of human potential – to become self-fulfilled and competent individuals, informed and aware citizens and critical and creative knowledge workers’ (Lambert and Morgan, 2010, p. 63) can contribute to not only developing the capability of individual young people, but also to build the social capital much needed in the knowledge economy to secure economic prosperity.
I feel strongly that teachers play a significant role in helping to construct such meaning and supporting understanding in the learning process. They too must be able to develop their own geographical knowledge, skills and competence through a range of channels including dialogue with other geographers, involvement in workshops where skills are learnt and in schools where best practice can be shared. Perhaps the biggest challenge for geography education and the government is to create a new National Curriculum which is fit for purpose allowing young people to better understand the complex world in which they live and provide them with the knowledge, skills and competence needed for life in the 21st Century.
Nygaard, C., Højlt, T. & Hermansen, M. (2008) ‘Learning-based curriculum development’, Higher Education 55 (1), p. 33–50.
Lambert, D. and Morgan, J. (2010) Teaching Geography 11-18: A Conceptual Approach. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
What is education?
With the publication of the Schools White Paper: The Importance of Teaching (DfE, 2010) and the consequent National Curriculum Review (DfE, 2011), it is an ideal time to reflect on the purpose of learning and education. UNESCO in their report titled 'Treasures Within' (1996) discuss the concept of learning through life and the four pillars of education. Where students:
- Learn to know
- Learn to do
- Learn to live together
- Learn to be
- Knowledge refers to the basic theories, concepts, models and facts that constitute an academic discipline’s core content.
- Skills refers to the ability to master the methods that a discipline makes use of
- Competence is defined as the ability.
'Today, education and training need to prepare people for more rapid change than ever before, for jobs that have not yet been created, using technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems that we don’t yet know will arise.' (2012).
As I see it, as a geography teacher, the key to a successful education is the development of geographical understanding within a conceptual framework that links ideas, data and information together. Education ‘that is ambitious, sophisticated and multidimensional, and which has its roots in the notion of human potential – to become self-fulfilled and competent individuals, informed and aware citizens and critical and creative knowledge workers’ (Lambert and Morgan, 2010, p. 63) can contribute to not only developing the capability of individual young people, but also to build the social capital much needed in the knowledge economy to secure economic prosperity.
I feel strongly that teachers play a significant role in helping to construct such meaning and supporting understanding in the learning process. They too must be able to develop their own geographical knowledge, skills and competence through a range of channels including dialogue with other geographers, involvement in workshops where skills are learnt and in schools where best practice can be shared. Perhaps the biggest challenge for geography education and the government is to create a new National Curriculum which is fit for purpose allowing young people to better understand the complex world in which they live and provide them with the knowledge, skills and competence needed for life in the 21st Century.
Nygaard, C., Højlt, T. & Hermansen, M. (2008) ‘Learning-based curriculum development’, Higher Education 55 (1), p. 33–50.
Lambert, D. and Morgan, J. (2010) Teaching Geography 11-18: A Conceptual Approach. Maidenhead: Open University Press.