RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms

Summary

The video discusses the urgent need for educational reform to prepare children for the 21st-century economy and maintain cultural identity. It criticizes the current education system, rooted in Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution principles, for alienating students and perpetuating outdated models of intelligence. The speaker highlights the rise of ADHD diagnoses parallel to standardized testing and advocates for an education system that fosters creativity, divergent thinking, and collaboration rather than conformity. The video calls for a paradigm shift towards a more inclusive, dynamic, and culturally responsive approach to education.

Takeaways

• 🌏 Countries are reforming education to prepare children for the unpredictable 21st-century economy and to instill a sense of cultural identity amidst globalization.
• 🔮 The current education system is outdated, designed during the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution, which may not align with today's diverse and rapidly changing world.
• 🤔 There's a growing skepticism among students about the promise of education leading to guaranteed jobs, reflecting a shift in societal and economic structures.
• 📈 The script suggests raising educational standards but criticizes the system's inability to adapt to new realities, rather than just increasing expectations.
• 🧠 It challenges the traditional view of intelligence, rooted in deductive reasoning and classical knowledge, which may not account for various forms of intelligence and talents.
• 🏥 The rise of ADHD diagnoses and medication in children is presented as a controversial and potentially misdirected response to the pressures of modern education.
• 🎨 The arts and aesthetic experiences are highlighted as crucial for engaging students, but the current educational model may be hindering rather than fostering creativity.
• 📚 The script criticizes the 'factory model' of education, with its emphasis on standardization, conformity, and separation of subjects, as contrary to fostering diverse learning styles.
• 📉 A study on divergent thinking among kindergarten children showed a decline in this skill as they progress through the traditional education system.
• 🤝 Collaboration and group learning are emphasized as essential for growth, contrasting with the individualistic and competitive nature of much of current education.
• 🏫 The culture and habits of educational institutions are identified as key factors that need to change in order to better support diverse and creative learning environments.

Q & A

What are the two main reasons countries are reforming public education according to the transcript?

The two main reasons are economic and cultural. Economically, the aim is to prepare children for the unpredictable 21st-century economy, while culturally, the goal is to instill a sense of cultural identity while also participating in globalization.

What is the problem with trying to meet the future by doing what was done in the past in the context of education?

The problem is that the current system of education is alienating millions of kids who don't see any purpose in going to school, as the traditional promise of a job with a college degree is no longer a guarantee.

What is the speaker's view on raising educational standards?

The speaker believes that standards should indeed be raised, but the issue is that the current system of education was designed for a different age and does not meet the needs of today's students.

How does the speaker describe the intellectual model of the mind that was prevalent during the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution?

The speaker describes it as a model that values deductive reasoning and knowledge of the classics, which has led to a division between 'academic' and 'non-academic' or 'smart' and 'non-smart' people.

What is the speaker's opinion on the modern epidemic of ADHD and its relation to the educational system?

The speaker believes that the rise in ADHD diagnoses is a fictitious epidemic, driven by the overstimulation of children's lives and the penalization of distraction, rather than a genuine increase in the disorder.

How does the speaker relate the current educational system to industrialism?

The speaker compares the organization of schools to factory lines, with ringing bells, separate facilities, and specialized subjects, emphasizing the system's focus on conformity and standardization.

What is the significance of the study on divergent thinking mentioned in the transcript?

The study on divergent thinking is significant because it shows that children naturally have a high capacity for creative thinking, which tends to deteriorate as they grow up and become more educated in the traditional system.

What is the percentage of kindergarten children who scored at the genius level for divergent thinking in the study?

98% of the kindergarten children scored at the genius level for divergent thinking.

How did the percentage of children scoring at the genius level for divergent thinking change when retested at ages 8 to 10 and 13 to 15?

The percentage dropped significantly, to 15% at ages 8 to 10 and continued to decrease, indicating a decline in divergent thinking abilities as children progress through the traditional educational system.

What does the speaker suggest is crucial for rethinking human capacity and the culture of educational institutions?

The speaker suggests that it's crucial to overcome old conceptions of academic vs. non-academic abilities, recognize that most great learning happens in groups through collaboration, and focus on the culture and habits of educational institutions.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Economic and Cultural Shifts in Education

This paragraph discusses the global reform in public education driven by economic and cultural factors. The economic aspect focuses on preparing children for an unpredictable 21st-century economy, while the cultural aspect emphasizes instilling a sense of identity amidst globalization. The speaker criticizes the current education system, designed during the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution, for being outdated and causing alienation among students. The paragraph also touches on the changing perception of job security post-education and the debate on raising educational standards.

05:01

🎓 The Flaws of Traditional Education and the Myth of ADHD

The speaker argues that the traditional model of education, rooted in the industrial era, is flawed and has led to the mislabeling of many intelligent individuals as non-academic. The paragraph delves into the concept of 'academic' and 'non-academic' types, highlighting how this categorization can be detrimental. It also addresses the modern issue of ADHD, suggesting that it is a misdiagnosed epidemic fueled by the medical fashion and standardized testing, rather than a genuine increase in cases. The speaker advocates for a reevaluation of the intellectual model of the mind that underpins public education.

10:02

🎨 The Impact of Standardization on Creativity and Learning

This paragraph critiques the industrial model of education, which the speaker believes stifles creativity and individual learning potential. The speaker uses the example of divergent thinking tests to illustrate how children's ability to think creatively tends to decline as they progress through the education system. The paragraph also discusses the importance of recognizing the collaborative nature of learning and the negative impact of isolating students. The speaker calls for a paradigm shift in educational institutions towards fostering creativity and collaboration.

Keywords

💡Public Education

Public education refers to the educational system that is funded and operated by the government for the general public. In the video, it is highlighted as being in a state of reform across the globe due to economic and cultural reasons, aiming to prepare children for the 21st-century economy and to instill a sense of cultural identity amidst globalization.

💡Cultural Identity

Cultural identity is the sense of belonging to a cultural group and the understanding of the cultural heritage that shapes an individual's worldview. The script discusses the challenge of educating children to maintain their cultural identity while participating in the globalized world, suggesting a balance between preserving cultural genes and adapting to global changes.

💡Economic Imperative

Economic imperative denotes the driving force behind actions or decisions based on economic needs or benefits. The video script mentions that public education was originally designed with the economic context of the industrial revolution in mind, and current reforms are also influenced by the need to prepare children for future economies that are hard to predict.

💡Enlightenment

The Enlightenment refers to an intellectual and philosophical movement in the 18th century that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism. The script points out that the current model of education was conceived during this period, focusing on deductive reasoning and classical knowledge, which has shaped the academic versus non-academic dichotomy in education.

💡Academic Ability

Academic ability generally refers to a person's capacity for learning, understanding, and applying knowledge in academic subjects. The video discusses how the traditional education system has historically valued academic ability in a narrow sense, often overlooking other forms of intelligence and alienating students who do not fit this mold.

💡ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulty paying attention, excessive activity, and impulsivity. The script questions the prevalence of ADHD diagnoses, suggesting that it might be a 'fictitious epidemic' driven by societal and educational pressures rather than a genuine increase in the disorder.

💡Standardized Testing

Standardized testing refers to exams or assessments that are administered and scored in a consistent manner to measure student performance. The video criticizes the reliance on standardized testing, implying that it may contribute to the perceived need for medication to manage student behavior and attention, and stifle creativity and divergent thinking.

💡Divergent Thinking

Divergent thinking is the ability to generate multiple solutions or ideas to a problem, as opposed to convergent thinking, which seeks a single correct answer. The script presents a study showing that young children naturally exhibit high levels of divergent thinking, which tends to decline with age and formal education.

💡Creativity

Creativity is defined in the script as the process of having original ideas that have value. It is closely linked to divergent thinking but is a broader concept that involves the generation, development, and implementation of new and valuable ideas. The speaker argues that the current educational paradigm may hinder rather than foster creativity.

💡Industrialism

Industrialism is the economic and social condition of being dominated by industrial production. The script uses the term to criticize the organization of schools along factory lines, with bells, separate facilities, and specialized subjects, suggesting that this model is outdated and ill-suited to fostering modern learning and creativity.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration refers to the act of working together with others to achieve a common goal. The video contrasts the value of collaboration in the outside world with its de-emphasis in traditional education settings, where it is often discouraged in favor of individual achievement and competition.

Highlights

Countries worldwide are reforming public education due to economic and cultural reasons, aiming to prepare children for an unpredictable 21st-century economy and to instill a sense of cultural identity amidst globalization.

The current education system is outdated, designed during the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution, and is struggling to adapt to modern needs, leading to alienation among students.

The belief that a college degree guarantees a job is outdated, and the route to a degree often marginalizes important personal attributes.

There is a call to raise educational standards, but the current system's structure, based on an outdated model, hinders this goal.

The modern epidemic of ADHD and its treatment may be linked to the pressures and methods of the current educational system.

Children today are subjected to an overwhelming amount of stimulation, which may contribute to the perceived rise in ADHD cases.

The arts are particularly suffering under the current educational paradigm, which does not value aesthetic experiences and creativity.

Aesthetic experiences are vital for engaging senses and being fully alive in the moment, contrasting with the anesthetizing effect of some educational practices.

The industrial model of education, with its emphasis on conformity and standardization, is criticized for stifling creativity and individual learning needs.

Divergent thinking, a key component of creativity, was found to be abundant in kindergarten children but declines as they progress through the current education system.

Standardized testing and curricula are suggested as factors contributing to the decline in divergent thinking among students.

The study of divergent thinking among children indicates a need for a different educational approach that fosters creativity and original thought.

The outdated view of separating academic from non-academic, abstract from theoretical, and vocational is challenged as a myth.

Collaboration and group learning are highlighted as essential for growth, contrasting with the current system's focus on individual assessment.

The culture and habits of educational institutions are identified as key areas needing reform to better support diverse learning styles and capacities.

A call for a paradigm shift in education is made, emphasizing the need to move away from industrial models and towards more personalized and creative learning environments.

Transcripts

[Music]

every country on earth at the moment is

reforming public education there are two

reasons for it

the first of them is economic people are

trying to work out how do we

educate our children to take their place

in the economies of the 21st century how

do we do that

given that we can't anticipate what the

economy will look like at the end of

next week

as the recent turmoil is demonstrating

how do we do that

the second though is cultural every

country on earth on earth is trying to

figure out how do we

educate our children so they have a

sense of cultural identity and so that

we can pass on the cultural genes of our

communities

while being part of the process of

globalization how do you square that

circle

the problem is they're trying to meet

the future by doing what they did in the

past

and on the way they're alienating

millions of kids who don't see any

purpose in going to school

when we went to school

we were kept there with a story which is

if you worked hard and did well and got

a college degree you would have a job

our kids don't believe that and they're

right not to by the way you're better

having a degree than not but it's not a

guarantee anymore and particularly not

if the route to it marginalizes most of

things that you think are important

about yourself

some people say we have to raise

standards if this is a breakthrough

you know

like really yes we should

why would you lower them you know i mean

i haven't come across an argument that

persuades me of lowering them

but raising them of course we should

raise them

the problem is that the current system

of education was designed

and conceived

and structured for a different age

it was conceived

in the intellectual culture of the

enlightenment

and in the economic circumstances of the

industrial revolution

before the middle of the 19th century

there were no systems of public

education

not really i mean you could get educated

by jesuits you know if you had the money

but public education paid for from

taxation compulsory to everybody and

three at the point of delivery that was

a revolutionary idea

and many people objected to it they said

it's not possible

for many street kids working-class

children to benefit from public

education they're incapable of learning

to read and write and why we're spending

time on this

so there's also built into it a whole

series of

um assumptions about social structure

and capacity it was driven by an

economic imperative of the time but

running right through it

um was an intellectual

model of the mind which was essentially

the enlightenment view of intelligence

that real intelligence consists in this

capacity for a certain type of deductive

reasoning and the knowledge of the

classics originally

what we come to think of as academic

ability

and this is deep in the gene pool of

public education at the really two types

of people academic and non-academic

smart people and non-smart people and

the consequence of that is that many

brilliant people think they're not

because they've been judged against this

particular view of the mind

so we have twin pillars economic and

intellectual

and my view is

that this model has caused chaos in many

people's lives it's been great for some

there have been people who benefited

wonderfully from it but most people have

not

instead they suffer this

this is the modern epidemic and it's as

misplaced and it's as fictitious

this is the plague of adhd

now this is a map of the instance of

adhd in america or prescriptions

for adhd

don't mistake me i don't mean to say

there is no such thing

as attention deficit disorder i'm not

qualified to say if there is such a

thing i know that a great majority of

psychologists and children pediatrician

think there is such a thing

but it's still a matter of debate

what i do know for a fact is it's not an

epidemic

these kids are being medicated

as routinely as we had our tonsils taken

out and on the same whimsical basis and

for the same reason medical

fashion

our children are living in the most

intensely stimulating period in the

history of the earth

they're being besieged with information

and caused their attention from every

platform computers

from iphones from advertising holdings

from hundreds of television channels

and we're penalizing them now for

getting distracted

from what you know boring stuff

at school for the most part

it seems to me not a coincidence totally

that the incidence of adhd has risen in

parallel with the growth of standardized

testing

now these kids are being given ritalin

and adderall and all manner of things

often quite dangerous drugs

to get them focused and calm them down

but according to this attention deficit

order increases as you travel east

across the country

people start losing interest in oklahoma

they can hardly think straight in

arkansas

and by the time they get to washington

they've lost it completely

and there are separate reasons for that

i believe

it's a fictitious epidemic

if you think of it the arts

and i don't say this exclusively the

arts i think it's also true of science

and of maths but let me i say about the

art particularly because they are the

victims of this mentality currently

particularly

the arts

especially address the idea of

aesthetic

experience

an aesthetic experience is one in which

your senses are operating at their peak

when you're present in the current

moment when you're resonating with the

excitement of this thing that you're

experiencing when you are fully alive

an anesthetic is when you shut your

senses off

and deaden yourself to what's happening

and a lot of these drugs are that

we're getting our children through

education by anesthetizing them

and i think we should be doing the exact

opposite we shouldn't be putting them

asleep we should be waking them up to

what they have inside of themselves

but the model we have is this it's i

believe we have a system of education

that is modeled on

the interests of industrialism

and in the image of it

i'll give you a couple of examples uh

schools are still pretty much organized

on factory lines ringing bells separate

facilities

specialized into separate subjects

we still educate children by batches

you know we put them through the system

by age group

why do we do that you know why is there

this assumption

that the most important thing kids have

in common is how old they are

you know it's like the most important

thing about them is their date of

manufacture

what do you mean

well i know kids who are much better

than other kids at the same age in

different disciplines you know or at

different times of the day

or better in smaller groups than in

large groups or sometimes they want to

be on their own

if you're interested in the model of

learning you don't start from this

production line mentality these are it's

essentially about conformity and

increasingly it's about that as you look

at the growth of standardized testing

and standardized curricula

and it's about standardization

i believe we've got to go in the exact

opposite direction that's what i mean

about changing the paradigm

there was a great study done recently of

divergent thinking

published a couple of years ago

divergent thinking isn't the same thing

as creativity

i define creativity as the the process

of having original ideas that have value

divergent thinking isn't a synonym

but it's a

an essential

capacity for creativity

it's the ability to see lots of possible

answers

to a question lots of possible ways of

interpreting a question uh to think

what edward de boehner would probably

call laterally

to think not just in linear or

convergent ways

to see multiple answers not one

so i mean the test for this i mean one

kind of cod example would be people

might be asked to say

how many uses can you think of for a

paper clip

all those routine questions most people

might come with 10 or 15.

people are good at this might come up

with 200

and they do that by saying well could

the paper clip be 200 foot tall and be

made out of foam rubber

you know like does it have to be a paper

clip as we know it jim you know

um now they tested this and they gave

them to 1500 people in a book called

breakpoint and beyond

and on the protocol of the test if you

scored above a certain level

you'd be considered to be a genius at

divergent thinking

okay

so my question to you is what percentage

of

the people tested of the 1500

scored at genius level for divergent

thinking now you need to know one more

thing about them these were kindergarten

children

so what do you think what percentage at

genius level

eight eighteen

eighty okay

98

now the thing about this was it was a

longitudinal study

so they retested the same children

five years later

age of eight to ten what do you think

15.

they retested this them again

five years later ages

13-15

you can see a trend here can't you

now

this tells an interesting story

because you could have imagined it going

the other way couldn't you

you start off not being very good but

you get better as you get older but this

shows two things one is we all have this

capacity

and two it mostly deteriorates

now a lot of things have happened to

these kids as they've grown up a lot

but one of the most important things

that i'm convinced is that by now

they've become educated

they know they're spent ten years at

school being told there's one answer

it's at the back

and don't look

and don't copy

because that's cheating

i mean outside schools that's called

collaboration you know but inside

schools

now this isn't because teachers want it

this way it's just because it happens

that way

um it's because it's in the gene pool of

education

we have to think differently about human

capacity we have to get over this old

conception of academic non-academic

abstract theoretical vocational

and see it for what it is

a myth

secondly we have to recognize that most

great learning happens in groups the

collaboration is the stuff of growth

if we atomize people and separate them

and judge them separately

we

form a kind of disjunction between them

and their natural learning environment

and thirdly it's crucially about the

culture of our institutions the habits

of the institution and the habitats that

they occupy

you