Tuesday, December 29, 2009

What is the purpose of education?



Did You Ever Wonder? is a movie made by Bill Farren, a technology integration facilitator in the Dominican Republic who writes the blog Education for Well Being. He has made this movie as a response to the Did You Know? movie by Carl Fisch which focuses mainly on whether we are preparing students for the future economic competition with India and China. Bill Farren offers an alternative view: that education should be for a better world and that our current economic system is unsustainable. I really like the questions: what is more important for children to learn about - diversity or biodiversity? Independence or interdependence? What is more, this video has made me realise that what I really miss this year is teaching IB Geography and having these discussions with my 17 and 18 year old students. Time to think about moving (back) in another direction I think. Time to ask questions of my new school such as why they are only offering History and Economics for IB, not Geography.
The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done; men and women who are creative, inventive and discoverers, who can be critical and verify, and not accept, everything they are offered. –Piaget

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