Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ The true purpose of education

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

We have been forced more than usual recently to think about the purpose of school. Doug Johnson writes of the process, "this is simply society using education as a means of slowing cultural change by only allowing students who are willing to conform and delay gratification to gain positions of responsibility in society.... Graduating from school depends far more on a student's EQ than IQ, if EQ is the ability to conform to societal norms.  And how much of EQ is knowing when to simply shut up, go with the flow, and keep on keeping on?" Dean Shareski, meanwhile, makes two arguments: "1. Learning can and will happen with or without schools. 2. Community and Connections are the most important things schools do," he writes. "This crisis has solidified my beliefs." Or as he said a couple of days ago, "Unpopular Opinion: Learning isn't the most important thing schools offer... Learning is obviously one of the promises of schools but I don't believe it's job one."

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Dec 22, 2024 06:57 a.m.

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