Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 December 2024
“The entire object of true education is to make people not merely to do the right things, but enjoy them; not merely industrious, but to love industry; not merely learned, but to love knowledge; not merely pure, but to love purity; not merely just, but to hunger and thirst after justice.”
John Ruskin (1986 [1860])Education develops organically rather than along a linear path. Complicated and controversial, it evolves slowly. As discussed in the first parts of this book, the factors affecting the evolution of education are many. Acknowledgement of the interrelated and interdependent nature of the global society is not yet universal. Alienation from the environment and from other people has caused extensive harm and created conditions that are difficult to repair. The challenges of climate change and disease put uncompromising demands on society and on education as well. The fragmentation of responsibility concerning the needs of society and the environment impedes progress. Economic ambitions and preoccupation with profit have moulded the present shape of education. Education has become a means of boosting productivity and market competitiveness, minimizing unemployment through developing an adaptive and qualified labour force, and creating an environment for innovation in a world dominated by global competition. The countries of the world with the largest economies and highest rates of education are paradoxically those whose education systems continue to produce graduates who support societies that acerbate climate change. The media with its subtle manipulation of public opinion continues to focus on conflict and strife, luxury and overconsumption. Personal and social prejudices, habits and fears restrict the ability to be open to alternative ways of thinking and living and to accept the need for greater unity in diversity. Many of the methodologies still in use by teachers in parts of the world have been criticized as being inadequate to promote among learners constructive, critical thinking and collective consultation. A general lack of interdisciplinary training and systems thinking has been cited as undermining many teachers’ ability to help students appreciate the interconnectedness of modern society and the complexities of sustainable development. Teachers do not necessarily regard themselves as active agents together with students and communities in the processes of co-constructing new knowledge about environmental stewardship. Some educational systems fail to provide teachers with the support and autonomy needed in order to engage both with individual students and society at large.
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