My cousin-in-law (which doesn’t seem to be the right word! That sounds so unfamiliar when in reality I know well and am good friends with Tim) recently commented on my posting about the lack of creativity in modern schools. In my post, I reflect on the predictions of JP Guilford in 1950 when he predicted that computers would eliminate the need for knowledge experts and elevate creativity and problem solving as the necessary skills of the future.
Guilford was exactly right. Tim agrees and gives a great perspective from the medical education sector, where med students who can memorize information progress in the system faster than problem solving doctors. Tim wonders, and I agree, which would YOU prefer to have working for you? I would much rather have the problem solving doctor, who has enough knowledge to know where to find the information he needs, but can still think progressively about how to serve me.
Thanks, Tim for the great comments!
I don’t think I’ve linked yet to a great presentation on this topic by Sir Ken Robinson at the TED conference, where he presents a very funny and entertaining (and persuasive) talk on how schools are killing creativity. Thanks to Clif Mims for pointing me to that video.
Personally, I think the current recession may not be the least of our worries in our great nation if we don’t figure out quickly that our current model of education is not right for the 21st Century. We don’t need "knowledge experts" anymore because the info is readily available. We need "problem-solvers." Of course a person needs SOME knowledge to be able to be a problem solver, but still, the creativity/problem solving aspect is terribly overlooked right now in schools.
Since the system isn’t changing quickly enough, I wonder what I can do to at least prepare my own children and develop their creativity/problem solving skills? What can I do to prepare my children for 21st century jobs and lifestyles even though they attend 20th century schools?
Any ideas?
Tags: creativity, schools, educational change, ken robinson
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