Re-thinking learning, re-inventing teaching

: education in 21st century. A journey of discovery, understanding and hope

Abstract

Schools are living in the past. "They are still modelled on a curious mix of the factory, the asylum and the prison!" They reflect old beliefs of an industrial age, now gone. The amazing number of attempts at changing schools have failed time and time again. In a society going through major changes, educators are immersed in the situation and find it difficult to visualise the future, plan ahead and change. Educators have to 'rethink' teaching, 're-invent' schooling. Urgently, schools need to play a leading role in providing youths with the skills and knowledge, necessary for a life of work, a life of worth, in a sustainable future. In this analysis, my goals are: * 1) To gain a broad understanding of the latest research on "Education beyond the 20th century" and translate the complex findings from this body of information into a simple, clear summary for teachers, parents and students. * 2) To suggest some options in order to change high schools within the new framework from the Northern Territory Department of Education and to propose some practical guidelines to bringing about these changes. These options could be used as a starting point for reflection, discussion and ultimately action. My overall aim is really to 'rediscover' teaching in a 'post industrial age', to be able to transform schools and systems into 'communities of inquiry and continuous learning' in which all students feel valued, empowered and free, become highly competent and develop personal mastery and ultimately wisdom.

Date of Award	Jun 1999
Original language	English
Supervisor	Brian Devlin (Supervisor)