Robinson, S. K. (Lecturer) (2010). Changing education paradigms [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zDZFcDGpL4UComments:
I had to watch the video a few times before I began to understand the concepts that Sir Ken Robinson was referring too. When I think of education reform I think of it in terms of Newton's Cradle.
Some external catalyst or motivation begins the motion to reform education. In this case the catalyst for educational reform is the preparation for the changing economy in the 21st century and the the maintenance of cultural identity. Both in my mind very valid starting points to trigger reform. Using Newton's Cradle then the ball represents the idea of an education reform. Once the ball or reform is released it goes through a series of cultural and societal institutions.
Each institution takes a piece of that reform, absorbs it, and in turn (hopefully??) uses it to change educational practices. However, if with each transfer of idea the only thing that takes place is the absorption the reform eventually stops. In other words the pendulum stops swinging since all energy has been used. What needs to happen in order to keep the pendulum swinging is a reinvention and application of a particular educational reform so that new reforms can contribute back and redistribute ideas (energy) back to the institutions thus maintaining momentum.
Educators need to embrace the new reforms which in many cases do not come from the professionals or other institutions but from the learners themselves, the students. I like to think of myself as the student rather than the teacher.
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