The video also states that ADHD is a modern epidemic and children suffering from it are not able to benefit from the changing paradigms in education. These children are at a loss as they are bombarded with medicines and loaded with technology which diverts their attention from education. 

Similarly, it very clearly identifies that the current education system is more industrialised, explaining that schools today operate more like factories and divide students into age groups. Moreover, it explains that great learning only takes place in collaboration, when children are allowed to think together and work in groups, rather than splitting them individually and hampering their thinking process. 

I firmly believe, that Ken Robinson very aptly defines the lack of certainty in today’s education system and entails a very significant difference between the changes in education paradigms. 

Our children are living in an intensely stimulating age and the school in most cases have failed to grab their interest in the educational intercourse. Standardized testing has also caused an increase in the ADHD. Dealing a bunch of students under the same set standards and judging them on their varying behavior seems to be root cause. Ken Robinson talks about divergent thinking to support the need of changing the educational paradigm. He further stresses that the divergent thinking is most commonly observed in the Kindergarten kids and as they grow up divergent thinking deteriorates. 

In the end he stresses the importance of collaboration and suggests that better learning takes place in a group environment and not in isolation which hinders their natural learning. 

In short, Ken Robinson stresses that no set pattern can be applied to educational policies as with changing times the demands change and as every learner is a different individual with different abilities and learning capacity. 

According to ken, the current education system has been structured to cater to the challenges of the 18th and 19th centuries in which the industrial revolution was taking place. The system is based on industrialization where schools are organized based on their age and batches. He stated that the education standards should be reformed due to the rapid changes in the economy of the 21st century and globalization. Children are provided with information from hundreds of mediums in the form of television, advertisements, social media, and gadgets. So their learning standards cannot be confined to the classroom settings where students are supposed to concentrate and focus on what is being taught to them. This epidemic has given rise to ADHD among children where children are given medication to build their ability to focus and limit their thinking abilities.  

There is a need to go beyond this standardized education system and provide them divergent learning environment where everyone’s thoughts and opinions are given equal importance and value. They should be provided with the opportunities to learn in a collaborative environment rather than testing their skills individually.   

According to Ken Robinson when the similar disinterest and distraction manifests itself in a child, our society labels them as Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) sufferers. I totally coincide with his thoughts when he mentioned “Our children are living in the most intensive stimulating period in the history of the earth. They’re being besieged with information and coerced for attention from every platform: computers, iPhones, advertising hoardings, and hundreds of television channels. And we’re penalizing them now for getting distracted. From what? Boring stuff. He has reflected on the increase in technology and standardised testing, seeing these as factors that mirror the increasing trend in ADHD prevalence.

I support his argument that we need our children to make sense of their world, a world very different from the one we experienced. And, if we do want them to make sense of their world, we need to create opportunities for them to think at higher levels, to think outside the box.

We were taught that if we work hard, we will go to a good college and eventually get a good job, however that is not the case in today’s world. Our kids are aware that getting a degree doesn’t guarantee a good job. 

The problem with our education system is that it was designed for people belonging to a different culture and different economic background; Industrial Revolution. 

Our education is modeled on the interest of economics. We are not educating children, instead we are producing batches of materials as in factories. We need to stop standardisation in education system which includes standardised testing and standardised curriculum. This is what is meant by changing the paradigm. 

Divergent thinking isn’t same as creativity. It is the ability to see lots of possible answers, interpret a question in many different ways, and to think out of the box. Research proves that Kids are born with divergent thinking but our education systems reduce and eventually eliminate it in the students as they become ‘educated’. Teachers need to think about human capacity of divergent thinking and flourish it and understand that most great learning takes place through collaboration; in groups. 

 The article is a stimulating read, even for someone unconnected with the education domain. The phenomenon highlighted for Africa is the exact same in Pakistan. 

 I am convinced that the increase in students’ number in schools is not the same as expanding education. In my opinion expanding education means to provide opportunities to students where they could “learn by doing” to become lifelong learners rather than rote learning the taught concepts and becoming parrots.  Teachers in developing countries are only focusing on memorization of the taught concepts as it is the only teaching/learning method they know. 

 

The author is absolutely right in saying that the schools in developing countries are only giving superficial knowledge of basic Maths, Science, English, etc and not focusing on developing happy, life long learners who could bring positive changes in society. 

 

According to the author, UN in 2015 added the word “quality” in its goal related to education, however, the schools continued focusing on increasing students ‘number rather than improving the quality of teaching/learning. I believe if the schools’ goal is to increase students’ enrolment, then quality of education would definitely suffer.

Another important point raised in this article is about “schooling monoculture”. UN preaches diversity however; in the classroom, all the children are taught in the same way without incorporating differentiation.  Some teachers are ready to incorporate hands-on learning activities with their lessons however they have to face a lot of criticism from their fellow colleagues and school administration. 

 

The author is right in saying that rote learning prepares children for low-paid jobs as their creativity is killed at the school level and such learners are not suitable for complex and creative jobs. Therefore, filling schools with students and not focusing on developing their thinking skills should be stopped. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After reading the report , I came to know that Pakistan is facing number of challenges for example terrorism, political instability and many other problems that attract the attention in Washington. Pakistan is suffering food insecurity, water shortage, gas and electricity. 

It is also another dilemma that most of children are not able to attend school for there are certain areas where school don’t exist. Even in 21st century there are a number of young people who are without sufficient education and don’t have jobs. 

The Wilson Center’s Asia has discussed many issues related to the Pakistan’s education crises for last 11 years. The report states that money should be spend in a better way, rather than spending more to make education better in Pakistan.

Nadia Naviwalal reports pays her deep Pakistan -focused experience both in Islamabad and Washington and this will be useful resources For Pakistan official assistance.

It is the good news that reforms are on the way. Salar Khatak states that teachers do not have a tool or capability to teach. All four provinces are trying to reform Pakistan’s education. Those who are sincere, will find a way to reform the crises.  

Changing Education Paradigms is a description of our current education structure around the world. Sir ken Robinson theory provides an insight of schooling concepts from industrial to sustainable one.

 Our current National curriculum is more technology based as they provide students to interact through media and electronic text.  In current scenario, our education cannot fulfill the needs and demand of our students as our system is conceived for different age groups. After 19 century, public education is break through and it’s a revolutionary idea. At first step technology should be integrated into our course structure.  Inculcating both technology and conventional alphabetical and numeric teaching we can develop the skills and abilities so our kids will able to deal with the problems of our times. 

 

Robinson argues that our students need to experience a world that make sense according to their own level of thinking, and to create opportunities for them to think at higher levels, to think outside the box. We must encourage our students to be reflective, investigative and they will explore ideas.

This transformation has equally affected the public education which seems to be in a total reform mode primarily due to economy and cultural shifts. The existing education system that was designed for 18^th 19^th century has no relevance to cater to the growing needs of 21^st century. 

Key Robinson points out the educational institutes prepared students based on the industrial requirements, who would only study to enter job market, which paved way for standardized education system. 

Students at present do not want that mainly due to the rapidly changing world and market dynamics. Key Robinson talks about why this standardized education system ruins the young pupil’s creativity and diversity. The author argues to have an academic system that is meant to provide children with both personal as well as educational growth to become successful members of the society. 

Today students are bombarded with information from numerous media channels, social media platforms and so on that it has literally become impossible to help them concentrate on one thing at a time. There is so much distraction in this intensely changing environment that academician needs to work with students learning needs and prepare them for the future. 

The traditional system designed for industrialization supports the interest of existing economical structure where students are grouped by age.  The institutionalisation of schools is also on the structures of factories that has timed specialised subjects and disciplines that support the economies at large.  In schools there is a conformity that exists around standardised curriculum and testing systems.

The drive behind getting education conditions a child toward systematic institutionalisation and standardisation of curricula and tests.

The academic ability of categorising people as non academic versus academic rooted around two structural pillars of economy and intellect. They do not stand as a measure of success for many.

The current education system does not cater to all minds. It has atomised individuals towards learning where they struggle more as they grow rather than getting better. Therefore, the education systems need to be inclusive promoting divergent thinking and multiple perspectives of interpreting a question. 

This can be promoted by collaborative learning that leads to growth creating flexible habitats inclusive to all for learning.

Submitted by:
Sarah Talaat

 

I support Ken Robinson thought that the present education system needs modification, especially in public schools so that it can promote creative learning and out of box thinking among students. I will provide a conducive environment for my students in form of project-based learning and Inquiry-based learning to promote collaborative learning and individual skill assessment in order to meet the requirements of the future and to see my students succeed.

Submitted by: 
Mydah Khan 
Group A2