The purpose of education: Educating for a solutionary future?

We welcome back Zoe Weil, president and co-founder of the Institute for Humane Education, to speak about her recent Psychology Today column on the purpose of education. Although the official goal of many school systems is to prepare students for global competition, compassion, cooperation, and creativity are the qualities we should be emphasizing. A generation of solutionaries has a much better chance of creating a sustainable planet where humans and animals other than humans can thrive.

Overview

00:00-00:44 Intros

00:44-02:42 Purpose of education

02:42-07:41 What is a “solutionary?”

07:41-13:04 Teaching and learning in a solutionary classroom

13:04-19:10 Skills incorporated in a solutionary framework

19:10-24:33 How to deal with serious conflicts

24:33-26:59 Encouraging students to be solutionary when their schools aren’t

26:59-29:58 Solutionary education has not hit walls in polarized educational environment

29:58-31:58 Solutionary education and standardized tests, other assessments

31:58- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Image: humaneeducation.org