Education in liquid times: outlets from Ken Robinson disertations

Abstract

This article develops some ideas from the presentation of the most important dissertations by educator Ken Robinson, who has been one of the references for the re-foundation of educational systems in the 21st century. Both dissertations were presented in the TED Talk program: the first focused on the impact that the traditional school system has caused with respect to the development of creativity in students, and that is necessary as a capacity to solve real problems in times of uncertainty. The second focused on questioning the public policies of countries that have designed reforms with unsatisfactory results. Rather, they have reproduced mechanisms performed by students and teachers as part of the routine. Robinson reflects on this issue and explains that the authorities and politicians have not taken into account three fundamental principles that ensure human prosperity: 1) the students are diverse, 2) the engine of educational success is curiosity as natural learning in human beings, and 3) the responsibility for any change or reform in education should be delegated to the school community and not to government agencies.