essay on education can change the world

Nelson Mandela: 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.'

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

The quote by Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," holds immense significance in highlighting the transformative power of knowledge. Mandela recognizes that education holds the key to societal progress, as it empowers individuals to challenge existing norms, question their surroundings, and craft a brighter future. With education as our ally, we possess the ability to break free from the chains of ignorance and make meaningful contributions to the world.Education, in its simplest form, equips us with skills and knowledge necessary to navigate life's challenges. It enables us to read, write, reason, and comprehend complex concepts. These fundamental abilities provide us with the tools to engage with society, actively participate in conversations, and contribute our unique perspectives. Education imparts us with critical thinking capacity, helping us to decipher between right and wrong, question societal norms, and challenge unjust systems.However, to truly grasp the profound impact of education on society, let us delve into the realms of philosophy. In doing so, we come across the concept of "existentialism," introduced by prominent thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Søren Kierkegaard. Existentialism shifts our perspective from the collective to the individual, urging us to examine our existence and our role in shaping the world. How does this concept relate to education and Mandela's quote?Existentialism presents the idea that in the face of an inherently absurd and meaningless world, individuals hold the power to create their own meanings. It accentuates the importance of personal responsibility, freedom of choice, and authenticity. When we apply these principles to education, we discover that it is not merely a means to an end but a catalyst for personal growth and self-realization. Education becomes the vehicle through which we explore and shape our own personal realities.In this context, education takes on a deeper significance. It is not restricted to textbooks and exams but becomes a lifelong journey of self-discovery and personal transformation. Through education, we uncover our passions, strengthen our beliefs, and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute positively to society. It enables us to not only change the world but also change our own lives, providing a pathway to personal fulfillment and self-actualization.Furthermore, education also plays a crucial role in cultivating empathy, understanding, and compassion. As we gain knowledge about different cultures, histories, and perspectives, we cultivate a sense of global citizenship. We develop the capacity to empathize with people from diverse backgrounds, challenge prejudice and discrimination, and work towards creating a more inclusive and harmonious world. Education, therefore, serves as a bridge that connects individuals from various walks of life, fostering mutual respect and empathy.It is important to note that education alone cannot be expected to solve all of society's problems. Political, economic, and cultural barriers often complicate the process of implementing change. Nevertheless, education provides us with the tools and understanding necessary to address these challenges and find innovative solutions. It equips us with the ability to challenge the status quo, question traditional structures, and envision a better future. Through education, we can foster social change, empower marginalized communities, and strive to create a fairer and more just society.In conclusion, Nelson Mandela's quote, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," encapsulates the transformative power of education. It signifies that education not only provides us with knowledge but also empowers us to challenge existing norms, question our surroundings, and reshape the world as we see fit. By embracing education in its many forms, we embark on a journey of personal growth, self-realization, and empathy. As we continually learn, adapt, and evolve, we have the ability to make meaningful contributions to society and leave a lasting impact on the world.

Nelson Mandela: 'If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.'

Nelson mandela: 'it always seems impossible until it's done.'.

the Education Commission

The role of education in transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

Apr 26, 2016 | Updates | 0 comments

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 seek to alleviate various crises and problems which threaten human rights. So, what is the role of education in achieving the SDGs, establishing sustainability and transforming our world?

While SDGs serve as benchmarks for a more sustainable society, there is still no clear vision for what that sustainable global society will ultimately look like. In fact, it is the consensus building and cooperation among different cultures and communities across the world – skills that education helps to develop – that will help us define what and how such a sustainable society can be achieved.

For this reason, it is important to integrate the ideas and increase the participation of various stakeholders in a discussion on how we can transform our world into a sustainable one towards 2030.

In particular, increasing the participation of young people who shoulder our future is critical for achieving sustainable development. Although today’s globalized world has in many ways made the world feel smaller, many young people feel isolated from their communities, and disconnected from the immediate environment around them. Education can play an important role in these situations – by fostering and nurturing youth who can actively participate and contribute to the betterment of their local communities.

Education plays a pivotal role in helping young people make the connection between global issues and local communities. Cultivating our imaginative capacity through education enhances our motivation for change and for taking action to make the world a sustainable place.

In his 2016 Peace Proposal, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, an educator and a 2015 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, identifies two important functions of learning:

To enable people to accurately assess the impact of their actions and to empower them to effect positive change for themselves and those around them; and
To bring forth the courage to persevere in the face of adversity. [1]

In his proposal, Dr. Ikeda emphasizes the importance of education in building youth solidarity – a united group of young people – to encourage citizens to take courageous action to achieve a sustainable global community.

We hope that as many youth as possible join the activities organized by the Education Commission’s Youth Panel. The Education Youth Video Challenge is a great opportunity for young people to express their thoughts about local and global issues through video. We can transform our world in our own respective ways in our local communities based on the solidarity of youth!

Please share your ideas and opinions about the future of education and participate in the Education Youth Video Challenge !

Shizuka Nishimura is on the Education Commission’s Youth Panel. You can read more about her work here .

[1] Daisaku Ikeda, 2016, “2016 Peace Proposal, Universal Respect for Human Dignity: The Great Path to Peace.” January 26. Retrieved from http://www.sgi.org/content/files/about-us/president-ikedas-proposals/peaceproposal2016.pdf (Accessed March 16, 2016).

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How Education as a Human Right Is Changing The World We Live In

Updated: December 8, 2023

Published: December 10, 2018

70 years ago, education was declared a universal human right. Let’s see just how dramatically education has been changing our world.

Education has been a universally recognized fundamental human right for the past 70 years, thanks to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948.

While this declaration did not mean every person in the world was suddenly granted access to a quality education overnight, it has greatly affected our world for the better. The right to education has since been enshrined in national constitutions, development plans, and many international conventions.

Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

While the word choice of “weapon” is a bit unsuitable, Mandela’s words ring true.

It has become increasingly clear that education is the most powerful tool for promoting empowerment and freedom. Education provides innumerable benefits not only to the individuals receiving it — these educated and empowered individuals go on to create ripples of positive change in their communities, societies, and ultimately the world as a whole.

Let’s examine how exactly education as a human right is positively changing the world we live in.

Rising Out of Poverty

A quality education is the number one factor that empowers people to rise out of poverty, as they become equipped with valuable skills necessary for gaining employment.

According to the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report , each additional year of schooling increases a person’s earnings by roughly 10%. Moreover, it’s been shown that for each $1 invested in additional education, average earnings increase by $5 in low-income countries and $2.50 in lower-middle income countries. This proves that getting an education is the most effective way for anyone to increase their income and rise above poverty.

As more citizens become educated, there is a direct rise in national and global economic growth as well. Education increases the human capital in the labor force, which allows for increased labor productivity. The end result is a more robust and prosperous national economy.

Quality education has also allowed new innovations in technology, products, and processes to rise exponentially. It’s no coincidence that the world is more educated than ever before , and we also happen to be rapidly advancing in science and technology in unprecedented ways, which further helps drive the global economy forward.

Education Makes the World a Safer Place

Without a proper education, many individuals wind up turning to crime just to get by.

One study conducted by the Economic Opportunity Institute revealed that missing just one extra year of early childhood education made children 70% more likely to be arrested for a crime by the age of 18.

Promotes Gender Equality

There’s still a long way to go before women enjoy equal rights in every nation on earth — however, education is the most surefire way to attain this goal. Education has been slowly but surely closing the gender inequality gap all across the globe.

Getting more girls into school and ensuring they have access to a quality education leads to innumerable benefits for the girls as well as their families, communities, and society as a whole.

The positive effects that are catalyzed simply by educating girls are truly profound.

According to data compiled by Global Partnership for Education (GPE), educating girls wound up averting more than 30 million deaths of children under five years old, and 100 million deaths in adults 15 to 60 years old. Providing universal secondary education could virtually end the practice of child marriage. If every girl worldwide was provided a quality 12-year education, the global lifetime earnings for women would increase by a massive $15 trillion to $30 trillion USD.

It is abundantly clear that educating girls saves lives, provides economic prosperity, decreases instances of forced marriages, plus innumerable other great benefits to society.

Thankfully, great organizations like GPE are dedicated to bringing educations to girls in the countries that need it most. Out of the 65+ countries GPE partners with, more than two-thirds of those nations had just as many girls complete primary school as boys in 2016. These newly educated girls will surely go on to bring many benefits to their nations and ultimately make our world a better and more progressive place.

Source: Unsplash

Reduction in world population.

Our planet is currently facing a huge world population problem. The number of humans has been sharply and exponentially rising, and it is causing a huge strain on the planet.

Education is a powerful tool in moderating population growth. For women, one additional year of school reduces the probability of becoming a mother by 7.3%.

A great example that demonstrates the power of education in reducing population can be seen in Bangladesh. Through raising awareness and education on contraceptives among married women, fertility decreased from an average of 6 children per women in 1975 down to around 3 children today.

Decrease in Disease and Death

There is a direct correlation between education and health. Research in the developing world has gleaned that educational status — especially that of the mother — is a major predictor of health outcomes. Proper education about AIDS and HIV prevention has saved countless lives around the world.

It’s not just in developing nations that experience a correlation between education and health, either. In the US, it’s been discovered that adults without a high school diploma can expect to die 9 years sooner on average than college grads. Those with less education wind up with higher rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Through educating the public, our world can become a place with less disease and happier, healthier humans.

Education is Even Helping Combat Climate Change

Since education is aiding in the reduction of world population, it is also helping us manage massive environmental problems.

Simply by investing in universal education and family planning, it’s been shown that the world could reduce harmful emissions by a whopping 120 billion tons by 2050 — that’s about 10 years’ worth of China’s annual emissions that would never be created, all thanks to education.

Providing education in sustainable practices in agriculture to primary and secondary students can further reduce global warming as well, since one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions are made by agriculture. Through education, future farmers will hold critical knowledge about sustainability and making less of an impact on our earth.

The world needs more bright minds to get into the emerging green industries such as alternative power sources and waste reduction in order to create new innovations that will help us manage climate change. The only way this can happen is through quality education.

What You Can Do To Make an Impact or Get the Education You Deserve

It’s abundantly clear that education is the most powerful tool out there for creating positive change in our lives and the world as a whole.

While access to education has been declared a universal human right for the past 70 years, unfortunately many people out there still haven’t been able to get the education they deserve due to lack of funds, accessibility, or time.

This is where University of the People has stepped in to help. We provide tuition-free higher education to anyone, anywhere, because we truly believe a good education is a fundamental human right that should be made available to everyone.

From Syrian refugees that don’t have the money or access to universities, to students in Nigeria where there are not enough university seats available, to American citizens that were forced to drop out of college with crushing debts — everyone is welcome to join University of the People and get an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree.

University of the People has partnered with Harvard, Yale, Oxford, the Clinton Foundation, and many other prestigious organizations to provide the world with access to a high-quality education.

If you have felt like you can’t get a degree because you don’t have the money or time, consider checking out University of the People — it might just change your life.

If you aren’t looking for higher education but still want to join the the movement to make universal education as a human right come true, consider making a donation to increase the speed of this revolution. You will be directly changing students’ lives and ultimately making the world a better place as a whole.

Wrapping Up

From empowering women, to reducing crime, to even combating climate change, education is a crucial piece of the puzzle to ensuring our world continues to get better and better every day. The positive effects that stem from educating individuals end up rippling across the entire earth in innumerable ways.

In the worlds of Malala Yousafzai (youngest nobel prize winner):

“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”

Godswill Isaac

Business Administration, Nigeria

How Education Changes the World
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Education isn't simply about achieving a “higher state of knowledge”; it’s about equipping our students with the tools they need to go out into the world and shape it for themselves.

Miranda Meents , PhD Candidate in Botany

The British biologist and philosopher Herbert Spencer said “the great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.” As a PhD student, I have been a great consumer of education, and I believe that my education has dramatically shaped my decisions and actions. But I still wrestle with understanding the broader purpose of postsecondary education in our society. I struggle with this idea now more than ever, because I have now become part of the team providing undergraduate education here at the University of British Columbia (UBC). In the past four years, I’ve worked as a teaching assistant, supervised undergraduate students, and am now helping to shape how we teach at UBC through my research. At UBC there are thousands of people, all working together, to provide an education for over 50,000 undergraduate students. So many people are putting in so much effort, that I think we should occasionally take a step back and consider the impact we’re having. What is our goal? In considering this question, I have concluded that the goal shouldn’t necessarily be to achieve a “higher state of knowledge”. Instead, I think we should work to equip our students with the tools they need to go out into the world and shape it for themselves. I think Herbert Spencer would agree.

Education Changes the World of Our Students

It’s not a trivial thing, to decide to go to university. For one thing, it’s expensive, both in terms of tuition and student fees, and in the income you lose by not working full-time. There’s also no guarantee that you’ll get that promised higher paying job, with greater job security. But despite the costs and the uncertainty, getting an education will probably change your life for the better. If you want to be a nurse, or an engineer, your chance of reaching this goal is improved by going to university and getting training in these fields. People less certain of their paths post-university can explore their options, and discover their passions. In the classroom, students gain skills and abilities they can take away with them. But education also broadens the mind and provides alternative perspectives, and this can change our students’ outlook and their approach to the world. Beyond that, the people they befriend and connect with can be just as influential to their lives as what they learn in the classroom. There is strong evidence suggesting that when our students graduate, they will be more likely to earn more money , be more employable , and be more financially secure . But they will also be profoundly changed. Their worlds will be forever altered, and because of this, our students will go on to alter the world around them.

Education Changes Society

It’s not just our students, or their friends and families, who are investing time and money into higher education. All of us collectively are investing our tax dollars to subsidize our universities and colleges . Some of this investment will be paid back, in increased tax revenue from higher wages, and r educed drain on welfare programs . There are, however, many less tangible benefits to a more highly educated society. Education can stimulate economic growth less directly, by increasing innovation, productivity, and human capital. And education also has a history of fostering positive social change, by encouraging things like political participation , social equality , and environmental sustainability . Through its collaborations, our educational institutions also promote engagement with our communities, industries, governments, and the media. We are motivating our students to become more open, thoughtful, and responsible citizens, who are prepared to put these skills into action in our society. When they graduate, they will take their values with them, and go on to make the world a better place.

Tools for Changing the World

Having concluded that education should help students develop the skills they need to best take action in the world, I think we must also consider what we, as educators, think these skills should be. In doing this, I also feel we must be respectful of the wishes of our students and communities, and consider what is most beneficial for our society. I think most would agree that we should help our students develop their skills in areas like communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving. In fact, part of my research focuses on how to best develop students’ problem-solving skills, a skill which has been identified as one of the fundamental qualifications for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. Problem-solving can include things like the ability to identify obstacles, to devise innovative and effective solutions, to implement the solutions appropriately, and to persevere with challenging problems. However, it is often far from clear how we can best provide our students with these skills.

My work builds on a body of literature in a field called the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) . This literature gives us an idea of which teaching techniques have been most effective in similar situations, and I am applying some of these practices in real-world biology classes here at UBC. In these classes, the students are frequently confronted with a biological problem they’ve never seen before and they have to figure out how to solve it. We’re trying to figure out the best way to teach our students how to do that. We are testing these different teaching practices to see what effect they have on student problem-solving abilities, as well as the quality of the students’ learning experience. My hope is that this research will help me, and others, become better educators. This will, in turn, help us better prepare our students for the problems they will encounter in their lives, and prime them for a life of action.

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Literacy Education for a Changing World

Educators, and especially literacy educators, are uniquely positioned to be changemakers. Alongside tangible reading and writing skills, literacy educators can teach social awareness and critical reflection—powerful tools for personal and social change. These skills and mindsets empower children to question the world inside and outside their classrooms, to stretch their thinking and broaden their understandings, and to take action toward a more equitable society.

Although educators are the face of these conversations, they cannot lead positive change alone. To do this difficult work, they need support from scholars, administrators, and school-based specialists and professionals who are passionate, knowledgeable, and advocates for literacy. This is the focus of the International Literacy Association 2018 Conference, where research, policy, and practice will converge to deliver strategies for fostering positive change in literacy education.

As we gear up for ILA 2018 with its theme of Be a Changemaker , we want to know, “How do you define a changemaker in literacy education?” We posed this question to our Twitter community, and their responses gave us a window into what literacy education for a changing world looks like.

“It means finding ways to help students become critical consumers of the waves of information available to them. Read, think, and intelligent responses through multiple means of expressions. Need to go way beyond reading and answering questions.” —Kimberly Kuhlman, reading specialist, Pennsylvania

The ILA 2018 Conference, with the theme Be a Changemaker , will take place July 20 – 23 in Austin, TX. Learn more and register here .

Alina O’Donnell is the communications strategist at ILA and the editor of Literacy Daily.

Registration Opens for the ILA 2018 Conference Resources to Celebrate Digital Learning Day 2018

Anita's Picks

How can education change the world?

Education can form a personality and make the individual develop knowledge. Through it, a person integrates into school activities, socializes, frees himself, communicates, and orients himself. And it is not only at school that we acquire education: different spheres of society, in general, can influence the individual in this sense.

To gain knowledge, one must follow a procedure – whether formal or not. Knowledge can be acquired through basic or applied research. Knowledge can also pass from one individual to another through communication.

All this cool. But how can knowledge change the world? How can he make people or groups influence the media in which they are inserted? This article has the answer!

How education changes the world

Education is a powerful weapon. Through it, a citizen becomes more critical, has more job opportunities, and improves their quality of life. The importance of learning for yourself is sharing your knowledge with others. Through this sharing, education acts directly on economic, social, and cultural development.

Without access to knowledge, we are unaware of rights, the environment, adequate working conditions, and respect. Find out now what quality education can do!

fight against poverty

The more you know, the more opportunities arise in the job market. A person who qualifies and specializes is more likely to get a job than someone who has not studied.

This happens in several countries: those who study earn more than those who are not literate. This impact is explicit in all grades of schooling. People who seek education can get out of poverty more easily.

It helps protect the environment

When individuals become more aware of the impacts of our activities on nature, it helps to preserve the environment. Education teaches people to decide sustainably and fulfill present duties without affecting future generations. A world educated correctly about nature and its impacts are more sustainable.

Alleviates violence

Social inequality is directly associated with the lack of quality education, which is directly related to the increase in violence. Education can reduce this inequality, overcome intolerance, and help society become less aggressive. Education is key to dealing with ignorance and fighting stereotypes.

It gives access to rights

Education allows people to know that they have rights guaranteed law and demand them. Through education, we learn about human rights and our essential freedoms.

Allows understanding of the world

The importance of understanding the world is for any human being. Education makes people more critical and aware, contributes to the country’s economic growth, and promotes social equality.

The importance of the teacher in the formation of students

Educational Advisor – What is its importance?

Education for social transformation

The Value of Education

Learning to Change the World

By Connie K. Chung

Portions of the essay below was adapted and recently published in the book, Empowering Global Citizens, by Reimers, Chopra, Chung, Higdon, and O'Donnell

Researchers have noted that traditional global citizenship education (GCE) curriculum encourages students to understand globalization; to adopt a self-critical approach to how they and their nation are implicated in local and global problems; to engage in intercultural perspectives and diversity (Pashby, 2008); and to recognize and use their political agency towards effecting change and promoting social and environmental justice (Eidoo et al, 2011). Schurgurensky (2005) observes, “transformative citizenship learning involves the nurturing of caring and critical citizens who raise important questions and problems in overt ways” and “probe the status quo” (Eidoo et al, 2011). “Andreotti (2006) further draws the distinction between “soft” and “critical” global citizenship education and looks to critical literacy for a pedagogical approach that “prioritizes critical reflection and asks learners to recognize their own context and their own and others’ epistemological and ontological assumptions.

Furthermore, she argues that in order “to think otherwise” and to transform views and relationships, learners must engage with their own and others’ perspectives. Andreotti’s ‘critical’ global citizenship model promotes citizenship action as “a choice of the individual after a careful analysis of the context of intervention, of different views, of power relations (especially the position of who is intervening) and of short and long term (positive and negative) implications of goals and strategies” (p. 7). Key concepts of critical GCE include transformation, criticality, self-reflexivity, diversity, complicity, and agency” (Eidoo et al, 2011).

Existing Curriculum vs Our Global Citizenship Curriculum

While the AP curriculum emphasizes breadth of knowledge, and the US standards movement lists discrete skills, knowledge, or attitudes that people wish to impart to the students, our curriculum seeks to develop a depth of knowledge and “expert” thinking required to solve problems. In our desire to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes – that is, not only impart knowledge, but also focus on teaching skills and attitudes – that would prepare learners for the 21st century, we found that a focus on developing an interdisciplinary approach to curricular development was necessary. When we looked at the AP curriculum as a possible framework for curriculum design, for example, we were impressed by the breadth of knowledge that was required by the program; however, we ultimately felt that we wanted to emphasize depth of knowledge, given the kind of “expert” thinking required to solve problems.

In addition, rather than imposing on the students a list of discrete skills, knowledge, or attitudes that we wished to impart to the students, we wanted the students to find and make meaning in their learning. Thus, our curriculum focuses on learning that is integrated and grounded in current social, political, economic, and other concerns, focusing on issues that are complex, with no easy answers or solutions. We believed that students would find value in, and desire to engage with, issues that were “real” and authentic; and that in being asked to engage with these real-life issues, the learners would be more motivated to learn the skills and knowledge necessary to understand and solve these issues.

For example, our curriculum centers on issues like immigration and the impact of human migration on the environment, and the kinds of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are necessary to address these issues. Such an approach led us to fields such as demography that is not a subject that is taught in many schools, but a topic that we thought was essential for learning how to address issues about population growth and its impact. Another example of difference from other more traditional global citizenship education curriculum would be our curriculum’s focus on social entrepreneurship; while a few business classes may be taught in high schools, we deliberately brought the subject to the lower grades, and coupled it with developing students’ understanding of international development and notions of justice and equity.

Banks (2008) and Nieto (2002) note that a “transformative” education teaches people to develop decision-making and social action skills; identify problems in society; acquire knowledge related to their communities; name and clarify their values; and take thoughtful individual and collective civic action to address inequities and injustices. In structuring such a “transformative education,” focused on developing students’ cognitive knowledge (Fitzgerald, 2005) by focusing on topics such as the following: development and sustainable development; cultural identity and diversity; human rights and responsibilities; equality and social justice; peace, conflict and resolution; geographic, economic, political, social and environmental knowledge about the world. We also sought to ground these pieces of information by introducing students to exemplars of change agents, both historical and current figures, who have worked and are working to create positive change in their communities.

Like other global education curriculum, we focused on intercultural competencies to develop the values, attitudes and perceptions of students. For example, we wanted students to understand how cultures can shape identities, including their own. Through our curriculum, we sought to develop empathy in the students through perspective taking exercises (Bob Selman at HGSE has written on this topic). We also draw upon literature and the arts to encourage creative expression in the global studies course. In addition to individual development, we focused on the students’ development as members of teams, who are able to work productively in and lead effectively inter-cultural teams. We built in curricular opportunities for student so develop skills in negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills.

Agents of Change

In developing the curriculum we also took into consideration such findings from a study about teaching justice to privileged adolescents (Seider, 2009), which noted that mere knowledge about the world’s problems will not only overwhelm students and lead them to disengage with the world. For example, when faced with data about global poverty, students may react with defensiveness, so we incorporated into the curriculum, not just data about problems and skills to overcome them, but also examples of viable solutions to issues, and people working toward those kinds of change, to impart to students the idea that these issues can be overcome.

We focused on introducing choice, developing capacity, and motivating them to contribute to the world around them, in small and large ways (2005). We sought to cultivate in the students a focus on being innovative and creative in formulating solutions to real global challenges and seizing global opportunities. To do so, the curriculum is largely project-based, with a cumulative sequencing of units within and across grades. We include how geographic, disciplinary, and professional contexts matter in devising effective solutions to global challenges. In particular, we sought to ground students in the reality of the world, but also infused the notion of agency and possibility, along with concrete skills and projects that would teach them to be agents of change.

Along with curricular emphases on fairness and global citizenship, we also wanted to make sure that students felt that they had the freedom to choose how they wanted to engage with these issues, so that they did not feel the emphases was heavy-handed. For example, at the high school level, the final projects are broadly conceived and open to the students’ own conceptions of how they wanted to apply these skills and knowledge, whether they wanted to be a scientist, an artist, or a politician. We wanted a strong core body of knowledge and skills that would be ably used by learners who had developed the attitude of compassion, responsibility and efficacy about changing the world around them. While the students will be thoughtfully guided by their teachers in developing these projects, they are ultimately encouraged and are able to carry out their projects independently.

Project-Based & Group Learning

Through a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are taught in project-based, cumulative sequencing of units within and across grades, our various units about different cultures and regions of the world were intended to cultivate the students’ ability not only to seek and identify the best global practices and transfer them across geographic, disciplinary, and professional contexts, but also in their ability to recognize how these different geographic, cultural, and other perspectives matter in devising effective solutions to global challenges. More than merely engaging in individualized learning, students are asked to interact with others, learn with others, and influence others. For example, in grade 5 they are asked to create an awareness project about the MDGs; then in grade 6, they are asked to implement an advocacy project about the MDGs.

Assessment: More than a Number

From kindergarten, students are not only learning, but are engaged in demonstrating their understanding of what they learned throughout the year. We integrated formative and summative assessments throughout the course. More than merely displaying knowledge, students are asked to engage in creating a product, whether it be a puppet show (kindergarten), a book (grade 1), a business (grade 3) a game (grade 4), or a social enterprise (grade 8). Learning is constructed as cumulative, with knowledge building on prior experience and understanding. For example, in Grade 3, students learn to understand global inter-dependence through participating in creating a social enterprise project in chocolate manufacturing. The learning objective is to build an entrepreneurial spirit in young children through an understanding of global food chains using the case of chocolate, specifically. The primary geographic focus is West Africa, in chocolate manufacturing countries.

The year ends with a capstone activity that gives the students the opportunity to engage in complex, activity-based tasks that incorporate the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that they have learned during the year. The capstone activity for grade 3 is to create a marketing campaign for the chocolate they have made and to differentiate their product based on the culture of their target market. They build toward this capstone activity through the following units: 3.1 The life of a chocolate and its history; 3.2 Let’s make our own chocolate; 3.3 Understanding the culture of my market; 3.4 Marketing my chocolate in school; 3.5 Child Labor; 3.6 Taking my chocolate to the market; 3.7 Moving beyond chocolate.

Other capstone activities include the following. Kindergarten – Take part in a puppet show performance on understanding difference; Grade 1 – Create a “Book of Me”; Grade 2 - Educate others; Grade 3 - Create a business (chocolate); Grade 4 - Create a game about civilizations; Grade 5 - Create an awareness project on MDGs; Grade 6 - Implement an advocacy project about an MDG; Grade 7 – Participate in extended service learning; Grade 8 - Create a Social Enterprise around a MDG. In many cases, the capstone activities build on each other; in grade 5, for example, they are asked to create an awareness project to inform others about the MDGs while in grade 6, they are then asked to implement an advocacy project about the MDGs.

Our aim is to have students who are capable of demonstrating innovation and creativity in formulating solutions to real global challenges and seizing global opportunities. Our various units about different cultures and regions of the world are intended to foster the students’ ability not only to seek and identify the best global practices and transfer them across geographic, disciplinary, and professional contexts, but also in their ability to recognize how these different geographic, cultural, and other perspectives matter in devising effective solutions to global challenges. They are able to think in nuanced ways, paying attention to local details and understand that there is variation not only across contexts but within contexts as well.

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Essay on We Can Change the World

Students are often asked to write an essay on We Can Change the World in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on We Can Change the World

Belief in change.

Change begins with belief. We can change the world if we truly believe it’s possible. Our thoughts and actions can make a big difference.

Small Steps Matter

Every small step counts. Planting a tree, helping a friend, or recycling waste are simple actions that contribute to a better world.

Working together amplifies our impact. By uniting our efforts, we can achieve significant changes.

Think Future

We must think about our future generations. Our actions today will shape their world. Let’s make it a better place for them.

250 Words Essay on We Can Change the World

The power of individual action.

Change is a natural aspect of life, and it can be harnessed to transform the world. Each individual, regardless of their status, has the potential to contribute to this change. The belief that change is possible starts with the individual. A single action, like reducing personal waste or advocating for social justice, can create ripples that influence others to act.

Collective Effort and Its Impact

While individual actions are vital, collective effort is the driving force behind significant change. Movements like the Civil Rights Movement and the fight against climate change have shown how people coming together can create substantial impacts. This collective action, powered by shared beliefs and mutual support, can alter societal norms and create a more equitable world.

Technology as a Catalyst

In the digital age, technology serves as a catalyst for change. Social media platforms enable individuals to share ideas, mobilize support, and challenge oppressive systems. Technology has the potential to democratize information, providing everyone with the tools to understand and act on global issues.

The Journey Ahead

Changing the world is a continuous journey. It requires persistence, resilience, and a commitment to learning. It is about understanding that every action, no matter how small, contributes to a larger cause. By harnessing the power of individual actions, collective effort, and technology, we can shape the world into a place that reflects our shared values and aspirations.

In conclusion, the power to change the world lies within us. It starts with a belief in the possibility of change, followed by consistent action. Together, we can change the world.

500 Words Essay on We Can Change the World

Change is a fundamental part of human existence. It is the driving force behind evolution, progress, and the transformation of societies. While the idea of changing the world may seem daunting, it is not an impossible task. The notion of changing the world implies a collective effort, but it starts with the actions of individuals.

Small Actions, Big Impact

The first step towards changing the world is recognizing that small actions can have a significant impact. The butterfly effect, a concept from chaos theory, illustrates this point perfectly. It suggests that a butterfly flapping its wings can ultimately cause a tornado thousands of miles away. In the same vein, a single act of kindness, a novel idea, or a passionate endeavor can set off a chain reaction of events leading to substantial global change.

Education as a Catalyst for Change

One of the most powerful tools for change is education. Knowledge empowers individuals and societies to challenge the status quo and seek improvements. It fosters critical thinking, enabling individuals to question prevailing norms and ideologies. Furthermore, education equips us with the skills and competencies to bring about desired changes. By promoting education, we can create a more informed populace capable of making decisions that positively impact the world.

Technological Innovation and Change

Technological innovation is another significant agent of change. From the printing press to the internet, technology has always been a catalyst for societal transformation. Today, advancements in areas like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and renewable energy are not just changing the way we live but also the way we interact with our world. Embracing and promoting technological innovation can thus be a potent strategy for world change.

The Role of Policy and Governance

Policy and governance also play a crucial role in world change. Sound policies can promote social justice, economic development, and environmental sustainability. They can help address systemic issues and create an enabling environment for positive change. Therefore, active participation in governance and policy-making processes can significantly contribute to changing the world.

Conclusion: The Power of Collective Action

While individual actions are crucial, collective action is the key to changing the world. It is through the combined efforts of individuals, communities, and nations that we can address global challenges like climate change, poverty, and inequality. The power to change the world is not exclusive to a select few. It resides in each of us. As Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

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If You Could Change The World, What Would You Do

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Liberal Education: Piercing the Dome

Three proposed ends of liberal education — career, democracy, and a free mind — do not pierce the dome of the bourgeois workaday world. Let us begin anew with a question: “How can liberal education pierce the dome that encloses the bourgeois workaday world?”

This essay was originally delivered at Magdalen College on October 25, 2020. —Editor

Introduction

Many people see the end of liberal education as an excellent means of furthering a career. For instance, the College Board declares that liberal education is “one way to prepare for a world in which new and unexpected careers are invented every day.” The College Board explains why: “Most liberal arts courses include a great deal of reading, writing, and discussion… [and in this way, the liberal arts student] gain[s] the ability to reason critically, communicate effectively, and understand relationships across broad fields of knowledge.”

Clearly, such intellectual skills are useful in most, if not all, careers. It is true that one benefit of a liberal education is that a person will be better in his or her chosen career. We all know graduates of Magdalen College who have become excellent teachers, scientists, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and businessmen.

But when the end of liberal education is seen as preparing for a career, a student’s attention becomes focused on succeeding in the workplace, and the dome that encloses the bourgeois workaday world becomes thicker and more difficult to pierce.

Other people see the end of liberal education as the furthering of democracy. The idea here is that democracy stands or falls with the voter. The better informed the voter and the better he or she can reason, the better the democratic society. Leo Strauss, in his essay “What is Liberal Education?” [1] , tells us that “Democracy is a regime in which all or most adults are… virtuous and wise…. Democracy in a word is meant to be an aristocracy which has broadened into a universal aristocracy.” But he points out that democracy today is not mass rule but mass culture, characterized by voter apathy, a lack of public spirit, an obsession with physical comfort, and an insatiable desire to be amused by mass media. Strauss then proposes what liberal education means here and now. “Liberal education is the counter-poison to mass culture…. Liberal education is the ladder by which we try to ascend from mass democracy to democracy as originally meant. Liberal education is the necessary endeavor to found an aristocracy within a democratic mass society. Liberal education reminds those members of a mass democracy who have ears to hear of human greatness.”

Now it may seem like Strauss’ proposed end of liberal education pierces the dome that encloses the bourgeois workaday world. When students read Homer and Shakespeare or listen to Bach and Mozart, they are imbibing a counter-poison to mass culture, and maybe they see for the first time the dome that covers modern life. The flaw with making democracy the end of liberal education is that philosophy is defined by politics, and this is seen in Strauss’ understanding of philosophy. In a letter to Eric Voegelin, a fellow philosopher, he writes, “The philosopher… recognizes only such experiences as can be had by all men at all times in broad daylight.” He adds that the philosopher suspends judgment “until the facts upon which the claims are based have been manifested or demonstrated, they must be made manifest — manifest to all in broad daylight. [2] I will argue later that such a view of philosophy is essential Cartesian and is one of the defining elements of the dome.

Other people see the end of liberal education as freeing the student from unexamined opinions. Scott Buchanan, one of the founders of the Great Books program at St. John’s College holds that “Liberal education has as its end the free mind, and the free mind must be its own teacher. Intellectual freedom begins when one says with Socrates that he knows that he knows nothing….” [3]

Certainly to be freed from unexamined opinions is laudable and is probably the first step in liberal education. That Buchanan makes a free mind the end of liberal education points to a major problem in modern intellectual life. Outside of the sciences, the belief that we can grasp the truth about ourselves and the world we inhabit is seen as a dream from the past.

Let me quote from an essay written by six eminent professors of literature and published by the American Council of Learned Societies. The learned professors assert, “All thought inevitably derives from particular standpoints, perspectives, and interests.” [4] In the Great Books tradition, most truths seem beyond our grasp. Let me return to Leo Strauss, he writes, “liberal education consists in listening to the conversation among the greatest minds.” Strauss points out that “since the greatest minds contradict one another regarding the most important matters, they compel us to judge their monologues.” But “we are not competent to be judges.” So, Strauss concludes, “Each of us here is compelled to find his bearings by his own powers, however defective they may be.” From my observations — and we can talk about this later if you like — most people, when forced to make their own way by their own powers, end up living a bourgeois workaday life.

To summarize, three proposed ends of liberal education — career, democracy, and a free mind — do not pierce the dome of the bourgeois workaday world. Let us begin anew with a slightly different question than the one we started with: “How can liberal education pierce the dome that encloses the bourgeois workaday world?” To answer this question, let us first look at the liberal arts.

Liberal Arts

Traditionally, the liberal arts were divided into the trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic) and the quadrivium (geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, and music). This division is based on human nature. Human beings differ from other animals by their capacity for speech and for counting. In contemporary terms, the liberal arts seek to perfect the skills of students in the use of words and numbers. Through the practice of the liberal arts, students learn to define, draw conclusions from first principles, and analyze wholes into component parts. Such discursive or step-by-step thinking the ancient Greek philosophers called dianoia ( ratio in Latin).

Dianoia operates almost in a mechanical fashion, repeating the same procedure again and again to arrive at a truth: A = B, B = C, therefore A = C; premise 1, premise 2, therefore, conclusion 1, etc. Clearly, a truth arrived at through discursive thinking involves individual effort and judgment as well as the perfection of intellectual skills.

The perfection of dianoia is an important part of achieving human excellence, yet as Strauss pointed out the ability to reason well does not allow us to judge the conversation between the great minds. Therefore, the perfection of dianoia does not pierce the dome of the bourgeois workaday world. To pierce the dome, we must see what about the human person is left out in modern philosophy, science, and education.

The Modern World

As the upperclassmen know from the Program of Studies, the two key texts of modernity are René Descartes’ Discourse on Method and Francis Bacon’s New Organon . Bacon sets forth the experimental method of modern science and Descartes its philosophy. Bacon asserts that the senses are infirm, weak, and not to be trusted. Furthermore, the senses are a measure of the cosmos according to man. For Bacon, “the senses judge only of the experiment, the experiment judges of the things.” See illustration.

Fermilab is home to the Tevatron, at one time, the world’s highest-energy particle accelerator. Four miles in circumference, the Tevatron is housed in a tunnel about 30 feet below the big ring you see in this aerial view of the laboratory. A series of accelerators send particles racing around the Tevatron at 99.9999 percent of the speed of light in a vacuum. The particles complete the four-mile course nearly 50 thousand times a second.

Descartes’ method, now known as Cartesian reductionism, is to commence with objects that are the “most simple and easy to understand, in order to rise little by little, or by degrees, to a knowledge of the most complex.” [5] Stated in modern terms: every whole is completely understandable in terms of its smallest parts and how they interact.

Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of the helical structure of DNA, gives an example of how reductionism sets the agenda of neuroscience: “The aim of science is to explain all aspects of the behavior of our brains, including those of musicians, mystics, and mathematicians… to understand the brain we may need to know the many interactions of nerve cells with each other; in addition, the behavior of each nerve cell may need explanation in terms of ions and molecules of which it is composed. Where does this process end? Fortunately, there is a natural stopping point. This is at the level of chemical atoms.” [6]

Murray Gell-Mann, the first theoretical physicist to propose that some 100 particles in the atom’s nucleus, including the neutron and proton, are composed of fundamental building blocks that he named quarks, goes one step farther than Crick: “All of us human beings and all the objects with which we deal are essentially bundles of simple quarks and electrons.” [7]

Thus, two bedrocks of modernity are experiment and reductionism. The other bedrock was also set by Descartes. All philosophy must be founded on reason and experiment alone; nothing else is allowed. A corollary of this founding principle is that any claim to knowledge that is not acquired through reason and experiment is merely personal opinion, cultural myth, or religious superstition. That we can only acquire knowledge through reason and experiment defines the dome of the bourgeois workaday world.

So, what do the three bedrocks of modernity leave out? What is most important about the human person. The mind has two modes, what the ancients called dianoia and nous ( intellectus in Latin).

Instead of arguing in a step-by-step fashion to arrive at a truth, nous directly grasps a truth. For instance, nous , in a flash, immediately grasps the whole of the argument. When a student of Euclid’s Elements comprehends how all the parts of a demonstration fit together and why they are there, he or she spontaneously shouts with joy, “I see it.” The phrase “I see it” accurately describes the experience of effortlessly grasping the whole of an argument or the connection between seemingly disparate things, for nous is like the physical eye gazing upon a landscape.

To know in the deepest sense is not to possess accurate information, say the names of the anatomical parts of a rabbit, nor to have a method that turns out correct answers, say a mass spectroscope that determines molecular masses. To know profoundly is to experience an insight, a revelation of a deep and significant truth. Such knowing cannot be summoned by the will, although insight is often preceded by hard work and the clearing away of major errors and wishful expectations. Sometimes, insight occurs only after giving up. In contrast to the truths arrived at through hard labor, intuitive insights are gifts. Consequently, dianoia usually results in pride, nous almost always in gratitude.

Let me give a few examples of nous . Henri Poincaré, in his book Science and Method , describes how he discovered the relationship of Fuchsian functions to other branches of mathematics. He had just returned home from a geological conference and turned his attention to the study of certain “arithmetical questions without any great apparent result, and without suspecting that they could have the least connection with my previous researches. Disgusted at my want of success, I went away to spend a few days at the seaside, and thought of entirely different things. One day, as I was walking on the cliff, the idea came to me, again with the same characteristics of conciseness, suddenness, and immediate certainty, that arithmetical transformations of indefinite ternary quadratic forms are identical with those of non-Euclidean geometry.” [8]

Mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss tried unsuccessfully for two years to prove an arithmetical theorem. In a letter to a colleague, he revealed that “Finally, two days ago, I succeeded, not on account of my painful efforts, but by the grace of God. Like a sudden flash of lightning, the riddle happened to be solved. I myself cannot say what was the conducting thread which connected what I previously knew with what made my success possible.” [9]

Astrophysicist Fred Hoyle relates how the solution to what seemed an intractable mathematical problem in quantum physics came to him while driving a car on the road over Bowes Moor, much as “the revelation occurred to Paul on the Road to Damascus: My awareness of the mathematics clarified, not a little, not even a lot, but as if a huge brilliant light had suddenly been switched on. How long did it take to become totally convinced that the problem was solved? Less than five seconds.” [10]

What Hoyle describes as a “huge brilliant light” and Poincaré calls a “sudden illumination” [11] and Gauss terms “a flash of lightning,” the ancient Greek philosophers named nous , whose characteristics are “conciseness, suddenness, and immediate certainty,” as Poincaré noted. Clearly, we cannot command nous ; the direct grasp of a truth is a gift, not something we can turn on or off at will, for if we could, we would.

Dianoia and nous are not confined to doing mathematics and science but are fully present in any intellectual activity. Mozart, in a letter, describes how he composes music. He puts together musical parts according to the rules of composition ( dianoia ), and when finished, he sees the composition as a whole — “my mind seizes it, as a glance of my eye would a beautiful picture” ( nous ). [12]

The importance of nous cannot be overemphasized. Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas, and many early Church Fathers held that the human person participates in divine life through nous . Unlike dianoia , nous does not function by formulating abstract concepts about God and His Creation and then arguing from them to a conclusion through deductive reasoning. Nous knows truths about God and Creation by means of immediate or direct apprehension. The silent, direct perception of reality by nous is called theoria in Greek ( contemplatio in Latin). Theoria means “to behold, ” a special “to see” that occurs when a person becomes lost in an object, say a flower, and the self disappears. Then, the flower is seen as if for the first time, resulting in wonder about its existence and perfection. Depending on the depth of a person’s spiritual growth and development, contemplation has two main stages: it may be either the direct grasping of the first principles and the inner essences of natural things or, at its higher stage, the communion with God Himself.

Nous dwells at the innermost depths of a person’s being, at the spiritual center of every person’s life. This center is often called the “heart,” the place where the true self is discovered when the mysterious union between the divine and the human is consummated. Nous is sometimes called “the eye of the heart” to emphasize that it is the faculty of supernatural vision.

In the modern world, liberal education is directed by dianoia , for the perfection of the intellect is seen as a way of furthering a career, improving democracy, or freeing the mind. Unlike dianoia , nous and theoria pierce the dome of the bourgeois workaday world, because they bring us into direct contact with the nature of ourselves and things or at a higher stage with God Himself. Thus, one way for liberal education to pierce the dome is to have it guided by nous and theoria .

An Objection

An immediate objection arises. Liberal education cannot be directed by nous and theoria , since neither can be commanded or perfected, only dianoia is in the realm of human control. The reply to this objection is straightforward. Allow me to use the Magdalen College Program of Studies as an example of liberal education being directed by nous and theoria .

First, the Program of Studies seeks to cultivate and perfect the skills of the students in their use of words and numbers. However, the Program of Studies steps beyond instilling intellectual habits and directs the students to reflect upon their interior life. For example, students discover in the Geometry and Reasoning Tutorial that doing mathematics entails both discursive thinking ( dianoia ) and intuitive insight ( nous ). A student does not understand a demonstration of a Euclidean proposition if he or she merely follows the steps mechanically, as most students do in high school. True understanding occurs when the student suddenly grasps the whole of the proposition. Students are directed by the tutors to reflect upon their interior experience that caused them to shout with joy, “I see it,” and to understand why they are so desirous that the other members of the tutorial see what they saw. And, of course, students are aided in their ongoing reflection about nous by reading primary texts written by great thinkers.

In other tutorials, scientific, poetic, and philosophic insights occur. For instance, a student may suddenly grasp how the Iliad forms an integral whole, or why Socrates in the Phaedo , on the day of his execution, spins philosophical “tales” about the immorality of the soul to comfort his distraught friends. All tutorials develop logical precision and the close reading of texts. But, at times, a tutor will tolerate imprecision, falsehood, and sheer lostness as a way that students may suddenly grasp a connection between seemingly disparate things.

Second, the Program of Studies emphasizes first principles in a special way. Students read great thinkers who are in fundamental disagreement about first principles. But instead of succumbing to despair and nihilism because, in the words of Strauss, “we are not competent to be judges,” the Program of Studies allows for first principles to be directly experienced. To give just one example. When students reflect upon a near-perfect performance of the Magdalen College Choir, they see that they have experienced the whole is greater than the part and a loss of self. Unlike virtually all other liberal education, the Program of Studies recognizes the deficiency in only studying books.

Third, the rural setting of the Magdalen College encourages students to wonder about nature. In the Astronomy and the Rise of Modern Science Tutorial, students are asked to observe the nighttime sky and then write about their interior experience. Many students are moved to write poetry! The absence of radios and television sets on campus is conducive to interior silence, a prerequisite for contemplation. Only the silent hear and see. The Seeing and Drawing Tutorial and the Biology Tutorial both require students to spend hours in nature by themselves, either drawing or observing, in the hope that students will lose themselves in nature and directly see how wonderful Creation is.

In conclusion, only when liberal education is guided by nous and theoria will it have a chance of piercing the dome of the bourgeois workaday world. Unlike liberal education which is directed by the perfection of dianoia and thus seen under human control, liberal education guided by nous and theoria is founded on the faith that every human being can directly grasp first principles and the inner essences of things.

This essay was first published at the author’s website, All the Light We Can See .

[1] Leo Strauss, An Address Delivered at the Tenth Annual Graduation Exercises of the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults June 6, 1959.

[2] Leo Strauss, Natural Right and History (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1953), p. 87.

[3] Scott Buchanan, “The Last Don Rag,” see St. John’s College website.

[4] George Levine et al., “Speaking for the Humanities,” American Council of Learned Societies Occasional Paper , no. 7 (1989): 9.

[5] René Descartes, Discourse on Method in The Philosophical Works of Descartes , trans. Elizabeth S. Haldane and G.R.T. Ross (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1969), vol. I, p. 92.

[6] Francis Crick, The Astonishing Hypothesis , (New York: Scribner’s, 1994), pp. 259, 7-8. (Italics in the original.)

[7] Murray Gell-Mann, “Let’s Call It Plectics,” Complexity 1 (1995/1996), no. 5.

[8] Henri Poincaré, Science and Method , trans. Francis Maitland (New York: Dover, 1952), pp. 53-54.

[9] Karl Friedrich Gauss, quoted by Jacques Hadamard The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1949), p. 15.

[10] Fred Hoyle, “The Universe: Past and Present Reflections,” Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics 20 (1982) , pp. 24, 25. Available at http://adsbit.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?bibcode=1982ARA%26A..20….1H .

[11] Poincaré, p. 55.

[12] Mozart, quoted by Jacques Hadamard, The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field , p. 16.

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The power of education: Inspiring stories from four continents

A girl and a woman in Burkina Faso . An Afghan refugee family in Greece . A teacher in India . An entrepreneur in Guatemala .

These are the stories on the power of education currently featured in an immersive exhibition entitled “Education transforms lives” that UNESCO has set up at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the sidelines of the High-level Political Forum .

Each inspiring story vividly brings to life the aspirations of Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education . The experiences portrayed in these powerful personal testimonies capture how small individual steps across the globe are helping to advance and ensure the right to education for every woman, man and child.

“I don't know what the future has in store for me but this is my second chance and I don't want to waste it.”

Photo credit : Sophie Garcia

Awa Traore, 21, is working from morning to night to catch up. She grew up in the tiny village of Banzon in Burkina Faso where she completely missed out on schooling. When the chance came up, she moved 30 km away to the city of Bobo-Dioulasso where she lodges with her uncle and aunt and in return shops, cooks and cleans for them. Her days are long. After dropping her nephew at school, she sets off to the market. Only when her daily chores are done can she turn to her books and prepare for her literacy class at 6.30pm. Awa knows she has a lot of ground to make up for and that other women with more education than her are having difficulty finding work. Despite the odds, she is determined to use this second chance at literacy as a stepping stone to a profession in the health field.

“I feel very lucky to go to school every day. My mother did not get that chance.”

Head down, serious, 11-year-old Rachidatou Sana concentrates on getting her answer exactly right. Already an outstanding pupil at Kua C school in Bobo-Dioulasso, she loves mathematical problem-solving but will have to find her own solution in the fight to keep on with her studies. Like many girls her age in Burkina Faso, Rachidatou was born to poor parents (her mother is illiterate) and is daily torn between home chores, earning a living and studying to better her situation. All she wants is an equal chance, the same as everyone else. She plans to go to college to train as a nurse 'so I can help others and my family.'

“If Matin couldn't study here he would be very behind compared to other children.”

Photo credit : Olivier Jobard

Shahnaz Karimi, 24, her husband Nasir Rasouli, 34, and their eight-year-old livewire son Matin arrived in Lesbos in August 2018. Originally from Herat in Afghanistan, the Rasouli family travelled from their first adopted home in Iran seeking a better life. Now they live alongside 1,300 other residents at the Kara Tepe village. Both came with professions: Shahnaz was a beautician and Nasir a painter and decorator. In Lesbos, Matin goes to primary school while his parents attend English classes and art classes. Matin is already better than his parents in English. For the Rasouli family, education fills their long days, gives them a much-needed sense of normality and offers hope of work and a better future.

“The biggest change education has made in my life is that I can work and add my money to the expenses for the house, to buy food and help with my children's schooling.”

Photo credit : James Rodríguez

As a little girl, Margarita Pelico lived next door to her local school and wanted to follow the children she saw on their way to class. Her parents, less convinced that a girl needed education, had to be persuaded. Margarita comes from a family of nine in the village of Los Cipreses, a rural area of Totonicapán, Guatemala where most men are farmers while the women weave. They are members of the Mayan-K'iche ethnicity whose mother tongue is K'iche. Margarita's school closed down and, by the time it reopened, she was way behind. Aged 13 she discovered a free flexible adult correspondence education programme designed for older girls who missed out. She learned to add and subtract going to the market with her teacher, and to calculate while they were sewing. Determined to pursue her studies, she was able to go on to secondary school and college. Now a social worker and running her own weaving company, she is dedicated to helping other girls follow the same path to education – and sends her own five-year-old to the same school that she once attended.

“I thought that teaching people would be giving them the gift of a lifetime”

Photo credit : Jyothy Karat

Teacher Prathibha Balakrishnan, 38, came to the village of Kadichanokolli deep in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve in southern India in 2008 with a mission to teach the Betta Karumba mountain people. There was no electricity, no school and no healthcare. She joined hands with another extraordinary woman, namely Badichi, 44. Badichi, a tribal matriarch with seven children, has very little schooling but an innate understanding of the power of education. She worked hard as a housemaid to pay the tuition fees for all of her children and her grand-child Anitha who was abandoned by her parents. The Betta Kurumba, a secluded people who mostly work on tea and coffee plantations, have high levels of illiteracy. When Prathibha needed an ally to persuade them, Badichi went into action. Both women gained in confidence, gathering support to successfully petition the local government to install a primary school, roads and electricity. Along the way, Badichi's daughters Seetha, 17, and Vasanthi, 19, who are pupils of Prathibha, returned the favour by teaching her the local language. Some villagers speak Prathibha’s native Tamil but are now taught in their own language. Seetha is now in 11th grade, Vasanthi has enrolled to become a nurse in a hospital nearby and both speak three languages, a leap forward for a village where most adults are illiterate.

The exhibition is organized in partnership with Education Above All , the Qatar Foundation , the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations as well as the co-chairs of the Group of Friends and Lifelong Learning (Argentina, Czech Republic, Japan, Kenya and Norway).

It will be on display throughout July and August 2019 at the UN Headquarters. A selection of photos is available online

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PERSPECTIVE article

Love matters: embracing love as the heart of higher education provisionally accepted.

1 Connecticut College, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

This reflective essay explores the role of love in higher education through the lens of personal experiences, including confronting situations of tragedy and hopelessness as an educator.Drawing on the philosophies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and James Baldwin, as well as insights from colleagues and students, I argue that love is not simply an emotional state but a transformative force capable of effecting meaningful, sustainable change. Love can serve as a vital element in pedagogical settings, providing a framework for justice, equity, and communal wellbeing. I offer several practical recommendations for educators to intentionally cultivate a culture of love in their interactions with students and colleagues. These range from self-care and setting boundaries to integrating love into course design and community building. The essay suggests that embracing love as an active force can provide a renewed sense of purpose, particularly in times of collective trauma and uncertainty. Further, it highlights that love can be the necessary counterforce to the challenges affecting both educators and students, ultimately serving as the cornerstone for transformative education. By fostering love in academic settings, we enable both individual and communal healing, enriching the overall educational experience.In the wake of global crises like pandemics, genocides, climate disaster, and political divisiveness, the essay asserts that love remains the enduring force that can empower us to build a more just and resilient community in higher education.

Keywords: Trauma, Transcending Higher Education, Equity & Justice, Action Love, Renewed Purpose, intergenerational healing, transformative education

Received: 30 Aug 2023; Accepted: 03 Apr 2024.

Copyright: © 2024 Imad. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Dr. Mays Imad, Connecticut College, New London, United States

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The Impact of Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT on Education

The deployment of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) application that can compose grade–passing essays, create detailed art and even engage in philosophical conversations and write computer code for specific tasks, is raising tough questions about the future of AI in education and a variety of industries.

Will AI replace or stunt human intellect or critical thinking? Will cheating cripple the learning model in higher education?

When it comes to education, the downside is that ultimately the students are not learning or developing their writing skills with the assistance of such technologies. In addition, not all schools and teaching programs are designed with cutting-edge technologies, making it difficult to even detect when a student uses a tool like ChatGPT.

On the flip side, AI applications like ChatGPT have the potential to make people’s lives easier and to assist with mundane and time-consuming tasks that do not assist with thinking or intellectual growth, such as writing emails or searching endlessly on the internet for information.

There are also several areas AI can assist educators and further improve education:

Writer’s block – AI could assist with writer’s block to generate more original or nuanced arguments.
Summarizing vast research – Imagine being able to summarize a ton of research into succinct abstracts, saving hours of time and effort, allowing one to focus on the most relevant and important information quickly.
Exam preparation – Generating practice exams or questions to test and prepare or personalized feedback on written assignments from ChatGPT to further improve writing skills.
Guided feedback – AI may also have the potential to provide guided feedback in real time, which would be particularly beneficial for larger class sizes.
Lesson preparation – Generating lesson plans and teaching materials, allowing educators to save time and effort preparing for class.

Hope for the future of education

The current educational model has always been augmented by new technology, and this was accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic due to distance learning and online models. All education must continue to be reviewed and keep pace with the evolution of different tools and technologies. Usage of new technology is always a balancing act; perhaps we need to think of ways we can utilize artificial intelligence in the most productive fashion to build something better.

What is the right question to ask? What is a big problem we can address using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT for the betterment of society? Some examples may include addressing climate change more effectively through more efficient uses of natural resources, space exploration or curing cancer. If we can now synthesize and interpret vast information, we need to think of pointing that to the right problems and push humanity forward in the best way possible.

The University of St. Thomas is striving to be at the forefront of this change. In so doing, we have revamped our Digital Transformation course to include generative AI technologies into the course with analysis of a digital maturity model for organizations to assess gaps with this technology, prompt engineering, and creation of a framework for organizational governance. With the right compass, we can harness the technology for good by saving vast amounts of time on time-consuming functions to enable breakthroughs. The correct lens is to look at supercharging or speeding up laborious activities of the past to vastly improve productivity.

Author bios:

Manjeet Rege is a professor and chair of the Department of Software and Data Science at the University of St. Thomas. Rege is an author, mentor, thought leader, and a frequent public speaker on big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence technologies. He is also the co-host of the “All Things Data” podcast that brings together leading data scientists, technologists, business model experts and futurists to discuss strategies to utilize, harness and deploy data science, data-driven strategies and enable digital transformation. Apart from being engaged in research, Rege regularly consults with various organizations to provide expert guidance for building big data and AI practice, and applying innovative data science approaches. He has published in various peer-reviewed reputed venues such as IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, Data Mining & Knowledge Discovery Journal, IEEE International Conference on Data Mining, and the World Wide Web Conference. He is on the editorial review board of Journal of Computer Information Systems and regularly serves on the program committees of various international conferences.

Dan Yarmoluk has been involved in analytics, embedded design and components of mobile products for over a decade. He has focused on creating and driving automation with technology, analytics, and business models that intersect to drive added value and digital transformation. Industries he has served include manufacturing, health care, financial, real estate, construction and education. He publishes his thoughts frequently and co-hosts a popular podcast “All Things Data” with Dr. Manjeet Rege of the University of St. Thomas.

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Guest Essay

The One Idea That Could Save American Democracy

By Astra Taylor and Leah Hunt-Hendrix

Ms. Taylor and Ms. Hunt-Hendrix are political organizers and the authors of the book “Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea.”

These days, we often hear that democracy is on the ballot. And there’s a truth to that: Winning elections is critical, especially as liberal and progressive forces try to fend off radical right-wing movements. But the democratic crisis that our society faces will not be solved by voting alone. We need to do more than defeat Donald Trump and his allies — we need to make cultivating solidarity a national priority.

For years, solidarity’s strongest associations have been with the left and the labor movement — a term invoked at protests and on picket lines. But its roots are much deeper, and its potential implications far more profound, than we typically assume. Though we rarely speak about it as such, solidarity is a concept as fundamental to democracy as its better-known cousins: equality, freedom and justice. Solidarity is simultaneously a bond that holds society together and a force that propels it forward. After all, when people feel connected, they are more willing to work together, to share resources and to have one another’s backs. Solidarity weaves us into a larger and more resilient “we” through the precious and powerful sense that even though we are different, our lives and our fates are connected.

We have both spent years working as organizers and activists . If our experience has taught us anything, it is that a sense of connection and mutualism is rarely spontaneous. It must be nurtured and sustained. Without robust and effective organizations and institutions to cultivate and maintain solidarity, it weakens and democracy falters. We become more atomized and isolated, suspicious and susceptible to misinformation, more disengaged and cynical, and easily pitted against one another.

Democracy’s opponents know this. That’s why they invest huge amounts of energy and resources to sabotage transformative, democratic solidarity and to nurture exclusionary and reactionary forms of group identity. Enraged at a decade of social movements and the long-overdue revival of organized labor, right-wing strategists and their corporate backers have redoubled their efforts to divide and conquer the American public, inflaming group resentments in order to restore traditional social hierarchies and ensure that plutocrats maintain their hold on wealth and power. In white papers, stump speeches and podcasts, conservative ideologues have laid out their vision for capturing the state and using it as a tool to remake our country in their image.

If we do not prioritize solidarity, this dangerous and anti-democratic project will succeed. Far more than just a slogan or hashtag, solidarity can orient us toward a future worth fighting for, providing the basis of a credible and galvanizing plan for democratic renewal. Instead of the 20th-century ideal of a welfare state, we should try to imagine a solidarity state.

We urgently need a countervision of what government can and should be, and how public resources and infrastructure can be deployed to foster social connection and repair the social fabric so that democracy can have a chance not just to limp along, but to flourish. Solidarity, here, is both a goal worth reaching toward and the method of building the power to achieve it. It is both means and ends, the forging of social bonds so that we can become strong enough to shift policy together.

Historically, the question of solidarity has been raised during volatile junctures like the one we are living through. Contemporary conceptions of solidarity first took form after the democratic revolutions of the 18th century and over the course of the Industrial Revolution. As kings were deposed and the church’s role as a moral authority waned, philosophers and citizens wondered how society could cohere without a monarch or god. What could bind people in a secular, pluralistic age?

The 19th-century thinkers who began seriously contemplating and writing about the idea of solidarity often used the image of the human body, where different parts work in tandem. Most famously, the French sociologist Émile Durkheim put solidarity at the center of his inquiry, arguing that as society increased in complexity, social bonds between people would strengthen, each person playing a specialized role while connected to a larger whole. Solidarity and social cohesion, he argued, would be the natural result of increasing social and economic interdependence. But as Durkheim himself would eventually recognize, the industrial economy that he initially imagined would generate solidarity would actually serve to weaken its fragile ties, fostering what he called anomie, the corrosive hopelessness that accompanied growing inequality.

In the United States, solidarity never achieved the same intellectual cachet as in Europe. Since this nation’s founding, the concept has generally been neglected, and the practice actively suppressed and even criminalized. Attempts to forge cross-racial solidarity have met with violent suppression time and again, and labor organizing, effectively outlawed until the New Deal era, still occupies hostile legal ground. Decades of market-friendly policies, promoted by Republicans and Democrats alike, have undermined solidarity in ways both subtle and overt, from encouraging us to see ourselves as individual consumers rather than citizens to fostering individualism and competition over collectivity and cooperation.

As our profit-driven economy has made us more insecure and atomized — and more susceptible to authoritarian appeals — the far right has seized its opportunity. A furious backlash now rises to cut down the shoots of solidarity that sprung up as a result of recent movements pushing for economic, racial, environmental and gender justice. In response, programs that encourage diversity and inclusion are being targeted by billionaire investors, while small acts of solidarity — like helping someone get an abortion or bailing protesters out of jail — have been criminalized.

Awaiting the return of Mr. Trump, the Heritage Foundation has mapped out a plan to remake government and society, using the full power of the state to roll back what it calls “the Great Awokening” and restore a Judeo-Christian, capitalist “culture of life” and “blessedness.” “Woke” has been turned into a pejorative so that the word can be wielded to tarnish and break the solidarity that people have only just begun to experience.

Our vision of a solidarity state offers a pointed rejoinder to this project. Social democrats and socialists have been right to emphasize the need for redistribution and robust public investment in goods and services. We must restructure our economy so that it works for the many and not the few. But unlike conservatives — think, for example, of Margaret Thatcher, the prime minister of Britain who in 1981 said, “Economics are the method; the object is to change the heart and soul” — liberals and leftists have tended to downplay the role of policy in shaping public sensibilities. This is a mistake.

Laws and social programs not only shape material outcomes; they also shape us, informing public perceptions and preferences, and generating what scholars call policy feedback loops. There is no neutral state to aspire to. Policies can either foster solidarity and help repair the divides that separate us or deepen the fissures.

Today, the American welfare state too often does the latter. As sociologists including Suzanne Mettler and Matthew Desmond have detailed, lower-income people tend to be stigmatized for needing assistance, while more-affluent citizens reap a range of benefits that are comparatively invisible, mainly through tax credits and tax breaks. Both arrangements — the highly visible and stigmatized aid to the poor and the more invisible and socially acceptable aid to the affluent — serve to foster resentment and obscure how we are all dependent on the state in various ways.

Instead of treating citizens as passive and isolated recipients of services delivered from on high, a solidarity state would experiment with creative ways of fostering connection and participation at every opportunity for more Americans. What if we had basic guarantees that were universal rather than means-tested programs that distinguish between the deserving and undeserving, stigmatizing some and setting groups apart? What if, following the model of a widely admired program in Canada, the government aided groups of private citizens who want to sponsor and subsidize migrants and refugees? What if public schools, post offices, transit systems, parks, public utilities and jobs programs were explicitly designed to facilitate social connection and solidarity in addition to providing essential support and services?

We’ll get there only if we take up the challenge of building solidarity from wherever we happen to sit. Both means and end, solidarity can be a source of power, built through the day-to-day work of organizing, and our shared purpose. Solidarity is the essential and too often missing ingredient of today’s most important political project: not just saving democracy but creating an egalitarian, multiracial society that can guarantee each of us a dignified life.

Astra Taylor and Leah Hunt-Hendrix are political organizers and the authors of the book “Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Transforming education requires a significant increase in investment in quality education, a strong foundation in comprehensive early childhood development and education, and must be underpinned by strong political commitment, sound planning, and a robust evidence base. Learning and skills for life, work and sustainable development.
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Education lights every stage of the journey to a better life, especially for the poor and the most vulnerable. Education's unique power to act as a catalyst for wider development goals can only be fully realized, however, if it is equitable. That means making special efforts to ensure that all children and young people - regardless of their family income, where they live, their gender ...
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In conclusion, education is indeed the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world. It is a catalyst for personal growth, social change, and economic advancement. It empowers individuals, fosters empathy and understanding, and promotes social cohesion and stability. Despite the challenges, the potential of education to transform lives ...
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For the Rasouli family, education fills their long days, gives them a much-needed sense of normality and offers hope of work and a better future. "The biggest change education has made in my life is that I can work and add my money to the expenses for the house, to buy food and help with my children's schooling." Photo credit : James Rodríguez
Love Matters: Embracing Love as the Heart of Higher Education
The essay suggests that embracing love as an active force can provide a renewed sense of purpose, particularly in times of collective trauma and uncertainty. Further, it highlights that love can be the necessary counterforce to the challenges affecting both educators and students, ultimately serving as the cornerstone for transformative education.
How Can I Change the World: Essay
Pages: 2. This essay sample was donated by a student to help the academic community. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. Cite This Essay. Download. Our objective is to change the world into a united, color-blind society. Instead, we intend for, as my father advocated, people, to be "judged by the content of ...
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT on Education
The deployment of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) application that can compose grade-passing essays, create detailed art and even engage in philosophical conversations and write computer code for specific tasks, is raising tough questions about the future of AI in education and a variety of industries.
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MANILA - In a world threatened by multiple crises, from diseases to disasters, conflicts and climate change, the right to health for all people is more important than ever. On World Health Day - which is celebrated every year on 7 April - the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments to accelerate action to realize the right to health for all of their people. "Good health ...
Opinion
Ms. Taylor and Ms. Hunt-Hendrix are political organizers and the authors of the book "Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea." These days, we often hear that ...