Education has a way of changing humanity. When many of us were younger, we learned skills such as the slide rule, how to write an operation in FORTRAN, or how to edit media by cutting and fastening tape. Yet how many of us still need those skills? Half the things we were taught, and half the things we teach our children, have become obsolete in our lifetimes.
The challenge is that we don’t know which half. So instead of guessing which lessons to exclude, why not teach our children to be better learners?
We used to think that brain anatomy and capacity was fixed at birth. Yet the more we discover about our brains and the way they work, the more we know that the opposite is true: We are capable of much more than we’ve ever thought. Our brains transform with each activity and lesson learned, so that we slowly become more adaptable and better able to live and operate in the world.
At conferences such as iEARN (International Education and Resource Network), both teachers and youth collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a positive impact on the world. Organizations such as MindUp use neuroscience and new technology to promote healthy, happy children who think critically and creatively. Our initiative, Addictive Education, is a neuroscience-based, multisensory program designed for effective teaching in math, science, and history.
With continued research, we will create a generation of individuals who adapt better to a constantly changing society. We owe it to ourselves—and to our children—to invest in the building blocks of a better world. Education is the foundation.