1. Big Education for New Times? Different roads to the future Prof. Ken Spours July 2014

2. Big Education for New Times We need a universal, expansive and creative upper secondary phase that is part of the vision of Big Education Conservative policy is Small Education – narrow, regimented and selective aiming for slightly larger elite The student Squeezed Middle will suffer under this model We need radical democratic change – slower, more participative, consensual and prepared to address deep issues –Democratic values for new comprehensive phase –Unified baccalaureate system –Local and regional collaborative networks –A new type of policy process

3. The role of education Education provides the means by which we understand and reach our full potential as human beings (Fielding et al. 2012) and to develop ‘wider society’ The role of education is expanding and its functions are multi-levelled and on ecological scalings from the micro to the macro (adapted from Bronfenbrenner 1979) Emancipates individuals and develops their human capacities Coheres communities and cements local identity Develops societies and economies Helps us to address the most pressing global questions Education and the capacity to see beyond our current human condition (Compass 2014)

4. Education & human dev’ What it is to be human? Collaborative, social and altruistic How do humans learn? Language, theory and practice (praxis) and developing the means of reflection Collaborative activity and co-production – competing against our great problems rather than each other Forging new relationships with technology – a new blend? Creating greater specialisation of knowledge and greater connectivity between different areas of knowledge and skill Focus on education through the lifespan and the relationship between individuals, other humans and their environment Education as an integral psycho-social-technical system unformed by values

5. Mass education - in its infancy Ancient humans and the ability to care and to reflect (300,000 – 30,000 years ago - Middle Paleolithic) Modern behavioural humans (60,000 years ago - Upper Paleolithic) and the growth of tool-making and art Informal family based education based on family groupings - emergence of specialist educators through the Church Mass education is only 130 years old (2 minutes in 24 hours of modern behavioural humans) Mass education systems expand through the phases – primary, lower secondary, upper secondary, tertiary and lifelong The development of ‘universal’ and expanded’ education is a focus of social, political & economic struggle and is ongoing

6. 6 Education in New Times New Times is a global phenomenon (Adnan 2009) comprising -Technological and digital revolution -Flexible production (Post-Fordism) -New forms of work organisation – flatter companies -Lateral communication – social networking; blogging -The social economy (Murray 2009) -Relational society to overcome the social recession (Rustin 2013) New Times is a ‘subordinate progressive trend’ within ‘regressive neo-liberalism’ - to be shaped and built

7. Global models of education New Times interpreted in different ways 1.Anglo Saxon (e.g. US, England, New Zealand, Eastern Europe and now Africa) – markets, choice and competition; standardising teaching and learning and test-based accountability. 2.2. Pacific (e.g. South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and now China) – authoritarian/conformist; high levels of parental/social support for education; didactic teaching methods; high expectations and normative behaviours. 3.3. Nordic (e.g. Finland, Norway, Sweden, Canada) – high status education profession; high trust relationships; devolved responsibilities within broad national frameworks; an emphasis on links between education, social services and localities linked to school improvement. (Sahlberg 2007)

8. The Conservative narrative The Conservative narrative – an extreme version of the Anglo- Saxon model? Could it be seen as Small Education? –The idea of an ‘expanded elite’ to compete internationally –Invitation to join the elite – the opportunity for the disadvantaged to access to Russell Group universities –The New Traditionalism - traditional subjects, didactic pedagogy, spelling and punctuation, linear examinations 14- 19 –Institutional, marketisation, school autonomy, reduced role for local government and education professionals –International comparison – trying to merge features of the Anglo-Saxon and Pacific models (e.g. emphasis on mathematics) –Little emphasis on planned lifelong learning – focus on narrow vocationalism and the rest left to the market

9. Big Education for New Times A Lifelong Framework comprising 5 phases (up to 25 years) 1.First Stage - Foundation (3-6); Primary (6-11); Lower secondary (11-14); Upper secondary (14-19); Tertiary (19-25) 2.First stage followed by three others – (25–50, 50–75, 75+) based on a new set of entitlements as recommended by the Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning (Schuller and Watson 2009) Informed by fundamental human values and the promise of Big Education Powerful knowledge + creativity – towards an expansive curriculum New multi-level baccalaureate qualification at 18 to recognise the new curriculum Expansion of learning at work as well as HE Building local and regional high-skill eco-systems through improved partnership and collaboration Greater social participation in education – less politically top-down

10. 10 Professionalism & Big Education Multi-level capacities also seen as ‘democratic professionalism’; ‘third space professionals as policy actors’ and ‘ecologies of practice’ (Sachs 2003, Whitty & Wisby 2006, Barnett 2012) We need a multi-level professionalism to shape education narratives and practices in New Times

11. References Adnan, I. (2013) In New Times change happens when you are not looking http://www.compassonline.org.uk/in-new-new-times-change-happens-while-you-are-not-looking-2/)http://www.compassonline.org.uk/in-new-new-times-change-happens-while-you-are-not-looking-2/ Barnett, R. (2012) 'Towards an Ecological Professionalism' in C. Sugrue and T. Dyrdal Solbrekke (eds.), Professional Responsibility: New Horizons of Praxis. Abingdon (Routledge). Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Compass (2014) The Interim Report of the Inquiry into a 21st Century Education System http://www.compassonline.org.uk/publications/education-inquiry-interim-report/ Fielding, M. et al. (2012) ‘Learning to be human: the educational legacy of John Macmurray’, Oxford Review of Education, 38(6) Hodgson, A. and Spours, K. (2012) Towards a Universal Upper Secondary Education System in England: A Unified and Ecosystem Vision, Bedford Way Papers, London: Institute of Education. Hodgson, A. and Spours, K. (2013) Why IfL should support triple professionalism, InTuition, Issue 13, London: Institute for Learning. Murray, R. (2009) in Danger and opportunity: Crisis and the new social economy, London: NESTA. Pring R. et al., (2009) Education for All: The Future of Education and Training for 14–19 Year Olds, Abingdon: Routledge Rustin, M. (2013) ‘A Relational Society’ in After Neo-Liberalism: A Kilburn Manifesto http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/doreen-massey/after-neoliberalism-introduction-to-kilburn- manifestohttp://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/doreen-massey/after-neoliberalism-introduction-to-kilburn- manifesto Sachs, J. (2003) The Activist Teaching Profession, Buckingham: Open University Press. Sahlberg, P. (2007) Secondary education in OECD Countries Common Challenges, Differing Solutions, Turin: European Training, 2007. Schuller, T. and Watson, D. (2009) Learning Through Life: Inquiry into the Future of Lifelong Learning, Leicester: NIACE Whitty, G. and Wisby, E. (2006). ‘Collaborative’ and ‘democratic’ professionalism: alternatives to ‘traditional’ and ‘managerial’ approaches to teacher autonomy. Educational Studies in Japan: International Yearbook No. 1, 25–36.