Qualities Required of Education Today to Meet Foreseeable Demands in the Twenty-First Century
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 395 833 SO 022 872 TITLE Qualities Required of Education Today To Meet Foreseeable Demands in the Twenty-first Century. International Symposium and Round Table Proceedings (Beijing, China, November 27-December 2,1989). INSTITUTION United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). PUB DATE 89 NOTE 166p.; For the final report, see ED 339 621. PUB TYPE Collected Works Conference Proceedings (021) EDRS PRICE MFOI/PC07 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Educational Change; Educational Development; Educational Environment; Educational Improvement; *Educational Innovation; Educational Needs; Educational Planning; *Educational Policy; *Educational Quality; *Educational Trends; *Futures (of Society) ABSTRACT This report contains proceedings of a United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) international symposium and round table. The main objective of the meeting was to debate long-term goals of education and its role in preparing young people to face the demands of the 21st century. Papers presented include:(1) "Young People--The Leaders of Tomorrow? The Role of the Social Network as a Means of Creating Favorable Conditions for Enhancing the Quality of Education in the Future" (Gunnel Backenroth) ; (2)"Deepening Reform and Wider Openings to the Outside World--The Cornerstone of China's Development of Education in the Twenty-first Century" (Yuan Baohua) ;(3) "Teaching Human Rights" (Etienne Copel);(4) "Beliefs and Action in Educational Change" (Rosalind Driver);(5) Untitled paper (Peter Ellyard); (6) "Understanding the Predicament of Humankind" (John E. Fobes) ; (7) Untitled paper (Sergei A. Povalyaev); (8) "What Are the Challenges Which Face Humanity in the Next Twenty to Thirty Years?" (Ian Winchester) ;(9) "The Future of Education in Asia and the Pacific" (Leonardo de la Cruz) ;(10) Untitled paper (Ingemar Fagerlind) ; (11) "Some Recommendations and Directions" (D. Hernandez) ;(12) "Moral Education faced with the Challenge of the Scientific and Technological Revolution of the 21st Century" (Lu Jie);(13) "Ideas of China's Educational System in the 21st Century" (Hao Kerning); (14) Untitled paper (Dr. Klein; Dr. A. Grik);(15) "A World Encountering Limits to Quantitative Change: Thoughts on Making 'Quality' Respectable" (G. Kutsch);(16) "Enhancing the Quality of Teachers is the Priority in Meeting the Twenty-first Century Education" (Gu Mingyuan);(17) Untitled paper (I. Muravieva);(18) "On Enhancing the Quality of Education Through Effective Learner-Teacher Interaction" (Toshio Ohsako) ;(19) Untitled paper (Shin Se-ho) ;(20) Untitled paper (Ramiro Tobon);(21) "An Investigation of a Mode of Fundamental Education in the 21st Century-Basics and Principle of Planning Future Curriculum, Subject Matter and Methods of Teaching" (Sang Xinmin); and (22) "Improving Learning/Teaching in the Third World" (R.F. Amonoo) .A discussion guide, final report, and list of participants are appended. (EH) C, C, INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AND ROUND TABLE QUA' REaUIRED OF EDUCATION 'TODAY TO MEET FORESEEABLEDEMANDS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY Beijinc, People's Republic of China 27 November 2December 1989 OCEEDIN ". V:,-.4,-"Z U S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION O'i,ce of EOucelionai Fleawort ana improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL CENTER fERICI HAS BEEN GRANTED BY This docum ent has been reproduced as received from the person or organization );originating it -j". HILL 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) . vs United Nations Education, . Scientific and Cultural Organization :BESTCOPYAVAILABLE Printed by the People's Education Press, the People's Republic of China TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Preface 1 II. Papers Presented at the Round Table 2 III. Papers Presented at the Symposium 43 IV. Conclusions 113 Annexes 1. Discussion Guide Final Report I. PREFACE This volume containsthe proceedings and reportsof the Unesco International Symposium and Round Table "QualitiesRequired of Education Today to Demands in the Twenty-First Century", meet Foreseeable held from 27 November to 2 December1989 in Beijing, People's Republic of China. The main objective of the meetingwas to debate long-term goals of education and its qualitative requirements, witha view to assisting young people to meet effectivelytheir future challenges, and to participate activelyin personal, social and occupational the twenty-first -entury. life towards The participants of the meeting, invitedby Unesco in a personal capacity,had multidisciplinary backgrounds suchas education, science, economics, sociology, demography, philosophy, psychology etc.It was a particularly interestingattempt for specialists from non-educational fieldstojointly debate the future of education from angles. multidisciplinary This volume presents mainly theintellectual substance of the meeting andthe documents prepared for the administrationand organization of the meeting have been deliberately omitted. Since all the participantswere invited by Unesco in a personal capacity and they conceived their papers accordingto their expertise and wishes, it may be stressed that the views and opinions expressed in thepapers are those of authors and do not reflect those of Unesco nor the host country. The diversified views, positions and experiences ofspecialists from many regions and countries on the future conception of educationinthis volume will hopefully stimulate increasing and intensified debates and reflections ofindividuals and organizations around the world on the future of education toward.the twenty-first century. We would like to expressour sincere gratitude and appreciation to the participants and authors of the meeting andto allspecialists and individuals who contributedto the preparation and realization of the meeting. r. Ohsako Unesco 1 U. Papers Presented at the RoundTable 2 Ms. H. Sena Akuffo Representative of the International Students Movement for the United Nations Allow me to express on my own behalf and on behalf of ISMUN our profound appreciation to Unesco who has clearly indicated its commitment to its mandate, revealed by the great efforts it has made to meet the formidable challenge of the 21st century through endeavouring to collate information on me demands of education with a view to raising the awareness of people and governments and ultimately produce a blue print or guidelines to advise educational planners and policy makers. We also wish to record our gratitude to the governn ent of the People's Republic of China for making it possible for me to represent my organiza ion in Beijing. The theme for this international symposium and round table - "Qualities Required of Education Today to Meet Foreseeable Demands in the Twenty-First Century" is indeed both apt and opportune at a time when the world is on the threshold of the 2Ist Century, witnessing stunning changes in all fields of human endeavour.We could argue that the world is in the vortex of a second industrial revolution.This development will predictably bring about change which will touch all aspects of life.As education is defined by society, if a society is experiencing change then there is an urgent need for education to follow suit, to ensure that relevance is safeguarded and its goals remain in focus, particularly as regards the realization of national aspirations. This paper will attempt to identify some challenges to and requirements of education inthe coming decades, takinginto account foreseeable socio-economic, socio-cultural, scientific and technological developments.Before tackling the m concern,I deem it pertinent to reflect on the objectives of education, since education is the underlying premise of the theme. Undoubtedly, educatic,ii is a powerful tool for self-realization, national advancement and development.The zeal and capital committed to it by governments stress this point. The major objectives of education could be principally listed as: training for good citizenship (patriotism, duties and rights of the citizen); self-realization; national advancement and development. A nation without true citizens is like the casing of an empty shell.Training for good citizenship also ensures general vigilance, readiness to guard against perversion or subversion of rights, thus preserving the dignity and value c I' human beings. Self-realizationisone of the desirable and anticipated objectives of education. Education acts as a sluice gate of a dam, enabling individuals to fully realize their potential. The training of general manpower isthe prop upon which national advancement and development can be successfullyinitiated. Inthisobjective the development of the individual and of the state are inherent, inextricably linked and complementary. These objectives of education remain relevant only if they respond to realities.As already stated,the worldisexperiencing profound changes of crucialsignificanceto education.Technological innovations are steadily modifying attitudes, values and ethics and imposing strain and stress upon the family, breaking up population patterns and leading to degeneration of the environment. These and other anticipated problems can only be handled eff-ctely by a time-tested instrument - education. 3 Fostering positive human attitudes through the cultural milieu might be rigourously encouraged. Cultural homogeneityis