Rethinking Education. Towards a global common good? 

This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/). By using the content of this publication, the users accept to be bound by the terms of use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository (http://www.unesco.org/open-access/terms-use-ccbysa-en). © UNESCO 2015. ISBN 978-92-3-100088-1.

 2. Reaffirming a humanistic approach

“ My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”
— Desmond Tutu, South African social rights activist and bishop

(Chap. 2 excerpt: p.36-56)

Sustaining and enhancing the dignity, capacity and welfare of the human person, in relation to others and to nature, should be the fundamental purpose of education in the twenty-first century. Such an aspiration may be designated humanism, which it should be UNESCO’s mission to develop both conceptually and in practice. The concept of humanism has a long tradition in UNESCO. As far back as 1953, UNESCO published the proceedings of an international round-table discussion on ‘Humanism and Education in East and West’ that it had convened in New Delhi. (50)

The concept of humanism also has a long tradition in diverse cultures and religious traditions, as well as numerous and differing philosophical interpretations. For instance, one prominent interpretation of humanism has identified it with atheism and secular rationalism. This was extended to other philosophies, such as phenomenology or existentialism, which see an ontological difference between humanity and the rest of the natural world. However, there are also powerful religious interpretations of humanism that view humankind’s achievements – educational, cultural and scientific – as mature examples of its relationship to nature, the universe and a Creator. In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, criticisms of both anthropocentric and theocentric humanisms have come from post-modernists, some feminists, ecologists and, more recently, from those who see themselves as trans-humanists or even posthumanists, with their calls for biological selection and radical enhancement. Each of these interpretations raises fundamental moral and ethical issues that are clearly matters of educational concern.

(50) UNESCO Unity and Diversity of Cultures. 1953. Humanism and Education in East and West: An international round-table discussion. Paris, UNESCO.

A humanistic approach to education

A humanistic vision reaffirms a set of universal ethical principles that should be the foundation for an integrated approach to the purpose and organization of education for all. Such an approach has implications for the design of learning processes that promote the acquisition of relevant knowledge and the development of competencies in the service of our common humanity. A humanistic approach takes the debate on education beyond its utilitarian role in economic development. It has a central concern for inclusiveness and for an education that does not exclude and marginalize. It serves as a guide to dealing with the transformation of the global learning landscape, one in which the role of teachers and other educators continues as central to facilitating learning for the sustainable development of all.

Countering dominant development discourse

As we address the larger question of the aims and purposes of education and the type of society to which we aspire, we need to consider cultural, social, economic, ethical and civic dimensions. The economic functions of education are undoubtedly important, but we must go beyond the strictly utilitarian vision and the human capital approach that characterizes much of international development discourse. (51) Education is not only about the acquisition of skills, it is also about values of respect for life and human dignity required for social harmony in a diverse world. Understanding that ethical issues are fundamental to the development process can counter the current dominant discourse. Such an understanding enhances the role of education in developing the capabilities required for people to lead meaningful and dignified lives in line with Amartya Sen’s alternative view of development. (52)

(51) The two pages devoted to education in the 2013 High-Level Panel report on post-2015 development, for instance, are couched in the language of the human capital approach, referring to returns on investment in education and its contribution to the formation of ‘productive citizens’.

(52) Sen, A. 1999. Development as Freedom. New York, Random House; Sen, A. 1999. Commodities and Capabilities. New Delhi, Oxford University Press.

An integrated approach based on sound ethical and moral foundations

It is necessary, therefore, to reassert a humanistic approach to learning throughout life for social, economic and cultural development. Naturally, focus on particular dimensions may shift in different learning settings and at different stages of the life course. But in reaffirming the relevance of lifelong learning as the organizing principle for education, it is critical to integrate the social, economic and cultural dimensions. (53) A humanistic approach to education goes beyond the notion of scientific humanism, which was proposed as the guiding principle for UNESCO by its first Director-General Julian Huxley and taken up in the 1972 Faure Report. (54) As noted above, the concept of humanism has given rise to several, often conflicting, interpretations, each of which raises fundamental moral and ethical issues that are clearly matters of educational concern. It can be argued that sustaining and enhancing the dignity, capacity and welfare of the human person in relation to others, and to nature, should be the fundamental purpose of education in the twenty-first century. (55) The humanistic values that should be the foundations and purpose of education include: respect for life and human dignity, equal rights and social justice, cultural and social diversity, and a sense of human solidarity and shared responsibility for our common future. A dialogical approach to learning is required, as encouraged, for instance, by Martin Buber (56) and Paulo Freire. (57) We also have to reject learning systems that alienate individuals and treat them as commodities, and of social practices that divide and dehumanize people. It is crucial to educate in such values and principles if we are to achieve sustainability and peace.

By broadening its scope in these ways, education can be transformative and contribute to a sustainable future for all. Based on this ethical foundation, critical thinking, independent judgement, problem-solving, and information and media literacy skills are the keys to developing transformative attitudes. An integrated and humanistic approach to education, as that presented in the 1996 Delors Report, is all the more
relevant in today’s world where sustainability has become a central concern of global development. The dimensions of sustainable development, in which economic growth is guided by environmental stewardship and concern for social justice, require an integrated approach to education that addresses multiple social, ethical, economic, cultural, civic and spiritual dimensions.

(53) It is worth noting that the proposed education-related sustainable development goal beyond 2015 is framed in terms of lifelong learning: ‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1579SDGs%20Proposal.pdf [Accessed February 2015].
(54) See Huxley, J. 1946. UNESCO: Its purpose and philosophy. Paris, UNESCO Preparatory Commission; and, the recent reference to this in Haddad, G. and Aubin, J. P. 2013. Toward a humanism of knowledge, action and cooperation. International Review of Education, Vol. 59, No. 3, pp. 331-341.
(55) See for example the collection of articles in ‘On Dignity’, Diogenes, August 2007, Nol. 54, No. 3, http://dio.sagepub.com/content/54/3.toc#content-block [Accessed February 2015].
(56) Morgan, W. J. and Guilherme, A. 2014. Buber and Education: Dialogue as conflict resolution. London,Routledge.
(57) See, for example, Roberts, P. 2000. Education, Literacy, and Humanization: Exploring the work of Paulo Freire. Westport, CT and London, Bergin and Garvey.

Sustaining and enhancing the dignity, capacity and welfare of the human person in relation to others, and to nature, should be the fundamental purpose of education in the twenty-first century.

We need a holistic approach to education and learning that overcomes the traditional dichotomies between cognitive, emotional and ethical aspects. Overcoming the dichotomy between cognitive and other forms of learning is increasingly being recognized as essential to education. This is true even among those who focus on the measurement of learning achievement in school education. More holistic assessment frameworks have recently been proposed that go beyond traditional domains of academic learning to include, for example, social and emotional learning or culture and the arts. (58) These attempts indicate the recognized need to go beyond conventional academic learning, despite the serious reservations about the feasibility of capturing such important emotional, social and ethical learning though measurement, especially at the global level.

Reinterpreting and protecting the four pillars of education

One of the most influential concepts of the 1996 Delors Report was that of the four pillars of learning. Formal education, the report argued, tends to emphasize certain types of knowledge to the detriment of others that are essential to sustaining human development. It affirmed that equal attention should be paid, in all organized learning, to each of the four pillars: (59)

• Learning to know – a broad general knowledge with the opportunity to work in depth on a small number of subjects.
• Learning to do – to acquire not only occupational skills but also the competence to deal with many situations and to work in teams.
• Learning to be – to develop one’s personality and to be able to act with growing autonomy, judgment and personal responsibility.
• Learning to live together – by developing an understanding of other people and an appreciation of interdependence.

The idea of the integrated approach to education reflected in the four pillars of learning has had significant influence on policy debates, teacher training and curriculum development in a range of countries worldwide. A recent example: the four pillars were used as the inspirational starting point of the Spanish Basque basic schooling curriculum and adapted for its development. These four pillars of learning remain relevant to an integrated approach to education. Their generic nature allows for interpretation of the type of integrated learning required in response to different contexts and times. The pillars themselves might need fresh interpretation, given
growing concern for sustainability. Learning to live together, for example, must go beyond the social and cultural dimensions of human interaction to include a concern for the relationship of human society with the natural environment.

Of greater concern is that the four pillars of learning are fundamentally under threat in the context of current societal challenges, and particularly the pillars of learning to be and to live together, which best reflect the socialization function of education. The strengthening of ethical principles and values in the process of learning is essential to protecting these pillars of a humanistic vision of education.

(58) See, for instance, the work of the international Learning Metrics Task Force.
(59) Delors, J. et al. 1996. Learning: The treasure within. Paris, UNESCO.

Learning to learn and the development of competencies

Much international debate is taking place now about the types of skills and competencies required in the current context of complexity and uncertainty. However, the diverse and often overlapping definitions of skills and competencies, and the multiple ways of categorizing them, can create confusion. Although the terms skills and competencies are often used interchangeably, a clear difference exists between the two. Competencies are broader in scope. They refer to the ability to use knowledge – understood broadly as encompassing information, understanding, skills, values, and attitudes – in specific contexts and to meet demands.

Box 5. Foundation, transferable, and technical and vocational skills
The EFA Global Monitoring Report 2012 proposes a useful approach to different types of skills in relation to the world of work. It identifies three main types of skills that all young people need – foundation, transferable, and technical and vocational skills – and the contexts in which they may be acquired:

Foundation skills: At their most elemental, foundation skills are the literacy and numeracy skills necessary for getting work that pays enough to meet daily needs. These foundations are also a prerequisite for engaging in further education and training, and for acquiring transferable skills and technical and vocational skills.

Transferable skills: Finding and keeping work require a broad range of skills that can be transferred and adapted to different work needs and environments. Transferable skills include analysing problems and reaching appropriate solutions, communicating ideas and information effectively, being creative, showing leadership and conscientiousness, and demonstrating entrepreneurial capabilities. Such skills are nurtured to some extent outside the school environment. They can, however, be further developed through education and training.

Technical and vocational skills: Many jobs require specific technical know-how, whether related to growing vegetables, using a sewing machine, engaging in bricklaying or carpentry, or working on a computer in an office. Technical and vocational skills can be acquired through work placement programmes linked to secondary schooling and formal technical and vocational education, or through work-based training, including traditional apprenticeships and agricultural cooperatives.

(Source: UNESCO. 2012. Youth and Skills: Putting education to work. EFA Global Monitoring Report 2012. Paris, UNESCO.)

The four pillars of learning are fundamentally under threat in the context of current societal challenges, and particularly the pillars of learning to be and to live together. The focus on the importance of ‘soft’, ‘transferable’, ‘non-cognitive’ or ‘twenty-first century’ skills has enriched current thinking on educational content and methods. The underlying and often implicit rationale is the need for creativity and entrepreneurship for greater competitiveness. Although this rationale is key to the economic function of education, it must not overshadow the need to develop those competencies that individuals and communities require for the multiple dimensions of human existence – competencies that contribute to the empowerment of both. Competencies enhance the ability to use the appropriate knowledge (information, understanding, skills and values) creatively and responsibly in given situations to find solutions and establish new ties with others.

The knowledge required is not prescribed by a central authority, but identified through schools, teachers and communities. It is knowledge that is not merely transmitted but explored, researched, experimented with, and created according to human need. It is knowledge used for developing basic language and communication skills; for solving problems; and to develop higher-order skills such as logical thinking, analyzing,
synthesizing, inferring, deducting, inducting, and thinking hypothetically. It is knowledge that is arrived at in ways that nurture what is perhaps the most important skill of all: the ability to access and critically process information. Learning to learn has never been as important as it is today.

The volume of information now available on the internet is staggering. The challenge becomes how to teach learners to make sense of the vast amount of information they encounter every day, identify credible sources, assess the reliability and validity of what they read, question the authenticity and accuracy of information, connect this new knowledge with prior learning and discern its significance in relation to information they already understand. (60)

Rethinking curriculum development

What would a humanistic curriculum look like from the perspective of policy formulation and content? Regarding learning content and methods, a humanistic curriculum is certainly one that raises more questions than it provides answers. It promotes respect for diversity and rejection of all forms of (cultural) hegemony, stereotypes and biases. It is a curriculum based on intercultural education that allows for the plurality of society while ensuring balance between pluralism and universal values. In terms of policy, we must recall that curriculum frameworks are tools to bridge broad educational goals and the processes to reach them. For curriculum frameworks to be legitimate, the process of policy dialogue to define educational goals must be participatory and inclusive. (61) Curriculum policy and content must both be guided by the principles of social and economic justice, equality and environmental responsibility that constitute the pillars of sustainable development.

[ … ]

(60) Facer, K. 2011. Learning Futures: Education, Technology and Social Challenges. New York, Routledge.

(61) Amadio, M., Opertti, R., Tedesco, J.C. 2014. Curriculum in the Twenty-First Century: Challenges, Tensions and Open Questions. ERF Working Papers, No. 9. Paris, UNESCO.

Rethinking Education. Towards a global common good? 

This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/). By using the content of this publication, the users accept to be bound by the terms of use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository (http://www.unesco.org/open-access/terms-use-ccbysa-en). © UNESCO 2015. ISBN 978-92-3-100088-1.