REaCT: Lessons of tolerance - Inclusive teaching of adults

Education is usually preparing students for a world that is static and fixed. Rather, education must prepare learners to cope with changes that will increase in complexity throughout their lives and many of which cannot be foreseen at this time. Most learners will probably deal with several job changes, move to several different locations, be involved in complex social changes, and other issues. Education cannot give learners all the information that they need to know, but rather it must provide the tools for continuing to learn.

In a society in which education has focused on transmitting "what we know," it is a challenge to develop a widespread view that "how we come to know" is very important in modern society.

Older members of society learned that it was important to study hard -- which often meant the memorisation of content -- to get good grades, graduate, get a job, work hard, and move up a relatively stable career ladder to achieve success. This general approach has much merit still today, but the focus on what to "work harder" on has shifted.

Most people - those graduating from high school and from colleges and those who will not graduate -- eventually will enter the world of work. Even for the small number who do not enter the workforce, all will have to resolve ever increasingly complex problems throughout life. The business world is fast recognising that to be successful in modern society it is essential to work smarter. The attributes, described earlier, that are essential for life-long learning must be the emphasis in education.