THE FIVE MINDS FOR THE FUTURE

“I discern two legitimate reasons for undertaking new educational practices. The first reason is that our current practices are not actually working.... The second reason is that conditions in the world have changed significantly. ”

“ I believe that current formal education still remains basically a preparation for the world of the past, rather than a preparation for possible worlds of the future.”

“We have not figured out how to prepare youngsters so that they can survive and thrive in a world different than one ever known before.”

Howard Gardner 2006

Successful learners should be able to think creatively and independently and apply different kinds of learning strategies in new situations. They should have an openness to new ideas and a determination to reach high standards of achievement. Confident individuals should have a sense of values and should be able to relate to others and manage themselves. Responsible citizens should demonstrate a commitment to participate responsibly in political, economic and cultural life and develop informed views of current issues based on an evaluation of, amongst other things, scientific and technological issues. Finally, effective contributors should show resilience and self-reliance, should be able to work in partnerships and in teams and apply critical thinking in new contexts.

Given the vast changes in the world, and the shifting responsibility for education across the life span, Howard Gardner proposes in Five Minds For The Future the kinds of minds that will be at the greatest premium in this century and how best to cultivate them.

The mind must be DISCIPLINED in three senses. The person must be able to think in terms of the major scholarly disciplines (history, mathematics, science, and the arts); he/she must have at least one area of expertise; he/she must have those habits of continued application so that learning can continue throughout life.

Nobel laureate Murray Gell-Mann argues that in the 21st century, the most important mind will be the SYNTHESIZING MIND. Individuals are subjected to huge amounts of information. We must be able to decide what is important; how best to organize it for ourselves; how best to communicate it to others. Almost everything that can be automated will be.

The last frontier for the mind is that of CREATING New Ideas.... thinking outside of the box. Such thinking presupposes a certain discipline and considerable synthesizing ability but it cannot be constrained by what has been thought or done before.

The first three kinds of minds are cognitive. The last two relate to the world of other individuals, and are thus more social and affective.

The RESPECTFUL MIND goes beyond mere tolerance. Respectful persons welcome human diversity, seek to understand and work with others, and cultivate an atmosphere of openness and reciprocity.

The ETHICAL MIND builds upon respect but entails a more abstract attitude. Ethical individuals ponder their roles as workers and citizens. They carry out good work... work that is excellent, ethical and personally meaningful. They consider their roles as citizens of their community, their region, and the globe and act in constructive, non egocentric ways.

Needless to say, the development of each of these kinds of minds is a formidable undertaking. There is a certain tension between these minds... for example, excessive respect can thwart creativity. Thus, getting these kinds of minds to work together is itself a challenge of synthesis.

“Education is inherently and inevitably an issue of human goals and human values”

I wish that this statement were mounted prominently above the desk of every policy maker.

Howard Gardner 2006