THE EDUCATING SPECIES: FROM ORIGINS TO INNOVATION IN EDUCATION

Many organisms learn and teach, transferring knowledge, behaviors and even understanding from one generation to the next. Homo sapiens is the only species that does not settle with these processes: we educate — a designed, strategic process involving knowledge and multiple skills acquisition, value clarification, ethical behavior, cultural contexts, complex and abstract signal systems, creativity, ongoing change and development. Furthermore, we have created organized social structures to ensure the inter-generational transfer of all these.The last three centuries have seen us create and grow exponentially in every aspect of our lives. Science, technology, medicine, communication, transportation, agriculture, arts, and more — all are continuously and rapidly changing, leading to innovative, creative and unexpected possibilities and challenges. Yet, our education systems are tediously and frustratingly lagging behind, moving at the pace of a snail, stubbornly resisting the agile, fast pace of change that our developments demand.Based on decades of professional, personal, and global experience in education in general and in STEM education in particular, this book explores the origins and history of education systems; visits different approaches to education; and discusses implementations, frustrations and possibilities for our education systems. Developing new definitions of education, science, culture and the co-dependence between them, the book suggests what the relevant, pragmatic 21-century pillars of education should be; offers practical insights and guidelines for anyone whose education is dear to them; and develops a new paradigm of education necessary so our species, Homo sapiens — "the Wise Man"— can continue to be "the educating species."