Two hundred years ago, to be well-educated meant that you could translate Latin and Greek, study nature and mathematics and read literary classics. To be well-educated in the 21st century is a completely different story!
So, what does it mean to be well-educated in the 21st century?
A well-educated person will be a critical thinker
It is no longer enough to read, learn and absorb other people’s knowledge. A well-educated person needs to be a critical thinker; someone who can read, analyse and assess what they are studying. They will still need to study subjects like mathematics but now you will also need to understand numeric thinking, use data and images to express yourself.
In this day and age of fake news, clickbait and internet and phone scams, a well-educated person will be able to apply critical thinking to recognise truth, protect themselves and progress in life.
A well-educated person will know about the world
The Disney song ‘It’s a small world after all’ sums up the age we live in today. Our global markets are so interlinked that a skirmish in Comoros could affect the price of perfume in France. We are more culturally diverse than ever before so it’s vital we continue to learn about each others’ history and culture.
An article from Global Perspectives called ‘7 Shocking Statistics Illustrating the Importance of Global Education stated: “Nearly all (98 percent) of students in a recent survey agreed that a strong understanding of world history and events is critical to developing solutions to a global problem. Students are interested in being better global citizens. Learning about world events in the classroom allows them to study the past in order to change the future”. The article also said that students who learn about global issues are twice as likely to take personal action against current challenges facing the world.
A well-educated person will be a problem-solver
The IQ (Intelligence Quotient) test was invented more than 100 years ago and humanity’s scores have been steadily increasing. In a BBC Future article, David Robson said, “Even the average person today would have been considered a genius compared to someone born in 1919.” Until the mid-90s, our IQ was been steadily increasing at about three points a decade and yet it seems that we are confronted with more problems than ever before.
A well-educated person does not necessarily need a high IQ but is someone who can apply their learning, critical thinking and understanding to problem-solving. A high IQ and good reasoning skills do not always go hand in hand. Wisdom trumps IQ every time.
Personal, work and social environments are always breaking down. Problem-solving allows us to identify the cause of the breakage or flaw and determine a course of action to fix it.
Problem-solving isn’t just about responding to current challenges but also about being innovative and forward-thinking to improve our future. Our Year 10 DeLorean Projects are perfect examples of this kind of problem-solving.
A well-educated person will be a lifelong learner
A well-educated person does not stop learning as soon as their final exam is over and they have graduated. Lifelong learning is embracing a positive attitude to learning for personal and professional growth. It is a deliberate and voluntary process.
A well-educated person is someone who is always learning about themselves, their world and the challenges that face them. They are alert and curious about everything and make the most of every learning opportunity.
A well-educated person will be a student at Glasshouse Christian College
At Glasshouse Christian College we are teaching our students to embrace education for life. From Prep right through to Year 12, students are taught critical thinking, global awareness and encouraged to tackle challenges that will help them become problem-solvers for life.
As a faith-based College, we understand that being well-educated is much more than having a high IQ. Proverbs 16:16 says that wisdom and insight are better than gold and silver and Proverbs 18:15 says, “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”
Mike Curtis, Principal