Symposium on knowledge, education and progress

Geographer John Hopkin asserts that ‘the idea of education is an idea of progress, an investment in the future of our young people and community’. Others such as Hannah Arendt similarly viewed educational as an intergenerational conversation where the ‘passing on’ of knowledge, skills and values helped to prepare young people for shaping their own futures. 

On the other hand, historically there have been many moral and political misdeeds committed in the name of ‘progress’. How should schools proceed with discussions about progress at a time when the past is often seen as malign influence on the present and the future something to fear? 

Join us for a discussion about how the curriculum can help young people to make links between the past, present and future. Hear our programme of speakers discuss whether schools can and should do without ideas of epistemic growth and progress in education and how we should think about and revise the relation between knowledge, education and progress in different socio-political and educational contexts.

Speakers

• Anders Schinkel (VU Amsterdam)
• Bianca Thoilliez (Autonomous University of Madrid)
• Johannes Giesinger (University of Zurich)
• Johann Muller (University of Capetown)
• Tyson Retz (University of Stavanger)
• Johannes Drerup (VU Amsterdam/TU Dortmund)
• Krassimir Stojanov (University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt)
• David Alcock (UCL IOE – Faculty of Education and Society)

Attending in-person

Please note that refreshments will include tea/coffee. A selection of meat and vegetarian sandwiches will be provided for lunch.

Contact

For all queries please contact:

• Dr Alex Standish at  a.standish@ucl.ac.uk
• David Alcock at  david.alcock.20@ucl.ac.uk

Organisers

Dr Alex Standish, David Alcock, and Johannes Drerup (VU Amsterdam/TU Dortmund).

Related links

• Curriculum Subject Specialism Research Group
• Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment