Human learningTo learn is to be human. For humans to keep up with our changing world our education institutions and systems must also adapt and find new relevance.For humans to keep up with our changing world, our education system must also adapt and find new relevance. To learn is to be human, and this very human element of learning must take centre stage as we move away from the old and envision the new. This article explores some of the reasons our education systems seem stubbornly resistant to change and considers how we might revive some of the ancient models of learning that could be highly relevant for our future world.INDUSTRIALISED LEARNINGOver the centuries, education has become increasingly formalised, with great institutions of higher education dominating the landscape and shaping our models of learning. Methods of organised and institutionalised instruction have existed in various forms since ancient civilisations, such as Greece, Rome, Egypt, and Mesopotamia, where schools were established to teach philosophy, religion, reading, writing, and mathematics. In more recent years, we have witnessed education becoming increasingly ‘industrialised,’ and access to learning has exponentially increased.While this is fantastic, one of the downsides of this ‘industrialisation’ has been a slow adaptation to respond to a rapidly changing world. Many attempts have been made to disrupt the status quo, but few have resulted in significant changes.RELUCTANT ADAPTIONDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all educational institutions were forced to embrace significant changes. Online learning has surged worldwide. In an interview with CNBC , Anant Agarwal, founder and CEO of edX, claimed, “We saw a 15-fold increase in the number of new learners registering on edX during the month of April 2020,” not just a 15% increase. According to Global Industry Analytics , ‘online learning is the fastest-growing market in the education industry, with a 900% global growth rate since the year 2000.’ Furthermore, ‘America’s online learning industry is projected to be worth $687 billion by 2030 .’While for some institutions, putting content online and offering distance learning has been perceived as a radical shift, the reality is that, in many cases, these online programs are either built around unchanged educational models or have not received the attention and investment required to become effective. Many of our institutions, schools, and colleges quickly reverted to the old ways. The online learning that remains in place has widened access but often falls short of providing an enriching, impactful, and inclusive experience.The emergence of generative AI threatens to cause a new disruption, yet many have viewed AI as a threat rather than an opportunity. Knee-jerk reactions and concerns about plagiarism have dominated discussions, with little attention given to how AI can enhance the learning experience and our educational models. In the quest to protect the integrity of our education systems, there is a significant risk that legacy educational models are becoming a drag anchor on progress, rather than leading the way.WHAT WE LEARN, NOT JUST HOWHowever, it is not only learning methodologies and the use of technology in our education models that need consideration. What we teach is also a significant issue. The ‘best-quality’ school education worldwide is largely governed by examining boards , which now dictate what our school students learn. While the exams they set may set a bar for academic excellence, the curriculum is slow to change and is currently not reflective of the future world our children will grow up in. The relevance of the examination process itself must increasingly be questioned as an effective model for assessing educational progress. It is unclear whether Ofqual (in the UK) or our examining boards and awarding bodies can provide what we need. With revenues driven by examinations and the purchase of vast amounts of curricul...

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