Curriculum Controversy: UK Professor Joins NZ Voices To Criticise 'The Science Of Learning' Approach

AEC hosted, a SOLD OUT event, with Guy Claxton (Emeritus Professor, University of Winchester) called ‘The Corruption of Science and The Practice of Teaching’ last Tuesday.

Guy’s message joined the growing chorus of NZ based Academics raising concerns about the narrow and corporate focus to our current curriculum form, specifically the over reliance on ‘The Science of Learning’. He argued that the idea that we should teach students in a very formal, teacher-centered way because they don't know as much as experts is wrong, it should not be viewed as an either or.

Guy states, “to try to base whole systems of education on such binary nonsense is not just specious, it is seriously damaging.”

“Part of the problem is the gullibility of politicians, administrators and some educators in the face of authoritative but ill-informed claims to scientific warrant by small but vociferous (and often surprisingly aggressive) bands of academics and consultants. Many of these people have no qualifications in the sciences of learning, and a very limited and highly selective understanding of the field.”

The timing of Guy’s event has tapped into a growing sentiment of Principals and Teachers who are raising their own questions around the Government trying to sell them a silver bullet to lifting educational outcomes. School leaders are constantly learning and looking for ways of growing understanding and practice across a range of learning sciences.

The event sold out all 600 tickets and had a growing waitlist. The event passed 500 tickets within its first 3 days.

About Guy Claxton

Guy is a cognitive scientist, education thought leader and prolific author interested in expanding human intelligence through research, writing and education.

He has spent most of his working life based in a variety of UK universities including Oxford, Bristol, King’s College London and Winchester. But increasingly his work has taken a more practical turn, and has been involved with a wide range of organisations where a better understanding of human intelligence is needed.

About Aotearoa Educators Collective

Aotearoa Educators Collective is an umbrella collective created to support education thought leaders who share a common interest in promoting progressive ideals in schooling. The group includes academics, principals and teachers and is not aligned to any political party.

These leaders choose to contribute to mainstream public debate through mainstream media based on their research, their lived professional experience and their standing within the sector.

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