We know that the brain has a hugely important role to play in the students' learning that goes on in our classrooms. However, surprisingly, scientists still know relatively little about the workings of the brain, and most of what we do know has been discovered only in the last 15 years. Our challenge is to ensure that what we do know about the brain is translated into classroom practice and used to maximise student learning this is the idea at the heart of Accelerated Learning.
John Dewey believed that education is a social process – ‘a process of living and not a preparation for future living’. In this view, educators look to act with people rather on them. Their task is to educe (related to the Greek notion of educere), to bring out or develop potential. Education that is one of the sustainable goals still remains a challenge in many parts of the world. Education has been recognised as a goal as it enables upward socioeconomic mobility and is a key to escaping poverty. While major progress has been made towards access to education at all levels, concerns still remain. It is estimated that 260 million children were still out of school in 2018 — nearly one-fifth of the global population in that age group. And more than half of all children and adolescents worldwide are not meeting minimum proficiency standards in reading and mathematics.
This unit will explore issues related to education and also introduce you to the contested area of educational inclusion. You will look at differing perspectives on inclusion, the way that medical and social models have influenced and shaped current thinking. You will also think about barriers to inclusion and the difference between integration and inclusion. In addition, you will consider some of the key documents, such as the Salamanca Statement, that underpins current thinking in this area.
