Listen: Takeaways From The 38th Annual Future Of Education Technology Conference

Sir Ken Robinson is well known for his 2006 TED talk that is the most viewed of all time. And yet, as this year’s opening keynote speaker at the 38th Annual Future of Education Technology Conference in Orlando, Florida, he stated that the $16 billion dollar testing industry in the U.S. is a very serious problem. Sir Robinson stated that the reform movement focuses on conformity, compliance, and competition instead of diversity, creativity, and collaboration. In addition, he says, “none of it has led to an iota of improvement in schools themselves, or in the motivation of kids, or the morale of teachers.”

Two main points of his speech were that:

1. If you design education to resemble a factory, don’t be surprised when it behaves that way.
2. Play wasn’t discovered yesterday.

Sir Robinson’s contention is that if we can return to a focus on the things that we are naturally suited for, we can make larger strides than if we try to fit everyone in the same educational box.