Keri Facer on purpose/ed – what is education for?

Purpose/ed is an online and in-person gathering together of people with an interest in rethinking about the purpose of education.

It arose from Prof Keri Facer‘s keynote presentation at JISC’s 2010 Innovating E-Learning Conference, ‘Learning to live in interesting times – what are educational institutions for?’, which is available on the conference archives for viewing or download.

On Purpose/ed Keri Facer writes a short piece ending with some questions which promise good things from this group.

1. What is your vision for the good society?
2. What is the part that education can play in achieving that and what is the part that others need to play? Who are these others? What is/what should be their relationship to education?
3. What are the building blocks we have in our schools and universities already that could move them towards that role?
4. What are the building blocks outside formal education?
5. What are the impediments to change and what causes them? And are there good reasons for these?
6. What can I see of merit in the ideas of those who disagree with me?
7. Do the ideas I suggest draw on the expertise and insight of others?
8. Do the ideas I suggest offer enough benefit to outweight the disruption that they would cause in their realisation? how would we get there?