Aims of the Festival

The Emporium of Dangerous Ideas aims to re-establish the importance of dangerous ideas as agents of change in education – to shift the axis of what is possible! It is for everyone who is passionate about education including college, university, school staff and students as well as those engaged in education throughout the creative communities.

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Tuesday 18 June 2013

Edinburgh Dangerous Philosophy Cafe

It was great to sit round the table with a diverse group of people debating whether or not it was time to tear up the foundations of an outmoded education system and rebuild to a new design for modern times.

We were joined by the New School Action Group who are calling for alternatives within state education. http://www.scotsman.com/news/education/parents-call-for-state-school-alternative-1-2968681

Interesting that 3 of our participants had been education in former communist regimes but still found our Scottish education system oppressive.

Some of the hotly debated issues were:
  • personalisation and choice
  • Poor leadership in schools
  • No career progression for teachers - young, creative teachers are not heard
  • Class sizes are too big, resources are limited
  • Need more diversity to give real choice - free schools
  • Stifled by exams
  • What are the outcomes of our education system?
  • Need an alternative to SQA
  • Teachers should have more autonomy
  • Academies in the state system
thanks to Ray Miller for facilitating the cafe. And to The Links Bar for providing an excellent venue.

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