This week we watched a film called ‘Most Likely to Succeed’. It is a documentary about the education system in the United States and the limitations of traditional teaching methods.

The basis of our ‘modern’ education system pre-dates the turn of the 20th century. The environment in which it was created no longer exists, but methods remain largely the same. Due to recent and ongoing technological innovations, many traditionally valuable skills have become obsolete. That is why the filmmaker argues that equipping graduates with the ability to be creative and innovative would better prepare them to participate in the current economy.

So, the big question is: do we need to completely reimagine education to make it useful in today’s world?

Any significant change to pedagogy will encounter a few obstacles. First, I know for myself, I am most familiar with the teaching methods I was exposed to when I was in school, so my default setting as a teacher would be to replicate my own experiences. To do something different or in a new way takes time, energy, and dedication.

Second, we saw in the film that it is impractical to change only one part of the system at a time. For example, revolutionizing high school methods while postsecondary institutions maintain the same rigid structure, creates inconsistent expectations and prevents people from embracing what would otherwise be a more enriching experience.

I’m not convinced that the model I saw portrayed in the film is the best template for change, but I do agree that there needs to be a shift in priorities. As educators, we need to concentrate more on teaching students how to learn and solve problems instead of how to simply memorize facts and figures. Creating an education system which more closely reflects the skills required in the current job market would give a new purpose to learning. Problem solvers will never be obsolete.