Education vs. learning: How semantics can trigger a mind shift

The word "learning" opens up space for more people, places, and ideas.

  • The terms 'education' and 'learning' are often used interchangeably, but there is a cultural connotation to the former that can be limiting. Education naturally links to schooling, which is only one form of learning.
  • Gregg Behr, founder and co-chair of Remake Learning, believes that this small word shift opens up the possibilities in terms of how and where learning can happen. It also becomes a more inclusive practice, welcoming in a larger, more diverse group of thinkers.
  • Post-COVID, the way we think about what learning looks like will inevitably change, so it's crucial to adjust and begin building the necessary support systems today.
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A buried ancient Roman city uncovered using radar technology

Ground-penetrating radar allows the non-invasive virtual excavation of Falerii Novi.

Image source: L. Verdonck/University of Cambridge
  • Using ground-penetrating radar, layers of an ordinary field in Italy are pulled back to reveal a lost Roman town.
  • Without disturbing a single artifact, an incredible level of detail is uncovered.
  • The buried town, Falerii Novi, has been quietly awaiting discovery since it was abandoned at the start of medieval age.
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Guess what? We go to libraries more often than movies.

Gallup found that in 2019, movie attendance didn't even come close to library visits.

Image source: Amelie & Niklas Ohlrogge/unsplash
  • Of all public cultural destinations, libraries are the most often visited.
  • Libraries' expanded offerings make them more attractive than ever, especially to lower-income groups.
  • Women are far more likely than men to visit a library.
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Mexican 'smart city' would be 100% energy efficient, self-sustaining

An Italian firm has put forward an idea for a green city that would be completely self-sustaining, modern, and green.

Image source: Stefano Boeri Architetti
  • An Italian architecture firm has proposed a sustainable city for Mexico.
  • The plans call for a 100 percent self-sufficient metropolis, with renewable energy, Venetian canals, and endless green space.
  • This design is one of many "smart city" proposals as of late that point to a new form of urbanism.
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MIT launches a fleet of Transformer boats

Clusters of bot boats may offer cities dynamic solutions to rising waters.

Image source: chingyunsong/Riccardo Arata /Shutterstock/Big Think
  • Amsterdam is working with MIT to develop a way to move activity from the streets to the canals.
  • A paper announces that the boats can now assemble themselves into various shapes.
  • Flexible urban infrastructural systems such as this are likely to grow in importance.
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