Our past education and Linear teaching systems have convinced us of the need -

• To become independent individuals
• To strive to WIN and come FIRST
• To believe that literacy and education is the end ticket for a career and prosperity
• To perceive hierarchy as an orderly and civilized method to allocate work based on creating skill classifications (qualifications )
• To concentrate on narrow band based excellence ( specialization )

Non Linear Thinking however references education as a need for management of the future.

The future is not showing any signs of emulating the past and therefore is unlikely to conform to a forecastable pattern. In these circumstances education can no longer be a source of specific application based knowledge. We now require education to impart not merely knowledge but teach us a learning process because our period of learning is now to be extended from batch acquisition of knowledge to the continuous need to learn as per the prevailing environment.

Non Linear Thinking attempts to start a thought process that should ultimately appear “obvious in hindsight” - and applicable to a Non Linear environment.

The listed objectives of education as above have become a paradox. While they are correct - they are not relevant for the future. They are not wrong ; they are just not working. The linear benefits of education seem to be narrowing to exclude the majority, making what we call success limited to a reducing number.

Non Linear Thinking is not in any way 'anti – academia' ! It only indicates that any system of education that is almost entirely based on “learning of the Past “ is unsuited for the future.

Analyses within NLT is ideally commenced with an attempt to chronicle the development till the point of complexity. Let us attempt that with education!

In the FIRST PHASE of formal human education the majority of humankind was ignorant on the fundamentals of nature, origin of life, basic sciences and their practical applications. The LIST of basic knowledge to be acquired was itself overwhelming. The need and extent for all to know was considered infinite. Fact and experience made this into a social rule.

It took 100’s of years of education for man to evolve to a point where the spirit of enquiry demanded scientific explanations for nature’s behaviour.

The relative saturation of fundamental knowledge, gave birth to the second phase where what had been discovered or learnt as basic knowledge, was then used to develop new knowledge (Products, theories, Inventions, tools etc.). Chaos and chance started to play a great part in inventions and development of theories as the intermediary during the transitionary and unknown stage within learning.

In the third Phase – there came the automation and calculation tools which enabled a faster rate of update of basic knowledge (Discovery). This then led to the sharp increase in the rate of applied knowledge (Inventions)

The overall result and cycle (pattern) of this evolution has continued to accelerate through the 20th Century and by the late 1970’s every “year” was increasingly equivalent to a previous decade or more in terms of scientific accomplishment.

Today the digital revolution has blurred the line between fact and fiction. What is perceived as fiction and fantasy rapidly becomes technologically possible and soon a common reality. This is a non- linear phase.

While the rapidity of obsolescence creates many opportunities it is also the cause of our perceived problems. Our education and past learning has not trained us to accept and manage within this rapid change. While Education did not “change” its focus from acquisition of knowledge to evolve to match the “application’ needs of society; technology has gone even further than our application needs further into the future.

The Non Linear era is a difficult one for all intellectuals. Even the economists and experts have been confused attempting to place a value to future needs and technologies. The usage of past based norms and linear logic have failed in any effort to forecast and place values in the future.

In a Non Linear era the “value” of education will no longer be based on its acquisition. This will create a dilemma for the majority , because it will seem to reduce the economic value of human inputs.

Unfortunately, this is inevitable if our systems stick to their valuation norms of education on the basis of assimilation of past knowledge as a “quantum batch” . They will have to start to devise systems that make education an ongoing input- a continuous process of learning.

Moving from Need to Purpose - How ?

Education was designed to teach sequential, and chronological fact. Its aim was to “TEST” the learners memory and ability to recall what had already been documented ( the past ). The mind is thus trained to use what it “knows” which is inturn dependant on as much as it could assimilate ( learn)

This system could remain relevant as a testing and training method for early education where every person requires some basic understanding of the past and historical facts. It must however be seen as a minimal need within education.

How much was to be learned was considered in Linear terms and therefore the maximum possible became a comfortable guideline. New knowledge was continually added to the old creating huge syllabus with the obvious need to aggregate the acquisition based on subject and quantum. In early education, Self-earning thus started to reduce. Based on this the focus on applications knowledge was pushed further ahead towards the “end” of education!

Today, we see a decreasing need for old and basic knowledge and a greater value being placed on application based learning. Unfortunately early education remains deprived of this, with all application linked learning being retained for an older age. This must change! Education must have a closer link to economics!

A serious change has already come upon us while the basics of education have remained wedded to learning of knowledge and output of memory.

The uncontrolled proliferation and volumes of information, research data and technology can now be conveniently stored and accessed at will and at a low cost. What we spend years learning is available for reference on one CD ROM or free on demand through the internet. Imagine how much we would have to pay - and how much time would be required if we were to learn all that knowledge which is now free!

^top

Knowledge is thus being converted to mere Information

Today we do not need to know or remember. Memory is no longer a skill - it is now an existing digital resource available in the form of an easy to access database. We now need to know which information to seek, where to find it, and the relevance of this information to the specific time and situation. The internet has made available knowledge free of cost in most cases because of our linear systems inability to cost its value within rapid change. We however need to understand that the value of information is no longer based on its content or quantum, but on its timely availability when required!

We have been paying to “learn”. We must now pay to “know”!

Though considered blasphemous NLT believes we should in the future spend less resources (Money or time) on learning!

NOW students need to be more aware than knowledgeable.

They must know from where to get relevant knowledge, and accept and evaluate that whatever knowledge they are exposed may only be applicable to the current need. When it is recalled again more new knowledge/information would have been added to the subject in the interim. In a Non Linear era they will not need to have detailed “knowledge"- only its applications.

We keep saying Information is increasing, and new information is being constantly added. We now need to refer to and understand knowledge in the same way. While most will say it is obvious that knowledge must keep increasing - it remains a philosophical statement, because our formal learning systems are static. We still look for people who already have the “know-how”.

When knowledge is going to be freely available through digital media the high economic investment to learn will stop making sense -because application based will become the best way to know! ( This is the key to reduce the Generation Gap ).

We have to learn and teach never to say or feel that WE KNOW and lastly for the sake of proving intelligence. Education must not appear to be or have an END value. This has limited the application of education to an elite minority.

Non Linear Thinking believes that the sharp segregation of life into student and adult age – must therefore be diluted. This would mean a reduced generation gap and conflict. Today, the confrontation is based on the impatience of youth to be economically independent!

We now require to quickly develop an education infrastructure that gives Economic returns to our children through work. The learning and earning training environments are required for 13 to 20 years old as an integral part of their education!

We see that every subsequent generation is more able, competent, and even physically bigger - than the previous generation. Newer generations are more conscious of economics, Self - independence, and this is a natural quest based on exposure to global multimedia. Yet their progressive desire is breaking families and creating conflict. A valuable human resource and energy is being lost in this conflict. The conflict is clearly based on the resistance of the older system in accepting the inevitable “equalization”. A younger age now seeks economic independence earlier than before - by logic and right.

Today this “battle” - is creating great social stress and has given opportunity to the dangers of disorganized motivations that provide economic opportunity ( Crime).

While every parent, Government and work institution acknowledges the need for work opportunity at the earliest - the systems have not yet been altered or created to match this economic reality.

Linear old norms insist on placing work opportunity only after education and not as a part of it!

The increasing frustration with academics, its rising cost, and the “drop-out” rates show us that “relative saturation” has set in years ago!

Every student can actually contribute “economically’ to the national economy. It would not be difficult for companies and corporates to develop, “systems and instruction based” hourly work that can be executed by students, as a part of their curriculum, and integrated with what they are “learning”. While they learn they can “subsidize” costs of their education and most importantly lower costs for the economy. With the developed economies facing an aging populations this will reduce the need to seek immigrant or illegal labour - and as a benefit, retain job opportunities at home by avoiding closure of industry due to high costs. Digital technologies are reducing the risk of injury to children and the children are far more competent and capable than our earlier generations.

Today the educated 14 - 20 years old are “mature” enough and far more competent than an uneducated low cost or unskilled worker.Their real future and skills in a Non Linear era can only be identified through work environment and experience. We are currently unable to assess the true skills of our students.

• Students need “natural work environments” where they can experience their management of thought, conflict resolution skills and experience the benefits of shared resources. With only past based theories as a part of their education curriculum their current learning is insufficient.
• Self management and awareness is not a tangible subject.
• Social Problem solving - sharing resources, is not a subject.
• The natural occurrence of inequality and differences in opinion are not easily explained in a classroom.
• Disagreement without conflict is an unknown thought process.

Yet their entire lives and their economic future is dependent on the learning and acceptance of these issues.

True life success stories of school drop out entrepreneurs who have had not specialization or formal education - confuse students specially those who are planning their careers based on qualification and specialization!

Specialization seems to be the guiding force for education. In this Non Linear Era knowledge and technology having an increasing rate of obsolescence. Except for research, skills of “changeability” may be preferred to specialization.

NLT in Management indicates a need to replace the freedom to hire and fire with better human value systems. In developing economies with large unemployment this is necessary.

Companies who fire - should have to “replace” - giving new students the opportunity and insuring continued employment to the economy. This will be at a much lower cost to the corporate, and will build up the future work force of the country through training.