377: The London Interdisciplinary School with Prof Carl Gombrich
Jan 8, 2024
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The London Interdisciplinary School (LIS) aims to tackle complex real-world problems through an interdisciplinary curriculum integrating arts, sciences, and humanities. The podcast discusses the challenges of introducing this radical system to the current education structure. It also explores the significance of London as a city for experiential learning and showcases the speaker's career transition from music to teaching physics. The importance of slowing down, focusing, and self-awareness is also touched upon.
The London Interdisciplinary School focuses on tackling real-world problems by bringing together different disciplines and approaches, preparing students to be adaptable and versatile in an ever-changing world.
Karl Gombrich emphasizes the significance of feedback, inspiration, resilience, and empowerment in education and personal growth, urging young people to find their voice, take on challenges, and develop a sense of agency in their own lives.
Deep dives
The London Interdisciplinary School: A Radical Approach to Education
The London Interdisciplinary School is a unique university that aims to break away from traditional educational paradigms. The school focuses on tackling real-world problems by bringing together different disciplines and approaches. Instead of teaching subjects, the curriculum at the London Interdisciplinary School is centered around problems and the methods needed to solve them. For example, if students are studying climate change, they would explore the scientific, economic, and political aspects of the issue. The school values the importance of individual mentorship, giving students personalized attention and guidance. By offering an interdisciplinary education, the London Interdisciplinary School prepares students to be adaptable, resilient, and versatile in an ever-changing world.
The Importance of Taking Feedback, Finding Inspiration, Building Resilience, and Empowerment
Karl Gombrich emphasizes the significance of feedback, inspiration, resilience, and empowerment in education and personal growth. He highlights the importance of accepting and incorporating feedback, learning from mistakes, and adapting. Gombrich encourages the pursuit of personal inspiration and finding mentors who can provide guidance and support. Resilience is fostered through engaging in activities that require dedication, persistence, and the ability to bounce back from failure. Finally, Gombrich stresses the value of empowerment, urging young people to find their voice, take on challenges, and develop a sense of agency in their own lives.
The Role of London and Experiential Learning in the Curriculum
The location of the London Interdisciplinary School in the vibrant city of London offers unique opportunities for experiential learning. Through collaborations with local organizations, students engage with real-world problems such as sustainability and urbanism. These experiences allow them to apply their knowledge and skills in practical contexts. The school's curriculum also emphasizes the interconnectedness of cities and the importance of understanding urbanism in a rapidly changing world. By using London as a living lab, the London Interdisciplinary School provides students with opportunities to explore, analyze, and understand the complexities of urban environments.
Lessons in Slowing Down, Taking Responsibility, and Feeling Empowered
Through personal anecdotes and reflections, Karl Gombrich shares valuable insights for personal growth and fulfillment. He advises individuals to slow down and avoid knee-jerk reactions, allowing themselves to absorb feedback and consider different perspectives. Gombrich also highlights the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and choices, learning from failures, and continually striving to improve. Additionally, he discusses the concept of empowerment, emphasizing the need to develop agency, find one's voice, and cultivate healthy relationships and networks. Gombrich believes that by embracing self-awareness and accountability, individuals can lead more fulfilling lives and make positive contributions to society.
LIS is building a new university based on interdisciplinarity and tackling complex real-world problems. Instead of specialising in a single subject area, our students learn through a problem-based interdisciplinary approach, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences (BASc).
Solutions to the world's most complex and interconnected problems won't come from a single specialism or subject. We need to bring together experts and knowledge from across the arts, sciences and humanities.
In a world faced by increasingly complex challenges, it’s never been more important to find new ways of learning. We need young people who are more versatile, more entrepreneurial, and more resilient than ever before. But the current education system is siloed, and students are forced down a singular academic path, pushing them to specialise in one subject area. At LIS, we think there’s a straightforward case for an interdisciplinary curriculum: problems are interdisciplinary, so our curriculum should be too.
The London Interdisciplinary School place a premium on teaching rather than research. They have brought together a diverse and outstanding group of academics, entrepreneurs, and educationalists. The LIS team includes philosophers, epidemiologists, artists, journalists, behavioural scientists, and mathematicians, as well as entrepreneurs and professionals.
Watch Mark Taylor interview Al Kingsley about 'Creating Digital Strategies for Schools' as part of the Primary Education Summit 2023 - Visions for the Future - presented by National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)
https://www.educationonfire.com/creating-digital-strategies-for-schools/
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