TEDxXiguanED 2017

Education is defined as the process of guiding individuals to learn or acquire knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. This is how Wikipedia begins its entry on the term “education.”

When we discuss education, particularly in the context of China, what usually comes to mind is “schooling.” This brings with it topics like the skyrocketing costs of school district housing, the stressful seasons of high school and college entrance exams, and the frenzy of university graduation—issues that have dominated public discourse in recent years.

We are now living in an era of rapid transformation. Speculations about how artificial intelligence might replace human jobs are everywhere. Yet, two decades ago, no one could have foreseen the skills that would matter in today’s world, nor could anyone teach us—or the next generation—how to navigate the changes coming in the next twenty years. Our best chance lies in fostering curiosity, embracing exploration, building resilience, and mastering the art of “learning how to learn.” Only by doing so can we and our children find a foothold in this swiftly changing world.