Title: Implications of quantum theory on education: a critical review of the literature

Authors: James Gray-Donald

Addresses: Energetics Ecology Ltd., UK

Abstract: There has been a paradigm shift in physics over the last 100 years that has spread to the biological sciences, social sciences and now educational theorists are writing about such a change within the field of education. This paper synthesises and critiques the range of papers and dissertations with relation to the educational implications of quantum theory for the first time. The central threads are: the Either/Or dualism, science as a paradigm, research methodology, chaos and uncertainty, nonlocality, and spirituality. All of these ideas are potentially central to the emerging pedagogies of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The paper concludes that quantum theory provides a number of useful metaphors for good pedagogy, but that caution should be used when turning scientific into educational theory and practice.

Keywords: education for sustainable development; ESD; quantum education; quantum science; new physics; chaos theory; dualism; educational management; research methodology; uncertainty; nonlocality; spirituality; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2007.017942

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2007 Vol.2 No.3/4, pp.315 - 331

Published online: 24 Apr 2008 *

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