Progress and future: a pedagogical question and an educational challenge

Abstract

Talking about progress means considering progress an advancement, a transformation in the social field, but if linked to education it should be considered as a gradual, progressive evolution, marked and enhanced by skills, abilities, potentials useful for change. Progress, therefore, as the acquisition by humanity of better life forms, of correct and healthy lifestyles and of a better and more balanced process of well-being. Progress as a vertical, longitudinal advance towards improvement and perfectibility, which however also includes an educational dimension based on the use of everyone's different potentials (differential or transversal dimension). The reverse of the medal, however, is progress as an unease of civilization, as disorientation and a sense of uncertainty. The challenge of education consists in focusing on progress taking into account transformation skills, transformative learning, life skills, the "capability approach".