Perspective Chapter: Changing the Educational Metaphors

Abstract

Change in society is happening—change in knowledge, change in working practices, availability of employment (robotics and AI) and change in management. How is Higher Education responding to these changes? This chapter takes the view that the metaphors employed by educationalists play an important role. It is suggested that machine-based metaphors emanating from Newtonian thinking are now outdated and need to be replaced with ones based on the systems approach. The chapter identifies some common metaphors used by governments, HE management and HE employees. It then examines the consequences of changing them. The chapter does not promote a specific point of view but is intended to stimulate debate in this important area.