Developing Curriculum for Deep Thinking

The Knowledge Revival

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Knowledge Matters

The importance of knowledge in education

Antoni Hernández-Fernández

I have succumbed to the knowledge revival. I no longer care about public opinion. As time goes by, my bones ache more, but the wounds the passage of time heals bother me less—both physically and mentally. This is why I have so thoroughly enjoyed this concise compendium, Developing Curriculum for Deep Thinking. The Knowledge Revival (Surma et al., 2025), authored primarily by Tim Surma, accompanied by an impressive roster of educational authorities: Claudio Vanhees, Michiel Wils, Jasper Nijlunsing, Nuno Crato, John Hattie, Daniel Muijs, Elizabeth Rata, Dylan Wiliam, and, last but not least, the eminent Paul A. Kirschner. “Casi nᔹ, as one might say in the south of Spain. At the beginning of the year, and In order to finish the academic year, there is no better way to re-energise rational thought than with a work like this, especially in light of the deviations promoted by some academic circles and, regrettably, by certain policymakers responsible for education.

Knowledge is fundamental to humanity. It enables the development of a shared language and a collective repertoire, fostering effective social cooperation—both within and across cultures. This principle of shared knowledge, nuanced by the sociocultural contexts of different regions, aligns with Paul Grice’s principles of communicative cooperation. It has been a cornerstone of human progress since ancient times when tribes relied on their collective knowledge to survive, communicate, and thrive. From those early beginnings to the present day, knowledge remains—or ought to remain—the bedrock of education. Cumulative cultural evolution, an undeniable historical phenomenon, demonstrates how inventions and knowledge are transmitted and refined across generations through teaching, imitation, and adherence to social contracts. From lithic tools and rudimentary hunting techniques to the advanced digital and artificial intelligence solutions in today’s classrooms, education has always depended on the selfless exchange of knowledge between teachers and learners. When I teach you something, I do not lose that knowledge—we all gain.

In this context, the value of open and advocacy-oriented educational resources, such as this book by Paul Kirschner and his collaborators, is truly appreciated. The text champions knowledge as the cornerstone of cultural transmission in the classroom, shaping our capacity to perceive, learn, and remember. A broad and solid base of knowledge not only facilitates the acquisition of new skills and understanding but also promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and reading comprehension.

From an evolutionary perspective, while there exists an innate ability to acquire primary knowledge instinctively (such as language or social interaction), secondary, culturally acquired knowledge must be explicitly taught. This includes deeper exploration of primary knowledge, for which humans are genetically predisposed. Secondary knowledge, encompassing everything from basic literacy to advanced scientific and technological reasoning, is indispensable for personal and societal development in modern contexts and should form the nucleus of education.

As highlighted by cognitive models discussed in the book, such as Willingham’s (2021) working memory framework, structuring learning within teaching is essential to overcoming the inherent limitations of human cognition. Knowledge is vital in education: it underpins learning, fosters critical thinking, and enables profound understanding. A robust foundation of knowledge stored in long-term memory enhances the acquisition of new information and optimises the use of working memory in complex cognitive tasks. In a world where some social trends mistakenly equate information with knowledge and promote the illusion that “everything is on the internet”, the revival of knowledge is crucial. It improves learning, facilitates collective discourse, and promotes equity. Reducing curricular content undermines these benefits. Instead, curricula must be developed by experts and centred on knowledge as the foundation of quality education. Perhaps this involves rethinking the role of technology (Diéguez, 2024; Bunge, 2019), but doing so in a manner that integrates it effectively within subject-specific curricula.

In summary:

1. Knowledge underpins complex cognitive skills. Without sufficient content, students lack the context necessary to analyse, evaluate, and apply ideas meaningfully. Reducing curricular content diminishes the ability to relate new learning to existing knowledge, removing the scaffolding needed to develop complex skills and to cross-check the information they receive daily in an increasingly technological environment.
2. Working memory relies on a solid foundation in long-term memory. Working memory is limited in capacity but processes information more effectively when supported by knowledge previously stored in long-term memory”. Reducing content weakens this foundation, overloading working memory and hindering learning.
3. Educational inequality risks. Contrary to some postmodern arguments, reducing content disproportionately affects students from disadvantaged socio-economic or cultural backgrounds. Schools play a crucial role in providing equitable access to broad knowledge that many homes cannot offer. Limiting content perpetuates inequalities, restricting opportunities for the most vulnerable, those whose families, for example, never take them to a museum or cultural activity.
4. Impact on comprehensive citizenship education. A content-rich education prepares students for informed participation in debates, comprehension of global issues, and sound decision-making. Content reduction impoverishes holistic education, limiting students’ capacity to contribute meaningfully to society.
5. Commitment to the future and global challenges. In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, students need an education that equips them for global and local challenges. Reducing content compromises their preparation to face technological, scientific, and social challenges, leaving them less equipped to innovate, be creative, or solve problems, or to be resilient to future challenges.
6. Empirical evidence against content reduction. Numerous studies cited in the book demonstrate that content-rich curricula enhance learning, retention, and critical thinking. Educationally successful societies, such as Finland (historically), Singapore, and Estonia, have prioritised comprehensive content, showing that more, well-structured content yields superior academic outcomes.

In conclusion, although reducing content in the curriculum may seem like an immediate solution to problems such as curriculum overload, or we may be seduced by false promises advocating for a drastic curriculum cut (in terms of subject hours and content), driven by short-term thinking that masks the academic reality, let’s not deceive ourselves: the long-term costs for learning, social equity, and the preparation of future generations are far too high. Rather than reducing, we must focus on developing more efficient, comprehensive, relevant, and well-organised curricula that provide opportunities for all students, thereby ensuring access to a complete and quality education.

¹Quite something, isn’t it?

References:

Bunge, M. (2019). Filosofia de la tecnologia. Barcelona: Institut d’Estudis Catalans-Edicions UPC. https://upcommons.upc.edu/handle/2117/169030

Diéguez, A. (2024). Pensar la tecnología. Barcelona: Herder

Willingham, D.T. (2021). Why don’t students like school? A cognitive scientist answers questions about how the mind works and what it means for the classroom. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Títle: Developing Curriculum for Deep Thinking. The Knowledge Revival

Authors: Tim Surma , Claudio Vanhees , Michiel Wils , Jasper Nijlunsing , Nuno Crato , John Hattie , Daniel Muijs , Elizabeth Rata , Dylan Wiliam , Paul A. Kirschner

ISBN: 978-3-031-74660-4

Publisher: Springer Nature

Language: English

Number of pages: 99

Publication date: January 2025

Free download from: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-74661-1

Source: educational EVIDENCE

Rights: Creative Commons