The Ruskin Lecture  — “‘A pile of feathers’: Valuing Education in a Market Society” 

In recent years, the market has extended its reach ever more alarmingly into schools, universities, and educational reform initiatives. More and more, education is equated primarily with national and global economic success. Increased emphasis on testing, standardization, and measurement, a decrease in fine arts programs, and a growing tendency to treat students as consumers, point to a disturbing shift in our understanding of the value of education.  At the same time, there is a growing lack of preparedness, curiosity, and cultural literacy amongst students. Today, disagreement persists about access, curricula, standards, teacher training and other subjects. Sara Atwood will consider how Ruskin’s ideas might productively inform our educational debates.