These are our suggestions in view meeting of the French in October (20-27) Francesco Furno
Some suggestions about knowledge
The knowledge is very important in a KBS because:
it has to help the cityzen to orientate himself in the society, giving him the mean to understand where he could look for information in order to face each kind of situation. It is impossible for a cityzen to know everything; what is possible is, instead, to give the cityzen the chance to understand the basis of every situation and, consequentely, to find the required information.
it has to be “organic”; this means that the cityzen has to understand that all kinds of knowledge are linked together and every concept reminds to another one. Only being aware of this a cityzen could be prepared to understand the basis of every situation
the base-knowledge of a cityzen has to be simple and easily available to him, it has to be discursive but correct; only in a second time the cityzen has to develp a scientific and deep approach to the knowledge. This is the only way for a person to build a orientative knowledge.
The knowledge is strongly linked with emotions: in fact, every knowledge a person develops has emotions inside. Anyway, the amount of emotions impressed changes from a knowledge to another. The important thing is: the more emotions there are, the more efficient and strong the knowledge is. It is fundamental to develop an educational sistem that considers emotion more than nowadays.
A suggestions about economics
We need that the spheres of power, as economy, do not interfere in the decision-process but, instead, knowledge remains more clear and pure as possible, because it is the only right criterion of making-decisions.
A consideration on Freedom
When you are in a society you have to be aware of the fact that your freedom is not absolute; in fact, you have to sacrify a little part of it for the other members of the society. In change of this, you will receive protection and safety.
A consideration on Duty
If we want to build a society that really works, we have to own the awareness of the function of duty; in fact, duty is the glue that keeps together all the members of society. Duty grows up from knowledge: only by understanding how the society works, what are the advantages and what are the issues, we can feel a sense of duty for our society.
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Ilona Piotrowska
- European knowledge-based society should not break up the humanistic knowledge from the scientific one
- It is indispensable to reduce the level of illiteracy. We ought to read more newspapers. Internet: check the truth of information that are often false. Medium: free circulation of all news that must not be selected.
- School: more contemporary history 1) to know better our society 2) to be able to make (for example: politics) decision
- English language: News or other TV programs should have english language subtitles
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Giulia Guidazzi
School and education
- In Europe there are lots of guys who have got problems in the society in which they live because of poverty, family hardships and other problematic backgrounds . These teen-agers could put themselves on the wrong track ( drug, underworld, thefts...) if nobody helps them. School and teachers must help these people economically and socially, giving free course books, assistance and a good education.
- In schools young people have to study more the present main themes.
- There should be more chances to do intercultural changes during the school year or the summer.
- To issue new laws to protect school and students: general knowledge and education are our background for the future.
Europe
- A better knowledge of culture, society and costums of nations that belong to Europe: in this way we can avoid episodes of racism between guys or children, our prejudices and we can extend our cultural horizon. We won’t be afraid of foreign people.
- A better study of English and of the most important european languages , to be more advantaged when we will be abroad.
Enviroment
- Young people have to learn how to respect the enviroment and how to know the area in which they live and what it could offer them in the future.
- More right information about the present climatic and enviromental situation.
- Create a recycling programme, search an alternative power source and new solutions about the sustainable development of water, soil, air... .
- Promote the use of public transports to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide.
- People have to be informed about security in dangerous situations and how to protect themselves or to help other poor people.
Politics
- Favour more meetings between young people of all Europe, setting up events like this project or other cultural celebrations.
- A greater patnership between european nations to favour the diplomacy and debetes between politicians.
- Favour the dialogue between young people and politicians because their taken decisions have repercussions on us and on our future.
- There should be a better knowledge about science, medicine, neoroscience, actuality ... .
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Giulia Raggi
Communication
I believe that one of the biggest pillars on which the "society of knowledge" should be based is communication. We, citizens of Europe, must work hard together, and I think the better way to do that is discussing. Exchanging opinions, points of view, discussing and giving advice about what we have to change, improve or introduce in every field (Science, Society, Culture, Education and so on) are what we must do to create our society.
Knowledge
I would divide this pillar in two points:
-Kwowledge of foreign languages to communicate;
-Knowledge "the others".
What I mean is:
-as we cannot coomunicate in many different languages, we must learn, as if it were our mother language, English.
We have to be able to express our opinion and listen to other citizens in English, find solutions in English, discussing in English.
All schools should teach English starting from 6-year-old students for more hours a week than now. English should be considered not only a school subject, but a way, a mean of communication and should be spoken and understood by everyone.
-We can't say "we are Europe" if we don't know each other. As a matter of fact, it can be possible. We can know citizens of Europe if we study their history, their backgrounds, their country and cities geographically, if we visit their countries and learn their lifestyle and talk with them as much as possible. This can happen thanks to an exchange of e-mails (or letters) and some meetings, where young people can discuss and learn those values that in many countries are lost. First of all, we have to learn to respect others and defeat racism, prejudices and xenophobia.
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Lorenzo Valzania
1)To promote communication among young Europeans through blogs where you can also interact directly and informally with personalities such as researchers. At the same time the quality of the conversations should be kept good, trusting in the good sense of the bloggers.
2)As suggested by Dr. Beccari, we should make young people aware of all the resources that territory provides. Therefore, we should set up times at school in which the meanings of important terms such as patent, business, technology, resource, innovation are explained.
3) Follows directly from 2) that new generations must be given responsibility, to make them understand that an approach to Knowledge (not only strictly scientific) is a civic duty to make a European knowledge-based society.
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Elena Rinaldi
* all the people have to partecipate on diffusing knowledge,this is possible with a base education.
* the citizen have to consider as a civil duty the approach at scientific knowledge.
* science is common sense applied with strectness.it is important create a unique and universal common sense.
* information that come from mass media is influenced by economic,politic and religious interests.people have to be critic and make a selection of informations.
* science is culture and citizen have to become a knowledge able citizen.
* curiosity is tha base of knowledge.
* all the youth have to have the same opportunity to be educated.
* state have to protect the youth.
* society based knowledge is composted to countries with different history,culture and tradition.integration between unit and diversity.
* society based knowledge is different from society based economy:there has to be the same opportunity to do knowledge and not a monopoly fo weathier countries.
Gian Marco Morigi
Research and freedom. Scientists should analyze the possible evolution of their work, in order to make research safer and free of prejudices.
Information. Scientific information should be more open to students and young people, using, for example, the Internet or specific journals which use a language easy to understand but at the same time give correct information.
Mass media. We must put an end to the misuse of scientific information in newspapers and news, for example with a mark which attest a correct use of it in an article or report and which can be released only by an official committee of scientists.
School. The debate on our knowledge-based society should continue inside all european schools, with laws in each country to introduce at least an hour of interdisciplinary discussion on actuality.
Lorenzo Casadei
- Speaking in a simple way is the first step in order to have good connections with the others guys of Europe.
- Mathematics is the foundation of our society; in fact, our society is based on technologies, which are based on science, based on mathematics!
- Curiosity is the base of research. Without it, there won't be any progress. Therefore people should be more stimulated by the society, especially at school and at university.
- In order to create a knowledge society we have to consider the differences we have, also because every country has own culture. For example we have spoken about the culture dimension of science, which contain history, philosophy, traditions of each State.
Cecilia Sereni Lucarelli
How to create an European society of the knowledge?
The knowledge must be democratic and who has the economic monopoly doesn’t have to dominate on the others;
the good sense has to guide us when we do science;
the objective is to create the unity from the differences, I personally believe that the diversity is a richness;
stimulate the curiosity of young people to the knowledge so that they can spontaneously approach to it without being forced;
sometimes the youngsters are afraid of science, so scientific information should be made comprehensible for everyone;
I believe there is not a certain knowledge so every point of arrival must be stings of beginning;
free creativity, only in this case young people feel to be involved in the society of knowledge.
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Chiara Marani
Update on school syllabus
I think the subjects we study at school are too much focused on the past. There are several consequences of this:
• Ignorance about the present society
• False commonplaces
• Lack of interest
Strengthen the study about the present let people discuss things that concerns current events, especially among those youngs that, inexpert, have to vote and decide the future of their State. This could be improved introducing the reading of the newspapers during the lessons at school.
Increase in those projects and organizations which work all over the Europe
Enterprises like the one we are doing are deeply important, if we want to build up a European conscience which, I’m sorry, is absent nowadays, al least considering what it is felt in my Country.
Fitting new subjects in the high schools
In my opinion, if we want to create a common belonging to that we call “Europe”, it is of great importance to start teaching law in schools. But, apart from the several laws, it is necessary to understand the differences, the pros and cons of the structures and organizations which rule the so called “Europe”.
Exaltation of the differences
It must be absolutely avoided any form of uniformation. Being a European citizen isn’t as equal as thinking like anyone else, dress as anyone else, speak, believe and live like everybody else. It is completely wrong! Each State, each religion, each creed must be exalted, so that it is possible to become stronger and stronger. This is something easy to be made: let’s study in a proper way the different cultures of the other Countries, let’s make us amazed and astonished if we find something marvelous behind the corner. We can’t keep going forward, if we study only Italian literature, for example, and if we have a general idea ( I wanna underline the word general) of the English one. When we study the philosophy of the Enlightenment, for instance, I am deeply convinced we aren’t able to understand it, if we don’t feel the sharpness of Kant’s language which, incomprehensible, cut your head as a knife. I mean we need more internationality and co-operation among the different subjects.
Emphasis on the foreign languages
Nowadays English language isn’t sufficient. We are asked to speak at least other 2 languages; moreover we know that the more we study them when we are children, the easier it is for us to learn them. Because of this, I suggest teaching them since the nursery school and, which is more important, starting to learn an Asian idiom (Chinese, Japanese…). In addition to this, our feeling of belonging to the so called “Europe” could be improved in opposition to the other cultures. Have we ever considered the fact that, probably, if the history had taken another way, we would have never been here speaking and thinking about what this “union” is? Have we ever reflected on the fact that if the history hadn’t gone in this way, now we probably would have searched for a kimono as Chinese people look for a pair of Dolce and Gabbana shoes? To sum up, I’m asking the insertion of new subjects and new themes to reflect on.
Creation of a youth’s magazine/newspaper
One of the best things of being a young person is the one regarding the fact that you don’t feel any kind of limit: you are determined to express your ideas, to fight for them. So, why can’t we exploit this? I suppose there are lots of young people who wants to publish what they think, what they are interested in. I think it could be great , if we let them write in a newspaper which travels all around the Europe. It could be an opportunity to make adults hear what the so called “not evolved species” has to say to the world.
Let’s stimulate the curiosity avoiding the torpor
The more you are active and dynamic, the more you are propositional. Again youngs are the strata of society which is more sensitive to this: let’s stimulate their mind! Let’s throw them trough the Europe! Let’s make them feel in their hearts the desire for knowledge! Let them study in other countries making easier the bureaucratic machine! Let’s recognize their degrees even in the other nations of the Europe! Let’s arrange a meeting about themes closed to them (politics, human rights, religion, science..)! Moreover, we have to avoid those situations in which ancient teachers keep teaching in the universities, where they are only depressing and boring; this should be followed in all the fields: economy, law, medicine and so on, so that it is possible to keep in touch with the youth and the dynamic movement of the society.
Conclusion
The widespread knowledge shouldn’t have to be felt as a mere erudition, but, on the contrary, as something full of life: a magma which spews out constantly. So, involvement, enthusiasm, curiosity and determination are the key word of its. In conclusion everybody should spread an unitary idea of culture. Everything concerns a common book which has to be daily updated like a diary, where everybody writes his personal page, deeply connected to his intimacy, but, paradoxically, fundamental for each man of the past, of the present and of the future.
Chiara Minotti
• School has a duty to build a citizenship based on knowledge as well as providing quality information to students. It is important to know that knowledge is both scientific and humanistic: that’s why barriers between subjects must be destroyed. Students represent the future, so they are supposed to have a general and complete culture including foreign languages, philosophy and science skills as well as being aware of what is happening around the world.
• Youngsters should acquire a strong sense of responsibility while growing up. We need responsible politicians, responsible scientists, responsible teachers, responsible journalists. A sense of responsibility is definitely necessary for our society. Families, school and also the media should contribute to this kind of formation.
• It is important that especially youngsters feel to be part of Europe. We have to work together to create a better world for everyone, but how can we do so if we actually don’t know each other at all? How can we work as part of a team? I think students should learn at least two foreign languages at school, not only English. Learning a foreign language firstly means learning something more about a new culture. That’s what we need to feel closer and closer to each other.
• Many more projects involving youngsters from all the European countries should be promoted in order to start building the foundations, the background of a common future. I mean, for example, projects involving schools, such as exchanges or European meetings focused on the main issues concerning our countries.
• Environmental issues are becoming more and more important to our society nowadays. That’s why I think that we should focus on how to address research towards the new sources of energy in order to use them as much as possible in the near future.
• In conclusion, the future European citizens must be “knowledge-able” citizens, people who can produce knowledge. This will be possible thanks to INFORMATION, POPULARIZATION (making knowledge easier to acquire and understand for ordinary people), FORMATION (having an influence on the way that something develops), CARE, EDUCATION, PARTICIPATION/CONTRIBUTION.
Ilaria Faggiano
Education is the topic of my reflection and suggestion.
Education provides knowledge, and through knowledge people are informed or know how to provide information that surround them.
So, if people are quite informed they are able to participate activily in order to improve the society and, above all, the democracy, beacuse they are conscious and they have a basic knowledge.
That's why I think that the compulsory school schould be free for everybody, without discriminations or any sort of racism; and also it shouldn't exist differences between private and public school, because as the law says : "citizens are all equal before the law".
Education -> knowledge --> information --> people that knows --> help to democracy
Luca Versari
Communication and information
- Every school might have a furniture of monthly scientific magazines with medium level language but at the same time a specific, objective, actually themes which should be made available for every student who want to consult it. This magazines shouldn’t be deposited in an hidden library but should be put in a big table at the centre of the main hall of the school so its diffusion will be easier and student might became curious about it so read other times.
- Create an easy-access web site where contents were guarantee by some important scientific laboratories. In this web site should be permitted to scientists to explain their own theory or their studies and even the debate between them around a common theme.
Research
- Scientific research have to be totally dissolved by economy and politic. First component of research is freedom of the researcher, for this reason over the organized research promoted by lobbies there should be a free research based on the contribute of citizens.
- Young researcher who have just finished their cycle of studies at university should be helped by offering them a place available for two years where improve and make their own experience following the model of “incubation activity” promoted in USA.
Dialogue
- Students have to take up every year an obligatory journey during summer holidays which will last one month toward an European country so they could learn better English and compare their ideas with people that have different culture and point of view.
- English is the only way to communicate with European community so every citizen of this community must know basilar rules of English language with which deal to an English dialogue. So, more hours of English lessons at school since primary school with comparison supported by online communication.
