Discussion on Papers 11 and 12

Professor J.M. LE MEE (Paper 11): It is interesting to note that the concerns of this conference are not just British, nor are they limited to engineering. The problems that we face now have taken other dimensions - international, ecological, social, ethical - which require quantum jumps in understanding and in our ability to deal with them. Traditional programmes are well adapted to what has been called maintenance learning and this works well in a relatively slowly evolving situation. It works by imitation, modification, adaptation to a situation not different in essence from a previous one. However, when something drastically new occurs and one is faced with a radically new situation, this type of learning fails. It is innovative learning that is necessary: the ability to face the situation afresh.