RALPH WOLFF: «It’s time to teach children not just knowledge, but universal values»

Photo provided by Ralph Wolff

Prestigious education does not equal intelligence and talent. Prestigious education does not necessarily equate to intelligence or talent. Values do not always come bundled with genius. Millions spent on charity do not automatically indicate the high moral standards of philanthropists. The world needs a new approach to education — one that can free thinking from stereotypes and prepare people for the challenges of the future.

These and many other topics are discussed in an interview with Ralph Wolff — founder and president of Quality Assurance Commons, an independent policy consultant specializing in accreditation processes and quality assurance in education in the U.S. and around the world.

Ralph Wolff began his career as a lawyer. He graduated with honors from Tufts University and earned a Doctor of Law degree from the National Law Center at George Washington University. In 1976, he became a professor of law at the University of Dayton.

He is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and one of the founding members of Antioch School of Law (now the David A. Clarke School of Law at the University of the District of Columbia). It was the first law school of its kind, training lawyers to work in the public interest and to provide legal services to underprivileged populations.

Wolff has dedicated many years to the field of education. He is a member of the International Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in Dubai (UAE), the Lumina Foundation, and the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (USA). He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Africa International University (Kenya) and Palo Alto University.

From 1996 to August 2013, he served as president of the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). He was also dean of Antioch University’s Graduate School of Education. In 2008, for his innovations and outstanding contributions to improving education quality, he received the Virginia B. Smith Award.

Wolff is the co-author of books on pedagogy and the author of numerous articles on accreditation, quality assurance, distance learning, and the role of libraries in society. We are confident that his insights on new approaches to education will be of great interest to our readers.

EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE A PRIVILEGE OF THE WEALTHY

My life journey has not been a straight path. But I was fortunate to have strong mentors along the way and often found role models to inspire me. I received my higher education in the 1960s at Tufts University, where I studied history.

Unfortunately, after graduating, I didn’t feel that I had found my true calling. So I decided to continue my education and eventually enrolled in law school. There, I met a professor — a woman who had founded an organization providing legal services to low-income individuals.

That encounter opened my eyes. I realized that education needs to be restructured so that it serves not just the elite. Later, when I began working in university accreditation, I saw it as an opportunity to reform education and make it more open to innovation.

RELATIONSHIPS AS A RESOURCE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

The spiritual aspect of my life has always been deeply connected to an inner search for my path. I studied Transcendental Meditation under the great master Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and I have been practicing it for over 40 years. In addition, I have devoted serious time to studying Christian traditions, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

In my professional work, I try to establish an inner, spiritual connection with people. We have seen many examples of individuals who join a spiritual community and live separately from society.

Others, on the contrary, wish to live in the ordinary world and build a family. As for me, I have found that the greatest opportunities for my spiritual growth and learning come through relationships with other people. It is not an easy path, but for me, it is the most natural one.

THE UNMANIFESTED AND INNER STRUGGLE

I see the meaning of life in realizing that we are more than just the five senses we possess. We are mistaken when we assume that the realm of manifested and sensory-perceived forms is the only dimension that exists. In reality, the unmanifested is far more powerful than the manifested.

People who understand this and apply it in their lives wield true strength and influence. Just look at everything happening around us — climate change, the rise of authoritarianism, and more. I constantly struggle within myself to remain positive and keep faith in a better future.

TALENT IS A PRODUCT OF WILL, NOT EDUCATION

Stanford psychology professor Dr. Carol Dweck wrote a book titled Mindset, where she explains that people with a fixed mindset believe intelligence is static, while those with a growth mindset understand that effort and persistence can enhance their intellectual abilities.

Students at the most prestigious schools and universities often fall into the trap of believing they are inherently superior. They fail to realize that intelligence and capability are driven by personal motivation and curiosity, not by the prestige of their institution. Being admitted to Harvard does not automatically make someone an original thinker.

I have a deeply egalitarian perspective, and I believe the education system should dismantle barriers of elitism. Every person must continue growing throughout life. Just because someone attended a top university at 18 does not mean they will spend the rest of their life fulfilling their potential or upholding high moral standards.

THINKING MUST BE FREED FROM STEREOTYPES

The smartest people I have met in my life never attended university. This proves that success is determined by our mindset, not formal education. Yet, society is structured in an elitist way — those who attend top schools are automatically considered superior. If someone has amassed great wealth, they are often regarded with inherent respect.

We need to break free from this stereotypical way of thinking. The fact that Mark Zuckerberg and his wife founded a charitable organization does not necessarily mean they uphold high moral values. Steve Jobs was a genius who revolutionized technology, yet he never donated a single dollar to charity.

What we need is a new way of thinking, one that allows each of us to continuously grow and transform at any moment in life.

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A GROWTH MINDSET

A young entrepreneur I once worked with shared this story. Every day at the dinner table, his father would ask him: «What idea came to you today?» «Is it big enough?» «Can you scale it?» — this is an example of a growth mindset.

My father moved to the U.S. from Germany in 1936, fleeing the brutality that German society at the time directed toward Jews. He had experienced it firsthand before leaving. Because of this, he was always cautious about promoting himself.

On top of that, he had no higher education. Yet, despite these obstacles, he managed to fully realize his potential. He set a goal to establish himself in a new society and ultimately achieved great success.

CULTIVATING A DEVELOPMENT-ORIENTED ENVIRONMENT

We must help people unlock their potential, even those who have been raised to believe they will never succeed. This requires mentorship and support because not everyone can take the first step toward growth on their own.

The best way to do this is by surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals. In the U.S., there are several organizations that help high school students discover their paths. Education is just one of many tools that can foster personal development.

There are many educators who seek to break boundaries and take a creative approach to their work. My mission is to identify the schools and programs that truly nurture a culture of growth. However, it is important to recognize the serious limitations teachers face in creative education.

At first, you may have the determination to implement innovative teaching methods. But maintaining that motivation becomes incredibly difficult if, for the next five years, you keep hearing that your way of thinking is wrong. This is what happens to anyone who challenges the system and tries to change it.

A GENERATIVE MODEL OF LEARNING

We need to redefine the concept of learning itself. Our knowledge of ourselves and the world is evolving at an exponential rate. By the time textbooks are published, they are already outdated. We cannot learn new things without letting go of the old, which is why a generative model of learning is essential.

We saw this in action during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every day, our knowledge about the virus expanded — Should we get vaccinated? Are masks effective? The answers evolved over time.

When I was in school, calculators didn’t exist, so we used slide rules. Then, calculators were invented, and we had to learn how to use them. Now, your iPhone does all the calculations for you, and you don’t even need to be taught how to use it. This means that traditional school knowledge becomes obsolete incredibly fast.

TEACHING VALUES ALONGSIDE KNOWLEDGE

Education should place as much emphasis on values as it does on knowledge. A person may be an excellent physicist studying nuclear energy, yet fail to grasp the real-world consequences of scientific discoveries. This kind of thinking is what led to the creation of the atomic bomb.

Or consider a brilliant professional in their field — who also engages in sexual harassment, believing it’s acceptable. Technical knowledge alone does not make a person ethical.

People need to learn to operate within a values system that encourages them to think beyond themselves. They should ask: Does my work benefit everyone, or does it serve only a small group while harming others?

A NEW APPROACH TO EDUCATION

There is a fundamental link between ethics and values. Values are the moral principles that guide you in the world, while ethics is how you apply those values in practice. Traditionally, values have been shaped by religion. However, many religious people believe their faith holds a monopoly on the truth.

In reality, there are many ways to understand the world. Some believe meat is healthy, others see it as harmful. But what we need is a focus on higher-level values — ones that encourage us to think about the major global threats facing humanity. These include climate change, nuclear weapons, species extinction, wars, and poverty.

The goal of a new approach to education should be twofold: on the one hand, it must instill an understanding of universal values, and on the other, it must teach people to respect the values of others.