Competenze o cultura?

Abstract

The article questions whether creativity and, by extension, competencies can truly be taught. While modern education emphasizes explicit competency-based learning, the author doubts that competencies can be developed directly or reliably measured, since performance may stem from prior knowledge rather than genuine problem-solving ability. Drawing on parallels with neuroscience and artificial intelligence, especially neural networks and large language models, the article argues that competencies are likely emergent properties arising from rich, extensive knowledge bases combined with experience and feedback. Just as AI systems require massive data to develop advanced capabilities, human competencies may depend primarily on broad cultural and conceptual foundations. Therefore, education should prioritize deep and diverse knowledge, as competencies naturally emerge from it rather than being taught in isolation.