The evolution of shared worlds: teaching and the origins of cumulative culture

Research published in Frontiers in Education reframes cumulative culture and teaching, asserting that cultural persistence stems from recurrent interpersonal coordination rather than mere transactional information transfer. The study posits teaching as a historically specialized organization of consensual coordination that conserves and evolves cultural practices across generations.

This framework redefines organizational learning and capability preservation from transactional knowledge management to structural interpersonal coordination. It demonstrates that sustaining complex practices requires building shared interactive environments rather than relying solely on repository-based information transfers. Consequently, entities focusing only on data retention risk losing the foundational context necessary for continuous innovation.

Cumulative culture emerges through recurrent forms of coordination rooted in shared histories of living together rather than passive transmission of knowledge.

Forward consideration, not a verified fact.