Let us continue to build schools without walls
It is said that the only difference between schools today and seventy years back is the dressing sense and slight involvement of technology. Our current education system judges every student based on a single metric system. It is unbalanced against underprivileged students and students with special needs.
The entire world consciously believes in the need to change today's learning methods, but quite little was done until the pandemic. Schools have changed more in a few months than they did for several years. School administration is introducing online classes, homeschooling, distance learning, adaptive learning, etc.
But there is still a long way to go. While the methods of teaching have changed, method of assessment and syllabus is still the same. A lot of us question schools for not preparing us for the real world. Now that we have come a long way towards online education, we cannot go back to our normal ways post-pandemic.
Keeping social distancing in mind, schools should continue with a hybrid method of teaching i.e. physical and digital classes. Technology has extensively supported education in the midst of a pandemic. Going back to the old methods, post-pandemic, will be equal to taking several steps backward from the development of education.
The current education system is infamous for rote learning and diminishing creativity in children. Education methods should be accommodating to every student's needs instead of the other way around. After all, every student has their own method and pace to learn.
When smart classes were introduced, students were excited to reduce the burden on their bags. But, that excitement was far fetched. Even now only very few schools use data to support teaching and learning. Today's time, however, has an open window for that part of the revolution as well. Schools can also focus on experiential learning to reduce the burden of books. Students can watch videos and learn through discussion instead of bringing a heavy load of books everyday.
Schools can provide online libraries that can be accessed anywhere and anytime allowing ubiquitous learning. Education does not need to take a pause after school hours, it should be anytime and anywhere. This can be achieved through a common science of learning where online and offline, school and home learning are weaved together in a synchronous manner so as to create a smooth learning experience.
Student evaluation has always been on target as it confers to only a section of students. Edison rightly said, 'A piece of paper cannot decide my future'. But it has been dictating the lives and mental health of several students. The three-hour paper judges the 'mugging up' capability more than understanding of concepts. This method should rather judge problem-solving ability and practical knowledge of students.
Schooling with or without walls, extra-curricular activities are always important for a student's overall growth. Here the parents and teachers can collaborate to help their children. Universities in Spain send workout plans to their students for home workout. Other activities can surely be accommodated according to the interests and available resources.
A lot of things are changing too quickly and it's only normal for people to be overwhelmed, be it teachers or students. The administration should assist teachers in moulding themselves to a new method of teaching and teachers can in hand, help their students.
The lockdown has taught us the value of mental health, even the lack of discussions around it. Our learning spaces should be open for students and teachers to help them keep their mental health in check.
While everything around education is changing, it is bringing opportunities for a long-awaited upgradation in our learning spaces. Education during the pandemic has been kept upright only because of technological advancements in the field. Pedagogical innovation is necessary if educational institutes want to get ahead of the pandemic and keep evolving thereafter.
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project manager at nucleus software foundation
4 年You raised some valid points ,momentum or enertia for status quo is great , blended learning and elements of homeschooling need to be adopted by mainstream schools . Schools may come with options of limited schooling where parents agree to bear a larger responsibility ,they become providers of library lab and games fields and courts and counsellors and mentors . Boards will have to learn to move to a multifaceted assessment which assesses more than facts and grammar or a few operations techniques . Homeschooling should be popular and boards should accept it . Homeschooling can enable teaching in smaller batches in a more individualised fashion . For highschool and higher secondary some credit system should evolve which a student should be allowed to collect over a period of time . A lot has to be done in the area of technology based assessments it is still a very nascent field . Unofficially a lot has started let us see when does it get recognition and is assimilated by the mainstream .
Life and Career Coach | Ex Director - CKS Foundation | Ex TFI | LSR | Global Topper CENTA TPO 2020
4 年I think there is a lot of talk about the fact that the prevalent education system fails the students and there is a dire need to revamp it but words are not really being converted into actions. In order to bring the requisite changes we need concerted efforts in this direction by all the stakeholders involved. Rote learning has been the order of the day for ages and the current examination and grading system only encourages it further. High time we bring a systemic overhaul in the education sector.
State Awardee 2021
4 年Shashank, it is only few educationists who have been desiring a holistic approach to education, most others use it only in their speeches. Marks are the only measurables that most parents also go by to achieve the careers aspired by them. In this, the child is the casualty. I don't think online will become the new normal. We are yearning to settle back into the old systems- it suits every one to keep to their comfort zone.
EdTech | Problem Solving | IAEng | Product Management | User Research
4 年Totally agree with you Shashank Pandey. Its high time that we switch to "FhyDgital" (Physical + Digital) model of teaching. One of the major drawback which I see and experienced in our Education system is "We are forced to learn a lot of theories but lack on Practicals" just because at the end everyone is going to evaluate us on the basis of Mark-sheet not on the Skills we have. This is a very harsh truth and we should change our education system by focusing more on Skill development & Practicals, and this can easily be done using Hybrid model of Teaching. Just imagine the power of technology a single teacher can demonstrate "N" number of students just sitting at his own school lab. It will not only provide ease but also bridge the gap between Quality of Education among Students belonging to different socio-economic strata.
Education | Youth and Child Development | Pratham Education Foundation
4 年I totally agree with you sir. There are a lot of things that needs to be changed in our education system. If we talk about rote learning, it's still very much prevalent in the education system. And it's also because, we are always told to just get good grades in class. Getting good grades in class becomes a priority and not understanding the concept. We can score marks by mugging up but that knowledge doesn't last forever. Understanding of the concept is more important. Getting good marks in class was a race during my school time and it's still a race. And that's also the reason why the mental health of students get affected. And it's equally important for both parents and teachers to let the children learn on their own pace. Sometimes it's also important to say things like "it's ok if you don't score good". Probably we can prevent the suicide rates among students by doing so. Coming to technology and Data. It's true, judging the students on single metrix is ideally not a correct one. But in order to make technology also successful, there's a lot of efforts and training that must be done by the management for the teachers. Because, in smaller towns, teachers and parents lack the knowledge about the EdTech use and imp.