The future of education – Next generation of learning spaces

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December 26, 2022

As technology has enabled new ways of learning, communicating, and working collaboratively, the four walls of the classrooms are no longer a barrier. Education must adjust to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution describes the blurred boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. It is a fusion of AI (Artificial Intelligence), Robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D Printing, and other technologies.

Technology is transforming how we think, work, learn and play. It is happening so fast and at an incredible pace compared to any point in human history. If we want our students to excel in the future, we must ensure they receive an education that prepares them for today’s world. With the right skills, they will be able to thrive no matter what challenges they face.

According to the World Economic Forum, “Higher degree of cognitive abilities will be needed for ample amount of occupations, such as problem-solving, Logical Thinking, creativity as part of their core skill set, which we need to imbibe at a very early level in our education system.

In 2055, half of the world’s current work activities will be automated, which means that the world will be drastically different from the one our schools and universities are designed. Formal education began around the First Industrial Revolution when early schools were less about improving children’s minds and producing a punctual, obedient workforce for the new factories. We see students increasingly taking ownership of their learning now that information is widely available. The teacher provides mentorship and context along the way, but the student is more in the driver’s seat than ever before.

Knowledge at Fingertip

We are in a world where readily searchable knowledge at our fingertips is available; we do not need to memorize facts anymore. Nevertheless, we will need to learn new skills to help us manage the powerful tools at our disposal. We need to know how to elucidate search results, critically assess the quality and integrity of information, and make ethical judgments about using it. To come up with solutions to the world’s complex problems, we need to think creatively.

In the future, education will be structured around Problem-Based Learning, seeking the engagement of the students curiosity rather than simply presenting them with the information. Instead of saying, ‘here is information for you to remember, one must say, ‘we have a problem to discuss, and then only students will get involved in that problem.

Motivated students are involved in something that means they are interested in unstructured information; only those with ways to engage in information get better outcomes. Learning is a social process that, with others, has better results.

That means we should be focusing on something other than the traditional curriculum.

Phenomenon-Based Learning is a method of teaching that focuses on real-world applications of knowledge instead of taming learning into different subjects. In this type of setting, a lesson might include topics from history, geography, and writing or working in collaboration to design and build an automobile. This medium emphasizes the skills like communication, creativity, and critical thinking that prepare a student for the workplace of the 21st century. We live in a New World where a teacher plays a distinctive position. Today’s students are the first generation who are growing up with the internet and are getting educated by the same. This new teaching and learning journey is a new domain for teachers and students.

So, will a teacher be able to lead? Or will students be left unanswered?

Educationalist Erica McWilliam has emphasised shifting the teacher from the “guide on the side” to “sage on the stage” to “meddler in the middle”. The “meddler in the middle” stands alongside students, stretching the students to expand their perception.

The next-generation learning spaces will be ‘Flipped’

The teacher-as-sage can leave the stage at the front of the class to demonstrate their knowledge, and students can come to class to learn. They can sit in the first row facing the teacher.

In the future of Education System, homework will have to happen before the lesson starts. Teachers can record structured content for the students to absorb at their own pace, and when teachers come into the classroom, they can help the students solve the problem. This setup is the “flipped” classroom. It is bigger. Multiple monitors in an active learning classroom space allow students to follow along with course materials and look up information online as it becomes relevant, giving them a more well-rounded and comprehensive education – this combination of traditional teaching and online teaching is called “Blended Learning”. Modern schools will require a much wider variety of learning places, from spaces where groups can work together to corners for self-learning and everything in between.

The collaboration will be the core skill

In a world where technology is automating more and more routine tasks, students who can offer creativity, intuition, and innovation will be especially valued. Global teams will recognize the importance of communication and collaboration, which will be essential skills in the future workplace.

The idea of collaboration is to put young people together in one place, where great conversations and new ideas are sparked; this can be done by designing a creative outcome to bring people into a group who may need to be used to the idea of a collaborative environment.

“Students learn from each other; they do not just learn in the classroom; they learn outside the classroom, maybe at their dining tables or the coffee shops. A group of students with their laptops sitting around a table is a wonderful learning environment” – Stefan Jakobek, HOK

Views expressed by Abha Deb, Manager – Digital Marketing & Events, MIT Vishwashanti Gurukul, An IB World School, Pune.

National Education Policy 2020: A roadmap to prepare students for a multidisciplinary future

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digitalLEARNING Network

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December 26, 2022

The University Grants Commission approved the proposal to pursue two full-time degrees simultaneously on April 12 of this year. Multiple UGC committees have debated this change for several years, but with the advent of the New Educational Policy (NEP) 2020, this was one of the first changes to be implemented. Double majors or equivalent degrees have long been popular in several European and American countries. With this change, India has come closer to being uniform with international educational norms, with emphasis on increasing involvement of technology, multidisciplinary education, research-based learning, and the nexus between industry and institutes being some of the key features.

In the last two decades, UGC and AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) have tried to incorporate holistic education in the curriculum in addition to the incorporation of steps such as Ability Enhancement Compulsory Courses and Choice Based Credit System but with varying degrees of success in outcome. With NEP, students are empowered to design their career and knowledge pool to a greater extent than earlier. This choice ushers in the possibility of a spike in the number of multidisciplinary experts who will ideally be prepared to tackle the upcoming challenges of a complex world, both in terms of the needs of the market and society in general.

For example, if a student seeks to combine their distinct interests in biological sciences and computer science, especially in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, then following the NEP guidelines, they will now have a unique academic framework that was not possible earlier. A its long-standing innovative and technologically enhanced infrastructure and extensive collaborations with several leading institutes and members of the industry, is ready to adapt to the change.

Students are actively encouraged, with special inputs from academic and industry experts, to embark upon this multidisciplinary journey and are meticulously guided along the path. The guidance includes advice on the choice of credits, suggestions for projects, supervised collaborations among students across departments, and real world exposure through the wide network of industry partners who are leaders in their respective fields.

The implementation of NEP is not limited to purely academic and industry-oriented grooming but extended to personality development and skill-oriented subjects such as critical thinking, creative thinking, and design thinking, along with activities such as sports, debates, events, and platforms for peer collaboration and review of projects, etc.

NEP encourages students to be involved in research and gain industry experience even during their initial undergraduate years. The institute’s long-term connections across academic and corporate circles help the student identify and pursue a niche early on in their career, thus giving them an edge in this time of fierce competition. Another advantage that the tech-enabled pedagogy of SIT, Pune, helps with is familiarity with technology, which will strengthen the resumes of the students in today’s hybrid and tech-enabled working environment.

As NEP allows industry leaders with extensive experience in their respective fields to teach without having mandatory academic qualifications, this presents an exciting opportunity to incorporate and impart different approaches to learning the subject matter along with the lived-in experiences of the experts as an enhancement to the institute’s already advanced and dedicated academic faculty. In the age of start-ups, where several industry leaders have a proven track record of running successful companies that do not directly use their formal qualifications, such classrooms run by such personalities will prove to be inspiring for aspiring entrepreneurs as well as provide an insider’s view for future job seekers and recruiters alike, in the ever-changing landscape of the modern job market.

SIT, Pune, has been for several decades, a leading engineering institute in Pune with a strong placement history across departments, especially the Civil Engineering Department, with students placed in numerous leading companies. The institution also provides students with platforms to grow into leading academics as well as entrepreneurs, with platforms such as the Symbiosis Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (SCEI), a business incubator, funded and recognised by the government. The implementation of the NEP will only further the pursuit of excellence and innovation that the institution has long fostered.

Views expressed by Dr Ketan Kotecha Director, Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Pune.

“Today’s students are digital natives and schools need technology to enhance the learning pattern”

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digitalLEARNING Network

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December 26, 2022

India is now able to connect last mile through the emergence of various roles of technology in varied sectors. Talking of education, Traditional + Innovation = Technology is bringing the most driven change in the education paradigm. Everything comes with its two sides; so does technology. To know more about the advancement of technology among schools, Sandeepan Reddy, Founder, Director, Synergy Group of Schools, Pune, Maharashtra, had an interaction with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

After NEP, everyone is aiming for a multidisciplinary curriculum. How are you planning to inculcate the same in your school?

NEP is going to disrupt the education industry and the way of learning. Multidisciplinary curriculum is the way forward which will keep the interest of the student in learning.

As you know, Synergy Group of Schools are typically affordable schools based out of rural empowerment and to get quality resources for a multidisciplinary curriculum. Using technology to get resources to the remotest parts of rural India is now possible and we will take help of Technology (Tradition +Innovation) is the next step at Synergy.

Indian education system follows multiple boards like CBSE, ICSE, or state in their schools. Which board does your school follow and why?

Synergy Group of Schools follow CBSE Board. There are a few reasons.

1. CBSE is a national board, followed in most of the schools after State boards. NCERT gives a perspective about application of students’ learning which is most effective.

2. Students leaving the school have an option to take admission to other CBSE schools anywhere in India, due to availability of CBSE schools.

3. There are very effective platforms created for CBSE teacher training.

Do you think that much exposure to the digital world is impacting the mental health of students? Do you have any special classes to improve or cater to the mental health of students?

The future of Global is digital and we cannot deny it. We need to have a balance of both. This generation of students are digital natives and we need the help of technology to enhance the learning pattern. We have seen that using technology has increased improvement in learnings in slow learners and we will keep using technologies for improvements in delivery of education. Also, multidisciplinary curriculum will only get delivered using technology.

To develop the mental health of students, we are focusing on activities and team building skills. The focus is on skills development and sports curriculum.

A few successful days we observed are night out in school, full of activities with camp fire and songs creating school moments in the life of a student.

Do you face any challenges in establishing the digital infrastructure at your campus? Is your campus fully equipped with digital tools?

We are rural based schools and we are facing challenges in establishing digital infrastructure. Also there is a choice of digital technology which has very short shelf life and needs upgrading, which involves cost.

At present, our campus is not fully equipped and we are making a slow and steady effort to get the best use of limited technology resources.

What are your plans to expand in 2023? What achievements or goals are you looking up to achieving in the year 2023?

To use the existing resources, we are planning to expand to 5 CBSE schools and 100 preschools. This will help us to keep our academic costs in check to give quality education. 2023 is going to be the year to test implementing NEP in our schools to at least 40 per cent. By 2025, our goals of expansion will be achieved.

PhysicsWallah acquires S Chand’s stake in iNeuron

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digitalLEARNING Network

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December 23, 2022

S Chand and Company Limited, a provider of educational resources, will pay edtech unicorn Physicswallah 14 crore for its whole interest in iNeuron Intelligence. According to a press release by S Chand, its co-investors Mukesh Sharma Family Trust will also be leaving the company.

As the company invested 7 crores in iNeuron in December 2021 and exited it with 14 crores, S Chand will see a 2X return in a year. This is the publishing major’s second departure from the nascent edtech industry. In July 2022, it too left Testbook with an 8X return.

Through well-known brands including S Chand, Madhubun, Vikas, Chhaya, Saraswati, and Mylestone, S Chand distributes material. It offers content and services for the Early Learning, K–12, and Higher Education divisions. Through acquisitions related to digital learning during the past few years, it also increased the scope of its product offering.

A minority investment in iNeuron Intelligence had been purchased by S Chand, along with its subsidiaries Vikas Publishing and Chhaya Prakashani.

The business also invests in Smartivity Labs, a maker of educational STEAM toys company, and has its own digital ventures, including S Chand Academy (YouTube), TestCoach, Learnflix, and Mylestone Curriculum Solutions.

Dharmendra Pradhan emphasises the importance of strengthening tribal communities

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digitalLEARNING Network

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December 22, 2022

On Wednesday, Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister of Education, emphasised the importance of strengthening tribal communities and noted that the Center’s motto is “Sab ka Sath, Sab ka Vikas.”

Minister Pradhan of the Union remarked, “In my opinion, this is an achievement of the nation that President Droupadi Murmu, who comes from a distant village in Odisha, acquired the highest constitutional post.” He used President Draupadi Murmu as an example.

In his remarks to the media, he stated that “The Centre is devoted to improving the indigenous community, and providing education, health, and employment.”

The Minister stated that an effort had been made to recognise the unsung heroes of the liberation movement and that for the first time a National Tribal Research Institute had been established to examine tribal concerns on a national basis.

In this context, Pradhan mentioned Bhagwan Birsa Munda to Laxman Naik, Nirmal Munda, Madho Singh, and many more liberation fighters.

Speaking on education, Pradhan stated that indigenous populations will benefit greatly from the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s major focus on education in local languages and mother tongues. Additionally, he discussed the Eklavya Model Residential Schools for the indigenous people, which currently enroll over 1 lakh pupils.

Pradhan also discussed how tribal leaders played a crucial role in the liberation fight and how the government is working to honour this rich legacy and history through programmes like opening tribal museums and marking Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.

Other initiatives, he added, include the creation of the first-ever National Tribal Research Institute, the construction of searchable tribal digital record repositories, the SFRUTI (Program of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries) scheme, and the Van Dhan Vikas Kendras.

Edge of technological transformation – Stimulating to engage learners effectively

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digitalLEARNING Network

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December 22, 2022

The education space is transforming from ‘memorization’ to ‘memorable’ and technology is playing a mega role in executing this transformation. Technologies like Extended Reality and Artificial Intelligence are making a new space for learning experiences and changing the way students used to learn traditionally. To delineate more on the technology implementation in the paradigm of knowledge sharing, Omkar Pimple, Founder & CEO, Myracle.io, Germany interacted with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network. Edited excerpts:

With such a diverse experience in sectors of education, banking, health and more. How has been your journey so far and what were the hurdles you faced on your path in achieving the milestones of your career?

I’ve been fortunate to be on an insightful journey on the leading edge of technological transformation across all of these different domains – education, fintech, health, food tech, e-commerce, fashion-tech, real estate, logistics across Europe and India.

Every domain has unique challenges. At the same time, there are uncanny similarities among, for example, fintech, health, and education. All 3 deal with sensitive data, are regulated domains, and have a large-scale positive impact if you get things right – or a negative impact if you don’t!

I’ve had the opportunity to draw parallels between these different domains, and forge strong human connections to enable cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Of course, all of these things don’t come together easily, and there have been plenty of uphill battles. Personal and professional challenges, macro factors like pandemics, economic downturns, and wars, all can act as headwinds for a long journey.

Despite these factors, today our team combines 100+ years of global perspectives on immersive technology, education, & learning science to unlock learning by doing in the real world, with a stellar background from leadership at Harvard, Stanford, Humboldt, and the Government of India.

What was your vision behind starting Myracle. io?

When the pandemic hit, we originally started with building a remote exam management platform. Not only were we able to conduct assessments in the remotest homes of India, we were also able to capture comprehensive evidence about the candidate’s environment, and the candidate’s behaviour during the assessment. All of this, through everyday mobile devices.

But what we saw shocked us. We found that 3 out of 5 students were engaging in malpractices, and in some cases, their parents & friends were helping them cheat during exams!

After speaking to hundreds of students, educators, and parents, we realised that loss of academic integrity is a symptomatic problem. but the underlying cause for this alarming trend is the loss of learner engagement.

And that is when we decided to use our mobile technology to transform the environment around you into experiential learning activities, that empowers learners to learn by doing in the real world around them.

We do this by blending realities, and that is where Myracle comes from – Miracle – Mixed Reality Active Learning Experiences.

You are working towards transforming education from ‘memorization’ to ‘memorable’. What is your execution plan to make this work?

There is plenty of research from the learning science community that posits that education needs to be engaging to be memorable, and it needs to be appropriately stimulating to engage the learner effectively.

Active learning – specifically, learning by doing in the real world – stimulates visual, auditory, haptic, and kinaesthetic senses, making it the most superior form of learning.

But it is incredibly difficult to scale even for moderately large numbers, due to bottlenecks in infrastructure, equipment, and personnel.

Myracle.io addresses both of these crucial challenges – learner engagement and the infrastructure gap – by transforming homes and classrooms into interactive exhibitions and STEM labs.

We make this magical technology accessible to every learner through everyday mobile devices and tablets, with or without internet connectivity, wherever they are.

Any kind of transformation begins with people – and we want to take all stakeholders – learners as well as educators – together with us.

Extended reality is playing a major role in bringing experiential learning to the real world. How are you using it for your company?

Physical reality is beautiful, and we don’t want to replace it. Rather, our vision is to enhance it by adding what is missing. At the intersection of realities is where things really start to become interesting. The learner gets to participate in creating the learning experience, because they choose the environment. Learners improve their confidence with complex concepts and procedures by practising, experimenting, and making mistakes safely in their own safe spaces; before they step into a physical STEM lab. This way, they are empowered to make the best of the precious little time they get in physical labs.

And we have seen great results with it! In Myracle-powered classrooms, students have reported significantly heightened understanding levels for complex topics. Most importantly, a majority of the students eagerly wanted to learn how to create such learning experiences with us, which was a serendipitous surprise!

We have grown in an era where books were the only medium of learning. Education today is evolving, what are the top technologies that can metamorphose traditional education into the digital world of education?

The biggest challenge as humans of today is to stay updated with the constantly changing understanding of the universe around us. Rapid evolvability comes first, and then comes rapid evolution.

Books do have their charm, but once printed, books take years to be updated and reprinted, while our knowledge about the world changes everyday. Depending on the book, there is a finite likelihood that it may contain outdated knowledge by the time it is out of the printing press.

Books inherently do not possess rapid evolvability. Having said that, most digital content – even with its inherent rapid evolvability – rarely evolves on a regular basis, if at all.

As XR (eXtended Reality) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) pioneers since the last 10 years, we definitely see data science-infused XR play a crucial role in this metamorphosis.

The education world is massively vouching for NEP, what are your thoughts on it?

The NEP portrays a broad and ambitious vision about education for 2030. There are many ideas in the NEP that are open to interpretation, but I perceive these 4 points as its most important goals:

1. Equitable and accessible education for all
2. Effective upskilling for hands-on skills
3. Affordable lifelong learning for learners and educators
4. Enhanced system observability for continuous evolution

With our approach to unlocking learning by doing in the real world to make education memorable, with a way to keep it evolving continuously, made possible with our human-centric technology, we are very closely aligned with what the NEP proposes for the next decade.

What is your expansion plan for the year 2023?

2023 will see us expanding our bouquet of learning experiences offered on Myracle, alongside a steadily growing base of loyal users who are shaping Myracle together with us.

We are also forging long term alliances with forward thinking educational institutions who are eager to lead the next chapter in how we transmit knowledge as a species.

We welcome all visionary organisations, communities, and people to join hands with us on this endeavour through 2023 and beyond!

For more details, kindly visit- https://www.myracle.io/

“When it comes to educational institutions, technology makes life easier for everyone”

Interviews

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digitalLEARNING Network

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December 22, 2022

Explore, engage, envision, and exhibit – these four facets give different platforms to understand and learn. The advent of technology into the education space is very much aligned with these facets; it has opened the doors for educators to innovate and explore while teaching. To know more about the various other technological innovation in the education landscape, Ram D Raina, Founder – Director, Cambridge International School, Pune interacted with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network. Edited excerpts:

How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) be used to expand the boundaries of the educational system? Could you tell us about the new technological initiatives your school has implemented?

Early work in artificial intelligence in education involved intelligent tutoring systems, but the field has broadened over the years to include all of the types of educational systems and interactions defined above, and has expanded to include several independent conferences and journals. The revolution in machine learning and data mining impacted artificial intelligence in education as well, with a significant shift around 2010— influenced by the emergence of a separate scientific conference, Educational Data Mining—toward much more use of this type of method. AIED systems now include a variety of functionality for identifying aspects of the learner as well as a variety of ways to interact with and respond to learners. Today, you will find AI everywhere, so it needs to be incorporated into the education system.

As a school management team, we have to think about the future demands in the fields of computers and lifestyle and also understand the necessity of AI learning for their future prospects.

What practices is your school adopting for the progress of the nation?

Very good question! My first responsibility as an Indian citizen and educator is to keep my country at the forefront of everything I do. We all know that we talk about this or that change or that we compare our country to others not only regarding culture but also of vision.

Here, we plan our educational system based on Gurukul concepts, which I have changed to “modern Gurkul traditional values.”

Now, we work on the student’s strengths and weaknesses in all aspects of their lives, such as knowing themselves, improving their skills, obtaining a value- and logically-based education, connecting with the 5 elements (water, fire, air, earth, and space), and connecting with themselves through these elements. All of the above-mentioned points are nurtured through the following concept, which is essential for building a better nation:

I thought commando training must be part of the curriculum everywhere because I have witnessed the education provided to children in nations other than ours. I must say, the people there are capable enough to stop robberies, burglaries, thefts, and street fights. When I asked a friend who lives in the United States how the people there were so brave that they wouldn’t even flinch to save someone from a mishap, he said, “They’re Americans.” He replied: “People here attend self-defense classes very soon, and one thing they learn at first is being fearless.” And they are somehow able to manage day-to-day threats themselves. That rang a bell in my head! Such training must be started at an early age, and children spend half the day in school. There is no better option than schools that include commando training as part of their curriculum. I chose to grab this opportunity and start the first wave at my school.

There are many things I want to say, but because it is all about the experience, I can’t put it into words, but what I have said is significant. We cannot fully rely on technology; we need to use our brains for all physical and mental activities.

The best programme to enroll depends on the needs and objectives of the individual. Skill development programmes concentrate on particular skill sets. What steps is your organization taking to expand the Skill Development Program?

Yes! Answering your question takes me to our ancient education system, where every learner used to choose their skills, like open skills like weapon making, trading, civil work, medicine, and the Vedas. Now, under the New Education Policy, kids need to select their skills for higher education, but the big question remains: how to choose? We at the Cambridge Group of Schools work on the reverse engineering concept, where we assist the kids on the basis of the VAK (Visual-Auditory-Kinaesthetic) theory; so that we come to know what is required of our students in school.

Best practices, which I have applied to fulfill the needs and objectives of skill development projects in our schools, are based on the environment, i.e., the infrastructure facilities. If you give appropriate, scientifically checked infra for music, art, robotics, science labs, art and craft, and sports equipment and grounds, then only we can say that we are ready for the change.

In our music rooms, for example, we have 50 professional keyboards, 100 professional and beginner-level guitars, a drum set, and four tablas, as well as the best teachers to help us achieve our goals. Same things for labs and sports, but now we are also talking about different skills like culinary arts, financial literacy, business development skills, speed math, digital skills, and foundation programmes to meet future challenges like IIT JEE, NEET, and other competitive exams.

What measures is your institution taking to give students a platform for experiential learning? What tactics are you going to use to improve learning and the student experience?

We work on the 4E concept: explore, engage, envision, and exhibit, which gives different platforms to understand and learn the concepts. Under the five elements of life, values play a very important role. And our value for students says, “MY TEAM LEADS.” This is well described when we look at the ant. Ants know that they can accomplish more by working together than by working alone. They set goals and worked together to achieve them. (Ants teach us to tune out distractions and focus on responsible behavior, sharing, and adaptation.)Never lose hope and always strive for excellence.

If you ask me about tactics, I will say, “Plan according to the resources and allow students and teachers to explore what is relevant to exhibit the ideas.” Freedom is another key, like freedom of expression, freedom of communication, and freedom of execution.

Reading habits, writing habits, drama skills, social skills, and other skills acquired through an industrial visit, a talk show with genius, and other experiences provide additional learning platforms.

How has technology changed throughout the years at your institution? What are the driving forces behind your institution’s rapid technological transformation?

If you really want to move faster with perfection and without human error, then technology plays an important role. When it comes to educational institutions, technology makes life easier for everyone. For example, with ERP and LMS, you can get every piece of information and even communicate with all parents and students with the click of a button. It would be extremely beneficial in the administration department, where reliance on humans would be eliminated.

A digital marketing plan, online exams and sessions save paper and time, and students can access information through different platforms. Here we need to understand that information flow is too much, and we keep storing it in our minds, which does not allow us to think differently, so here I advise you to choose the right path of information and act.

How are you planning to enhance the student experience of learning in the year 2023? What is the major segment that you will emphasise to work in the year ahead?

In the coming years, we are considering the upcoming 10 years of growth in India and world-wide science, based on which our focus will be on specific skills.

You become what you believe! With this quote, we’re moving forward, and our Believe system is already in place, as I mentioned in the answers above, and we’re working on it. All readers must understand that the Taj Mahal cannot be built in a year; it takes time, just as consistency in planning and execution is required in school education. Whatever we plan, we must give it time; we cannot change every year simply because the world is changing, and if you believe that we must change in response to the world, you are not an educator; you are an industrialist. What we need to do is develop a long-term strategy, assign tasks to children, and then wait for the results.

“Innovation is a spark that is ignited when students meet the unexpected”

Interviews

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digitalLEARNING Network

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December 22, 2022

Today, innovation in education is all about technology. The landscape of education has come a long way since technology knocked the doors of the education sector. We are talking of virtual labs, classes in Metaverse, learning with Extended Reality, and much more. The entire ecosystem is pacing fast to evolve and make best use of technology to learn and teach. To explore innovation in education, Dr. Bina T, Director, Happy Valley Business School, Coimbatore interacted with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network. Edited excerpts:

What is your vision for innovation in education?

An educational system that would permit students to be tested on their competencies and understanding of their subjects would be an innovation by itself.

Teaching, learning, and application at work should have a forward-backward linkage. Strong industry institutes connect where a student could learn deeply about one area would throw open possibilities for innovation in that area. Strongly believe that innovation comes out of interest!

What are the steps you are taking for your institutions to bring innovation?

Within the framework and regulation of the university that we operate in, our institution has always strived to have innovation in teaching pedagogy. Learning has never been restricted to the classroom. Innovation is a spark that is ignited when students meet the unexpected. We have student clubs that initiate new business simulation games and events. They engage with industry leaders which results in the cross-pollination of ideas. The Entrepreneurship Club has an Idea Lab which has students who sit together and dissect an idea to better it.

What can be the best technology to surpass innovation in the field of education?

Artificial intelligence has invaded every area and education cannot escape from it. It has already started demonstrating its use as a teacher, which understands the requirements of a student and does not rest until and unless the student is fully convinced of the content being taught.

A social virtual reality space, where a student can learn anything anywhere, not in isolation but with the feel of being in a face-to-face environment with peers would save unnecessary costs on infrastructure which again burdens the student indirectly through high fees.

NEP, experiential learning and a new paradigm of education is talk of the town. According to you, what are the perils and promises of NEP and the paradigm shift?

Though anything new promises reforms, challenges remain. Policies are great on paper, but implementation is never smooth due to the many formats of education. Change in mindset of not only teachers and management, but at the university level should first be attempted. Students have always misunderstood words like Failure, School drop-outs etc and the fear is would the same happen with NEP too?

Challenges in infrastructure, human resources (aka teachers), budgeting for the future, and strategic plans for the institution are a few which require answers.

The same governing body which has allowed the birth of institutions should also help in sustaining the same. If more institutions shut down, the huge infrastructure which was once demanded cannot be put to any alternative use.

Big fish eating small fishes would then happen in education, too.

What are the segments of the education landscape that still need revision?

Revision is required in every segment. The key segments in education are Students, institutions, and teachers.

Consumers (students) should have a change in mindset about the education system and what education should do for them. This should start right from school and learning to achieve a parents dream should not be the motive. Students should at a young age be made to independently think for themselves without the force of parents, teachers or friends.

Affordable education could happen only with resources from the government. In the absence of which, private institutions that struggle to do the best for their students should be allowed more freedom and autonomy. Faculty members should be treated with more dignity and the fear of job security be removed. Instead, it should be replaced by programs which train them to be better teachers.

Harassment in the form of ratings, rankings and accreditations should be done away with. The admissions/ strength of students in an institution is itself a rating accorded by the main stakeholder- the students, and should be accepted.

Do you think digital disruption in the education space will bridge the employment gap between colleges and cubicles?

Any new technology is only as good as its usage. If put to the right use definitely it would bridge the distance between the classroom and the boardroom.

Digital disruption has ‘taken away boring classes, long lectures and bias in marking. The technology could help in adaptive teaching making it very personalised for the student ensuring complete understanding of the content, real-time feedback, and assessment too. Such learning could also ensure better subject retention and hence the probability of better application in their workspace.

Since the students are digital natives, adaptation would not be difficult.

Innovation in Education: Metamorphosis from Blackboards to Screens

Interviews

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

December 21, 2022

Traditional classrooms were all about blackboards and chalks, the education landscape is molding itself to work more on screens now. The landscape of education is transforming with the advent of technology. Innovations are breaking the glass ceiling and bringing the new-age approach of teaching and learning. To talk more about the topic, Dr. Anant Chakradeo, Pro-Vice Chancellor – MIT Art Design and Technology University, Dean, Faculty of Design and Architecture, Chairman, International Relations interacted with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Netwrok. Edited excerpts:

What is your vision for innovation in education?

My vision for innovation in education would be an era soon, where India’s 900+ universities, 40,000+ colleges and 1.5 million schools are virtually accessible at a single click on our screens. This source of verified information would help you to design a robust educational path for yourself or your young ones. Life would be simpler for each one aspiring to learn at a choice of locations and evolve in the streams of natural leaning. One usually excels with what one is naturally gifted. India will then truly become a center / hub of excellence, and a land of eminent scholars, coming a full circle, repeating it’s rich history.

What can be the best technology to surpass innovation in the field of education?

Technology combined with creativity, is a must-have for innovation in any sphere.

Innovation, as a thought process keeps evolving generation to generation, therefore it is still thriving across centuries.

All innovative technology is surpassable, which is why we are witnessing the metamorphosis of blackboards to screens. Having said that, in current times, Immersive Media or Human centered Interaction or User Experience could be the best techno-creative bets we have, to aid Innovation in the field of education.

Courtesy technology, it is now easier to bring creative, imaginative minds and ideas closer and nurture those ideas for further impact. This mingling of technology and creativity has brought innovative new ideas and mediums through which people can express themselves. Connectivity has further enabled creative people to work together, diminishing boundaries and distances. To this effect, the AIC-MIT ADT Incubator Forum has been established in the Loni campus, in accordance with the guidelines by Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Government of India. The Centre for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Young Aspirants (CRIEYA), established in year 2021, aims to build a vibrant innovation ecosystem across university by establishing prototype & innovation labs and a network between innovators, academia, mentors, Industry, incubators and foundations. MIT ADT University is ranked Excellent for ARIIA 2021 by the Ministry of Education, Government of India for Innovation & Entrepreneurship initiatives.

NEP, experiential learning and a new paradigm of education is talk of the town. According to you, what are the perils and promises of NEP and the paradigm shift?

2020 – 2040: The next 20 years are a transition period for implementation of this strategically transformative policy – NEP 2020.

The aim is to have an education system by 2040 that is second to none, with equitable access to the highest-quality education for all learners regardless of social or economic background.

Given the scale of educational institutions mentioned at the start, the implementation of NEP requires industry, academia and policymakers to work together, for these 2 decades relentlessly to make it a reality.

The perils if I were to envisage across next 2 decades could be four-fold: change in government, citizen-level (industry, academia and policymakers ) lack of pro activity & clarity ,dilution in implementation, and possibly, world dynamics.

NEP proposes the revision and revamping of all aspects of the education structure, including its regulation and governance, to create a new system that is aligned with the aspirational goals of 21st century education, including SDG4, while building upon India’s traditions and value systems. The promise that NEP shows of collective action making India a global knowledge superpower is worth working towards, to witness eventually, the paradigm shift created in our lifetimes.

What are the steps you are taking for your institutions to bring innovation?

MIT Art Design and Technology University, as the name suggests, is a multi-disciplinary university. It is amongst the leading Government recognised Private Universities, within the ambit of the renowned 4 decades young MIT Group of Institutions, Pune.

To nurture an innovation-focussed outlook, MIT provides technology-enabled learner-driven curriculum, value added courses, simulated learning environments, state-of-the-art infrastructure and opportunities for community engagement.

MIT nurtures learners to be intellectually curious, technologically equipped, mentally sound, physically fit, spiritually elevated, socio-culturally sensitive, environmentally conscious through continuous holistic education for the everevolving world.

MIT empowers learners to become adaptive and agile global professionals through unique specialized programs building academia-industrial partnership.

MIT provides impetus to faculty, learners, and staff by developing their innate intellectual capabilities, creative abilities and entrepreneurial mind-set for the socio-economic development of the nation.

What are the segments of the education landscape that still need revision?

Having spent 25 years in the Design Education industry, I am very keen to play my part in the successful implementation of NEP 2020. Majority segments of the education landscape are covered extensively in it, for ongoing reforms. There is enough on our hands to work towards for revising the same. E.g. Rote learning, Evaluation system, Equal respect to all the subjects, More Accountability, Periodic Assessments, Education Partnerships, Single regulator for higher education institutions, Multiple entry and exit options in degree courses ,Common entrance exams for universities, Curriculum Revision and Pedagogy in Schools, Better training of educators,Efficient Resourcing and Effective Governance through School Complexes/Clusters, Standard-setting and Accreditation for School Education, Institutional Restructuring and Consolidation, Optimal Learning Environments and Support for Students ,Re-imagining Vocational Education, Catalyzing Quality Academic Research in all Fields through a New National Research Foundation, Transforming the Regulatory System of Higher Education, Adult Education and Life Long Learning, Promotion of Indian Languages, Arts and Culture, Technology Use and Integration, Online & Digital Education, Strengthening the Central Advisory Board of Education, Financing and more.

Do you think digital disruption in the education space will bridge the employment gap between colleges and cubicles?

50% of the country’s population is below the age of 25. 74% of the 18-23 age group are not getting access to higher education or simply cannot afford it.

As per the World Economic Forum, of the 13 million people who join India’s workforce each year, only 1 in 4 management professionals, 1 in 5 engineers, and 1 in 10 graduates are employable.

As per a NASSCOM report, there could be a shortage of 14- 18 lakh digitally skilled professionals by 2026. And the youth of India are facing a roadblock both in achieving the degrees on paper that they want and the vocational skills that they need.

Given these statistics, it seems that Digitization and Upskilling need further ramping up to help bridge the employment gap between colleges to cubicles, i.e. from a learning environment to an earning environment.

Multi-disciplinary, techno-creative and innovation-driven universities like MIT ADT play an important role at the grass root levels, offering relevant Degree Programs, placements as well as opportunities to get incubated on campus.

A prominent tilt towards technology-driven teaching and learning

Interviews

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

December 21, 2022

Technology has forayed into the education landscape in most noticeable ways. The changes and impact can be seen in the ways of imparting education today, it has moulded into the most beneficial model. To look at it from ground zero, an educator’s perspective is the most crucial, as it will help us understand the recent emergence, challenges and changing chapter of school education in a profound manner. Murali Mukund, Chairman, Jubilee Hills Public School, Hyderabad interacted with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network. Edited excerpts:

Post covid, we have come across a new ecosystem of school education. What are current changes that are apt for the holistic development of students?

In the post-covid context, there has been a significant change in the education sector, especially concerning the school education system. The blended system came into existence with the growth of technology; it was never out of the popular educational trends list. This method, consisted of both face-to-face and e-Learning training methods simultaneously. There is a prominent tilt towards a more technology-driven teaching and learning termed as the ‘new normal’. The present perspective changes completely with this phenomena because education in the new normal will never be the same as the pre-pandemic period. A new aspect now emerges and with that every element of a school is affected. Now, the right to education is not only about the right to access education but also about receiving quality education that will provide a holistic education to the student.

Holistic education is the only way to bring about lasting change; in fact it is the only way that can change the world for the better. The requisite is an inquiry into the necessary conditions that are required to create a congenial atmosphere for the young student’s holistic development to his optimum level. Bearing certain advantages of the ‘new normal’ like Flexibility, Travel Time & Expenses, Networking, Accessibility & Convenience, Cost effective Learning, Self-paced learning, Theory Application, Better communication etc.

A probe is essential into the basic principles of ecology, relationships, connectedness, and context to realize the intricate interdependence and often unpredictable dynamics of ecological, social, and economic systems will become the lead for further action. It is a shift of focus from analytical thinking (parts) to contextual thinking (whole) as a prerequisite for building a more resilient ecosphere. It is regarded as a critical ability in education as it enables students to untangle and work within the complexities of life on Earth. Thus we shift our perspective on the belief that a school is an ecosystem, and acts that way.

Adopting a wide range of participatory methodologies in education, is essential to change the behavior and equip the current and future generations with the knowledge and skills that they need to shape a sustainable future. These methodologies will allow them to develop problem-solving, interdisciplinary, and systemic thinking skills, which will help them learn, ‘how to think rather than ‘what to think within the context of sustainability.

PM recently announced the PM – SHRI scheme to build approximately 14000 schools with modern infrastructure. How do you think such steps will help the school education ecosystem in India?

PM-SHRI schools will mentor and provide leadership to other schools in their vicinity. PM SHRI will provide high quality education in an equitable, inclusive and joyful school environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs, and different academic abilities of children and makes them active participants in their own learning process as per the vision of NEP 2020.

The PM-SHRI Schools will be developed as Green schools, incorporating environmentally friendly aspects like solar panels and LED lights, nutrition gardens with natural farming, waste management, plastic free, water conservation and harvesting, study of traditions/practices related to protection of the environment, climate change related hackathon and awareness generation to adopt a sustainable lifestyle.

Pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-based (particularly, in the foundational years) inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centered, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable.

The focus will be on the learning outcomes of every child in every grade. Assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to real situations and will be competency-based.

Linkage with Sector Skill Councils and local industry to enhance employability and provide better employment opportunities will be explored.

A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) is being developed, specifying the key performance indicators to measure outcomes. Quality evaluation of these schools at regular intervals will be undertaken to ensure the desired standards.

More than 18 lakh students are expected to be direct beneficiaries of the scheme. Further, impact will be generated through the mentoring and hand holding of the schools in vicinity of PM-SHRI schools.

Hybrid learning is somewhere reducing the role of teachers in student growth. Do you think the introduction of technology in the education landscape can completely erase the existence of teachers?

A teacher will always be crucial – the effective learning process of any student, whether it is a physical classroom or online learning. Technology is only a form of augmentation which can help in learning but cannot replace a teacher, especially in a school environment. Teachers are an integral part of education at any level. They become the basic interface between education and the child. Teachers adapt themselves to each child’s requirement, be it emotional or educational. They modify the learning process to ease the learning process. They provide the much-needed human interaction which every child needs. Technology can never provide that reassuring pat on the back or a warm smile from the teacher that every student looks forward in school. So, teachers are leaders, coaches, guides, facilitators and mentors. They play a pivotal role in their intellectual nourishment, encourage them, inspire them to set and achieve their goals. They form the emotional connect and intimacy between the child and learning.

After NEP, everyone is aiming for a multidisciplinary curriculum. How are you planning to inculcate the same in your school?

Multidisciplinary education is undeniably important in the post-modern world of this century, the new NEP 2020 places great emphasis on integrated and Trans- disciplinary education. We can plan a parallel curriculum or develop an fusion curriculum integration. We need to cross list various courses which would fetch more opportunities for students. With creative combination of subjects’ cuttingedge curriculum flexible options multiple entry and exit options during the undergraduate students can explore their areas of interest. We need to study a path where this diversification can happen or integration can happen. We need to provide an opportunity for faculty members to up skill and re- skill across various domains.

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