Don’t you think success to people looked much different in the past than what it looks today?
For the high-achieving minds in the society, one habit that you find so common in them is to frequently try out new things and break conventional thought process. It is in fact one of the most essential aspects of growth and this is what is required out of every individual in the society today to step into the world of progress. When talking of change in the thought or trying out new, it is also important to keep in mind that not everything of the traditional world needs to be discarded but what is required is to adopt the new convention keeping in mind the goodness of the traditional practices of the society.
Now, coming to the education sector, there is a common blame on its stakeholders that the education system has not always adjusted its methods or goals to meet the goals of the changing time. Yes, schools are utterly failing to teach students to respond to the rapid change and how to handle new information because they still believe it’s best to cling to obsolete methods than change. However, there is still time and one must strictly adhere to the famous proverb, “prevention is better than cure” before time runs out of hand.
Things That Demand Alteration in the Schools
1. Computer Labs
Students are connected to the internet everywhere except in school and regardless of their income bracket, you will agrees most students carry a whole lot of information in their pockets, thanks to the affordability of mobile devices. So isn’t it pointless to push them to computer labs? Rather, a more feasible option would be to have connectivity, laptops or tablet devices everywhere so that students can access such devices throughout their learning process and across the campus.
2. Learning in formal spaces
If I ask you to recall some of the meaningful experiences from your high school. Chances are that the experiences that you would be recollecting are those that occurred outside the space designed for learning. Say something like, working in groups while on trip, while doing a project or learning while talking with friends because those leave behind lasting and meaningful learning experiences.
So won’t it be logical to remodel the modern classroom into an active learning classroom where students could work in say small groups, and sit and discuss on lessons to come forward with a presentation or dig out some important observations together from the lessons learned. The more students are allowed to socialize between them; the better is their coordination in work. Further, through socialization, students master the art of team work which is one of the most demanding skills that students need to learn to thrive in the digital age.
3. Teacher Centered Classroom
Classrooms were mainly designed for lectures and crowd control. So the teachers were the central figure of knowledge and authority inside the classroom. The teacher had knowledge to impart through direct instruction but this is not what is expected in the modern day education system for it encourages passive form of education. Modern day requirement is to make the learning process active.
Till now, the basic classrooms structure is the same, though in some schools, the chalkboard has been replaced by the interactive “Smart Board.”
In the progressive classrooms, the structure has changed: small groups kids working, project work and student presentation require rethinking this model.
4. Traditional School Libraries
Imagine the school libraries in the past. Did not the first image that came to your mind is of a sombre place where books were staked and kept in order and the area would be perfectly quiet. However, with digital age coming in, it’s time to transform school libraries into very different places.
It should function more like a Makerspace and become a gateway to technological tinkering. So, students must find in the modern day library, the entire technological aide that allows them to have hands on experience and explore new things to expand their horizon of imagination. Libraries should be a place where students well turn out to be junior scientists. And with it, the role of librarians too needs a transformation, say from being a gatekeeper, he/she should step in the role of being the connectors and instructors on how to use advanced technology to accumulate knowledge.
5. Dull Classroom Settings
Isolation can be a great enemy to bring in any kind of improvement. Classrooms should therefore be remodelled in a way that students get enough space to work on activities inside the classroom along with the teachers and not find them in isolated boxes and perpetuate that style throughout their career. The idea is to make the classroom more visually appealing and aurally connected.
The design of the modern classroom should be more feasible to offer blended learning. And one of the ways to do it is to convert the dull environment of the classroom into Large Active Learning Classrooms.
Modern day education emphasises on enhancing the learning mechanism of students so that they do not merely hold a formal degree in hand but stand out to be future ready citizens and make the ecosystem of modern day society much resolute than what it is at the moment.
You must have noticed students learning have changed to a large extent over the years and it still, needs a lot of change to meet the goals of 21’st century learning. Of course this change cannot take up abruptly and for it a lot of change in the mind-set and professional training of the teachers and administration need to go hand in hand.
So what are your thoughts on the alterations recommended above? Don’t you thing they are of utmost need to enhance students’ learning in the digital age? Do write to us on your personal views on it through your comments.
