The evolving nature of technology has created a chasm between the jobs of the 1990s and those prevalent today. The diversity of jobs that will follow in the fourth and fifth decades of the 21st century will be even greater and more disparate as technology continues to advance at an incredible rate. This raises the question of how best to educate our children so that they are ready for the jobs of tomorrow.
The answer lies in the words of writer and futurist Alvin Toffle: “The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”
I have always believed that the best teachers are not those who can teach, but those who know how to learn. For teachers too, it is only by unlearning and relearning that we can inculcate conceptual clarity in our instructions to students.
But how can educators enable this seamless process for students? There is no single answer to this question, but the underlying essence is to ensure that the teacher is able to ignite childlike curiosity in each child and ensure that the flame continues even as students grow.
Building for learners and teachers
Basically, there are three main ways every student learns. The first is through student-teacher interaction where instructive learning takes place. The second is through student-content interaction where students passively absorb knowledge from textbooks, study materials, learning apps, videos, etc. The third way is student-student interaction. This is when students interact and learn with their peers, which is the foundation for emotional and social development.
Technological innovations have introduced more ways each of these interactions can occur. For example, traditionally, student-teacher interaction was only possible when the teacher and the student were present in the same class. The internationalization of student content has also moved from text to videos, games, interactive books, etc. The third type of interaction has extended to social media and other similar tools. This is where unlearning and relearning become essential for teachers.
The tools available for teaching have diversified and learning to use these tools to ensure effective teaching in classrooms is key. In the past, a teacher taught the same content to everyone in a class and students’ learning progress was measured by end-of-year exams. But now, technology gives us the ability to collect data on every click, every video watched, and every question answered in real time. We are for the first time, at scale, able to move from “one size fits all” to personalizing content for each student based on each student’s state of knowledge, closing the learning gaps that each student could have accumulated over time.
Amidst all these new changes, what has remained constant is the role of teachers in instilling conceptual clarity, an essential element in advancing learning, here’s how: I studied engineering 15 years ago. While instruction design and curriculum may be redundant today, the basic concepts are highly relevant. For example, we were taught how mechanically assembled semiconductor chips have evolved into 3D Integrated Circut packaging today. However, the basic principles or concept of operation of semiconductors are still the same. Only when your concepts are clear can they be applied effectively for years to come.
Gear switch
The future of education will be hybrid, where online and offline worlds collide. When these very different learning formats are brought together on a single technology-driven platform, it enables a massive shift in pedagogy to enhance learning. It empowers students to be active consumers of content, empowers teachers to engage with students and understand their learning needs, and provides tools for students to ask the right questions and boost cognitive abilities.
While there is no doubt that new emerging solutions can truly create a scalable learning environment for generations to come, as teachers and educators, the vision to be ahead of the curve and the drive to s to adapt will prove to be the greatest strength. This is the mantra that educators need to imbibe to ignite learners’ curiosity and prepare them for a lifelong learning journey.
The author is Chief Content Officer, BYJU’S
Published on
September 01, 2022