Redefining Education : 2

Learning is not done to you. Learning is something you choose to do.

The reason so many people grow up to look for a job is that the economy has always needed people who would grow up to look for a job.

However in the era of post information revolution, we don’t really need more of workers; but despite that schools still remain focused on yesterday’s needs.

Our Dreams and wishes are shaped by how we grow up, what we’re taught, whom we hang out with, and what our parents do.

The current ecosystem of our schools treats dreamers as serious delinquent. Because most Dreamers have a tendency to be somewhat impatient. They are unwilling to become well-rounded, and most of all, hard to fit into existing systems.

When we need school to produce something different, then the only way for that to happen is for us to ask new questions and make new demands on every element of the present educational ecosystem.

And one of the most pertinent question that can be asked to the school is “What are you doing to fuel my kid’s dreams?”

Whenever teachers, administrators, or board members respond with an answer that refers to an era of pre-information revolution world, they must stop and start their answer again.

It should be made amply clear that we no longer need schools to create compliance. We do not need them to cause memorisation. And we definitely do not need them to teach students to embrace the status quo.

Anything a school does to advance those three agendas is not just a waste of money, but actually works against what we actually need today.

The real shortage we face today is dreams, and the wherewithal and the willpower to make them into reality. Therefore every stakeholders need to work in unison to make these dreams a reality.

So what we need is not little tweaks but some serious disruption in the existing ecosystem.

We can start with these set of disruption: definitely not an exhaustive list by any stretch of imagination.

Selection of courses based on the preferences of the students.
Complete Transformation in the role of the teacher
Customised mode of instruction instead of generalised one for the masses.
Closed book exams replaced by Open book.
The end of multiple-choice exams
Accomplishments and Experiences to be a pivotal yardstick of achievement.
The end of compliance as an ultimate objective.
Learning through Group dynamics and Peer to Peer feedback.
Lifelong learning should be the ultimate motto of education.