The analogy of Rip Van Winkle and the education system is a modification of the original story. Rip Van Winkle, a fairy tale character goes in a deep slumber for years and is unable to recognise anything in the world after he wakes up. The twist to this is that, when he enters a classroom, he immediately recognises it. The classrooms, it is said are the only place that has not changed for more than a decade.
However, it is reassuring to know that things are now changing; there are modifications coming up not only in the classrooms but also in the teaching methodology. These are not mere implementation of technology in the form of use of MMPs, smart boards or students using I-pad or tablets in the classroom. Learning now goes beyond classrooms and strives to go beyond the school gates also. The role of a 21st century educator has changed significantly; they have to blend inside the classroom studies with outside the classroom practical knowledge requirements. There is a growing demand of inquiry and voice & choice among students that is becoming the guiding practice and pedagogy to be followed by the educators. In this global world, the curiosity and hunger for learning is making us stretch beyond the borders to acquire knowledge. Thus, it requires the teachers to be more of “facilitators” rather than mere knowledge “imparters”. The education system now attempts to achieve “knowledge by co-creation” where teachers and students are equally involved. Some of the upcoming trends in education involves use of social media, classroom without walls, flipped classrooms etc. Children today are hooked to Facebook, Instagram, twitter etc., how far is it wise on our part to keep away from this digital media? Using these social media as teaching tool will help in bringing current technology in the classroom and bridging the gap between the digital media and education. These can become powerful tools that not only let the teachers to be in touch but also be aware of the inner thoughts of the students. Facebook group can be used to post class announcements, news, reflections etc., apart from that, including parents in the group will give them an idea of the happenings in the class. Instagram can be used as a platform to display student’s work or projects etc. Encouraging them to create blogs and YouTube channels also help the students display their talents and generate interest and liking for the subjects. Unlike what we think, these social media can be a useful teaching tool rather than a distraction. However, we need to be careful and set the privacy settings properly. If not the commercial sites, there are educational websites like Edmodo, Edublog etc. that allow creating groups and uploading materials and posts. Thus, there is a blend between technology and teaching giving rise to blended learning. No walls – no limitations is another trend in teaching that is gaining popularity. Field trips, factory or institution visits, outside classroom projects are ways that can enable students to learn and retain better. Science fairs, interacting with professionals, creating innovative products or organising bazaars enable students to gain practical knowledge with real world connections. Flipped classrooms are where the teacher allows the students to learn and understand on their own and with their peers. Here students watch videos or lectures at home provided by their teacher. This is followed by online discussion with peers and the teacher (the social media groups are used here). The students then complete assignments based on the video in the class in groups, under the guidance of the teacher. This involves use of technology and collaboration. Discussing in groups and completing the assignments allows better retention of the topic. Basically the teacher is not actually teaching the topic but allowing the students to explore on their own. Assessments are a major part of the education system. Term end and annual exams are giving way to continuous assessments. The trend is now shifting from the summative assessments to more of formative assessments. The formative assessments include assessing the skills the students learn. Self-assessments, as part of formative assessment enable students to understand where they stand in achieving learning goals. This will enable a smooth transition from the grade centric system to learning centric system. With all these changes for the students, what about the teachers? There is a need to create space and give them more thinking time to allow them to develop new pedagogies. School administrators are now realising the need to focus on remodelling the teacher spaces to enable collaboration among teachers worldwide, empowering them to share and exchange opinions and reflections. These are achieved by using innovative technologies to allow opportunities to go beyond borders for discussions and reflections. Today, teachers are gradually being recognised and valued as heroes. Another striking and the most important change, is connecting with the parent. Schools are now focussing on creating a home-school connection. This will allow parents to be involved in the learning of the child. Most schools conduct parent surveys, interviews to know the best teaching practices. Schools are now working on conducting seminars and lectures that help parents to understand the learning process. Technological developments make it possible for school management to develop connections with the parent throughout the year giving them reports and even daily classroom activities. These trends sure will leave the next Rip Van Winkle unable to recognise our modern classrooms. The success of this rests on the confidence of the teachers along with the trust and support of the parents. However, ultimately all this depends on the education system, a system that does not completely rely only on marks for higher education.
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