Cafeteria Model: Flexible Pedagogy With Students In Mind

In the world of an increasing number of young professionals and a vast array of career pathways, the dynamics of education, training, and work culture have evolved rapidly. The concept of ‘choice’ plays a beautiful role in the education system. Right now, the variety with quality matters the most for young professionals to bloom. There are several innovations and experiments conducted for the betterment of aspirants but only some are successful. One of those approaches is the cafeteria approach. 

The cafeteria approach of learning is a platter of choices lay down for the young professionals. Imagine a room of numerous rows of chairs and tables with a boring hour-long lecture lined up, which is a monotonous way of learning and always a shut-down button to your training system. So, the cafeteria approach provides you with the comfort of choosing what direction you want to move towards to learn and train your skills. Stations docked in with hands-on materials along with expert guidance. 

Considering the comforts, the whole approach, in reality, helps to absorb and learn freely with the time being subjective to each candidate. Not only learning but there is also a bundle of learning-based activities availed to the students so that they get the experience before they step foot into the field. Given the approach is highly interactive and beautifully layered with three properly defined stages just like a buffet.

The first stage is considered as an appetizer or priming stage where aspirants learn slowly according to their pace and space, the second stage is known as the main course or real-time activities stage which is when the aspirants are applying the knowledge on projects and activities, and lastly the desert or debrief stage in which the aspirants are reflecting upon their learning experience and analysing it.

The cafeteria approach is applicable in workplaces too, that proper provision of benefits in the workplace is one of the most interesting and innovative processes of employee satisfaction. Health benefits, insurance, food and conveyance, and many more benefits are provided by organizations nowadays. Employees mostly feel like they have a buffet of benefits from which they can choose and shape their careers. That is the actual objective of the cafeteria approach in workplaces.

Young aspirants who are still in the training stage of their professional life, to them cafeteria approach could be the next big thing because the more options provided, the more productive and happier they are. Provided the choices, people can now choose their leagues to work in. Surely, the approach gives a helping hand into building an aspirant to a global leader. Furthermore, with the freedom to make their own decisions, students are also instilled with a sense of responsibility and accountability. 

6 ways the cafeteria approach helps nurture global leaders

• Candidates learn to ideate and get creative with applying knowledge in the field of profession, considering the current scenario of professions
• Practical and experiential knowledge is attained by each candidate
• Moulding career path according to one’s pace and comfort
• Builds up the confidence to think and apply out-of-the-box ideas into the field
• The comfort of trying and choosing helps the growth for the passion of the profession
• Recognizing one’s on-field role beforehand along with the familiarity of the field itself

The cafeteria approach helps a candidate feel peace of their mind. The feeling of having control over their own professional life is what was missing for a long time. Candidates learn what they want to learn in this approach. Hence, the satisfaction quotient is considered for an aspiring global leader to grow up to their potential.

Dr Adya Sharma

Guest Author The author is Director, SCMS Pune