New-age Teaching Models For New India

The new-age teaching models driven by technologies have become a necessity for the entire educational sector across India and the globe as well. Teaching models such as blended, hybrid and flip education have sparked serious debates among the stakeholders. 

In flipped classrooms, students encounter information before class, freeing class time for activities that involve higher-order thinking. According to Keran Bahadur, Chairperson, Colonel's Academy, MHOW (MP), the concept of the blended classroom has come up only after the launch of the National Education Policy (NEP). “We are at the cusp where the change is taking place," she said. 

New-age technologies bring their own share of challenges. For Brigadier Mothi George Jacob (Retd), Director and Principal, Tashi Namgyal Academy, Gangtok, the most alarming concern is students' decreasing attention span. Furthermore, he adds, "Society is not ready to adapt to the NEP; this is among the challenges we have at the moment." 

Commenting along the same lines, Arun Prakash, Founder Principal, Laurels International School, Prayagraj, says, "Due to the pandemic, we have become overly dependent on technology. Now no child makes notes and studies; they say we study from the internet. But the concerning thing is the authenticity of content available online. Technology should be used more wisely, with caution, rules and regulations." 

The Indian education system has been designed in such a way that scoring higher is considered a metric of success and it demands marks and rote learning. However, Ayush Periwal, Director, Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur, opines, "When we allow children to explore, there will be failures. The failures will eventually lead to the exploration of new avenues and something out of the box. Success comes when we know how to experiment." 

Schools function at the intersection of parenting and management; sometimes parents' influence and intervention make it difficult for the school management to make the best decisions for students. Slightly touching upon the same, Lt Col A Sekhar, Principal, Hyderabad Public School, Kadapa, says, "Socio-emotional and cultural learning are more needed for parents than the children because they copy what parents do." 

The ambitious NEP and National Curriculum Framework (NCF) reforms have the power to change Indian education. It is crucial to keep in mind that these reforms will require time and effort to accomplish. It's also crucial to ensure that everyone who matters is included in the implementation process, including instructors, parents and students. 

If successful, the NEP and NCF can assist India in creating a future that is more just and affluent for all the stakeholders, according to experts. They were speaking at the BW Education Super 30 Top Education Brands Awards & Summit.