For some time now I have been thinking about what education will look like in wake of Covid 19. I strongly believe learning is going to and should change. Online education will become a new norm, homeschooling an acceptable culture and education structure and system will go for a revamp. This won’t be limited to schooling, but higher education and also executive education. Learning from business perspective will also undergo a change.
I was
having this discussion with my sister, who is also heading a digital learning
institution. We vehemently discussed the pros and cons of doing away with
existing structures of education, and why having a designated syllabus and
classroom was intrinsic to children learning and how a fluid education scenario
can play havoc to children’s brain, learning and growth prospect.
We
argued for a long time before settling to a point that some structure was
required even in change. However to understand the scope of change we must
understand the origination of concept. To see the future we must always look at
the past.
It was
Aristotle who introduced the concept of ethos, pathos and logos or his
rhetorical triangle as is commonly known as the primary element of
communication channel. Ethos refers to credibility of speaker, logos refer to
logic in the message and Pathos refers to emotions of the receivers.
The
society moved from barbaric to religious to rationale to reasoning and with
that our learning disposition changed. Today technology plays a huge role in
our learning goals. When I entered work force, I had a colleague who was very
passionate about alternate schooling, Gurukul system, etc. I used to look up to
him for his radical thought process but found it ironical when he also put his
children in the same structure like everyone else.
However
he did help me think that an alternate way of teaching children was
possible. I met a friend’s son few years
back, a promising young man, pursuing his high school from NIOS while perusing
his passion in film making. I was not surprised. Au contraire I was impressed,
not many children and parent have the courage to not follow the rat race.
There
are so many stories, that I find fascinating and at the same time encouraging.
Encouraging because of the world we look at is no longer bound by physicality.
My brother in law visited us few days back and I was discussing with him the
changing working scenario. He said lot of people have built infrastructure
suited to their need. I immediately cut him short and said, “But Bhai, we don’t
need physical spaces anymore. We are way beyond.” He agreed only to add that
his perception of infrastructure was no longer capital asset but people,
support structure, technology, etc.
This distinction hit me, why because, the paradigm is changing now. If we were to go back to rhetorical triangle, with the advent of technology, it will more be rhetorical quart angle
Techos obviously refers
to technology. The pandemic has forced
us to embrace technology earlier. Even though the comfort levels can still be
questioned but there is no denying that the future is closer than it appears. Imagine
your child learning to be a creator and healer at the same time, or a mentor
and artist and not be bound by number of hours or being able to offer to a
child the vast world of learning opportunities and enabling them to choose one
without creating the pressures we do today. It is only possible if we give
child centric education to them instead of syllabus centric. Technology can facilitate that.
It
might still feel out there, but learning as we know it has already changed. I
did my master in business and perused the profession. However I have developed
a new found interest in sociology and technology is my savior and not just for me but a lot of people my age
who want to pursue additional learning.
Learning
and Development as a business function is also undergoing transition.
A new way of thinking will soon be defined and learning as has always been, will also change.
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