Reimagine education for the new ecosystem
Educational institutions have to reimagine education fin a collaborative way for or the digital world with all players of the new ecosystem.“Now school does not mean you will learn; learning does not mean you will have the skills for the labor market; and having the skills does not mean you will have a job — it’s a more complex route.”I got back last night from the Adobe Education Leaders Seminar. There were Vice Chancellors of universities, several organizations that provide vocational skills, many companies that have been working in the space of education (EdTech) and professors from IIT and B Schools alike. I wish there were some students there too, who could have shared what they expect out of education. The easiest way to do that would be to create short videos that bring in the voices of students across the age groups and social-economic groups – rural and urban. A 60 second video conveying the voice of the student could be the trigger to start each session.
Education must be jointly reimagined
We often ask children what they want to be when they grow up. 85 per cent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven't even been invented yet. There were no jobs called Data Scientist, YouTube star, Sports Psychologists, even a few years back. The educational institutions have to stop being credentialing machines. While the purpose of education is to create citizens who can steer themselves and the communities they live in. It much more than simply helping students find jobs or even becoming employable. To reimagine education, we need to create bridges between employers, institutions, faculty members, students, EdTech companies etc.
Prepare for Career 3.0
The world of work is changing. The proportion of gig-workers is rising. The concept of lifelong employment is gone. The lifespan of organizations is shrinking. Career 1.0 happened as people discovered the freedom to switch employers. Career 2.0 is all about people pursuing multiple career paths that go beyond their education and experience – the HR person who is now a full-time stand-up comedian.Career 3.0 will be about coming to the marketplace with multiple skills and offer it to multiple buyers and being paid according to proficiency. This model will allow people to bring in all their skills, education and hobbies to the marketplace and monetize it. (read more here)
Institution plus technology
Design WITH the user, not for the user you THINK you know. That means don’t assume that you know what the user needs or wants. The student has to be understood as an individual learner. The learning journey has to be designed for the individual.Technology must be used to match the individual to the teacher who can fire the curiosity of the learner. A student in rural India must be able to get the learning environment that a student in a rich country gets. The institutions must partner with EdTech firms that work with schools, colleges AND employers. There are many such as SocosLabs, CoorpAcademy, InsideBoard Byjus etc that can be invited to begin the conversation.
Teachers plus technology = designers of learning experiences
We have all met teachers who have shaped our choices and inspired us. A professor of Chemistry from IIT Madras showed us how he used Adobe to create visualizations of complex molecular structures that got the students excited and curious to explore more. Just as students have to do internships, every faculty member must do annual internships with employers and EdTech Companies to stay relevant.Teachers have to leverage technology to create content that they can use in the classroom to make every lesson come to life. Teachers must see their role as designers of learning experiences. It is not just about transferring content. Content is free and commoditized. The role of the teacher must be reimagined.
Reimagine education
When Thomas Edison was imagining the future, his vision was to “make electricity so cheap that only the very rich will think of using candles.” Education must be reimagined for the new ecosystem with new digital technology to create content that generates lifelong curiosity and fabulous teachers who can contextualize the learning and inspire the students to be continuous learners.Written for my blog for Times of India and Economic Times dated 10 March 2019Like this sketchnote? Right click and download it.Want to connect? Email me at abhijitbhaduri@live.comFollow me on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter @AbhijitBhaduri