Theoretical Vs. Practical

Classrooms are filled with similar scenarios where students’ one dimensional thought process is developed.

Textbooks provide scope for development of stereotypical calculations wherein student focus is limited to the pattern rather than understanding of the concept of its application.

Validity in real life applications has become scarce in the learning process. Today, we talk about ‘socio-emotional skills’ as a part of learning. However, when students are confined to classroom learning and process of grading, the development of team spirit and collaboration among them is debatable.

Literacy is merely limited to certification rather than development of skills. Though, a large amount of hue and cry from the education department is on development of skills, the actual implementation is questionable.

Development of global competence is a larger focus of today’s education system around the world. The basic structure to develop global competence among students has not shifted from Blooms taxonomy, it encompasses – Examine, Understand, Engage and Act as its four foundational pillars.

The broad goals of education mentioned by OECD looks lucrative, however, the actual process of adapting this into the curriculum means to take learning process outside the classroom. The goal of achieving such outcome is to derive a ‘global citizen’.

To derive a change in the outcome, the process and procedure needs to be changed. Without modification in the process, the guaranteed outcome remains hypothetical.

The change that leads to success should involve case studies with questionnaires, surveys and research to articles which help develop a better understanding about the world around us. In order to develop such wide scope learning the curriculum design should focus on larger outcomes rather than knowledge-based outcomes. The outlook of the educationists who are passionate about their state or country needs to extend to the world they belong. Comparing the events across countries give an understanding among its learners not only about their cultural difference, but also similarities in the human endeavors. Developing mutual respect is most important in this era of conflicts.

‘Apprenticeship’ is one way colleges look into developing real skills among their students. The option of nature camps and service camps can be brought down to school students to develop responsibility, work culture and empathy in the society. The process of developing curriculum needs to include real time scenario projects which allows students to experiment, experience and engage in activities which will give them a multidimensional approach to the problem rather than a curricular view. This becomes the soul for sustainable learning.

The change needed is to develop systems which allows thought process. In India, unless until the boards develop such a competent questioning technique the process of developing global competence will remain a long dream. The board exams are more predictable than ever, the questioning pattern and the questions that appear in the exams are predicted to the extent that the brightest lot need not put in an extra effort to think about answering a question which is ‘out of the box’. The ‘play it safe’ attitude among educationists as well as parents to secure a rank is leading the country to produce clones rather than individuals.

One dimensional approach to learning is bringing noticeable change among the future citizens of our country. A multidimensional approach is of utmost need to produce an impact that brings widespread change. The curriculum, process, procedure and teacher training needs to be looked from an achievable outcome perspective. Change should be equally placed in all these areas. Observation to implementation should be tracked and recorded for patterns. Unless until this rigorous practice is rolled out developing a globally competent individual may be a vision without a mission.