The evolving global scenario fuelled by emerging technologies and changing aspirations of the modern learner has presented new challenges and demands for the education system. In light of accelerating complexities, teachers are looking for ways to meet the latest demands. One of the ways in which they can do this is upskilling. In 2019, Borge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, said “... as the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution create new pressures on labour markets, education reform, lifelong learning and reskilling initiatives will be key to ensuring both that individuals have access to economic opportunity by remaining competitive in the new world of work, and that businesses have access to the talent they need for the jobs of the future.”
Today, with the focus increasingly being on the student, teachers need to create learning experiences and a conducive classroom environment in which students can explore complex real-life issues with the help of the various resources at their disposal and develop their own solutions to address these issues through collaboration and innovation.
Therefore, teachers need to have a firm grip on the latest teaching techniques that will promote critical thinking and risk-taking in students. However, high-quality teaching is not an overnight process. It is an ongoing and lifelong journey. With such large-scale transformations happening in almost every corner of the education ecosystem, the urgency of teacher upskilling is utmost. Here are some ways for some non-traditional ways of upskilling:
Reflection
Reflecting on teaching practices lies at the heart of continuous professional development and promotes self-awareness. Teachers can reflect on their craft through the lenses of theories, students and colleagues. This can help gather insights into which skills require upgrading. They will also be able to tell which approaches worked with which type of student and why. Such reflections will also help teachers absorb the most from professional training courses and transfer them to classroom practices by adapting the learnings to their students’ needs.
Online programmes
Self-paced teaching certifications available online are an excellent way for teachers to upskill. These courses bring the best minds of the teacher training world to offer the latest takes on pedagogical approaches and teaching methodologies. In addition to being flexible and cost-effective, they offer greater freedom of choice, as teachers can manage to work and learn at the same time.
On-the-job training
While these sessions have been part of a teacher’s career for a long time, few use them as genuine opportunities to improve how they teach. These sessions add value to the quality of teaching if approached the right way. Schools and teachers can come together to upgrade their pedagogical practices and align them with contemporary goals of education. This can be an excellent way for teachers to engage in peer-to-peer learning through intriguing questioning, thoughtful discussions, and collaborative task actions.
Periodic skill assessment
Skill-based assessments and evaluations help teachers understand and analyse their gaps. While such assessments are also a form of reflection, they are far more in-depth, structured and targeted. They come with deep insights, often backed by data analysis, which highlight specific rooms for improvement. This, in turn, helps teachers improve skills according to the latest trends and student aspirations. It also helps in creating a need-based upskilling plan that can take their teaching careers to the next level.
As Peter Drucker said, “The only skill that will be important in the 21st century is the skill of learning new skills. Everything else will become obsolete over time.” Just like professionals from other fields, teachers must upskill in order to prepare students who will be able to develop practical solutions to newer challenges. This cannot be a one-off instance. Along with other important stakeholders, schools and the teachers themselves have to play an active role in this process.
The writer is Founder and CEO, Suraasa
