With the changes brought about by the pandemic and the launch of the National Education Policy 2020, the teaching landscape in India is at the cusp of a change. With a more holistic approach to education, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary education are gaining traction. This remodelling of education has also been partly due to the shift in the job market. With the move from teacher-centric pedagogy to a learner-centric one, the old chalk-and-talk methodology has given place to the use of discussions, debates, quizzes, visual presentations and experiential learning.
Going digital
When the pandemic forced a sudden move to the digital space, teachers had to reassess not just syllabus, pedagogy and methodology but also the process of exams, assessments and grading. They had to also play a more dynamic role and now become coaches, guides, instructors and mentors. The one issue with digital education that affected both educators and students was the lack of social interaction. One way to overcome this is hybrid education.
The way forward
With the gig economy introducing various career alleviation programmes, the syllabus needs to be redesigned to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the changing dynamics. Teaching now aims to bridge gaps between education and industry through live assessments and assignments and the use of case studies and research. Elements such as formal courses to foster entrepreneurship and global associations to create a fusion in teaching pedagogies are being introduced. Additionally, the government has put in place a regulatory mechanism that allows dual degrees, joint degrees, twinning arrangements among others to encourage academic collaboration with foreign higher educational institutions.
Teachers and teaching have always been at the epicentre of the education ecosystem. Be it the interdisciplinary approach, or the introduction of NEP 2020, the idea should be to make India a globally preferred destination for higher education.
The writer is Provost, HSNC (Hyderabad Sind National Collegiate) University
