It has been more than a decade that we have not met a better change in the teaching learning process. We are still working on the amendments of old education policies. The new policies are to be framed based on the current need of the society, upgrading our nation to be escalated in the Education System. The author has risen to the present need of the hour, to have innovation imperative change in the field of education.
Education for Empowerment: Education is a milestone in the development of a nation. It is a mandatory requirement for developing a country’s economy and society. The twenty first century has seen revolutions in many sectors; be it health and pharma, agriculture or industrial sector; including education sector which has started undergoing a major transformation.
Need for Innovation in Education:
- Learning outcomes and the quality of education can be improved
- Equity and equality can be enhanced
- The efficiency can be improved by minimizing the costs and maximizing the “bang for the buck”
- The results in numeracy and literacy can be improved
Evolution of Digital Technology: There is a paradigm shift from ‘chalk and talk classroom’ to ‘learning outside the class room’; from ‘sage on stage’ to ‘on demand’ type of education. Here comes the digital technology aiding in transforming the teaching learning process, accelerating:
- Novel pedagogic models – enhancing students’ creativity, imagination and problem-solving skills
- Virtual simulations – stimulating experimental learning
- International collaborations
- Real time assessments
- E-learning
Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the technology-based education has been implemented in many institutes; the success of which mainly resides in the digital literacy of the teachers. ICT as a tool is used to create, communicate, manage, store and impart information. Some of the revolutions brought in by ICT include replacement of blackboard with integrative digital white board, encouraging learners to use their own digital devices, shift from the normal classrooms to flipped classrooms.
Education 4.0: A modern approach to learning that is in line with the fourth industrial revolution, merging technology and teaching together. Internet of things, big data, Smart technology, artificial intelligence and robotics are all part of this industrial revolution 4.0, having an effect on our daily lives. The five ‘I’s of the learning in Education 4.0 are:
- Imbibing the basic concepts
- Iterating the fundamental skills
- Interest in the subject to learn more
- Interpreting the study results and applying them
- Innovating concepts and build ideas, products and services
Some of the applications of Education 4.0 include personalized learning, project-based learning, availability of educational tools, time management and organizational skills and change in the assessment pattern. The main purpose of Education 4.0 is to shift the focus from teacher centric to student centric approach embedded with technology centered approach placing the students at the foremost spot of the education process.
Recent innovations in higher education include: 3D printing, virtual reality, video streaming, digital text books, learner faculty forms, changing revenue sources, open curriculum and courseware, new degree forms and certifications and improved learning management systems.
Conclusion: The current pandemic era prevailing from 2020 has changed the entire portfolio, forcing the implementation of these innovations in education in a day-to-day basis. It has provided a best platform for the teaching fraternity to understand the emergency for transferring and transforming the methodology of content presentation to the younger generation for a better future. Whereby the teachers are pushed to their limit to come out of the comfort zone to learn the new technology, upgrade themselves and cater to the needs of the learners. They have started upgrading to the alternative way of delivering the content and making use of technology-oriented teaching aids rather than traditional ones. This has paved an imperative way to understand not only the teaching learning process but also to undergo a drastic shift in evaluation of the same.
About the Author:
Dr. C. Ananda Vayaravel is a passionate teacher for the students of Medical and Allied Health Sciences, enlightening them with his innovative teaching for the past 20 years. He possesses more than 15 national and international publications together with two patents to his credit. Top 10 Principal of the Year and the Best Academician 2020 are his accolades, being appreciated for empowering the students nationally. Currently he is the Professor and Principal of Srivenkateshwaraa College of Paramedical Sciences (www.svcpms.ac.in), Puducherry.
