Prof. Dr. Sudhir Gavhane
Director, National Outreach & Network
Former Dean, Liberal Arts, Science & Commerce
MIT-World: Peace University, Pune, India
Read on our article by Professor Dr Sudhir Gavhane elaborating on the new trends in TLM – Teaching Learning Methodologies and its advancing impact in the higher education sector in general.
The change is the heart of the world and nature. However, the pace of change we are experiencing at present is an unprecedented one. We are now the fastest moving human society, facing its all complexities, with an unpredictable future. We are living in the society of which driving force is technology, thus we are part of technology-driven society. Most importantly digital technologies and their applications are generating “disruptive innovations”, which are change makers in its true sense. Digital innovations are responsible for digital revolutions and these digital revolutions have changed even our global economy into Digital Economy. The disciplines of Humanities (arts, drama, music, literature, paintings, media etc.) are now renamed as the Digital Humanities. Due to this technology-driven changes, education & higher education sector to is changing, not only this it is becoming the originator or source of unpredictable change. This is the unpredictable time aligned with unpredictable opportunities.
In this ever-changing and fastest moving environment conventional path of “Teaching and Learning Methodology (TLM) ” is now an outdated one. There is a disconnect between knowledge acquired and real-life problems. Critical thinking is missing and applying knowledge to solve problems is never thought of. Most of the engineering graduates are in business management and not in core engineering activities. There is no direct connection between what you learn and what you practice. Employability of our graduates is going down. Our human capital is not being considered as the capital but a liability on our society and family.
In the light of this background, globally new kinds of TLMs are designed to re-engineer our human capital to make them useful to society and themselves. They are aimed at filling the gap between theory and praxis. Higher education institutions must change themselves and change their systems from show to substance, then and then only there will be acceptance by society at large.
These new TLMs are as follows:
Service-Based Learning (SBL):
Every student of every HEI (Higher education Institute) must prove herself or himself as a committed person of society. If you want to create socially and nationally connected and conscious citizen, serving society must be a part of mandatory TLM. There should be credits assigned for this and earning satisfaction and pleasure must be part of the curriculum. Many SBL micro assignments can be worked out which is nothing but “learning by Doing”.
Research-Based Learning (RBL)
Today is the age of knowledge. Knowledge has become the engine of economic growth and prosperity. The generation of knowledge is only possible through Research and Development (R&D). Therefore, it’s an international trend now that even undergraduate students are given assignments to do research. Learning through research is something unique and not practised largely in India. I know that there are examples around the world that, even at the age of 19 undergraduate students have got their own patents. Why can’t we imagine this scenario in India and other developing countries? We need to imbibe research culture among our generation next. Indian higher education institutions must modify their curriculum to incorporate RBL.
Project Based Learning (PBL):
There is always a question, which comes to our mind about our new generation graduates. The said question is about, why our millennial are problem creators, instead of problem solvers? Why are universities and colleges are not able to equip our students with skills and competencies to solve the problems of our present society? Higher education is not for creating problems but to solve these. The Problem Based Learning (PBL). In this system of learning, students on their own identity problems of our society and by applying their mind and knowledge they provide solutions to the problem. This is what meaningful higher education is.! “Learning to Work and Working to Learn” is the mantra. Our colleges and universities must begin with baby steps in this direction.
It is very good article. We require our Higher education should be aimed at developing the students who should have critical thinking and problem solving skills. Therefore we should create the situations for them for Research based learning and problem solving learning . It is really a new teaching and learning method.
Points for consideration:
1. Whether we need degrees & diplomas or we need certain knowledge to solve the problems?
2. Is it necessary to bind ourselves with curriculum & syllabus?
3.How much OER helps us in our learning?
4. Is it beneficial to add e-learning along with research based learning and problem solving learning?
5. What is the Higher education? Does it need everyone to have it?
Now, every reference is changing. Global scenario is compelling us to change. If we do not change ourselves with the new technology,we will remain poor.
On this ground, I appreciate the article as it redefines the concept of learning in higher education.
Very insightful observations. I think you have rightly pointed out key issues of H. E.
Let research take central stage of all transactions of higher education.