By Beas Dev Ralhan
Schools today are not what they used to be, thanks to technology, pedagogy, globalization, the changing needs of organizations, all have influenced education to a great extent. This cultural shift is prompting educators to reform existing traditional curriculum and provide students with a broader set of 21st-century skills so they can thrive in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world.
With the changing times, educators are realizing that traditional educational models are not adequate to fulfil the learning needs of a generation that is growing up consuming media on smart devices and has instant access to information. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bold of an assertion to say that there hasn’t been any other generation that was so well equipped to firmly grasp the opportunities of the future.
Skills needed in the 21st-century
Influences such as globalization, automation and changing organizational structures are leading to the demand for a new kind of workforce and this phenomenon is evident around the world. The jobs we have today, particularly in the technology sector, did not exist two decades ago. Specialization is an important role in defining the job market and the responsibility of creating tomorrows technology leaders, innovators and inventors have now fallen on the shoulders of educators. This brings us to the question, are they ready?
The need for new knowledge and updated skills in subjects like maths, languages and science is has become the characteristic of modern education. Students who indulge in advanced math courses to master higher math skills will have a greater advantage over their peers. Students must also be taught how to apply this new set of skills and knowledge to real-world situations. For this, they need to develop a very broad set of in-demand competencies, which include the ability to think critically, solve new problems, develop skills for communication and collaboration, create new tools to use new technologies and the ability to adapt to change very swiftly.
The science of education
The education sector was technologically stagnant for a large part of the last century. However, recently, the sector has started to adopt technology and innovative pedagogies with a conscious thought of stepping into the 21st century. The sheer volume of innovations in the education sector in the last ten years is absolutely astounding. Research in child psychology, how children learn, types of learners, new methods of instruction are all being utilized by the sector to optimize the teaching-learning process. Todays education is far more immersive and engaging than what it used to be more than a decade ago thanks to digital classroom solutions, resource management platforms, cutting-edge curriculum content and innovative pedagogies, the transformation of education is already underway.
The 21st-century school
Creating a school that has been designed and planned to suit the needs and demands of the 21st-century learners is one of the most important challenges of the education sector. Many institutions today are forced to respond to growing technological pressures to serve a diverse group of students who have very high expectations from their learning environments. To face these challenges and grasp the opportunities that lie in front of them, institutions must swiftly evolve efficiently and effectively. Choosing the right components that go into creating a 21st-century school will be a part of this evolution. It requires completely rethinking and re-imagining school design, infrastructure planning, classroom design, play activities to pedagogies, type of teachers and a whole lot more.
New approaches to education are also transforming the very nature of teaching and learning. Regular classrooms with four walls, lined desks and a teacher podium no longer facilitate the various learning settings that are crucial in facilitating modern education. There is a need for creating more diverse learning environments which can give students more choices in what and how they learn.
What goes into creating a 21st-century school?
School design
As Winston Churchill rightly put it, We shape our buildings, and afterwards, our buildings shape us.” Physical structures which house a particular environment have an enormous impact on human beings. An institution’s design and physical structure become its characteristic over a period of time and focusing on the aesthetic significance of the institution will create a sense of belonging among students and also establish an inspiring civic presence. The site, location, available logistics, elevation all contribute to this factor. Larger recreation spaces, libraries, playgrounds, multi-functional areas, spacious classrooms, open spaces give students a sense of freedom and exploration. Institutions can also adopt space optimizing strategies to enhance the fluidity of movement and provide collaborative spaces to encourage overall learning.
Classroom design
In the last decade, the form and function of classrooms have changed dramatically. Currently, the focus is on producing students who are effective communicators and thinkers who can master technology. With the introduction of concepts like the flexible classroom, maker spaces, mini-libraries and designated areas for hands-on activities, educators can provide an engaging, efficient and expressive learning environment. Ideally, the classrooms should be flexible and adaptive as per the changing requirements in instruction to support teachers and to accommodate the diverse learning needs of students. Adherence to sustainability, environmentally friendly design that allows maximum light and air flow would be a great advantage as well.
Pedagogies
In the last few years, many influential pedagogical practices have been formulated to increase the effectiveness of instruction in the classroom. Every student has their own individual style of learning, therefore its a challenge for teachers to identify which approach is right for instruction. A pedagogical approach will immensely help teachers to know the strengths, weaknesses and needs of individual students, group them together and deploy the relevant pedagogies to increase the effectiveness of instruction. Pedagogies like personalized learning, flipped classrooms, collaborative learning, self-learning, hands-on learning, gamification, visual thinking can be employed to support deeper learning and improve the overall learning experience.
The schools of tomorrow will be the nerve-centres of productive learning and also help students in gaining specialized skills that will empower them to lead the innovations of the future. Schools should create future citizens who are well equipped to grapple the realities that tomorrow presents. The changing world, demands a new kind of school that can empower students with the skills, tools and knowledge to navigate the world where technology will be a dominant factor.