Rabindranath Tagore was born in Bengal in the late 19th century. With growing up he observed the education system around him. According to him, this system was producing job-oriented people rather than fine humans. His idea of educational philosophy bears great significance in Indian literature. In 1913 he won Nobel Prize in literature, the first non-western to receive such honor. He was not merely an ideal but a practitioner. As he started working towards his aim in the early 20th century, when the subcontinent was going through colonization, his ideology faced multiple issues. But no one can neglect the significance of his educational philosophy in the field of literature. His passion for education can be observed through his following saying:
“Whatever is worth knowing is knowledge. It should be known equally by men and women—not for the sake of practical utility, but for the sake of knowing…. The desire to know is the law of human nature.”R.N Tagore
Educational Philosophy: Education for All
Tagore’s Aims of Education
Tagore’s objectives were not only career-oriented but self-oriented. He put great emphasis on personal development and compatibility with culture and society. Letter written by Tagore in 1912:
‘’What we want to be and what we want to learn are inseparably connected together.’’
Aims of Educational Philosophy
Following are aims of behind his educational philosophy:
Self Realization
In his view, self-awareness is an essential aspect of learning. According to him, one person should know what he wants to do and what he wants to read. These two are inevitably connected. One should know that what is intriguing for him. And one should define oneself for own, that view of society’s wrong and right must not disturb him to the extent that he starts living a dual or fabricated life.
Independence or Freedom
Now the 21st century is knowing for the trend of liberation in every aspect of life. People are pointing out the significance of the independence of an individual. That individuality is the core belief of Tagore’s educational philosophy. For him, education should be given to everyone out beyond the ideas of rich or poor, so that every single soul can feel the pleasure of freedom or liberation.
“The character of good education is that it does not overpower man; it emancipates him.”
Educational Philosophy
From his point of view, freedom is not only a physical entity rather than that is more like freedom from oneself, his confused thinking, and society’s biased standards.
Intellectual Development and Perfection
Tagore was a perfectionist in his ideas. He aimed to create a perfect environment for a disciple to learn through. He desired intellectual development for every child that is his right from birth. According to him, intellectual development is more important. Children should learn to think critically; they should unlearn and relearn accordingly. He was not the supporter of producing fine laborers but the perfect humans.
Formation of Better Society: Transmission of Culture
Tagore’s goal was to transform society which was only possible through a transfer of culture. The human interaction with his environment and nature can make him attach to his cultural values, and these values should be transferred into coming generations. Therefore, he put great emphasizes on historical literature and its learning.
Social Development: Universality
In the 21st-century, globalization spread at a larger pace through technology and industrialization. Tagore has a similar idea of universality that he suggested aligning oneself with the whole world. And should think for the greater gains which includes humanity. At some point, he discourages the idea of imperialism and nationality. But he promoted universality through education. His idea was to make students able to align with the universe through education.
Rural Development
In this time, while people are hustling towards urban life without thinking of relevant aspects. Tagore suggested that our educational system should prepare students; those who don’t feel ashamed in doing work for or in their area. People who work according to their regional needs. Rather than rushing towards developed areas, people should know to work in their area and make it a better place.
As he said on June 26, 1937 at Press communique by government of Madras:
”There is little or no training in the power of observation, hardly any practical work… the teaching usually tend to divorce the pupil from village life and hereditary occupation rather than help to train better villagers.”
R.N Tagore didn’t define his idea in certain way but from his writings one can observe that to achieve his goals, he talk about following few things:
Nature based Education
In today’s world, where technology is evolving every passing moment our means are converting into more and more machine-specific learning. We need to look around, slow down and make connections with nature. Tagore’s view was that every child should stay connected with nature till twelve years of age while learning. He was sure that, through a nature-friendly environment, a person can learn more and develop a better understanding of the world.
Mother Tongue as a Medium of Instruction
No one can deny the significance of the mother language in the learning process. From a Bengali background, Tagore was a spokesperson of mother tongue importance. He said that through eradication of the language barrier, we develop education for all class systems. Where a person with any background can learn and thrive under his or her choices. He pays tribute to his brother by saying:
”While all around was the cry for English teaching, my third brother was brave enough to keep us to our Bengali course. To him in heaven my grateful reverence.”
Eradicate Class Culture
Class culture always remains a huge hurdle in the way of development. For any society to become prosperous, the first and foremost step is to minimize class difference as much as possible. As Tagore, despite his rich family background, he vocalizes for other social classes. He was of the view that education should be provided to the public in a way that eliminates the class factor.
There should be no gap between ideology or idea and its practical implications. As far as Tagore’s educational philosophy is concerned, we can accept the fact that he was not wrong at all. His ideas were great and worth implying on the current system also. But what use of democracy if it brings no benefits to society, same as what good is idea if not come to practice. All ideas of Tagore should be implemented, as they will help in altering the environment individually, societally, and globally. These ideas will bring changes like removal of class difference, better individuals, harmony among humans, mental development, sensitivity, and a better understanding of upcoming problems which surely is the need of time.
Tagore was a man of education as during hostile situation he keep talking about educational reforms. Following are the limitations he was facing:
Hostile Colonial Environment
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the subcontinent was going through a worse period of continuous conflict at home. The people were fighting for their freedom right from the British government. So, the odds were not much in his favor. As people and the Government of India were more focusing on the adverse situation of a homeland.
Lack of Funds
When there is a war at home ground, no one thinks about anything other than saving themselves. Governments are busy financing war or protests. So the Tagore’s idea was not getting enough funds. Though he started his educational institution, speed was slow due to hurdles in his way.
Inadequate Teachers
The worst disappointment to Tagore’s expectations was the inadequacy of the teaching faculty. They were not as passionate or concerned about well being of students as he was. He has to recommend them to continue to work according to his ideas. This continuous struggle made him hopeless sometimes.
Compatibility Issues Between Students and Teachers
As the teacher’s methodology was not compatible with him, the same was the case between teachers and students. They complain about students’ attitudes, while on the other hand, it was difficult to control these disciples in an open environment.
Guardian Dissatisfaction
The parents were also behind the time, were not ready to foresee the phenomenal aspects of Tagore’s educational philosophy. They were worried that their children were slow from the rest of the students. If they have any idea, what Tagore’s was suggesting, they would love him.
If we say that Tagore was a hopeless romantic, it would not be wrong. He surely was an idealist but a practitioner too. He proposed an educational philosophy and work hard to make it a reality through institution building. But he must know that he suggested the whole transformation of an existing educational system which took time. Now, from the 21st century’s perspective, no one can deny the significance of his educational philosophy. This philosophy of Tagore is both; an inspiration to pursue and a struggle to continue.
The importance of evolving educational trends is undeniable. As we know, education has always existed as the most fundamental element of any society. A person’s growth level depicts the degree of civilization of the nation. That is why it is constantly advancing. Though, in the wake of the current pandemic situation, we came across multiple challenges emerging from these tech educational trends. We will discuss both the emerging educational trends and the challenges in this article.
Everyday Evolving Tech Educational Trends
Technological advancement has been fascinating to human beings since its inception. No one can negate the marvels of science. One of the vital contributions of science is in the education sector that is increasing at a higher pace. The focus should be on generating humans capable of higher intellect to solve day-to-day issues. As mentioned in —OECD, Trends Shaping Education report:
“The future will be about pairing the artificial intelligence of computers with the cognitive, social and emotional capabilities of humans, so that we educate first-class humans, not second-class robots”
Some of the most popular educational trends these days are following:
Block Chain
Blockchain is known for its complex security protocols, and people are using these protocols for money and data transfer. It provides protected data traffic for individuals and as well as for organizations. Multiple universities use this technology to transfer crucial data. Through blockchain, the digital storage of data provides security and makes data accessible to authorized people.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is the most modernized version of educational trends. It is valuable for both ends, which are teachers and students. It helps to represent more personalized study proposals for students based on their interests and capabilities. In the wake of this pandemic situation, student’s online performance can assess through this tool because it supports features like video and audio proctoring, facial recognition, and object detection. AI system can provide a facility to track records for paper corrections and check the ratio of plagiarism in research papers.
From STEM to STEAM
The traditional educational system referred to as STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, while A in STEAM is stands for arts. The most trending educational trend nowadays is the development of critical thinking because the need of the time is more persons with problem-solving skills. The institutions are preferring people having leadership, team-building, and communication skills. So the priority is to make people more prone to a problem-solving mindset. The philosopher and futurist Alvin Toffler once said:
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
In the traditional learning system wherein one classroom, a student has to go through multiple subjects he is outstanding in a few while poor in others. The modern educational trend is self-based and hyper-personalized work according to the learner’s ability to excel in a particular area. It examines a person’s existing knowledge and interest in a specific subject and provides knowledge accordingly. This trend will alter the whole new concept of knowledge and will be able to prepare the area-specific experts more efficiently.
Immersive Learning: AR, VR and Chatbots
In the traditional learning system, the students have to memorize details of an event. While in this new era of emerging educational trends, learners can experience past events in reality via AR and VR technology. A student can go back to a historical place and feel every bit of the environment in surrounding at that time. This experience can give a more virtual and lasting impression. Similarly, chatbots exist in almost every higher education website, where students can ask queries. It is also a very innovative idea, which reduces student’s effort and saves the administration’s energy.
It is an extensively popular educational trend that engages students in a learning environment through fun and games. It also increases social interaction and group collaboration. It got both the fans and critics. The number of positive remarks is increasing day by day. Gaming gives the sense of self-challenge and reward that leads to better outcomes.
Despite having tremendous success in the education sector, these educational trends are negatively affecting society’s lives. Following are the opposing scenarios existing due to technological advancements:
Haves and Have-nots: Educational Trends widening the Gap
Similarly, the academic community across the globe is facing this issue. And due to these tech educational trends, society is falling somewhere in between two ends and not gaining what is essential for survival as a whole. Even in Western societies, there is much to achieve yet. Society stratification exists in western countries, and also in developing countries, it is a substantial concern. It can be resolve by making people-centric policies that focus on community betterment rather than just a race towards undefined fate. As LOUISA HEINRICH said:
“There is a gap between the rate at which technology develops and the rate at which society develops. We need to take care not to fall into that gap.”
Drawbacks: The Haves and Have-nots
Misinformation: Challenge for Academic People
Among all the issues the community of this time is facing, the most challenging is the misuse of information. A human can survive without knowledge sometimes, but with false information, humanity is in grave threat. All the people who are devoted to the service of academia are actually in a difficult situation where on one side, these educational trends are making things more exciting and innovative, while on the other hand, misinformation is ruining the time and reliability of these tech educational trends.
Privacy Issues: Threat for Research Work
A Lot of people are worried about privacy issues and showing more suspicion and skepticism about tech educational trends. In this ever-increasing advancement era, both the security and violations of security have increasingly been challenging for this generation. With the invention of hacking tools, people are worried about sharing their sensitive data or assignments online. It is also needed a solution.
Disconnects Community: Increasing Pressure for Innovation
This whole desire for new ideologies and innovation is throwing people into a virtual world that isolates them from the real. People are spending more time in front of screens. And this competition-driven environment is bounding people into a hectic routine without bringing any apt change into the existing order. They are ruining their health and, the community around them which has to be transformed.
The educational trends should resolve these existing issues at an equal pace, not like resolving the one issue producing the other, which is the scenario now. The state governments can play a crucial role regarding these issues. Policies can be generated and implemented on national and international levels to counter and regulate these educational trends. Also, measures can take place t increase adaptability through different channels. Gabriel Kahn, former bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal wrote that:
“We are not facing a ‘Terminator’-like scenario. Nor are we facing a tech-driven social utopia. Humans are catching up and understanding the pernicious impact of technology and how to mitigate it.”
With all these everyday increasing educational trends, the fear of the gap between superhumans and average humans is increasing. At the same time, human replacement by these technologies is also threatening for some people. The need for time is to increase adaptability at the same pace or decrease a technological speed to overcome fears for a while, for better outcomes. Step by step approach to harmonize these technologies can be promising.
Project-based learning is a methodology used to solve real-world problems by an investigation over an extended period of time. In Project-based learning, kids learn by doing and performing practical work.
Real-Word Problems
Real-world problems are the issues that are experienced and dealt with by the people in the world. These are the complex and challenging problems that are considered as external environment issues i.e. outside the classroom. The Modern Education system provides the children with this project-based learning to solve real-world problems by using their knowledge and skills. The term ”Problem solving” does not mean that you should expect the kids to must find out the solution but it is the practice of making things better i.e. it involves progress.
Come Up with a Plan First
If we talk about project-based learning in a school system, the instructor should initiate a proper plan first. He or she should connect the content, interest of the students, authenticity of the context, and after this, he or she should guide the students about the instructions of the project to solve particular real-world problems.
i. What a Proper Plan Should Contain?
The instructor should plan things in a good and proper way i.e. she must know about the interest of the students, knowledge, and information about that field of interest, understanding the basic things, providing a timeline and required benchmarks, expect the type of final product and what problems the students can face during solving these real-world problems. Initiate the project with small tasks of the daily routine.
ii. The Plan Should be Flexible
Flexibility is the most important thing to deal with anything in the world. The instructor should already keep in mind the possible outcomes of the problem given to the students. Maybe the students would like to have some changes in the procedure or they come up with a bit different product than expected. So, flexibility must be shown to evoke their sense of creativity.
The Plan Should be Flexible
iii. If The Plan Gets Fail
It may happen that the kids come up with nothing as a product so it is important for you as an instructor to accept the flaws made and plan other strategies again for better understanding and better results. Allow the students to try, explore and make mistakes. Just keep the kids motivated.
Bruce Albert says,
”Everybody is motivated by challenge and solving problems, and we don’t make use of that in schools enough”
For tips on Motivation, read the article on the same blog
Use The KWI Technique
K:
What information or knowledge the kids already have or what they have gathered on the board?
W:
What further things you should consider to have solving the project?
I:
What ideas your students possess to solve that real-world problem?
If The Plan Gets Fail
How to Do Deep Investigation?
Project-based learning is important because it involves an in-depth investigation of real-world problems. The three main phases of deep investigation include:
Phase 1:
In phase 1, there is an initial discussion of the project with and among the kids. All the essentials of the project are discussed earlier to make sure the procedure goes smoothly. This phase evolves the sense of teamwork among the kids.
Phase 2:
Phase 2 involves the main procedure of the project. It is basically the practical part of solving real-world problems. It may constitute field-work, informative sessions, and experiences related to the project with the field experts.
Phase 3:
The last and the most important phase of the in-depth investigation is the presentation of your final product to the audience.
Examples of Real-World Problems
1. Climatic Change
The gradual everyday change in the climate is seen by everyone and is a serious real-world problem in the current era. The project related to this climate change can be assigned to the students. The students will witness all the changes themselves and then they will be guided a plan to solve the problem or how to make it better.
2. Food-Home Insecurity
Food and home insecurity is areal-world problem that cannot be neglected at any cost. Many people in the world are deprived of affordable, nutritious, enough food and homes. Poverty is the major culprit here playing a key role in the problem. According to an estimate, 13 million people in the world are those who have no other choice to live in food-insecure homes. The students can pick up this real-world problem and come up with a possible solution.
3. Lack of Education
Lack of education is still a serious concern in the world majorly affecting third-world countries. It can be due to several reasons. Children especially girls are not allowed to have their secondary school education completed. This shows another aspect of another real-world problem which is gender disparity.
In South Africa 2019, Over 21% of children between the age of 7-18 years stated that they are unable to attendschools due to poverty or lack of financial resources whereas, 23% dropped out because of their lack of interest in the academic curriculum and the ones not attending the school education due to family concerns include 17.1% females and 0.3% males.
4. Violence
Violence can be of any form such as violence in school and educational systems or violence at the home. Domestic abuse or domestic violence is a notorious issue that is always tried to hide instead of having a proper required solution of it. The students should be given a guideline to have a product of solution regarding the issue. About 200 thousand issues of domestic violence were reported in 2019-2020 in England and Wales as compared to the 701 thousand issues in 2001-2002.
Project-Based Learning Vs Traditional Education System
Unlike the Traditional education system which only involves cramming and a test system to check what the kids have memorized, project-based learning for solving real-world problems is the most unique and effective way of making the kids learn. Modern project-based learning involves field trips, advanced instrumentations, researches, models, interviewing the experts in the field, etc.
Benefits of Project-Based Learning
1. Fun Schooling:
It suppresses the traditional educational system that is found boring by the kids. Project-based learning enhances the knowledge and skills of the students to make them capable of thinking. It also involves teamwork and fun learning.
Fun Schooling
2. Live Other Characters:
The kids are able to live the characters of different professions for a short period of time during project solving. For Example, if the project is based on a medical issue, the kids will be able to play a character of a medical health professional and similarly in the case of scientists, if the project involves some scientific work.
Live Other Characters
3. Improved Behaviour:
You can see an obvious difference in the behaviors of students who are dealing with project-based learning while those of having the traditional educational system. The kids with project-based learning develop a hunger to learn new things. They would tell their parents the whole summary of the day with a remarkable level of excitement, enthusiasm, and engagement.
4. Building Strong Concepts:
The modern education system denies memory-based learning while improves the ability to explore and create. It involves retaining the things learned and not forgetting them the very next day. They try to apply connections and relate even the smallest things they have learned in a day. This makes their concepts strong and they are free of any ambiguity.
5. More Benefits:
Enhances sense of teamwork and how to collaborate
improves skills
boosts confidence by questioning
reduces absenteeism
increase test scores
providing them with a sense of power, responsibility, authority, and decision making
society is benefitted theoretically as well as practically
Conclusion
Real-world problems are serious issues faced by people or the environment in the world. Project-based learning is an effective and helpful method of teaching the kids to improve and solve real-world problems by using different techniques. Project-based learning has several benefits for the kids and also for society.
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