Education 2047 : July 2023

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

UNVEILING NEW MARKERS FOR INDIA’S EDUCATION-2047

Education 2047 #Blog 14 (25 JUL 2023)

The evolution of education has been driven by the changing needs of societies, technological advancements, and the quest for knowledge and enlightenment. Throughout history, education has transformed from oral traditions to written knowledge, from one-room schools to expansive universities, and from face-to-face interactions to the digital age of online learning and artificial intelligence clearly pointing towards incisive and decisive impact of technology. This continuous evolution reflects humanity's relentless pursuit of understanding, self-improvement, and the desire to foster a better future for generations to come. The technological advancements in last few decades alone have taken away the need to memorize (that formed the basis of education in response to the needs of an industrial society) anything other than the concepts and tilted the scales in favour of digital learners. The evolution will continue further, aligning with the academic needs of humans that are poised to be deeply impacted by technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR), brain-computer interface (BCI), real-time translation (RTT) and cyber-physical systems (CPS).

AI will disrupt the landscape with its increasing role in personalized learning, adaptive assessments and intelligent tutoring systems. XR technologies will be integrated into education, offering immersive and interactive learning experiences, allowing students to explore complex concepts in a more engaging way. Advanced communication technologies that will also power real-time translation among different languages will enable seamless global collaboration and cultural exchange, fostering cross-cultural understanding and cooperation. Bringing the real world on the palm or desk will be cyber-physical systems that will be integrated into the educational environment, creating a connected ecosystem for hands-on learning, experimentation, and collaboration. Smart classrooms will adapt to student needs and wearable technology will track student engagement and performance. Online platforms, micro-credentials, and digital badges will enable individuals to acquire new skills and adapt to a rapidly changing job market. The pace of technological advancements, shifts in societal values and educational reforms, will however be dictated by the complex interplay of factors, specific changes within education systems and will vary across different regions and contexts.

In the disrupting educational scenario that would tend to gravitate towards flexible, experiential and personalized learning, we will witness traditional lecture-based teaching methods, print-based static learning content and static classroom configurations vanish as more interactive and student-centered interventions come in. The prescriptive, uniform, one-size-fits-all curricula will gradually give way to more flexible and personalized learning pathways, accommodating individual student interests, abilities, and career aspirations. Rote-learning approach will be de-emphasized with a greater focus on critical thinking, problem-solving and the application of knowledge in real-world contexts. This would lead to the end of paper-based traditional standardized testing methods as educational assessment shifts toward more authentic, performance-based evaluations that capture a broader range of skills and competencies. Disciplinary boundaries will become more fluid as interdisciplinary approaches gain prominence, encouraging the integration of knowledge across various fields.

The change would mean identifying new markers of an education system set in all new paradigm. To be able to appreciate them better, let’s look at some of the current indicators reflecting the effectiveness and inclusivity of the education, which will eventually get phased out.

Enrollment and Participation Rates: The percentage of children and youth enrolled in educational programs and their regular attendance reflect the accessibility and inclusivity of the education system.
Literacy and Numeracy Levels: The proficiency in reading, writing, and basic arithmetic skills among students indicates the effectiveness of foundational education.
Access and Equity: A sound education system ensures that education is accessible to all citizens, regardless of socioeconomic background, gender or location. It should promote inclusivity and work to bridge educational disparities.
Teacher Qualifications and Professional Development: The qualifications and ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers indicate the level of expertise and commitment to continuous improvement.
Curriculum Relevance: The curriculum should be up-to-date, relevant, and aligned with the needs of the job market and society, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.
Learning Outcomes: A sound education system focuses on measurable learning outcomes, assessing students' knowledge, skills, and competencies.
Continuous Assessment and Feedback: Regular assessment and feedback mechanisms are essential to monitor student progress and identify areas for improvement.
Graduation and Retention Rates: The percentage of students who complete their education and stay in the system until completion reflects the quality of learning experiences and support provided.
Technological Integration: The integration of technology into teaching and learning practices enables students to develop digital literacy skills and prepares them for the digital age.
Adequate Funding: Sufficient financial resources are allocated to education to support infrastructure development, teacher training, and the provision of necessary learning resources.

These markers help in assessing the effectiveness of an education system and its ability to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for personal growth and contributing to society. Continuous evaluation and improvement based on these markers are essential to ensure the soundness and success of an education system in any country. After AI, XR, BCI, RTT, CPS and other (active/ passive, synchronous/ synchronous, online/ offline) communication technologies get mainstreamed into education, the educational landscape will change drastically which would warrant new markers for the education system. Here are some potential new markers:

Personalization Index: The extent to which education is personalized based on individual learners' needs, learning styles, and preferences using AI-driven adaptive learning platforms and personalized content delivery.
XR Integration Level: The level of integration and utilization of XR technologies, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, in the curriculum to enhance immersive and experiential learning opportunities.
BCI Proficiency: The level of students' proficiency in using brain-computer interface technology to interact with educational content, control virtual objects, and engage in brain-based learning activities.
Real-Time Translation Usage: The frequency and effectiveness of real-time translation tools in breaking language barriers and enabling seamless communication and collaboration among students from different linguistic backgrounds.
AI-based Assessment Reliability: The accuracy and reliability of AI-driven assessment systems in evaluating student performance, providing feedback, and identifying areas for improvement.
Digital Citizenship and Ethics: The emphasis on teaching digital citizenship and ethical considerations related to the responsible use of emerging technologies in education, including AI, XR and BCI.
Technological Equity: The efforts to ensure equitable access to technology and digital resources, bridging the digital divide among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Learning Experience Satisfaction: Learner feedback and satisfaction with the overall learning experiences facilitated by future educational technologies
Employability and Future Skills: The degree to which the integration of these technologies prepares students with future-ready skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, adaptability, and digital literacy.
Innovation and Research Output: The quantity and quality of educational research and innovation driven by the integration of these technologies, including the development of new learning models, tools, and best practices.

These new markers as perceived today will provide insights into the transformative effects of emerging technologies on education, highlighting their contributions to personalized learning, learner engagement and the development of essential 21st-century skills. Considering the exponential growth in technology (that will now and then overwhelm linear humans), academic institutions will have to gear-up to offer flexible, experiential and personalized learning to ward-off the possible ‘grave’ situation. It is highly desirable to start veering away from a teacher-centric education system to the one realigned, redesigned and recalibrated for a digital learner and adopt consistent markers for the same. Regular evaluation of these markers will guide educational institutions and policymakers in leveraging the full potential of these technologies to prepare well-rounded, new-age learners for India, in its Amrit Kaal (time span till 2047, the centenary of India’s Independence) haul!

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Author is a Scientist in Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC) and an Ex-Adviser of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Views are personal.

Feedback appreciated in the comment box below. 👍

Previous blogs

Redefining Doctoral Education with Independent Research Paths

Elevating Teachers for India's Amrit Kaal

Re-engineering Educational Systems for Maximizing Learning

'Rubricating' Education for Better Learning Outcomes

Indiscipline in Disciplines for Multidisciplinary Education!

Re'class'ification of Learning for the New Normal

Reconfiguring Education as 'APP' Learning

Rejigging Universities with a COVID moment

Reimagining Engineering Education for 'Techcelerating' Times

Uprighting STEM Education with 7x24 Labs

Dismantling Macaulay's Schools with 'Online' Support

Moving Towards Education Without Examinations

Disruptive Technologies in Education and Challenges in its Governance

Monday, July 3, 2023

REDEFINING DOCTORAL EDUCATION WITH INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PATHS

Education 2047 #Blog 13 (03 JUL 2023)

Our universities have existed, thrived and evolved performing the role of repository and generator of knowledge. The teachers have kept them going on, as holders and transmitters of knowledge- equipping graduates with knowledge and values who in turn should create value out of the resources and knowledge around. They have also indulged in research which is about challenging the status quo or exploration beyond the boundary of known knowledge or creation/ synthesis of new knowledge; and, preparing new researchers in the process. Research takes in knowledge as a resource and also requires infrastructure and funds, besides a supervisor, for a university-run doctoral program. Now that updated knowledge and tools are freely available for academic research and plugging into a global group (for specialized knowledge and training) is a right-hand & left-click away, why not open up independent research in the universities, without supervisors? Teaching-learning has been redefined post pandemic; why not research? After all, it is counted in as a 21st-century skill, powered now by Artificial Intelligence!

A university doctoral program is demanding on the critical thinking abilities of a postgraduate (or an exceptionally bright graduate); and is training in methods and methodologies of research. Also, training in using the relevant tools and techniques; experimentation and data acquisition; data analysis and interpretation; and, documentation of findings and communicating it. The young researcher gets ample opportunity to interact with peers, listen to experts, participate in conferences, get trained in the tools to be used, pick up analytical abilities, and acquire communication skills in the run-up to the dissertation. Much of it is built around or is dependent on the supervisor and there are a lot of unsavory things/ experiences also (that remain unpublished). This hasn't changed for generations and is the primary reason for perpetuation of incremental research in universities.

The researchers in universities have the advantage of taking huge risks and should be into blue-sky or beyond-boundary investigations; which sadly isn't the case as most settle for something more than the supervisor has done. One of the reasons I am prompted to write this is the change in approach I could see, the under-/ post- graduate dissertations are prepared. Conventionally, it is a literature review which sets the ground for research- the guide asking the research scholar to find the gap and define a problem/ hypothesis to proceed further. Of late, it is observed that literature review is being conducted at the end, basically to fulfill the requirements of a structured dissertation/ thesis. There are a few reasons for this trend as I see- firstly, the problem to work on can be picked quickly from the internet or domain groups (without requiring a guide). Secondly, an updated global research work is a click away which obviates the review of work already done. Thirdly, there are tools and techniques (including Artificial Intelligence) available to define the research problem. Today workshops are being conducted on Chat GPT enabling researchers to generate research ideas, refine questions, and improve proposals and manuscripts, the latest shot in the arm for independent researchers! So why not promote doctoral programs without a supervisor? Let's be mindful that AI is going to completely change the way research is done.

Without a research supervisor, students have the freedom to pursue research topics and methodologies that align with their specific interests and goals; allowing for greater customization of their doctoral experience; enjoying the autonomy of cross-pollination of ideas and interdisciplinary research approaches; and seeking mentorship from a range of global experts. By removing the traditional supervisor-student dynamic, doctoral programs without research supervisors can stimulate unconventional thinking and foster innovation, potentially leading to groundbreaking research contributions. With the elimination of potential delays caused by supervisor availability or conflicts, doctoral candidates may experience accelerated progress and completion of their research projects. On the personal front, this would hone the critical thinking and problem-solving skills of the researcher while navigating challenges and making independent decisions. This would also develop an entrepreneurial mindset, fostering creativity, resourcefulness, and adaptability in pursuing their research objectives. Supervisor-free programs can, additionally equip doctoral candidates with the skills needed to excel in non-academic career paths, where independent research and problem-solving skills are highly valued.

Universities just need to open their mind to reflect on the proposition, and also their heart. Let a guide, to start with, be made optional (or be there as a collaborator) and push independent researchers against a high bar for publications; alternatively, a parallel doctoral program with independent research path alongside existing one can be opened. Not only will new fronts open for deeper explorations which will increase publications, the supervisors too will have to raise their quality or lose out to independent research; after all, it is not very high-quality papers that must be the output of doctoral programs but researchers as well. It is very common and unfortunate that a researcher after becoming a supervisor rests the oars and maximum publications emerge as co-authors based on the work of research scholars. Single-author publications are the true indicator of the metal and mettle of an individual researcher and proposed independent research paths should formatively encourage this as well.

Persisting with supervisor-led research under university doctoral programs may increase the research papers (and researchers), but the unleashing is warranted for forays into multi-, inter-, cross-, or trans- (MICT) disciplinary domains needed for our ascendancy in the Amrit Kaal (time span till 2047, the centenary of India’s Independence); following trodden paths will keep us in tact as followers. I know this would be earth-shattering, but that's how spaces for breakthroughs would be created and paradigms change. This proposition, in no way challenges the capability of a faculty to supervise but examines the opportunity of improving the quality of research, researchers (including supervisors) and research culture in universities; needless to add they will have wider choice of dedicated collaborators to pick from, for their projects. The ability to switch/ traverse into new areas should boost the confidence of young researchers (come as they do with exploratory and entrepreneurial proclivities) and this also needs to be encouraged by the agencies funding research especially when the National Education Policy (NEP2020) stresses multidisciplinary education and research. They can access equipment and software valued in excess of Fifty billion Indian Rupees onboard I-STEM (Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map- an initiative of the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India) portal at a nominal cost.

The benefits of the upcoming National Research Foundation (NRF), expected to lead to the democratization of research, can be maximized and in true sense, if doctoral programs with independent research paths are supported. More graduates 'm-powered' as they are, would come forward to pursue research and this would massively boost research in MICT disciplines as well. As proposed in the NEP 2020, undertaking a doctoral program of study requires either a master's degree or a 4-year bachelor's degree with research. In the under graduate program of 4 years (of eight semesters duration), the student has to complete a rigorous research project in the major area(s) of study. For those who have completed the 3-year bachelor's degree program, a 2-year master's degree program with the second year devoted entirely to research has been suggested. It is clear that before taking up the doctoral program, the student would have had sufficient exposure to research; add to it the free access to information, availability of online tools and guidance from multiple sources of choice- wherewithal that previous generations of researchers were bereft of. Time is, therefore, ripe for an additional model in universities that of 'independent & collaborative research' (with a clear departure from 'supervised & supervising research'), which should also accelerate research in MICT domains. Now that the world of information and knowledge stands democratized as do the AI-based tools, the pitch grows stronger for independent doctoral pursuit, chasing blue-sky and possibly for a 'Nobel' cause too!

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Author is a Scientist in Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC) and an Ex-Adviser of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Views are personal.

Feedback appreciated in the comment box below. 👍