Education Today

English starts with A,B,C...

Hindi starts with A, AA, Ei...

Maths starts with 1,2,3...

But Education, let it start with you and me...

Reading the above lines would sound cliche but it is actually true and that is how good practices get a kick start and reach the masses. This should be the attitude of every person working in the domain of education and who is striving towards bringing a change in this field, moreover who feels for this cause. Today i was watching the last episode of the local serial titled 'Uncha mazha jhoka' which translates as 'My swing swaying high'. It is a marathi serial which narrates the life a very striking personality and because of whom people like me have got a chance to write this article. It portrayed the life of Ramabai Ranade. I need not say anything much regarding her work towards women education. But what didnt reach the masses through the history text books was her struggle while doing so and also the most important factor, that is the contribution of her husband, Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade, who taught her everything and on whose values she started her life. Had he not been there, i guess people like me would not have seen this day. The ending of the serial was heart warming and heart wrenching at the same time. The former because she said, "I wonder how India would be 50 years from now, when women would get the chance to free education and the scenario of education itself would have changed.We managed to get the law for free primary education for both boys and girls passed. But i hope that these reforms continue and improve as the years pass." And the latter because she also says, "The sad feeling is that, the war between good and bad will always prevail."

At that time, they fought a very tough and tedious battle with almost everyone,not only the people governing them but also the masses for whom they were struggling to get these reforms. I emphathise with this so much because i see the same situation even now. Yes, it is much better but still we face resistance from many people when we try to tell them alternate ways to teach and educate others. I say so because, i belong to the department of Education Technology and we are striving towards getting better methods, techniques and tools which might prove helpful towards imparting education and knowledge. I have faced this situation so many times wherein i indulge in conversation with teachers and faculties, sometimes even students, and they only speak about completing syllabus and scoring in exams. Even i belonged to the latter category when i was doing my 12th, bachelors and masters because if that criterion is not satisfied then who will offer you a job? How will you earn your bread and butter? Rather who has the time!

The point to note here is that, you will be learning the same thing, the same syllabus will be covered and you might even score higher, you must just be willing and be open to the idea of active learning. In our current education system, we belong to the community of passive learners wherein the teacher comes into the classroom and imparts knowledge and we listen to the lecture and acquire the same, or so we think! ;) But when you indulge in active learning, you are forced to think, question, experiment, and learn with the help of your friends wherein the teacher is one of your friends. And you enjoy while you learn, it is actually as simple as that. And it also makes sure that you do not doze off! :P Now you must be wondering that if it is indeed that simple, then why are we not incorporating it? The catch is that it needs tremendous effort on the part of the teacher. You cannot simply come with the back of text book answers and get done with your lecture. You have to plans your lessons very carefully, and make your students learn while they they have fun. There is a lot of research in this area and there are many techniques which are proved to have worked. It is just that there is lack of awareness. That is preciously why we have seminars, workshops, etc at my department and are trying to spread awareness about these methods of teaching.

Now, you must be wondering if this is some promotional write up of my department and the work that i do, then well, in a way it is because we are closely related to this field of education and you are bound to see the change that we bring in. Another thing why i mentioned Ramabai Ranade is because, when they were bringing about these changes, people made fun of them or they thought it was not needed. Sometimes, i see the same situation here, in todays time. People are resistant towards change. They are happy even if they are in misery. One day some one said to me,"I wonder why you do this! It is of no use, all everyone is concerned with is a job! Besides, no one has so much time to sit and do so many things!" I said,"That is preciously why we are needed! To change this attitude of yours. Don't you know that you must be a life long learner? Just by getting a degree, you are not educated. Education is a life long process and dont account for it in terms of marks. Whatever you learn in class is needed in everyday life. Since that was not thought properly, you refer to google for every small query. That is why you need so many apps to solve every tiny problem and you lack the skills of reasoning and analysis. These are basic skills which when instilled in every person, you basic life style might just improve if nothing else!" And that was the end of that conversation.

It is sad that people take this subject so lightly and think that it is a cake walk. We need more people who are striving towards improving the quality of education imparted to our youth. Just like we are the future now, they will be the future next. And believe it or not, education is the key to everything. I always felt empathy towards those personalities since i belong to their struggle even now, the only difference is that the questions being addressed by them and us have changed! The circumstances being faced remain the same...:)