Nothing can be divorced
from anything because in a way the whole of life and by extension all its
activities are interconnected, inter-related and interdependent.
Universe is not earth centric; Earth is not human centric; Humanity is not any specific or particular
ideology centric (be it religious, political, economic, social,
regional, linguistic and so on).
Education defies specific definitions and extends far beyond
institutions.
1. Real SOPS
of LIFE are about the
Links of
Interrelatedness
Finely
Evolving through
Synergy of all social engineering institutions
Opportunities arising out of, for and by these
institutions
Priorities based on a wide range of perspectives to
pervade in these institutions
Supporting a society where sense of balance, equality
and harmony prevail.
Social engineering
institutions here may include some or all of these academic, political,
religious, cultural, economic, scientific, corporate etc.
“In the end
nothing less than the whole of everything can be the truth of anything at all”-
William James.
If realistically
narrowed down the trade-off of time, money, energy, and more importantly the
mind-space that is occupied by role and relevance of education by all stake
holders -from students to parents to teachers to institutions- is focused on
certain expected outcomes.
2. We need to be
clear first about what outcomes? And why?
3. There are two
things that are inevitably interlinked:-
a) Clarity of
understanding a subject or issue through grasping it by subjecting it to
contextual relevance and interpreting through proper perspective-which is
visualizing the wider ramifications and requirements. b) Being able to
articulate such an understanding lucidly and precisely.
4. Having said
that, mostly, the discourse and narrative on various types of learning are
hugely confused from using multiple frames of reference based on expected
results, resources and restrictive ideologies.
5. Therefore, very
often the canvas of learning is painted with a brush dipped in many colours
starting from basic literacy to curious interest based self-generated avid
learning to acquiring academic qualifications for various purposes to over
philosophizing the concept of education into some abstract idea.
6. This creates a
great confusion among those who are entrusted with the responsibility of
imparting learning to youth.
7. I always
maintain that there must be more emphasis on quality created through effecting
synergy (at all levels starting from 6 year olds) of at least the following aspects:-
Content and methods of delivery; Experiment based
activities; Exploration- driven approaches; Giving adequate scope for
curiosity based activities, creative and original thinking and freedom to
question;
8. We need to
steer clear of all assumptions and prescriptions based on either copied models
or overzealous addiction to any traditional methods even though they may be
good or great.
9. This does not
mean that we need to ignore either of them, as both are very essential for
continuity as well as global competitiveness.
10. However,
knowing the ground reality of purpose of academic pursuits will enable us to
suggest a package that will synchronize with constant churning of life in all
spheres.
11. Let us be
frank in accepting the fact that a vast majority of academic courses are
pursued in nations like India by the majority for livelihood.
12. In present day
context, despite vast range of opportunities, livelihood depends on various
factors some of them may be listed as focus, perseverance, updating of
development across various domains and countries, predicting probable changes
(most of which are not gradual but sudden and disruptive now), a comprehensive
survival tool kit that enables a person to work with knowledge and
awareness through the legal rights and duties, social
responsibilities, economic imperatives, humanitarian and environmental concerns
( which include primarily knowing what are the natural resources near one's
surrounding), financial management, cross cultural adaptability, domain
knowledge and specialization, personal and family health care and so on.
13. In short one
must be equipped to relate effectively and efficiently with everyone and
everything.
14. Real intense
motivated learning will anyway happen in the realms of following one's innate
interests, hobbies and passions and enhancing some unique talents.
15. Institutions
and those at the helm of affairs of running educational institutions must keep
in mind to prioritize the livelihood based requirements of academic pursuits
and draft and deliver contents accordingly.
Most
importantly we all need to be aware that everything and everyone in this world
are interconnected, interrelated and interdependent and hence, any academic
pursuit in order to have a competitive edge must incorporate, as Rupamanjari
Ghosh pointed out in an article in TOI a few months back, 'interdisciplinary
and multidisciplinary approach' to be of some relevance in the intensely
competitive context of present existence and life. I would like to add academics
must also take into consideration the various dimensions and the multiple
dynamics of all the dimensions.
16. Education is not confined
to classrooms nor completed through a certificate.
We tend to not only visualize, verbalize but also conceptualize and
resort to a presumptive stereotyping a whole lot of terms which are in a wordle
with one big aspect of life called ‘education’ like: - classroom, academic
qualification, institutions, teachers, communication skills, knowledge,
understanding, learning etc. Though every one of these terms may be part of
learning and education, if we zoom any specific part as representing the whole,
then we may be doing injustice to learning and enfeebling the enormity of
education.
17. We must know and understand that learning is neither confined to
classrooms nor is it limited to being of some service to others at home or
office nor is it confined to mere academic excellence and so on, rather beyond
and besides these learning must
Evolve to experience, to experiment,
to explore, to evaluate and to get enlightened,
Develop discretionary skills
to decide, to decipher the different dimensions and dynamics of life.
Understand the underlying
causes and unravel the characteristics of as many things as possible.
Create confidence and
clarity to connect with contextual relevance and communicate effectively.
Accommodate all possible and
relevant frames of references to analyze all things beyond mere academics.
Think beyond and besides
time tested templates and to tread beyond trends, taboos and traditions.
Internalize intrinsically
important values and interpret in tune with inherent attributes and contextual
relevance.
Open the horizon of
opportunities with open mindedness and synergy to seamlessly
Nurture the natural
interrelatedness, interconnectivity and interdependence of everything and
everyone.
18. With closure of educational institutions during the pandemic many
have been discussing about how to make children learn as if classroom is the
only place of learning.
19. In my honest opinion learning happens mainly: - Out of
curiosity generated observation and listening; Out of impulse to imitate what
or whom we consider as interesting and appealing; Out of fear and/or love
through the manifestation of these emotions, with varying degrees of
intensities like obligations, rewards, punishments, likings and so on. So, that way almost 90% plus real learning
happens only outside the classroom and besides the syllabus.
20. However, basic literacy to enable one to learn in a systematic
manner or methods or processes may be imparted inside the classroom.
Classrooms can at best instill, motivate and direct to get informed,
acquire knowledge, indicate the methods of understanding and allow individuals
to explore the possibilities of interpretations without restricting the number
of or range of frames of references. Some unique features of human species over
the rest like conscious awareness and ability to internalize are very useful
tools to learn better, more and use whatever one has learnt.
21. Learning is a lifelong process. So, as Dani Johnson says, “Never
stop being teachable”. If you think you know everything, you will never learn
anything. Then what may be termed as Learning? The problem with human
beings unlike other species is that we are consciously aware, and we can also
collect, store and retrieve data and reuse them. This faculty along with our
intellectual thinking and reasoning powers hamper us from having humility to
accept the mere fact that there are many unknown as well as unknowable elements
to life as a whole and even in our individual lives.
22. We either act or react according to what we want, what we can and
what we are destined to. At different
times either one of these three predominates i.e. what we want, we can we are
destined to do.
23. Knowledge, Information, Thoughts, Ideas and
Teachings are ingredients, Understanding is making them into a tasty cooked
food, Grasping and Interpretations are the utensils used for cooking, is the
process of cooking a tasty, easily digestible, nutritious food.
24. What for we get educated?
25. We need to look into the purpose /meaning/role of education rather
than getting into philosophical/verbal debates about defining ‘What is
education?’ What are/what must be the components of education which need to be
prioritized according to situation/context? What are we going to do with
the education that we impart or get?
26. What are the aspects of life/society/nature that education must
focus on?
27. How are we going to include creative thinking, experimentation,
observation, clarity of thinking, curiosity to learn in the education system
ensuring once again all these are according to contextual relevance?
28. How can we inculcate the importance of value and process of marrying
data with technology as a tool to decipher many areas of human life and understanding
the dynamics of life as a whole?
29. How are we going to ensure better preparedness of human beings to
face the ever changing challenges in many spheres of human activity?
30. How we are going to educate even young children to be street smart
and politically wise both in terms of understanding politics and playing
politics as these are becoming not only very important but sometimes
indispensable survival skills?
31. The importance of literacy and certain level of formal education is
a fundamental basis or a given or a premise.
32. But then we need to decide as to what are the subjects that need to
be included in this process? And what are the things that need to be chaffed
away, churned out/in, continued, carried out as the most important?
33. Practically I feel it must include awareness; method of
observation; using relevant frames of reference to evaluate anything or anyone;
making everyone understand the importance of reason and logic in terms of
contextual relevance; imparting knowledge about how everyone and everything are
inter connected, inter related , inter dependent and interactive ; importance
of how therefore we must relate with everything and everyone; all these will
include acquiring enough knowledge about our body/health, mind, social
awareness as it is existing not as envisaged and idolized by some ideology or
ism; appropriate utilization of natural resources; importance of relevant
attitude to ensure collective survival in comfort and life in peace and
harmony; awareness about what we must consume as food, how much, and what are
the edible commodities grown/cultivated/available near one’s place of living
etc.
34. Inclusion of all these and many more aspects as part of
education needs to and leads to drastic changes in the methods of
teaching/learning and how are we going
to generate all those ?
35. Are these too many to start off? Not at all because data and easily
accessible technology offers vast area of synergy with which we can actually
address these, if not all, at least many of them.
36. Neither certain basic material aspect of life nor political
influence /impact can be ignored in any sphere of activity. So they need to be
factored in as part and purpose of education without pronouncing any
hypocritical idealistic preaching against them. Children observe and they see
through the hypocrisy of elders.
37. The WHYs of education?
“People lose
their way when they lose their why” says, Michael Hyatt.
We need to know first why we are pursuing some education.
Not mere academic qualification or mere literacy, though they too are
equally relevant and important for many aspects of social life. Then why we
need it?
38. Whether whatever we do in the name of education are they increasing
happiness, adding value to the one doing it and then to others?
39. Whether it is tool for attaining something else or an end in itself?
40. What are all the skill sets we want out of education? Most
importantly what is the trade off? It
need not necessarily be the constant obsession with tradeoff for our time and
money spend to be compensated with more money without greater happiness, peace
and better understanding.
41. Education is not merely confined to making or earning money, skills
in communication and calculation.
42. Whether any external coaching can improve intelligent perception
beyond knowledge acquisition?
43. Whether anything can improve our understanding or our thinking or
more interestingly go beyond the realms of thoughts?
44. Whether any specific method can endow us with some ability to grasp
the pulse of every subject or inject clarity of understanding?
45. Normally, the best education starts with curiosity, meanders
through imitation- as a natural instinct for short cut- as a child learns to
speak the language and words spoken by its parents then expands through
exploration, experimentation, empirical verification, rational justification
and so on.
46. I have read a lot on the subject of education to get confused enough and
I have written enough to pass on the confusion. But when I encounter people,
some of the so-called highly educated, groping in the dark clueless in many
areas of life or manifesting obvious idiocy, then, I am forced to look into the
meaning, purpose and utility of the whole gamut of education. Most
of us when we talk of education, in general, not specific education for a
intended outcome or purpose, are still swimming in a sea of vagueness and club
a wide range of things under one single generic term ‘education’
including in it everything from basic literacy, ability to communicate, better
verbal articulation of already available information or interpretation of
existing data to making in depth study in the mechanism of the subject of
study. There is nothing wrong in this but we need to merely and humbly accept
the fact that we do not have enough clarity whenever we use the word education.
47. Like everything else in life education too involves a constant
process of adjustment and learning. “If
we know exactly where we're going, exactly how to get there, and exactly what
we'll see along the way, we won't learn anything”. M.S.Peck.
48. A good comprehensive education qualifies and produces leaders and
managers who can involve effectively in Social Engineering and human
emancipation with humane values with a vision and mission in delivering the
following Real Universal Wisdom.
49. Wisdom is the work shop where
works of evolutionary trends and experiences of everyone in it emerge to
express wisely the essence of everything to enlighten everyone;
50. A wisdom which prioritizes living in
the present context and along with practicing certain time tested values which
have relevance in present context but with global perspective to bequeath a
livable planet, a lovable society with lovely infrastructures and improved
living conditions;
A wisdom that evaluates
everything and everyone with contextual relevance and based on the inherent
attributes or merits of what or who is being evaluated without extrapolating
any presumptions, opinions, judgments, perceptions, expectations,
ideologies, doctrines, identity based ideology and so on;
A wisdom which is willing
to make minor adjustments, small compromises, spontaneous cooperation to
create compatible and conducive atmosphere with humility devoid of any
egocentric pride;
A wisdom with the realization
and a perspective that must be aware that life is a constant process of
learning of the multiple dimensions of many things and the various dynamics of
those dimensions involving the constant interaction and interrelationship with
everyone and everything.
A wisdom that is willing to
accommodate multiple methods or means of life with some overall tolerant
attitude embedded on humanitarian concerns towards all human life and
environmental or natural concern towards all other species.
A wisdom that gets its clarity of
understanding through a churning process that takes into consideration several
aspects from the practical to the philosophical to the all fantasies of the
mind.
51. It would be a mistake if we conclude knowledge and understanding
only in certain specific areas or domains of life is enough because life itself
is too intricate, interconnected, inter- related and interdependent on various
factors each having its own varied dimensions and variety of dynamics
both inner dynamics as well as interactive dynamics. However, we cannot go on and on, debating and
discussing the multiple meanings and complexities of education.
52. We need to start somewhere for the benefit of maximum number
of human beings as individuals as well as social entities and the whole natural
environment we need to evolve some forms of education systems with lofty,
practically useful, easily executable ideals and goals, all on the whole
creating a synergy that will be of great value in any situation rather than
getting educated excluding many things which one may be required to come
across in life later on and get stranded clueless and forced to depend on
everyone else. If possible as Thomas
Huxley says, "Try to learn something about everything and everything
about something."
