November 17th, 2009
Yesterday I read about an alarming piece of news about the seemingly harmless iPods corrupting the minds and souls of our children. That made me step back and think about technology in general and the attitude of those around children towards technology.
As parents:
- do we teach our children about making informed choices or oscillate from laissez faire to making those choices for them, potentially crippling them for life?
- do we make it our business to find out what our child is reading, listening to, accessing, borrowing, downloading or swing from disrespectful intrusion to hands-off right to privacy non sense?
- do we make time to enjoy the boons of technology and learn from our kids or look at it as something to keep them out of our way after a long, stressful work day?
As parents, we probably have a much skewed view of technology associating it with largely electronic gadgets that are ever so rapidly evolving in terms of complexity and sophistication. We patiently teach our children how to use and master the art of eating with a fork and knife, writing with a crayon/pencil/pen, riding a bicycle for days/weeks/months till the child masters both the skill and attitudes related to it, rarely associating these with technology. We associate technology with electronic gadgets like computers, iPods, e-gaming and the like, giving them access or ownership but absolving ourselves of all responsibility to train and educate them about their judicious usage.
Also as parents, we find it difficult, if not impossible, to keep up with that which we consider “technology”, and therefore take the easier option of surrendering our parental responsibilities of helping our children grasp and responsibly handle technology to teachers, peers and other second or third parties.
As teachers, we train our children to handle laboratory apparatus and classroom resources like manipulative so that they learn to use them to enhance their learning. But when it comes to computers and associated accessories, the onus of their proper use is conveniently palmed off to the IT teacher. The IT teachers, given the length and breadth of their curriculum, and probably because they themselves are inadequately informed or because this aspect of technology is not covered by the syllabus, bypass these crucial life skills in their classes.
With little or no guidance from parents and teachers, children either “figure-it-out” for themselves or learn by trial and error, or turn to equally inadequately informed peers for guidance or worse turn to strangers exposing themselves to manipulation.
In the meanwhile, it is not surprising ,that, children make poor choices in handling technology.
Tags: child safety, e-gaming, Education, Gadgets, guiding children to use technology, IT teacher, parents involvement in technology selection, safety, teaching children how to use technology safely, teaching children on the use of technology, technology, technology and safety, technology can corrupt, Technology in Education, technology is a good slave, technology makes a poor master, Technology/Internet
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October 1st, 2009
India is a land of many, many contradictions. Since ancient times foreigners have been fascinated by India who have come here to find themselves, or religion, or something equally important.
Continuing with this tradition, writer & journalist Elizabeth Gilbert travelled to India during a difficult period in her personal life in an attempt to find herself, spirituality and love. Her memoires are published in her highly successful & acclaimed 2006 spiritual travelogue named “Eat, Pray, Love” (the book was on the New York Times Best Seller list for 110 weeks).
A few days ago, Hollywood star Julia Roberts arrived in India to shoot Ryan Murphy’s screenplay adaptation of the book. The filming of the movie is taking place at “Ashram Harimandir” in Pataudi, Haryana – 40 Km from Gurgaon. The Ashram is a picturesque 25-acre campus, which houses a temple, an educational institution for higher learning, residences for students & an old persons’ home.
Despite the fascination India holds for foreigners and its reputation for being a destination where one can find piece of mind, spirit and body; Indians seem to find their own country as a place where they lose themselves in the daily humdrum of life and living. We are so busy with our daily lives that we don’t question contradictions and idiosyncrasies in our systems and behaviours.
Included in this contradiction is the decision of the Ashram authorities to shut the educational institution for a period of 2-3 weeks for the filming of the movie. The authorities of the educational institution seem to have forgotten that their primary job is to teach the students and to prepare them with life skills relevant to their chosen fields of specialization. In turn students also devote significant time and effort mastering the syllabi and sharpening their skills. The closing of the institution for something as trivial as a filming of a movie seems to be an extreme injustice to the students. This is specially so when the primary argument given by almost all educational institutions in India – for not changing/ improving existing teaching learning practices and/or adopting best practice – is work overload and paucity of time.
How is it that work overload and unavailability of time are not factors considered while making the decision to suspend classes? In recent months, a number of schools have temporarily suspended classes – some of them being the most prestigious and best in India – as a precautionary measure against H1N1 (Swine Flu). Now, closure of an educational institution as a precaution against swine flu makes perfect sense – but this does not take away the schools responsibility to take measures to compensate for lost time. Most schools, especially when it comes to their senior school and students who will be sitting for the external board exams, will put in a programme which will make up for lost time. This brings me to the point that I would like to make – where there is a will, there is a way and where there is a need, solutions are found and in these situations constraints are not impediments but catalysts for creative solutions. When it comes to our education system, we need to recognise the dire need for bringing about positive change to make the system more relevant to the requirements of the 21st century (there is an urgent need and ways to address the need must be found). Mr. Kapil Sibal’s reform push have provided the thrust for change; the other stakeholders now must to do their bit to ensure that there is a positive outcome to these initiatives.
Tags: Ashram Harimandir, best practice, Eat, Education, educational institution, Elizabeth Gilbert, Gurgaon, H1N1, India, Julia Roberts, Kapil Sibal, Love, Pataudi Haryana, Pray, Ryan Murphy, Swine Flu, syllabi, teaching-learning
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September 22nd, 2009
For most people “change” is an alarming concept. It signifies the end of continuity or familiarity, the start of a journey into the unknown. If change is difficult for adults then it probably has a magnified impact on children who carry the baggage of their own expectations, in addition to the baggage of expectations and insecurities of their elders – so unreasonably thrust upon their tender shoulders. I can see how changes to the education system can result in feelings of fear and anxiety in children and in everyone who are stakeholders in their journey into the real world. After all, India’s education system has virtually not changed for decades and students have mastered the “Art of Performance” through rote learning and teachers the “Art of Delivery” through chalk and talk. Marks in high 90’s are common practice and is symptomatic of how the system has been mastered. Thus, there is bound to be resistance towards any significant changes to this system.
Over the last few weeks, I have been reading with keen interest the various aspects of Mr. Kapil Sibal’s proposed reforms to the Indian education system, including the abolition of the Class X external exam, assessment & grading system, and his proposal to introduce an all India exam for admission into the science stream; amongst other things. While most of us would agree that the system needs review and revamp and it is high time a well thought-out action plan was implemented to weed out the malaise that infects the K-10/K-12 system, there is significant resistance to the changes from almost all quarters. I have also had the opportunity of speaking with a number of principals, who too, are not enthusiastic about the changes proposed by Mr. Sibal. Why is it that we are resisting? Some of the objections that I have read or heard are akin to clutching to the last straws and do not withstand any degree of scrutiny.
Evaluating the arguments, it seems to me that the resistance is not against the changes, but against the lack of insight into how the proposed reforms will be implemented and more importantly, how the system will work post reforms. Change, in any context, needs to be undertaken with great sensitivity; and in most successful implementations significant time, effort and money is expended to educate the affected stakeholders on their standing and understanding of the new system. Buy-in from the main stakeholders is a prerequisite for achieving any significant degree of success.
Unfortunately, Mr. Kapil Sibal’s has not articulated his vision of what the system will look like once he has implemented his full range of proposals/ initiatives. Nor has he provided an insight into how the individual components of reforms fit into this vision. To assuage the fears of the parents, teachers, administrators and students, Mr. Sibal should start communicating with the nation on what his proposed changes will mean for them, instead of their receiving piecemeal information in the form of selected passages provided by the media.
Mr. Sibal and his band of Merry Men in the education ministry, should also reach out to as many principals and education professionals by holding discussions and by articulating the many benefits they see from the reforms and by addressing common concerns.
It seems to me, that the changes proposed by Mr. Sibal are well intentioned and if implemented well, could result in a significant improvement in the teaching learning practices adopted in our schools. However, I am concerned that the implementation process is not robust and significant areas still need to be addressed before we can be made comfortable with Mr. Sibal’s vision. At the moment, Mr. Sibal is adding more stress to the lives of the children and parents instead of his claim of trying to reduce it. My suggestion to him would be to defer the implementation of making 10th class exams optional from academic year 2010-11 to say academic year 2014-15. This would give schools, administrators and regulators adequate opportunity to implement a holistic model and to cater to the needs of the new reality and to address its shortcomings.
Change cannot merely be brought about by a mere sound bite or stroke of a pen; it needs to be understood before it can be embraced.
Tags: abolition of the Class X external exam, action plan, anxiety in children, assessment & grading system, chalk and talk, Education Ministry, education professionals, Education Reform, education roadmap, impact of change on education, Indian education system, Kapil Sibal, principals, schools, teachers, teaching, teaching-learning
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September 14th, 2009
Does “Payal Mahajan, OCT” read better than “Payal Mahajan” was my first reaction to the introduction of a professional designation/title for teaching professionals in good standing in Ontario, Canada.
Recently the Council of Ontario College of Teachers granted all certified teachers the professional title of OCT (Ontario Certified Teacher). Professional designation for teachers is rare across most of the world, with Ontario, Canada being the only other country outside of mainland UK that confers such an honor on its teaching community. Similar recognition is also proposed for teachers in other Canadian provinces.
Professional designation is a formal recognition of the expertise and skills of a profession and provides its members greater credibility and standing in society. Coming from a regulatory body, it carries more weight and respect than an academic or a job title, indicating “accountability to the profession” while at the same time underscoring the professional distinction between the teachers and those who assist in the delivery of the curriculum in Ontario schools. For those like me, it will transform `teacher` from a common noun to a proper noun. Its significance lies in the fact that it will make the profession more respectable and distinct, with built-in assurance of quality.
The recognition of the professional standing of the teaching community in this manner sends a clear message that Canada is proud of its teachers and their contributions. It implies, in no unequivocal terms, that the person so recognized is a credible educator whose qualification and training, has been approved and whose antecedents have been verified in order to protect the interest of the vulnerable children.
For some, it may be the case of what’s in a name, a rose by any other name…..
For others like me, it is la cause de faire la fête.
Tags: Canada, certified teachers, Council of Ontario College of Teachers, OCT, Ontario, Ontario Certified Teacher, Ontario College of Teachers, Ontario schools, Professional designation, Professional designation for teachers, teacher, teaching professionals
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August 27th, 2009
A recent study on online education for the US Department of Education has concluded that “On average, students in online learning conditions perform better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.”
The study was based on comparative research from 1996 – 2008; some of which was in the K-12 settings. The analysts found that, on average, students doing some or all of their courses online ranked in the 59th percentile in tested performance, compared with the average classroom student scoring in the 50th percentile.
The difference in performance although modest is statistically significant. As per Barbara Means, the study’s lead author and an educational psychologist “The study’s major significance lies in demonstrating that online learning today is not just better than nothing — it actually tends to be better than conventional instruction”.
Until fairly recently, online education amounted to little more than electronic versions of the old-line long-distance courses. In the more recent past, universities (especially in the developed countries) have adapted their in-class teaching material and made it available in online format (some of it for free or nominal cost). Universities — and many K-12 schools — now widely use online learning management systems, but that is mostly used for posting assignments, reading lists, class schedules and hosting some Web discussion boards.
While initial attempts in e-learning were not inspiring, the pace of progress has been rapid and encouraging. Enhancements in digital software, e-learning tools and learning management platforms have changed the quality and utility of online education. The arrival of social media, Web-based video, instant messaging and collaboration tools have radically altered the way participants of the online education environment interact with and learn from each other. The absence of collaboration and interaction, which had traditionally been the main drawback of online education is in-fact now posed to be its fundamental source of strength; as online education has the potential of providing an enriching collaborative environment by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
So, what are the implications of this for in-class education?
The development of online education is expected to evolve fairly rapidly, accelerated by the increasing use of social networking technology which will create new and innovative learning communities among students. The real promise of online education is providing learning experiences that are more tailored to individual students than is possible in classrooms and enabling more “learning by doing,” which many students find more engaging and useful.
Online education is already showing healthy trends in freeing education from the four walls of the classroom; and can be expected to increasingly take things out of the classroom. It is not entirely inconceivable that, in the not so very distant future, technology will be able to simulate a classroom environment – while contributing significant benefits of its own – which would make the physical presence of a school a thing of past. If this were to happen, the first casualties would be the less than “A” grade teachers and educational institutions.
For another perspective on this topic, see my blog dated June 12, 2009
Tags: Barbara Means, classroom, collaboration tools, conventional instruction, e-Learning, educational psychologist, in-class education, K-12, learning management systems, lms, long-distance courses, online education, online learning management systems, social media, social networking technology
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