Key
to success is often keeping pace with the present so that we are ready to face
the challenges posed by an uncertain future.
Technology
is ever-evolving and constantly influencing our lives and means of livelihood.
But we can rest assured technology will play a major role in shaping the future
of mankind.
To
quote an authoritative source, Dr. Vishal Sikka, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys, “Emerging technologies in artificial intelligence, deep neural
networking, and machine learning (will) enable us to reimagine the possibilities
of human creativity, innovation and productivity.”
However,
Dr. Sikka is deeply concerned about the current system of education. Says he,
“Our educational system was built more than 300 years ago when farmers composed
the majority of our society; when memorization was rewarded more than curiosity
and experimentation; when getting something right outweighed learning through
failure.”
He
adds: “We must transition away from our
past; shift the focus from learning what we already know to an education
focused on exploring what hasn’t happened yet. This system would resemble
an ecology – constant, small adjustments made by independent actors inside of a
cohesive whole.”
The
analysis by Infosys CEO is fascinating. It offers definitive solutions and charts
out a clear road map to overhaul our education system and to transform our
learning methods:
●
It is very important for every individual to find their niche to
learn. When a balance is found between high level of skill and challenge at a
personal level, then the scope for our potential is limitless.
●
Mother Nature’s most disruptive innovation is human mind. It
enables us to analyze, understand, evaluate, communicate, empathize,
collaborate; imagine, dream, and create.
●
But these capabilities have a pre-requisite - our fundamental
ability to understand and to learn. This is what transforms raw data and
information into true knowledge.
●
Public policy must be transformed at all levels, starting with
Governments, through modern, responsive IT infrastructure. It must help create
a conducive environment for our students to become fluent in technology. The
education systems must keep pace with the latest trends in technology.
●
The new reality is our educational systems must modernize to
keep pace with the rapid technological changes, a fact corroborated by the results of a recent Infosys survey of 9,000
16-28 year olds worldwide. (see graph below)
●
Our education systems must teach the ability to learn, not the
ability to memorise.
●
Computers should be made available to all. With a word of
encouragement from an instructor, a friend or a relative, students will
self-organize around the devices. The result is emergence of natural leaders
and also the curiosity of children, and subsequently, their willingness to
share new ideas, and the solutions.
●
The best way to take away students’ fear or timidity is by
familiarizing them with technology at a young age and by encouraging a more
inclusive and open debate about the role of tools and technologies in finding
solutions for the great problems of our time.
But, Dr Sikka also cautions that in order for these new
educational systems to be successful, we must re-examine our own approaches.
All of us can help to transform the context around us - the context which
limits our potential.
He continues, “These are times of great transformation; a period
when I believe the technologies around us will alter all aspects of life.
Education has the unique and unassailable opportunity in our society to prepare
us for such a change.”
Dr. Sikka concludes with a note of optimism: “It is precisely
our human ability to learn, to harness our minds and to apply creative thought
to new problems that will allow us to adapt and overcome any future technology
or transition, as it has so many times in the past. Undoubtedly, the next
industrial revolution will amplify our humanity, but we must also bring a new
context, to make it as adaptable, curious, collaborative, engaging and powerful
as our own minds.”
(Thanks to Dr. Vishal
Sikka, CEO of Infosys, whose article ‘What kind of education do we need in the
future?’ for the World Economic Forum (WEF), which appears on their website https://www.weforum.org/ and has been condensed for the benefit of our readers)
Note: The graph is not part
of the original article and has been created using the data provided in the
article.