Image sourceOver the years, there have been tremendous changes, the most of which have been in technological advancements and innovations. One glaring thing is how this advancement has roped its way into almost every sphere and field of human life. And sure, education has not been left out.
These days, there's little place to work hard as, with a changing world, effects have come up with better opportunities to work smart. Regardless, without downplaying the goodness of working hard, I sort of believe that both characteristics go hand-in-hand, cause working hard might just be the ground for breeding smartness.
These days, learning has become simplified. There are very many ways of approaching a single topic so that if a person doesn't understand using the first method, the third might just be his break point.
In schools, with studies, with projects, many(if not all topics) are available on the internet, and they are already simplified for easy assimilation. This is especially the case with artificial intelligence as ChatGPT.
It is a pity, however, that educational bodies and institutions are yet to fully embrace the promises of technology to the body. Times have changed, and you would expect that the system adapts, too.
I have been taught, and I have taught, and most often, what helped me provide just the right need and attention to every child that has cone under my tutelage was trying out other approaches than the conventional.
The school is a mix breed of people with different capabilities and needs, and I don't think it wise that we still hold to the old patterns as was in the beginning. Even giving no rooms for change of syllabus to suit present-day realities.
While I was in university, for a certain semester, this lecturer(a young man in his forties, I presume) had in his exam papers included the formulas to every problem and topic we had covered in his course. Out of surprise, we brought it to his notice, and he laughed. He had said that he saw no need why we has to cram formulas we might have no need for in the future. He said that having to master every one of those numerous formulas in addition to all our other school work would only put pressure on us. In his words, effective study doesn't thread well with pressure. It felt like a new dawn for us.
It's no longer that time when teaching has to be rigid and learning has to be by the pattern that is dictated or chosen by the lecturer. There are abundant approaches and tapping into them.is what the word smart should depict.
You know, do away with all of those not-so-necessqry topics and just get straight to the point, making sure to attack the important ones with more severity and practicality. Some students could better replicate and effectively express a topic by writing about it, speaking about it, or just going straight up with drawings. I see not so much need in writing page-after-page, word -for-word answes . There's more to education than studying tables, cramming words we would see and hear for the last time in class or exam halls, and learning unnecessary formulas.
Exams, which I understand, are to test students' capabilities and grade them accordingly and have even been compromised. If only the school system was welcoming, they may have just found these compromises and stitched them up. I kind of prefer the old, conventional ways of exams as they seem a little difficult to penetrate. Students are witty/smart and would always find their way around to do their thing, but unlike with technology, it doesn't offer so easy assess to cheating the system.
Do not get me wrong. I do hope that the use of other approaches and the involvement of technology comes into play in education. I just would not see the sense in it if students are let a free hand in the exam hall. What then would be the significance of the exama?
There's a long openchain of other practical subjects most suited for the time now. More about human relations and tech as it concerns and is applicable to various fields of study, students' interest, and an advancing society.
With the growing interest among students for technology, what else is a better approach to raise truly smart humans in their fields?
Thank you so much for reading. I hope you found this interesting. Do share your thoughts and opinions with me.