Creativedot

I have often thought about a new vision for education, as even a nobel prize-winner economist concedes the return on investment, on education is no longer justified in today's age.
Plus i'm quite thoroughly disillusioned with the education system: i should know, i have worked as a visiting faculty and guest lecturer at various schools, colleges, universities, and academic institutions across india since circa 1989, albeit peppered with long gaps in-between.

People think throw some money or some toys and we could solve education's current dilemma. I mention this in my article published in the Wall Street Journal's india-edition, the Mint, here: New Kid On The Block.

But i don't believe a blackboard-and-pencil replacement alone can solve the problem. What we need is a new way of approaching the four distinct...

...and different concepts a) Knowledge b) Information c) Education d) Skills.

Let's not be confused about the four. Ironically, the one skill we do hone in our education-system, is the skill of procuring high-marks in examinations. Impressively with limited application of the other three concepts.

I strongly feel information and aspects of education can be found here, thereby freeing up the teacher from merely being a photostater of reference and an information regurgitating organism.

schoolforge.net
cnx.org
curriki.org
wikiversity.org
ibiblio.org
selfproject.eu
edubuntu.org
wikieducator.org
eduforge.org

Finally education is never holistic in its approach to life. What we need is a bold new vision. Here's what I am convinced will shape education within our lifetimes: Osho: Five Dimensions of Education

In the immortal words of Baloo the Bear from the Jungle Book, while disagreeing with Bageera's decision of sending Mowgli back to the village:

"What? Back to the the Man Village? But they'll make a man out of him!"

:-)
Niyam

Copyright Niyam Bhushan, 5 sep 2007. Published under a CC-BY license.