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International Education Day: Here are 5 Emerging Trends

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed January 24 as the International Day of Education to celebrate the pivotal role that education plays in creating peace and development.

International Education Day: Here are 5 Emerging Trends
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The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed January 24 as the International Day of Education to celebrate the pivotal role that education plays in creating peace and development. The COVID-19 pandemic has however made us question if the old methods of imparting education were adequate.

Education expert Rajesh Bhatia who is the founder of the pioneering online preschool chain TreeHouse Education believes that the future of education is inclusive, equitable, and virtual. Here are the five emerging trends that could redefine the meaning and expanse of education according to him 

Education will be hybrid and digitally adaptive
Innovations like gamification have altered the way students engage with their curriculums and more digital tools will make learning increasingly interactive. Rajesh Bhatia says, "Online schooling is estimated to be USD 2 billion in India by 2021 and online schools are going to grow in big numbers. This will also make schooling more affordable and inclusive."

Education will be more personalised
Rote learning and lack of individuation will now be a thing of the past, says Bhatia and adds, "We must prepare students to not just fit in but stand out as global citizens who have something unique to offer. It is hence important to engage with young minds with caution and sensitivity and mould them to process knowledge rather than just imbibe it passively."  

Education will become less focused on ranking systems
The obsession with marks, percentage, and ranks is unhealthy, generates unnecessary anxiety and stress, and serves no purpose, says Bhatia and adds, "The pandemic showed us that grading and rankings are not as important as bridging learning gaps, taking care of the mental health of our children." Artificial Intelligence (AI), he adds, will also be employed more and more in the assessment process.

Vocational training and unconventional courses will gain importance
Students do not just need to be educated but employable when they step out in the real world. Bhatia adds, "They will need to be abreast with new learning strategies and with digital advancements in various fields like Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence." He says courses in digital content creation, video editing, design PR, etc are also gaining popularity along with conventional ones that engage with industries like law, banking, hospitality, etc. In a nutshell, vocational courses will have to become an intrinsic part of the learning process along with all the nourishment that conventional education provides via books.  

Education will focus on creating well-rounded individuals
Empathy is the distinguishing feature of a well-rounded individual and in a world where economic and social disparity abounds, education will have to sensitize students to actively engage with their environment and help change the narrative, says Bhatia. He explains, "The pandemic has made it amply clear that a crisis impacts those without economic privilege most severely. Helping others is one way of helping yourself because only equitable growth is sustainable in the long run."

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