The world has become smaller and infinite at the same time, bringing people closer at yet making distances too apparent. with every industry evolving to find a place for itself in the new scenario, education can’t be far behind. After all it is the industry that feeds into every other industry, the future of all commerce lies in the classroom.
Isn’t that big enough reason for the classroom to adapt itself to the times and changes. Here are some quintessential elements we think every classroom should embody to encourage free thinking and bring up open minded pupils:
Problem solving and critical thinking
Reality can be quite different from books, therefore it is important for a classroom to prepare you to think on your feet, calculate every possibility before action and think before reacting to a problem. All this comes with hands on experience and it is imperative for a classroom to prepare its pupil to this end.
A classroom should promote interactive, team based tasks, field study etc to encourage critical thinking and culminate problem solving skills in students.
As I said the internet has opened the gates for a global citizenship, anyone who is curious and dynamic can apply for membership and find like minded people to learn from and share their expertise with. It is the most inspiring medium in this age that has taken education to a whole different level and a modern classroom must make use of it.
Technology can be used to make any lesson much more stimulative and experiential. You can go to a different country, talk to its people, explore their culture and climate all by sitting in front on a screen! This is the beauty of technology.
The latest BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) movement is a reaction to this new need to make the classroom more interactive.
Freedom of Expression
A modern classroom is all about collaborative learning, it is a free space where students engage in what they learn. they learn by way of communicating, reading, listening, writing and reflecting. Such a kind of classroom both encourages and respects an out of the box way of thinking, there is no space for judgement or discouragement of ideas.
Each student is innovative in their own way and ‘their own way’ is what is of most importance. every idea in a modern classroom should be heard and given a chance to grow.
Self and peer assessment
Self assessment is important for every student to realize their full potential. A student needs to know his/her strengths and weaknesses to figure out what works for them and what doesn’t. Furthermore it gives them an idea of what they’ve learned and what skills that they need to acquire.
Another very important feature of a modern classroom is peer evaluation, this kind of assessment not only improves a students analytical and judgement skills but also encourages healthy competition, helping students find a sense of ownership in terms of their work.
Strength based learning
There are all kinds of learners, auditory, visual, kinesthetic etc. Each of these have their own way of learning things. Some students learn by reading and writing, some need visual aids, and some need hands on engagement to reach their full potential.
A modern classroom looks out for the needs of every student, this means that a lecture must include something that would interest every learner.