Humanising education in fast-paced digital world

Ranjana Kaushal, Principal, MGM Public School, with an experience of more than 25 years in the field of education and administration, shares her insights on the need to humanise education in the digital world in an interview with Manav Mander.

What are the changes that you note in the field?

We an information glut in today’s world. Google knows everything, AI knows everything. Everything seems downloadable but wisdom, confidence and human connection. These are experienced and taught. We must know the fact that if education is merely about procuring information, then we are raising machines with anxiety instead of minds with purpose and I believe this can be brought about by humanising education.

What is the relevance of humanising in fast-paced digital age?

Humanising education is generally a tap to note that students are not robots and it is about saying that ‘You matter more than your marks’. It provides a safe space instead of fear and allows a child creative liberty instead. We need to create classrooms where students feel safe to express themselves, ask questions and learn from their mistakes. It implies that every student learns differently, and that kindness and respect are just as important as marks and achievements .

What are the benefits of human touch?

Surely, it cannot be denied that technology is augmenting at a fast pace. On one side, it is a welcome development but on the other, it is quite alarming as well. We must bear in mind to keep humanity at the heart of learning. Students should be prepared to communicate well, to work in teams, to understand others and to make responsible decisions .The physical presence of a teacher can be a source of cultivating students culturally and morally, while making them digitally sound. A teacher helps students become confident individuals who can face challenges with courage and treat others with empathy and I strongly believe that it must not be taken away from the students in order to prioritise cutting-edge tech.

Do you think digitalisation is creating miracles?

Change is the foremost sign of progress. We, educators, shoulder the responsibility of transforming teaching methods with advancements in technology to satisfy the cognitive, social, and emotional needs of the children of this age. The modern education system is focused on the implementation of educational strategies that meet high ethical and technical standards. Indeed, we are now envisaging a spectacular version of education through digitalisation wherein the imagination of the students, if nurtured properly, can conceptualise ground-breaking ideas that can improve lives.

How can we cater to the needs of each student?

Every child is different. We see variations in aptitude, interests and learning abilities. I firmly believe that we must personalise learning paths, by utilising digitisation of education, which would foster stronger student-teacher relationships.

How much work must a parent do in this regard?

I won’t say that the entire onus falls onto parents. We often find that children are all alone at home because both parents are out working in order to sustain the household. In their absence, the child is vulnerable to receiving information from a plethora of digital sources without any filter. Here, the role of a teacher becomes paramount as he or she not only informs the child academically but helps with building character, providing spiritual upliftment and moral refinement. Most importantly, they help shape nation-builders of the future.

What would you say to parents and mentors?

I would like to mention that AI and internet are progressive inventions and must be embraced to heighten the cognitive skills of our children. However, we also need to focus on enhancing emotional intelligence. We must pay equal respect to the psychological needs of the child in order to a rounded personality.