Scholar-Journalist of the Week: Emerging Trends in Education

“One thing I have kept consistent since I was in school is how I perform in any language subject and particularly in English. I developed the enthusiasm for writing during my high school days when I shared my thoughts on ‘Terrorism’ and got the required boost in confidence to write further. So I can say that this is when my writing journey started,” emphasised Saransh Sharma, a student of Apeejay Institute of Management & Engineering Technical Campus (AIMETC).

The 21-year-old recently penned down his thoughts about ‘Emerging Trends in Education’, which received massive views. The avid writer usually prefers to read mystery books, but of late he has developed an interest in reading about atheism i.e. non-belief in god. That led him to read ‘Why I am an Atheist’ by Shaheed Bhagat Singh, ‘The End of Faith’ by Sam Harris, and he is reading ‘The God Delusion’ by Richard Dawkins. In the scholar-journalist of the week interview, Saransh mentions about the transformations in the education sector, pandemic impact and more. Read on:

Why did you decide to write on the topic ‘Emerging trends in education?’

There is an interesting story behind this. I had no such intention or plans of writing an article on this issue until I applied for an internship in content writing at a company. They wanted me to write an article on ‘Emerging Trends in Education’ and that’s how I ended up writing on this topic. 

Undoubtedly, there have been several transformations in this sector, any changes that have created a personal impact? 

2020 suddenly exposed us to a completely online mode of learning. I was in my graduation, and swiftly adapting to this new form of education took some time. Gradually, I got accustomed to it and certainly it was something different I came through. Another would be exposure to the amount of multiple courses that are available on different apps like Coursera, Google or Linkedin. 

The onset of COVID-19 pandemic triggered online education. Your thoughts on the same?

I 200% agree with this statement as this term gained prominence right after the onset of COVID-19 and pandemic-induced quarantine phase. Before that it was only a fantasy for most students.

Do you think online learning is a better way to gain education and knowledge, today?

I would prefer to give a diplomatic answer on this considering the pros and cons of online education. I personally consider the online system as one of the best ways to gain knowledge considering how vast the domain is. Still there is something about offline education that can’t be fulfilled by the new system. The best example of it is the practical subjects that are tough to teach using online platforms. Plus, the students sometimes do get too comfortable in these online classes that the motive of education appears lost at times. 

Besides online education, two more emerging trends you think are benefiting the students?

I believe that apart from online education something like ‘vestibule training’ where real life work situations are created is quite beneficial to train students. One more is  ‘Simulation Games’, an interesting and entertaining way to impart knowledge. 

You mentioned in your article that today’s generation prefers to gain knowledge and boost their skills by staying connected to the internet rather than sitting in classrooms. What are the ways learners are adopting to learn new skills?

The role of Youtube is of paramount importance in learning new skills. I don’t think that there is any such topic which has been left uncovered by Youtube. Then there are platforms like Google, Linkedin, Coursera, Internshala, etc. that are worth appreciating along with the several lectures on different topics that are accessible at our own convenience, which I believe is of utmost importance. Now students don’t have to stay devoid of education only because they missed some classes. 

Your advice for new-age students who are learning via hybrid model

In my opinion, it’s great that students today have the opportunity to receive both online as well as offline modes of education. My piece of advice would be to try to create a balance between both the modes and one should work accordingly to improve the online education system. In this age of technology including online learning, the teacher-student relationship has also undergone a change. Now, more than ever before, the aim is to further strengthen the bond between students and teachers  as well as take measures to create an environment for learning which is efficient and rewarding. I would also like to mention that now with the availability of online platforms, you must include reading in your daily routine and now you can do it anytime from anywhere. That will help in strengthening your vocabulary. Learn different courses that will add to your career development.