The other day I was invited by a friend of mine to attend an International Conference on ‘Towards A Global Competitive Learning Community - Role of Active Pedagogy’. The final session of the Conference included a Panel Discussion. The pariticipants of the Panel Discussion included two eminent Professors from Kerala and three Professors from the United Kingdom.
After all the five speakers had presented their different perspectives, the facilitator of the Panel Discussion invited the audience to join. I had volunteered first and was permittted to speak.
I drew the attention of the Panelists to the fact that at the Secondary Level in India, a kind of streamlining takes place and depending on ability and aptitude children are directed to pursue Arts, Commerce and Science streams. But in a country like India, the children of the rich middle class often excel. Socio-economic factors do play a major role where, right from childhood they are pruned to compete and become part of a global competitive learning community. Unfortunately a sizable chunk of the population are less privileged and fail to excel at the secondary stage. So I asked the panelists whether the same active learning pedagogy would be suitable for both the successful ones and the unsuccessful ones.
Within minutes a smart scholar rose up from the audience, grabbed the mic and began an illustration of the possibility of active learning. He even affirmed that emotional problems such as anger can be easily addressed by active learning and went on to narrate an anecdote to the amusement of the professors from the foreign university:... Once a lady continued to be irritated at a co-passenger eating the packet of cookies which she had purchased and even showed the impunity to share it with her. Later the lady found that it was all a mistake and that the packet of cookies she purchased was actually in her bag and the cookies which the man ate and shared with the lady was his own.
I didn’t want a debate... and so I walked up to the diaz and explained how the gentleman had completely missed the point and given me an unsought answer. I once again explained to the Panelists that what I meant was that, nurturing a spirit of competition to excel in life is one thing (perpetuated by the successful middle class in India) and learning to live in a spirit of cooperation (which schools such as the Sathya Sai Trust) perpetuates is another thing. Perhaps more than cognitive skills, spiritual values which the ancient sages in India have stressed are more relevant today! At least, this time I hoped the Panelists would answer my query.
But this is a land of brilliant minds! A lady from the front row shot up like an arrow towards the diaz and began a spirited affirmation of the need and possibility of instilling in learners the spirit of competition! Following the ‘spirtited affirmation’ another lady walked with a measured pace to the diaz and spoke with a softness that would lull all anxiety...She said. “ It is possible for active pedagogy to nurture even the affective domain and the kinesthetic domain of learners! By now, I was completely lost...I believe someone else responded too...but I could hardly follow. Soon, the organizers of the Conference, signalled to the facilitator in the Panel that it is time for tea break which is to be followed by the Valedictory Session. So the Panelists couldn’t speak or even answer my question after four euridite scholars from the audience had given me a ‘satisfactory answer’.
During tea break, as I sat floundering over the quaint responses ... wondering whose competition is it any way... all the three Professors from the foreign University addressed me: First, they said that they were completely ill prepared and were not fully aware of the strong spritual base that need to be considered for any educational programme in India. One of them to my relief told me that in Britain they are currently deeply engaged in finding a form of pedagogy to address the needs of the less privileged.
I felt a bit relieved and began to turn the leaves of a newly released book. Then from behind came a familiar voice... It was the same gentleman who responded to my question... He commenced yet another vigorous illustration of the possibilities of active learning. He said he is a trainer who employs active learning strategy to transform all and asked me “Didn’t Krishna transform Arjuna?”. The sparkle in his eyes and his passionate tone led me to believe that anything is posssible with ‘active pedagogy’. I was completely swept off my feet but there was nowhere to run to. So, I looked into his eyes with the deepest affection possible and told him... well, just now the Panelists from the foreign University told me that they too felt that a different pedagogy is under consideration for the underprivileged in Britain.... There was a completely confused look in the eyes of the gentleman. He rose up from the seat he had sat during his vivacious lecture, shed all grace and disappeared into the crowd.
But my question - should we advocate competion or cooperation still remains unanswered... well ...,can you dear reader, give me a proper answer ??
After all the five speakers had presented their different perspectives, the facilitator of the Panel Discussion invited the audience to join. I had volunteered first and was permittted to speak.
I drew the attention of the Panelists to the fact that at the Secondary Level in India, a kind of streamlining takes place and depending on ability and aptitude children are directed to pursue Arts, Commerce and Science streams. But in a country like India, the children of the rich middle class often excel. Socio-economic factors do play a major role where, right from childhood they are pruned to compete and become part of a global competitive learning community. Unfortunately a sizable chunk of the population are less privileged and fail to excel at the secondary stage. So I asked the panelists whether the same active learning pedagogy would be suitable for both the successful ones and the unsuccessful ones.
Within minutes a smart scholar rose up from the audience, grabbed the mic and began an illustration of the possibility of active learning. He even affirmed that emotional problems such as anger can be easily addressed by active learning and went on to narrate an anecdote to the amusement of the professors from the foreign university:... Once a lady continued to be irritated at a co-passenger eating the packet of cookies which she had purchased and even showed the impunity to share it with her. Later the lady found that it was all a mistake and that the packet of cookies she purchased was actually in her bag and the cookies which the man ate and shared with the lady was his own.
I didn’t want a debate... and so I walked up to the diaz and explained how the gentleman had completely missed the point and given me an unsought answer. I once again explained to the Panelists that what I meant was that, nurturing a spirit of competition to excel in life is one thing (perpetuated by the successful middle class in India) and learning to live in a spirit of cooperation (which schools such as the Sathya Sai Trust) perpetuates is another thing. Perhaps more than cognitive skills, spiritual values which the ancient sages in India have stressed are more relevant today! At least, this time I hoped the Panelists would answer my query.
But this is a land of brilliant minds! A lady from the front row shot up like an arrow towards the diaz and began a spirited affirmation of the need and possibility of instilling in learners the spirit of competition! Following the ‘spirtited affirmation’ another lady walked with a measured pace to the diaz and spoke with a softness that would lull all anxiety...She said. “ It is possible for active pedagogy to nurture even the affective domain and the kinesthetic domain of learners! By now, I was completely lost...I believe someone else responded too...but I could hardly follow. Soon, the organizers of the Conference, signalled to the facilitator in the Panel that it is time for tea break which is to be followed by the Valedictory Session. So the Panelists couldn’t speak or even answer my question after four euridite scholars from the audience had given me a ‘satisfactory answer’.
During tea break, as I sat floundering over the quaint responses ... wondering whose competition is it any way... all the three Professors from the foreign University addressed me: First, they said that they were completely ill prepared and were not fully aware of the strong spritual base that need to be considered for any educational programme in India. One of them to my relief told me that in Britain they are currently deeply engaged in finding a form of pedagogy to address the needs of the less privileged.
I felt a bit relieved and began to turn the leaves of a newly released book. Then from behind came a familiar voice... It was the same gentleman who responded to my question... He commenced yet another vigorous illustration of the possibilities of active learning. He said he is a trainer who employs active learning strategy to transform all and asked me “Didn’t Krishna transform Arjuna?”. The sparkle in his eyes and his passionate tone led me to believe that anything is posssible with ‘active pedagogy’. I was completely swept off my feet but there was nowhere to run to. So, I looked into his eyes with the deepest affection possible and told him... well, just now the Panelists from the foreign University told me that they too felt that a different pedagogy is under consideration for the underprivileged in Britain.... There was a completely confused look in the eyes of the gentleman. He rose up from the seat he had sat during his vivacious lecture, shed all grace and disappeared into the crowd.
But my question - should we advocate competion or cooperation still remains unanswered... well ...,can you dear reader, give me a proper answer ??
