“We cannot return to the world as it was before” - UNESCO The global pandemic has shed a harsh light on the vulnerabilities and challenges of education today. The pandemic has accelerated a tectonic shift in instructional delivery leading to an inevitable adoption of the online learning mode. The unprecedented disruption has impacted every stakeholder from policymakers to students causing widespread ramifications to the learning community in general. The challenges that have been long prevalent in the educational space have become accentuated, in the wake of Covid-19. Inequalities, are now becoming a serious impediment to learning, resulting in a pronounced ‘learning loss’, especially amongst the less privileged.
Undoubtedly, every educator is now compelled to introspect and bring innovative thinking to address the future of learning and the learners. The mandate of educators, is no doubts, to prepare learners for a future that demands greater specialisation in skills and in-depth knowledge that is constantly evolving. Teachers, increasingly have a very important role to play to alleviate the stress and uncertainty that shrouds the minds of our learners, and to bring the focus back to learning, that enables the development of creativity and innovation in their learners.
Enhancing teacher preparedness to achieve desirable levels of individual and collective efficacy is hence paramount for every learning organization. Innovation in instructional design and delivery to promote deep learning and student wellbeing are critical ingredients for the future of learning. As educators therefore, the need to pursue excellence in learning is paramount. Encouraging the teacher fraternity to engage in continuous learning and improvement is vital to both the success and the continued relevance of institutions of learning.
The ‘National Education Policy’ (NEP), places special emphasis to adopting a ‘Student Centric Approach’ to learning, which pivots on a systemic overhaul of teacher education in our country. The tenets of this visionary document, aims to equip teachers with essential 21 century learning skills that are in alignment with SDG, while promoting learning that is multidisciplinary and contextual. Its emphasis on building a profound knowledge of our nation and its ethos, is a commendable expectation, especially when we desire holistic development of our learners.
Teacher Education, both pre-service & in-service, has been a highlight of the policy. Every teacher is expected to undertake a minimum of 50 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) as a mandatory requirement of the Policy. The importance accorded to teacher training is clearly evident, establishing the need for quality teacher engagement and learning opportunities.
Centre for Learning, Leadership and Excellence (CLLE), is a passionate collective of educators from various prestigious institutions like Harvard, UWA, etc., facilitating the development of innovative practices that foster capacity and community building in educators.
Through a collaborative framework that integrates continuous and relevant educational research, leveraging technology to impact and influence the future of learning, we promote a culture that values effective teaching and meaningful learning with a commitment to student well-being and success. CLLE also partners with leaders in education in our quest to nurture the growth and development of world class teachers.
This article originally appeared in the TeacherTribe Magazine September 2021 edition.