Page 68 - EducationWorld June 2020

Teacher-2-Teacher

Preparing for the

uncertain future

KAMINI VIDISHA

ITH SCHOOLS DOWNING SHUTTERS As technological advancements
worldwide, and learning having shifted on-
line on a massive scale, a new era has dawned multiply, traditional straight-jacketed
Wfor KG-Ph D education. The novel Corona- job roles will become passé. Multi-
virus aka Covid-19 pandemic, has upended lifestyles, and
with production and usage of tablets, laptops and comput- disciplinary knowledge and skills will
ers becoming ubiquitous, a new world of teaching-learning stand young graduates in good stead
is taking shape. Projects, skills-building activities, maker
spaces — the hitherto new mantras of education — are los-
ing their sheen as learners struggle to find ways and means Hence the importance of continuous learning to remain a
to apply theoretical knowledge. step ahead of the digital revolution that’s already upon us.
Future markers of professional success are likely to be As technological advances multiply, traditional straight-
radically different from the metrics of the past few decades. jacketed job roles will become passé. Multi-disciplinary
Work is being reshaped by megatrends such as geopolitics, knowledge and skills rather than specialisation, will stand
economic uncertainty, automation and digital transforma- graduates in good stead. Collaboration across disciplines
tion, changing demography and finally economic inequali- is set to become normative. A good example is the do-
ties worldwide. main of chemical ecology — the study of how organisms
These megatrends are certain to impact young people. use chemicals to interact. And because chemicals usage
Choices of courses taken and career paths made now will is ubiquitous, this domain requires knowledge of botany,
determine success in an uncertain future. We believe that 3 chemistry, microbiology, mammalogy and entomology for
basic ‘Cs’ — critical thinking, communication and collabora- career progression.
tion skills are absolutely necessary to succeed in any career or youth preparing for success in the uncertain future,
of the future. Fthe Cynefin framework — conceptualised by Dave
Critical thinking. This is capability to view problems from Snowden (from his IBM days) — which categorises jobs of
refreshing perspectives, to think things through, take a few the future into obvious, complicated, complex, and chaotic
steps forward, advance arguments and counter-arguments and disorderly, is useful.
and reason with evidence before taking the next big step. Obvious. These jobs are defined by standard operating
Communication skills. To communicate effectively with procedures, legal structures and are rules-driven. They are
people from all walks of life is a critical element of people already in the process of being automated. Thus, chartered
management, service orientation, cooperation and nego- accountancy and law are likely to have limited takers in
tiation. the coming years. Close to 30 percent of graduates of pre-
Collaborative creativity. As problems become more mier law schools worldwide, are struggling to find work
complex, individual creativity is not enough. One needs and chartered accountants in numerous countries have
the power of collaborative creativity — capability to inspire seen their practices dry up.
creativity within groups of highly skilled people. Complicated. These are high judgement jobs that have
While the 3Cs are set to become the new normal for all multiple right answers and numerous options. They require
professions and vocations, liberal arts electives — the hu- engineers, surgeons, high altitude divers and the like. These
manities, law, philosophy, design, communication, jour- vocations are currently under threat of machine learning/
nalism, literature, psychology, art, music — are likely to be AI (artificial intelligence). But despite rapid advancements
included in all higher education study programmes includ- in technology, the demand for these skills is likely to persist
ing engineering, law and medicine among others. This has for at least the next decade.
also been strongly recommended in the National Education Complex. These jobs need the human touch because they
Policy (NEP) draft of the Dr. K. Kasturirangan Committee require intuition. Perseverance, expertise and long practice
which is being given its final touches by the Union HRD cannot be replicated by machines and AI. War strategists,
ministry. While hard skills will remain important, develop- market analysts, system designers who work at the junc-
ing core soft skills coupled with the ability to learn, unlearn tions of technology and law are likely to be in demand for
and relearn on a regular basis will enable students to trans- a long time.
form into lifelong learners. Chaotic and disorderly. These jobs are not covered by
Development of life-long learning capabilities is vital any rule book. They are vocations that require quick re-
because there’s no certainty that the study programme you sponse to macro events and crises. That’s why the jobs of
choose today will remain relevant in the next decade. With politicians are perhaps the most secure.
the onset of the digital age, it’s clear that many jobs will be (Kamini Vidisha is the Gurgaon-based co-founder of edtech company
automated and driven by artificial intelligence and robots. Anavi Learning LLP)

68 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2020