Page 90 - EW JAN 2022

EW SPOTLIGHT FEATURE

Liberal Arts in a Changing World

he Covid 19 pandemic has changed of The Economist, under the title of “The
the way we perceive and act in this World Ahead in 2022”, offers a detailed
Tworld. Since March 2020 when survey of the multiple indicators that define
the World Health Organization declared “normal”. The findings indicate that a large
Covid-19 a pandemic, the world has ground percentage of employees will continue
to a halt several times affecting mental to work from home and by extension,
health, livelihoods, and delivery of services, technology will play a dominant role in
including education. Social isolation and education.
inadequate delivery of health services were Transition to online education
among the most prominent consequences underscored some challenges that require
cited the world over. Efforts spearheaded by creative solutions. Examining the way in
governments, pharmaceutical companies which universities strive to maintain the
and international governmental and non- acknowledged ethos of liberal arts and
governmental organisations recognised humanities will expose the challenges and
the urgency of the situation and sought the possibilities. The O.P. Jindal Global Prof. Kathleen A. Modrowski
emergency measures to develop and University (JGU) and the Jindal School of Professor and Dean, Jindal School
distribute vaccines, stem the looming Liberal Arts & Humanities (JSLH) provide a of Liberal Arts & Humanities, O.P.
economic crises and prevent the spread valid case study. The JSLH benefitted from Jindal Global University
of the virus. The success of these efforts the tremendous effort made by the JGU
in some regions has underscored global community to maintain the highest learning changes that are inevitable as universities
inequalities and the weaknesses of lines of standards in the virtual mode. JGU won move towards classes that are increasingly
transport and communication, willingness the “Digital Innovation of the Year” award at in hybrid form.
among nations to cooperate, and disparities the distinguished Times Higher Education Traditionally, liberal arts and humanities
in the belief in the research-based (THE) Asia Awards 2021. One challenge construct content from diverse sources.
foundations of science. was to maintain the holistic quality of liberal The genius of studying the diverse domains
Many problems mentioned above arts learning. Holistic learning engages of the liberal arts, including humanities,
have had a direct bearing on the delivery of all the senses, some of which can be best social sciences and visual and performing
education, as academic institutions moved perceived through in-person or highly arts, is our ability to contemplate these
from in-person to virtual/hybrid classes. personal one-on-one encounters. Ideally, disciplines in three dimensions: foundational
Expectedly, the transitions were smooth in liberal arts education allows learners knowledge of the past, and then locating
some countries and communities, in others to develop critical and creative thinking these disciplines within our knowledge of
not so smooth. It’s noteworthy that several skills. The space of learning is also the the present and concurrently projecting the
factors mark the successful transition place where new knowledge is created in multiple facets into a vision of the future.
from in-person to virtual mode. Important collaboration with teachers and learners. Unlike some domains of knowledge, the
are the teacher’s ability to adapt to digital Innovation and creativity, core values of multidisciplinary method fulfils the current
technologies, the quality of technology and the liberal arts, were applied by teachers, need to interpret critical issues, issues that
technical support, students’ equipment and education specialists and students as call for a broad search for meaning in time
learning environment and the degree to they found ways to create interactive and and space. Critical issues now impacting
which personalised instruction is available. multidisciplinary spaces within the virtual our lives such as income disparities,
The question that looms large for classroom. Greater integration of visual environmental crises, gender and ethnic
everyone is when will we return to pre- materials such as digital art and digital inequalities and lack of distribution of basic
pandemic normalcy? More than 3.9 billion humanities during individual and small needs are among the most urgent. A Liberal
people worldwide were given stay-at-home group sessions provided the intimacy and Arts education lives up to its promise to
orders. The areas most affected include; collective creative response that led to provide students with essential skills and
transportation and travel, attendance vibrant exchanges. Instructors and students the freedom to move beyond constraints of
at collective events (theatres, sporting quickly adapted to leveraging technology conventional ideas.
events, concerts, religious and political in playful and multi-sensory ways that [1] Katella, Kathy. “Our Pandemic
rallies, etc.) retail shopping and business included skilful visual presentation and Year—A COVID-19 Timeline.” Www.
attendance. School attendance can be reading of information. Technology enabled Yalemedicine.Org, Yale Medicine, 9 Mar.
included in this last category. A recent study teachers and students to move beyond the 2021, www.yalemedicine.org/news/covid-
published in the December 2021 issue printed and spoken word. These are some timeline.

EDUCATIONWORLD JANUARY 2022