Teaching methods to help students prepare for the 21st Century

Students in India have traditionally focused on exam preparation – a system involving years of rote learning, copious note taking and strict adherence to the syllabus. The proposed New Education Policy (2020), which emphasizes problem solving and critical thinking skills, will help the next generation of learners finally prepare for life and navigate uncertain futures.

The reality imposed by the Covid-19 crisis has put teachers all over India to the test of adaptability and innovation. It is a challenge that our teachers have met with dedication and agility in order to remotely teach students online.

With NEP 2020 in effect, teachers will have an opportunity to nurture these very same values in their classrooms. A key focus area of NEP is transforming the ‘quality of teaching’ where teachers will be empowered to lead change.

Here are a few approaches teachers can adopt to help prepare students for the 21st century:

1. Intuitive  Teaching:

This is a technique that uses intuition to engage students. The teacher here needs to be able to sense what the students need and address it appropriately. For example, if they feel like their class was too noisy today then maybe tomorrow you should have them do an exercise where they release all of their energy before starting work again or even schedule some time for silence as part of your lesson plan!

2. Creative  Teaching:

In this approach, teachers encourage creativity by providing learners with opportunities to create new ideas on a regular basis. Students are encouraged at every turn through art projects, imaginative play, etc. To think creatively about problems as well as solutions.

3. Personalized teaching:

Personalized teaching is a type of instructional model that revolves around the student. The goal of this style of instruction, which focuses on personalized learning experiences for learners to master skills and knowledge at their own pace, is to meet each learner’s needs while not slowing down progress for others.

4. Theme-Based Teaching:

Theme-based teaching is one of the most widely acclaimed new-age teaching methods. Themes are integrated into all areas of the curriculum so that students can explore a subject/topic by examining it from different perspectives.

5. Content-Based Teaching:

Content-based teaching is a new-age teaching method that utilizes several multimedia tools such as social media and smartphones to create an engaging learning experience for students.

6. Project-Based Teaching:

Project-based teaching enables the learners to develop knowledge and skills through engaging projects set around challenges and problems they may face in the real world. By assigning group projects, teachers can inculcate new skills in students.

7. Online Teaching:

Online teaching is one of the most popular modern teaching methods. Students can access lessons from anywhere, anytime with an internet connection. Teachers can prepare and present their lessons online in an engaging and interactive environment by using multimedia tools such as social media and smartphones.

Also Read: Simple guidelines to improve teaching quality and effectiveness in the classroom

8. Prioritize ‘Multi-Disciplinary’ thinking:

Millions of students in our higher education system currently study silos, acquiring education in a single stream like ‘Arts’, ‘Science’ and ‘Commerce’. Training students for an interconnected world requires teaching them to see the big picture, connect the dots and analyze problems from different perspectives through an integrated approach to learning.

As the NEP is implemented, we will move closer to a world where courses on ‘Urban planning’ will one day be taught by multiple faculty members – from engineering to liberal arts professors. By guiding students to embrace multi-Disciplinary learning early on, teachers can eventually lead them to more career opportunities.

9. Embrace technology in the Classroom:

Teaching will have to change dramatically to increase participation in the classroom and promote ‘inquiry-based, discussion-based’ methods envisaged by the NEP. Teachers who have adopted online teaching throughout the Covid-19 crisis can elevate their impact by exploring aspects of hybrid classrooms to build engagement.

Teachers can also lean on technology to solve the problem of one-size-fits-all learning. With AI-based learning tools, teachers will be able to tailor instruction and assessments for every single student. They will be able to personalize assignments so students learn according to their strengths or create learning paths unique to each student. 

By strategically using technology, teachers have the opportunity to grow their impact and effectively benefit every student.

10. Make Indian students ‘lifelong learners’:

Indian students graduating from college today will most certainly move across multiple jobs and careers in their lifetimes. As technology accelerates, the skills needed for jobs change at a much faster rate. People will constantly need to reskill and upskill to remain employable. 

We are already seeing a growing trend of ‘lifelong learners’ in India, upskilling online as they work and adding job-relevant credentials that can help them upgrade professionally or pivot in their careers. By embracing the spirit of NEP, teachers can empower lasting change for students that set them up for future success. 

To conclude, it is important to consider how the students learn best. If you are not sure, try employing some of the aforementioned teaching methods and see what works best for them. Teachers should always consider students’ needs to ensure an effective teaching-learning process.