Jawahar Kotturu on Education in Industry 4.0

 

By Jawahar Kotturu

Why are we educating the millennials? What defines the gig economy? Is the current approach to education or what is being imparted relevant for the Gig Economy?

The most plausible outcome expected of education is Employment and or self-employment. It is observed that there is a wide gap in the learning that is imparted and what is required to be employed and remain employed in the Gig Economy.

Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Automation, Technology, collaboration between humans & technology for overall efficiency, are the elements that define the current, as well as the emerging gig economy. Currently, we are experiencing a marked transformation in the way technologies have changed the way businesses operate. Additionally, we are also witnessing the emerging importance of competencies such as, critical & disruptive thinking, testing & adopting innovations, etc., to stay employed and remain as a relevant workforce.

Is critical & disruptive thinking, testing and adapting innovations, etc., covered in the current education system? The answer is a no. How can we prepare millennia for this? For this we need to revaluate the curriculums currently followed and the learning methodologies used. Take into account and familiarise education system with the emerging technologies; engage with players who develop & use the technologies; and most importantly understand from corporations the competencies needed; and effectively leverage technologies to create systems to build competencies required for the Gig Economy.

One of the defining presumption followed by Institutions or Universities is that, that the students who enrol themselves in the institution/University possess a certain level of Intelligence. Conditioned by this precept, Universities generalise the level of content and pedagogy to be followed to impart learning. It is observed, that many a times the systems and the content for learning is largely structured towards information accumulation and reproduction. A system and approach, that caters to standardised tests/examinations to evaluate subject comprehension which is popularly accepted as Academic Achievement.

Is Academic achievement enough? Globally, it is well accepted that education has to be holistic and more importantly to remain relevant it has to meet the requirements of Gig Economy.

For education to be relevant and functional, the education ecosystem is to be understood and consciously redesigned at two levels, a) at the Institution level and 2) at the individual level.

The eight areas that need attention or redesigning at the University / Institution level to improve relevance are:

1. Holistic Learning: The Learning must go beyond information accumulation and reproduction, and enable the scope to incorporate components of emotional quotient (EQ) and sensory quotient (SQ). It is proven EQ & SQ are critical components required for holistic education, to improve overall achievements, and meet the emerging needs of gig economy. Psychometrics is the best available tool for evaluating EQ & SQ, and this application should become one of the defining pillars while designing the curriculum and pedagogy.

2. Customisation of Curriculum: Each University is at a different maturity level and offer a different learning curve to the students. Since very little emphasis is made on EQ & SQ, and no customise curriculum & the mode of learning is done, the functionality of education remains limited. For example, students as they transit to the larger ecosystem of work & self-employment, familiarising them with the core ethos required to remain employable becomes critical. For achieving this, Universities need to customise curriculum at all stages, and present the pass outs as desirable workforce. For example, components of communications, including social media become important. Concepts of team work, prioritisation, time management, work place diversity, responsible businesses, barrier free, sustainability, etc needs to be understood and consciously developed.

3. Adaptability: In addition to customisation of curriculum, the other important component is adaptability and Updation of curriculum. For this to happen, it is important the learning ecosystem should engage and establish a dynamic interplay of key players who define learning and employability needs. Simultaneously, the ecosystem must also ensure that the ecosystem from time to time defines & redefines what is being taught and how it is to be taught, to stay effective.

- Researchers, Academicians, Industry experts, Educationists, Domain Specialists, etc., should all be brought together onto a common platform. Furthermore, give constant inputs on the skills required and the relevant skill gaps that need attention for employability for industry 4.0 & 5.0. By doing so the curriculum gets regularly updated, remain relevant and meet the market requirement.

- Students and Teachers in the process can leverage multiple modes of learning and at the same time engage with the relevant players who define employability and self-employment. By doing so, each cohort can symbiotically develop a unique mixture of virtual and / or physical learning modes, such as, tests, workshops, boot-camps etc., to improve overall competencies suitable for achievements in Universities and beyond.

4. Student centric learning: Today, aided by digital technology, the personal as well as impersonal Pupil-teacher interaction has increased manifold. Physical, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality mediums have become very integral tools to strengthen this engagement. Students, assisted by the metaverse can interact with key players (mentors, teachers, coaches, industry, etc) beyond the regular system of learning, thereby improve their academic and beyond academic achievements. Teachers too, will have greater flexibility to choose the modes of engagement with the students, thereby establish a student centric learning within the University.

5. Consistency in Guidance: Many a times Universities have limited resources, this at times hampers the consistency in guidance that is provided to students. The ecosystem created, modes of learning enabled and other inbuilt components of customizing learning and delivery of learning, will ensure consistency in guidance. Amalgamating traditional systems of learning with Metaverse tools can be the desirable game change changer to promote consistency.

6. Placements & Counselling:  In most of the Universities, placements is an either or administrative approach. An additional responsibility given to the faculty and /or is led by a small group of administrators/people and / or an alumina. In this scenario, its is far from a being a process driven solution and remains confined to few cohorts only. There is a need and urgency for Universities to go beyond this approach.

Metaverse, and the ecosystem of key players created, makes placements a system driven process. Furthermore, the university strengths of imparting learning, alumina and other associated peer collectives can be organically leveraged for better outcomes. Higher Education, Research & Development, internship can also follow suit, thereby improve the overall transition and outcomes on completion of the desirable programs of learning.

7. Certifications: Standards & Validation of competencies are critical for employability. The Metaverse can be leveraged by students to obtain the certifications. For example WBL offer certification for all courses while partners do so for tech oriented courses. Students can easily use the platform and avail certification, thereby increasing their changes of employability within India and internationally too. Universities can either partner with startups for this or design strategies that can meet this requirement.

8. Partnerships: Research & Development is a strategic component for productivity improvement. Universities must partner with other Centres of Excellence and Corporations to facilitate higher learning and for innovations. Metaverse ecosystem can be leveraged and designed to enable this

The three areas that need attention or redesigning at the Student level to increase relevance are:

1. Skills & Skill gap Assessment: Each student is endowed with a unique set of competencies. Understanding individual strengths, including those beyond subject comprehension are critical. Every student must undergo a personalised skill assessment. Competencies such as emotional quotient (EQ), sensory quotient (SQ) Elements, communication, etc that are necessary for employability and to remain employable need to be mapped and assessed. This assessment should be viewed as as a genetic disposition of the competencies the student possess and according customise learning curricula for holistic learning. Students can review the findings and accordingly choose self- learning and other learning tools for overall development. For example, all students who become members of White Bard Labs have to undergo a Psychometric evaluation. The platform has a dedicated Psychologist, who individually asses and certifies the audit undertaken by every students. The evaluation uses MYERS-BRIGGS, a standard used by 88 percent of Fortune 500 companies in 115 countries.

2. Holistic Learning: By design, the above interventions to skill audit and customization of curricula, will automatically enable holistic learning. The process will ensure amalgamation of IQ, EQ, SQ and other required competencies that are needed for employability and those that are relevant in the Gig Economy.

3. Customization of Curriculum: In addition to customisation of Curriculum at the Institutional level, basis the outcomes of the competencies audit, constructive prognosis of curricula can be developed for each student. By doing so, targeted interventions are facilitated to overcome weaknesses, as well as fortify the strengths of the unique competencies each student possess. Following this prescribed direction, the system automatically further reinforce customisation and promote student centric learning.

Currently very few Universities or Education Startups seem to have taken this 360 approach to design education for the millennia and that is relevant for the Gig Economy. White Board Labs is one such metagig, which has attempted to create this ecosystem and is looking at ways to partner with Universities. Going forward these will be the pathways that will not only define education, but also become the game changers the way education will be designed and developed.

About the Author

Mr. K. Jawaharlal can be described is a developmental specialist with an acumen to balance perspectives of policy, enterprise and welfare. An educator by qualification, he has undertaken many initiatives for a leading apex body and proficiency of managing aspirations of multiple stakeholders and has extensively liaised with the government & multilaterals. He has deep understanding of education and currently advises startups in their growth journey.