The Future of Education

Future Education: Changing Paradigms

Education is in a state of flux. Not only one needs to acquire skills in order to cope with a fast changing global world, an explosive growth in technology, on the other hand is providing a new wave of technology tools - computer aided video instruction, hypermedia, multi-media, CD-Roms, internet connections and colloborative software environments. The emerging technology incorporates the group qualities of interactive classroom-based learning while providing individual students the flexibility to participate in an educational programme at their own time and place. The technology facilitating self learning also seems to provide a cost effective solution to the dilemma of delivering education to masses.

Online education is a unique learning domain that provides for many to many communications as well. The computer confertencing software defines the boundaries of the virtual classroom. The changing paradigm provides access of instruction to a large proportion of society, promises a qualitative change in the quality of learning and echoes a new way of thinking in educational theory that promotes active learning and open learning new approaches. Putting it to practice is challenging and may fundamentally alter the nature of educational institutions. The subsequent part of paper addresses such questions viz. Do we need to radically re-engineer the curriculum and foster an alternate set of skills in students? in this onward journey.