Making Curriculum Relevant To The New World

This blog is written for my contribution to posts written by Top Global Bloggers every month.

This months theme is again a relevant topic as per today's need.

Curriculum, a broad word followed by educators all across the world to prepare learners for future. Is today's curriculum as per the requirement of changing world. Yes, the world is changing, I would say shrinking day by day. With the advent of technology, new tools of teaching and learning, the entire education system needs revamping. We need to develop a generation of critical thinkers, collaborators, communicators, environmentalists and ethical IT users.

As a teacher from past 22 years I have few questions to think for all educators:

Are we making our students ready for their future?
Aren't we more focused on teaching only the subject specific content?
Aren't we creating a generation of competitors rather than collaborators?
Aren't we doing only assessment and evaluation?
Are we preparing empathetic, more sensitive, kind and peaceful generation?
Aren't we more focused on national curriculum than the global goals?
Are we exposing the young generation with the future challenges?
Are we training their minds to appreciate diversity around and respecting each other?
Are we giving them ample opportunities to acquire skills of creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking?
Are we making them sensitive towards the effective use of time and energy in the virtual world?
Are we preparing them to think for the betterment of society?
Are we sensitizing them to conserve environment and natural resources?
Are we training them to adapt and adopt the new environment?

If I get a chance to change the dynamics of curriculum I would like to add all the missing elements and bridge the gaps in the traditional teaching goals. The curriculum should include the elements of following pillars.

Subject expertise as per the choice of students- Many students struggle to study all subjects. I believe that basics of subjects should be taught up to grade 8 (13 years) and after that student should be given a choice to select the subject of his/her interest area.
Skills based learning- Students should be provides basic skills of life. They should be taken to real work stations to interact with professionals and gain insight of different types of work which people are doing. By this they will get a chance to know their interest areas. In case it is not possible to take students to the real work stations then there should be a virtual tours of journey of all work types shown to students.
Life skills and Values- Cyber ethics, creating a balance between working in real and virtual world, values of working in team should be addressed as a part of curriculum. It is seen that due to the explosion of knowledge in the virtual world, children have stopped realising the presence of real world. They are more engrossed into the world which does not secure the ability to develop emotional quotient of humans.
Inter connection of subjects- The subjects should not be taught as separate entity rather there should be projects and activities which involve the application of two or many subjects.
Preparing every individual for life- Every child is unique and is born with different potential. We should provide opportunities to grow as a unique, empathetic and confident individual who respects all other people of the society. Children should get a chance to become entrepreneur, job creators than job seekers.
Making content more meaningful and relevant for life- Prepare a meaningful curriculum which is appreciated by all learners and make them self sufficient to strive for excellence in life. Mugging up of irrelevant content, facts and figures is of no relevance in today's world.
Developing responsible Global Citizens- Prepare a curriculum which includes activities having international dimension. A school to have an international policy. Teachers are empowered with skills to collaborate with partner schools all across to help children understand and respect cultural diversity.