Schools will now be technology-driven'

Working from home, online teaching, virtual classes, E-learning, webinars, etc. have become new mediums of learning during the lockdown. These new changes were not easy for educators, as many had their disinclination and inhibition. Until recently virtual teaching was generally used by academic institutes which provided online courses and a few private tutorials. However, in the last few months, it is being used enormously by regular schools and colleges across the globe.Initially, the educators were not prepared for the changed reality. However, the situation compelled them to cope up with the new normal. It is said that necessity is the mother of all inventions. Educational institutions felt the immediate need for keeping the students engaged during the lockdown. The leadership kept the institutions virtually active schooling from home. Hence educators willingly or unwillingly were introduced to online teaching.The up-gradation in applications and the frequent changes in their features keep the educators on the tenterhooks. Other challenges faced by the schools are cyber indiscipline, being watched live by parents, the apprehension of committing mistakes, poor internet connection and unavailability of appropriate devices etc.There will be a dramatic change in schools’ post-lockdown, the infrastructure, students and staff may not change much. However, radical changes are expected in the system of functioning which will become the new normal. Schools will now be technology-driven and get automated. The manpower will reduce to a great extent. The selection of human resources will be purely on the application of skills and competencies rather than mere performance in academic and professional qualification.The changing situation will make educational institutions adopt new interface. The current curriculum - the teaching, learning and assessment methodologies will be overhauled. The traditional methodologies, whether good or bad will disappear soon. If they don’t change or change at snails speed the curriculum will lead to irrelevance.On one side, the gap between digital literacy and digital efficiency will grow further in our country. Many educational institutions are not equipped for the new normal. Many parents don’t have the appropriate devices. Whether it is good or bad, there is no possibility of looking back, one must be prepared for change.On the other side, there will be a rat race in adopting new ways and installing new applications. Educational consultants, online support, smart technologies, etc. will mushroom in the market. School receptions will be flooded with salesmen and marketing executives instead of parents seeking admissions.Educational institutions can fall prey to the flooding of offers if not guided. There will be difficulties in selecting what is right, and what is appropriate and affordable. Hence the leadership must be tech-savvy, good administrators, good academicians and have a good network in the market.However, those institutions which take the risk in retaining the pertinent traditional methodologies along with adapting to new normal will reap in the long run. The relevance of the institutions will depend on the speed and manner in which they adapt to new normal, otherwise they will struggle to remain fit.The axe of any change in educational institutions generally first falls on educators. The educators will be in an absolutely new environment post lockdown. They will be continuously forced to update and upgrade on technology, curriculum, skills and competencies. They must keep their mind open to learning, relearning and unlearning otherwise the sword of change will always hang above their head. Educators must be learners for a lifetime and ready to adapt to the frequent changes enforced on them by situations like pandemic or change of times. According to Henry Ford, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”Educators must recognize the fact that the world is changing rapidly. Artificial intelligence, robotics and the fourth industrial revolution are going to create unprecedented changes and uncertainty in every field, especially the education sector.Today many of the educators are digital immigrants and students are digital natives. The rising gap between the digital natives and immigrants will be incomparable. Therefore, educators must continuously keep updating on their skills, competencies and work on their personality development.One must accept the fact that adapting to changes whether technological, social or academic is as good as opening an umbrella when it rains. The only thing one must carry an umbrella. Adapting to change is not a difficult task. What is difficult is making the decision to change the mindset.(The author is executive director and principal, New Horizon Public School, Airoli)