By: Nayab Iqbal
As societies and economies become more interconnected, there is a dire need to develop a curriculum that can prepare students for an increasingly globalized world. The current education system and the curriculum in both public and private educational institutions in Pakistan and many parts of the world are primarily focused on academic achievements. Educational institutions and the relevant stakeholders have failed to align education and curriculum with today’s rapid societal changes and the expected future changes.
Globalization has resulted in a more diverse classroom; therefore, curriculum developers and educationists must consider the learning needs of students belonging to various socio-economic, cultural, political backgrounds, and diverse life experiences. They must integrate the knowledge, skillset, and expertise into the curriculum to help students thrive in the highly competitive world of tomorrow.
In this article, I would specifically refer to the curriculum change needed at all levels and the much-needed competencies that educators need to develop in the coming generation to help prepare them for the future.
The technological advancements and the emergence of Artificial Intelligence have completely changed the dynamics of education and employment across the world. Developing digital skills among the youth remains the need of the hour as most jobs are likely to be automated in the future. The subject specialists and the relevant authorities need to effectively integrate ICT and digitalization into the curriculum to better train students for the world of rapid technological developments.
In addition to this, to help the current generation thrive in the highly challenging world of tomorrow, the curriculum, teaching methodology, and classroom discourse need to focus on developing the crucial skills of emotional intelligence, flexibility, adaptability, and leadership.
One of the major challenges is that majority of the students feel disconnected from the educational content they are exposed to. The primary reason for this lack of connection with the course content is that students fail to see how they can apply whatever they have learned in the classroom to their lives and the world around them. We need to realize that students can no more be treated as mere recipients of knowledge but as individuals who must be equally and actively involved in the process of learning. Instead of teaching fixed and age-old subjects and theories to every student, there is a need to offer diverse learning experiences to students and help them choose subjects, skills, and competencies that align with their future goals.
As the purpose of education is to prepare students for real-life situations, students must be collectively involved in solving real social issues rather than being restricted to cramming theories and models that barely have any relevance with the current social dynamics.
Another way to prepare students for the future is to bridge the gap between the curriculum content and the competencies needed for the future. To meet this end, subject teachers and the relevant authorities must establish links between the educational institution and employers so that learners can be exposed to a wide variety of experiences that can help prepare them for the practical world.
Since the primary aim of education and awareness is to help individuals play a crucial role in making this world a better place, a curriculum cannot be effective without incorporating a component of ethics and basic human values. Competencies like empathy, tolerance, respecting and accepting the differences, and resolving conflicts must constitute a highly important component of curriculum development and classroom discourse. By doing so, we can help prepare our next generation to become responsible citizens and better individuals.
Besides that, the current pandemic situation has made us realized the uncertainty and precariousness of the world. Although controlling such external changes remains out of our hands, we must train our students to adapt to such uncertainties in the future. While integrating these changes at the policy and institution level seems challenging and impossible, if motivated, even a single teacher can help bring the much-needed change by focusing on their students’ personal and professional development and preparing them for tomorrow.
The writer is a Ph.D. scholar and an educationist by profession. Currently, she works as an English Lecturer and a Freelance Writer. She can be reached on Twitter @NayabIqbal12.