Brief Summary
This video presents a national seminar on empowering teachers with ethics, innovation, and the Indian knowledge system (IKS). The seminar addresses the challenges and responsibilities facing teachers in the context of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, emphasising the importance of ethics, research, and inclusivity. Key points include:
- The critical role of teachers as nation builders who shape students' thought processes.
- The need for teachers to integrate ethics, innovation, and IKS into their teaching practices.
- The importance of reviving indigenous wisdom in education and addressing the gaps in current knowledge systems.
- The necessity of promoting inclusivity and social justice in classrooms, ensuring equal opportunities for all students.
Introduction
The seminar aims to explore the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its implications for teachers. It acknowledges the challenges of transitioning to new educational paradigms and highlights the crucial role of teachers in implementing policies effectively. The focus is on empowering teachers through ethics, innovation, and the Indian knowledge system (IKS), recognising their responsibility as nation builders.
Welcome Address
Professor Raiinder Singh, Dean of College Development Council at Punjab University Chandigar, delivers the keynote address. He emphasises that teaching is the most empowered profession, with teachers shaping minds and influencing the world. He discusses the importance of ethics, innovation, and IKS in empowering teachers and highlights the need for teachers to be renowned not just locally but globally through research and publications.
The Power of Teaching
Professor Singh reflects on his decision to join the teaching profession, viewing teachers as institutions in themselves. He contrasts this with other professions where individuals may work harder but not achieve the same level of recognition. He stresses that good teachers, including researchers, can gain worldwide recognition through their work, citing his own experience with a book published by Taylor and Francis being available in libraries across the globe.
Ethics and Research
Professor Singh discusses the importance of ethics in research and teaching. He shares an anecdote about interviewing a candidate who claimed to be in the top 5% of researchers globally but could not name a single contribution to society. He questions the relevance of PhD theses, noting that many doctoral students struggle to explain the relevance of their work. He suggests that research should focus on practical applications and societal benefits, citing examples such as deposit insurance and microcredit.
Ethics and Teaching
Professor Singh addresses the issue of fewer people choosing the teaching profession. He shares a story about a student who was discouraged by the low salaries offered by private universities. He also discusses the importance of ethical conduct in teaching, including setting fair exam papers and evaluating students on merit. He criticises practices such as marking absent students as present and the demand for internal assessments, questioning the motives behind such requests.
Relevance of Teachers in the Age of AI
Professor Singh discusses the relevance of teachers in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). While AI can solve problems, it cannot create interest in a subject. He emphasises the importance of teachers making students logically understand concepts and creating interest in the subject matter. He also highlights the significance of political science and sociology in developing society and encourages teachers to identify and foster students' interests.
Innovation in Teaching
Professor Singh appreciates the inclusion of innovation in the seminar's theme. He encourages teachers to update themselves with the latest technologies and integrate them into their teaching practices. He stresses that the ultimate objective of teaching is the development of thought processes and shares an example of allowing students space to think and innovate during oral examinations.
Indian Knowledge System (IKS)
Professor Singh discusses the importance of the Indian knowledge system (IKS) and the cultural damage caused by colonial rule. He highlights the loss of language and traditional literature and shares a study on the consumption of sleeping pills in India, linking it to the decline of joint family culture. He urges educators to evaluate the repercussions of blindly copying Western models and to revive Indian languages and literature.
Reviving Indigenous Wisdom in Education
Dr. Mandep Kocher, Vice Principal of Bombay Teachers Training College, discusses reviving indigenous wisdom in education, focusing on the Indian knowledge system (IKS). She emphasises the need to understand what is to be rewired, relived, and looked at when discussing IKS. Her presentation, titled "From Gurukul to NEP 2020," explores how to enhance indigenous knowledge, integrate it into the classroom, and make it a practical way of life.
Understanding Knowledge and Context
Dr. Kocher stresses the importance of understanding the scope of knowledge and embracing the context. She discusses the concept of Akhand Bharat, encompassing a vast area from Myanmar to Afghanistan, and the knowledge gathered within it. She notes that global crises and value erosion have led to a realisation that children are being taught in a narrow context, missing out on the knowledge from the subcontinents of India.
The Gap in Knowledge
Dr. Kocher highlights the gap between the knowledge being given to the next generation and the knowledge that is missing. She uses the example of Punjab, noting that while everyone knows it as the land of five rivers, only three rivers remain. She emphasises the need for teachers to cover these gaps and understand the domains of the Indian knowledge system (IKS), which includes Ayurveda, Yoga, mathematics, and architecture.
Evolution of IKS
Dr. Kocher outlines the evolution of IKS from the Vedas to the 21st century. She explains that knowledge is experienced, assimilated, and transmitted to the next generation, with teachers acting as transmitters. She discusses the Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda) and their teachings on thinking, humankind, and right conduct.
Vedic Knowledge and Spirituality
Dr. Kocher explains that Vedic knowledge started from spirituality, with experiential learning and the search for truth. She highlights the importance of human emotions, moral values, and non-violence in the Indian system. She notes that knowledge came through observations, personal enlightenment, and inner inquiry, which aligns with modern inquiry models.
Epics, Dharma Shastras, and Artha Shastra
Dr. Kocher discusses the learning from epics, including morality, obedience, honesty, and integrity. She explains Dharma Shastras as the code of conduct and ethical living, emphasising the social duty of teachers to be role models. She also covers Artha Shastra, the economic way of life, noting that basic necessities must be satisfied before engaging in religion or politics.
Takshila and Nalanda
Dr. Kocher highlights Takshila and Nalanda as the best international universities of their time, predating Oxford and Harvard. She mentions their destruction and the burning of their libraries, which took months. She explains that while knowledge in books was burned, the system and scholars continued to contribute to the world.
Gurukul System and Philosophical Foundations
Dr. Kocher describes the Gurukul system as residential universities where parents surrendered their children to gurus. She explains that the Varna system emerged when the Gurukul system needed protection and support. She also mentions the philosophical foundations, arts, and architecture of the system.
Teaching Methodologies and Value Systems
Dr. Kocher discusses teaching methodologies such as the dialogic form, where gurus taught through dialogue. She emphasises that the value system was not borrowed but was inherent, including respect for nature and scientific temper. She concludes that the Indian knowledge system (IKS) is timeless, with Gurukuls having a curriculum, teaching processes, and value systems.
Colonial Education and Its Impact
Dr. Kocher discusses the biggest loss to the Indian education system during colonial education. She explains that the British did not accept the Indian education system and considered Indians fools for believing in God. She mentions the story of the 33% pass rate imposed by the British and the language displacement as the biggest harm.
Lord Macaulay's Aims
Dr. Kocher quotes Lord Macaulay's aim to form a class of people who are Indian by blood but English in thought, morals, and intellect. She explains that this led to the destruction of the Indian education system and the loss of identity. She notes that even after independence, the lingering impact of British education remained.
The Loss of Indian Identity
Dr. Kocher explains that children learned about Newton's laws but missed out on the contributions of Aryabhata, who gave the vital concept of zero. She notes that teachers were also not aware of the contributions of Indian scientists and mathematicians. She concludes that the Indian knowledge system (IKS) is not about total change but about combining the best of both systems.
NEP 2020 and Holistic Education
Dr. Kocher discusses how NEP 2020 is a turning point, promoting holistic and flexible education by mingling the Indian knowledge system (IKS) with modern education. She emphasises the importance of re-living Indian languages and notes that teachers who know these languages will be better picked up by schools. She contrasts the holistic approach of IKS with the cognitive focus of modern education.
The Role of Teachers and Strategies
Dr. Kocher outlines the role of teachers in developing and implementing their own curriculum and acting as ambassadors of culture. She suggests strategies such as storytelling, observation, practices, and dialogue at the primary level. She emphasises the importance of case studies as a pedagogy and hands-on experience at the secondary level.
Challenges and the Way Forward
Dr. Kocher acknowledges the challenges in teacher education and the need for collaboration and responsibility. She concludes that reviving IKS is not about going back to ancient times but about moving forward with wisdom from the past. She emphasises the importance of self-reflection and embracing NEP 2020 to bring about change in society.
Value-Based and Ethical Decision-Making in Teaching and School Leadership
Dr. Kirpal Singh discusses value-based and ethical decision-making in teaching and school leadership. He outlines the topics to be covered, including teachers in relation to ethics, the Indian knowledge system, and the new education policy. He stresses the importance of ethical decision-making in complex situations and the need for teachers to be role models.
Values, Ethics, and Morality
Dr. Singh defines values as important beliefs that guide behaviour and ethics as universal standards. He discusses the challenges faced by teachers, such as grading pressure and dummy admissions. He also mentions the importance of data analysis and the contributions of thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi to ethics and morality.
Intelligences and the Education System
Dr. Singh discusses different types of intelligence, including general intelligence, emotional intelligence, and spiritual intelligence. He notes that the education system is highly cognitive and rational, with even the new education policy focusing on these aspects. He questions the balance between cognitive, emotional, and spiritual development.
New Education Policy Analysis
Dr. Singh analyses the new education policy, noting the frequency of words like "holistic," "cognitive," "artificial intelligence," and "yoga." He points out that the term "spiritual intelligence" or "spiritual development" is not mentioned. He emphasises the importance of ethical reasoning and spiritual intelligence in education.
Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development
Dr. Singh explains Kohlberg's stages of moral development, from preconventional to conventional and postconventional morality. He notes that the preconventional stage is emotionally based, the conventional stage is belief-based, and the postconventional stage is principle-based.
Brain-Based Research and Energy Centres
Dr. Singh discusses brain-based research on decision-making and the role of the prefrontal cortex. He introduces the concept of chakras as body energy centres and explains the seven energy centres in the Indian system. He links these energy centres to personal experiences and behavioural patterns.
Energy Management and Positive Thinking
Dr. Singh suggests techniques for energy management, such as deep breathing and positive thinking. He explains that positive energy can flow upward, leading to empowerment, confidence, and stress-free decision-making. He concludes by emphasising the importance of gratitude, meditation, and slow, deep breathing.
Promoting Inclusivity and Social Justice
Dr. Manrit Kore discusses promoting inclusivity and social justice, focusing on the teacher's ethical responsibility and challenges ahead in the NEP 2020 era. She quotes Rabindranath Tagore's poem "Where the mind is without fear" and emphasises that education should ensure everyone feels included.
Inclusion and Social Justice
Dr. Kore defines inclusion as ensuring everyone feels included in the class, regardless of race, cast, gender, disability, or injustice. She mentions international conferences and discussions on inclusion and social justice. She stresses the importance of addressing the needs of both high-level and low-level students.
Exclusion and Belongingness
Dr. Kore discusses the concept of exclusion and the importance of belongingness. She notes that mere presence or enrollment is not enough; participation and belongingness are essential. She emphasises that inclusion is not about stopping progress but about ensuring everyone is part of the group.
Empowering Teachers and Integrity
Dr. Kore stresses the importance of empowering teachers and maintaining integrity. She defines integrity as aligning words and actions and notes that Indians are often hypocritical. She also mentions the importance of spiritual intelligence and the inspiration from David Bual's work.
Teacher Professional Ethics and Pedagogy
Dr. Kore discusses teacher professional ethics and context-sensitive pedagogy. She notes that teacher preparation programs often prepare teachers for ideal classrooms rather than inclusive classrooms. She also mentions institutional barriers and ethical dilemmas faced by teachers.
The Way Forward and Empathetic Attitude
Dr. Kore outlines the way forward, including embedding ethics at the teacher education level, promoting inclusion as a culture at the institutional level, and ensuring accountability paired with empathy at the policy practice level. She shares a story about a young girl who demonstrated an empathetic attitude and concludes that the whole world is a village.
Conclusion and Equal Opportunities
Dr. Kore concludes that schools, children, and teachers are different, and while we cannot make everyone the same, we should ensure everyone is given equal opportunities to succeed. She quotes Roha Benjamin, emphasising the need to build a world grounded in justice and joy to make justice irresistible.
Innovative Pedagogies for Inclusive and Engaging Classrooms
Mr. Amandep Singh Lakhan Pal discusses innovative pedagogies for inclusive and engaging classrooms. He defines pedagogy as the methods, strategies, and approaches used in teaching and learning. He stresses the importance of teacher-student interaction and feedback.
Beliefs, Approaches, and Methodologies
Mr. Lakhan Pal explains the difference between beliefs, approaches, and methodologies. He notes that beliefs influence approaches, which in turn influence methodologies. He also mentions the importance of personal experience, teaching experience, and learning theories in shaping pedagogy.
Activity-Based Classrooms and Assessment
Mr. Lakhan Pal discusses how to make classrooms activity-based and inclusive. He stresses the importance of making activities learner-centred and creative. He also mentions the importance of assessment as a process and the need to prepare students for the 21st century.
Inclusive and Engaging Classrooms
Mr. Lakhan Pal defines inclusive and engaging classrooms and shares a story about a student who was not good-looking but excelled in academics. He mentions inquiry-based learning and project-based learning as effective methods. He concludes by emphasising the importance of belief systems, approaches, methodologies, and assessment in creating real classroom impact.
