As
a part of understanding problems student face in India, we visit many educational
institutions. And here is the list of top 7 problems students face:-
1) Students are taught by sub
standard teachers and professors: - Professors and teachers
in tier 1, 2 and 3 cities educational institutes don’t have required knowledge
level and fail to motivate students for learning. Majority of the teachers and
professors are those who were not able to make it to the corporate world.
Otherwise why they will not take a job that will pay them twice or thrice of
what they are getting for teaching. Here I am not talking about premier
institutions like IIT/IIM etc(though there also you will find professors who
fail to motivate students).
2)
Students are discouraged to ask questions:- I was interacting with one of the students and what he told me
that when I ask a question out of curiosity, teachers tell me to just read
books and concentrate on giving exams and getting good marks. There is no place
for questions/doubts.
3)
Practical knowledge is missing: -
It’s a well know fact that students don’t take practical classes/labs. Most of them don’t feel like attend them and few of them who want to learn are felt on their own.
It’s a well know fact that students don’t take practical classes/labs. Most of them don’t feel like attend them and few of them who want to learn are felt on their own.
4)
The way they are assessed doesn’t enable them to be thinker
You need to cram the thinks. Exams or
any kind of assessment should force the learner to think beyond the
obvious.
5) Peer level learning is
missing
When you concentrate on just getting
good marks where is no opportunity left for peer learning? When you teach, you become better learner.
Classroom time can be utilized to solve problems and case studies through peer
interaction and teacher guidance. But its wasted in explaining theory which in
anyway student can get books. High time for flipped classrooms!
6) They are referred sub
standard books
Universities and colleges refer books
written by local teachers which are nowhere near to deliver quality knowledge.
Don’t you agree that books are the type of MOOC’s students gets exposed to?
Good books are even rarely referring in the curriculum published by
universities.
7) Fail to deliver learning
to learn
Because of all the above reasons, students
fail to learn the skill of learning. Though major part of the responsibility to
learn the skill is at the student end, but giving students directions,
mentoring and enough push to learn the things on their own is missing.
