The idea for this piece germinated from a comment today, by Trent Selbrede, mentioning his daughter’s “I know” reply to his comments. That was in a slightly different context, but the point is that the children do know more than the teachers and parents, thanks to their digital exposure.
My nephew does not care about the college curriculum in Applied Arts, as he has already developed a clientele, after an internship in Graphic Designing. He works part-time, and maintains that the college text books do not help him in any way. They are just a necessary evil required to clear the examination, and get a degree, that the family insists on. That is the Millenial Mindset. They know how to go about their lives.
The internet does not necessarily make one smarter, since we are just accessing readymade information, but it does create the illusion of ‘being smart’. And it applies to all age groups. The impact of this on analytical and creative faculties of the brain can be a separate subject to be discussed. As of now, we have to live with the facts, and structure cognitive learning processes to suit the needs.
WHY ?
In the corporate environment, several nuances of the conversation on conference calls go un-recorded. No heed is paid to the fact that people are multi-tasking – checking mails, logging in a call, replying to messages on the phone and communicating with the housekeeping staff or their one-down, at the same time.
The book “The 5 Languages of Love” by Gary Chapman had changed my life a long time ago. The realization dawned that one person’s expression of love, does not necessarily meet the other’s expectations. I encountered the same problem in a different context, years later. I prefer the written word or chart in communication, in the form of text messages or mails, but my colleagues were comfortable with telephonic conversations. The fact that transmission of information about weekly business figures, stretched to a 20-minute long conversation, did not matter to them. I convinced myself, that they needed to let off steam, and explain why business was rocking or diving. It was also necessary for me to know the circumstances behind the numbers, and perhaps, a text message did not fulfil the requirement.
But, what if I could read the text of their speech on a screen, and capture the relevant screenshots ? It would satisfy my Visual orientation, and the Auditory of another. The same applies to learners with different orientations in a classroom. A judicious mix of audio-visual aids, text and illustrative games conveying the same point, is used in corporate training programs.
Why not the same in school and college classrooms ? The Management Schools and Creative Arts do apply the techniques liberally, but what about several other conservative institutions ?
HOW ?
- Customization of Content and Medium
Learning needs to be customized to suit the learner’s needs – whether in an educational or corporate environment. This includes both the content and the medium. Sufficient choices need to be provided for the same.
2. Facilitation
The trainer or teacher is only a facilitator and co-learner, who provides constant feedback to the Content Developers for customization and updation of the curriculum.
3. Gamification
Tablets, phones, phablets or any other new devices to be introduced will be an integral part of the learning process. The learners will be quick in accessing the required info, or get the required results in an embedded game.
4. NLP Techniques and Multiple Intelligences
The knowledge of Neuro-Linguistic Programming will be an essential and non-negotiable part of an instructional designer’s job. Multiple intelligences will need a customized feed. And all options will need to be provided on the same device.
5. Translation Devices
Devices that do a quick translation from voice to text, and vice-versa, with real-time transmission will be needed.
THEREFORE …. THE CHALLENGES
- Reconfirmation
Reconfirmations will be imperative, since the intent of the message could be lost in the process of translation.
2. Back-ups
The information needed may be real-time or something that can be saved and seen later, and the required modalities need to be integrated in the work-flow.
The video-footage in security cameras, and information about system interruptions is, at times, not available after a specified period. It creates uncalled-for hassles in resolving customer complaints, or tracking down a culprit.
3. Safety Training
It may be too much to ask for invincible security systems, but a reasonable level of protection against information leakage needs to be ensured. The web is the most unsafe place for a novice or a child.
4. Legal support
The laws of the land might need a complete overhaul, but is essential to the survival of any semblance of civility, in the system.
5. Sensitivity to mutual needs
Orientation to the other person’s preferred style needs to be inculcated in the work culture, to prevent an adverse impact on team effectiveness.
6. A sound value system
However old-fashioned it may sound, there is nothing that beats a sound value system, to prevent misuse of technology.
Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.
By Oprah Winfrey.
THE CALL
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.
By Charles Darwin.
Creative Experiments and More 