PROBABLE FUTURE OF LEARNING
             

Rev. Fr Paul Lelen Haokip
In this article, we will see the shift from present learning situation and its possible near future. Learning can be knowing new phenomena or correcting faulty information about phenomena already learnt. Both are equally important for holistic learning to happen. The future of learning is scholarship of the past, seeing the present scenario and getting ready for the future possible state of affairs. It is consoling that the Indian population is becoming younger and by 2025 about two-third burgeoning Indian youth will be in its workforce. In 2016, the World Economic Forum (WEF) produced a report exploring these changes. The WEF, committed to improving the state of the world predicted that by 2020, “more than a third of the desired core skill sets of most occupations will be comprised of skills that are not yet considered crucial to the job today.” Further, it is predicted that some of the soft skills like complex problem solving, social skills, and process skills will become indispensable part of the society. Therefore, learning has to lean towards these skill developments.
Cusp of learning
The mode of learning is taking different shapes today. In India, the traditional mode of teacher-pupil education has shifted to technological and digital platforms for better dissemination of knowledge. The social media platforms serve as important interface between knowledge-sources and learners. This type of learning offers convenience, personalization and agility. Innovations such as e-book, e-content (text, image, graphics, animation, audio and video), e-learning technologies have come up with a plethora of choices tailored according to one’s subject. Sarah Linney, B2B Content Marketing Manager has observed that while the third industrial revolution was characterized and driven by information technology, the fourth industrial revolution is powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Some visible changes are physical (e.g. intelligent robots, autonomous drones, driverless cars, 3D printing, smart sensors), digital (e.g. the internet of things, services, data and even people), biological (e.g. synthetic biology, individual genetic make-up, bio-printing) technologies (Bo Xing and Tshilidzi Marwala). The future is going to be for people who are innovative, entrepreneurs, risk takers and creative thinkers. Physical presence of teachers amongst students has given way to digital learning platforms.  
Online learning
Flood of online shopping, food ordering, banking, amenities, friendship, dating, medical prescription are part of the new wave of learning. This novel mode has changed human behaviour. As you are reading this article, I would have completed my four-weeks online course on “Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest” by Commonwealth Educational Trust, coursera.org. I am able to attend the video classes, submit and peer-review essays of others across the entire span of the universe. This has given me diverse experiences while at the same time cutting the travel cost and carbon footprint. This is environmentally supportive as it does not use paper (destruction of tree & bamboos). Your online activity stands as a proof.
Education 4.0
Frances James says, “Education 4.0 is about evolving with the times, and for higher education institutions, this means understanding what is required of their future graduates.” This means more focus on skill to make sure the employability of students as future workforce. Preparing workforce is contributing to the nation’s growth. The four industrial revolutions can be termed as education 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0. Education 1.0 is based on lectures and memorization. Education 2.0 is internet-enabled learning. Education 3.0 aims at knowledge-producing pedagogy. Education 4.0 is innovation-producing endeavour. This fourth revolution needs equipped work force who are able to handle and cradle what Education 4.0 has to offer. Paul Feldman, chief executive of Jisc, the UK’s technology solutions not-for-profit says, “We know that some universities are already developing an Education 4.0 experience for students that reflects the fast-developing world around them.”
Teachers need updated know-how of everything the students have today. Else, teachers can become irrelevant to the present Education 4.0 oriented students. The future of learning is open and the work of teachers is to be open for variety of learning which could even be initiated by students themselves. Learning is no more restricted to ‘teacher teaching students’ alone. Reciprocal learning is on the card.
The author is a PhD. Scholar, Dept. of Sociology at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, India. Email: paulhowkeep@yahoo.co.in

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