A New Dimension of Learning Away from Textbooks

We don’t need no education. We don’t need no thought control – Pink Floyd

That was a song in the 1970s. The process of educating has come a long way from that. Children have a right to express themselves and learn in a manner that is comfortable for them. Though many things have changed, the presence of textbook has remained.

What is it with textbooks that make them so queer? Textbooks are coveted at the beginning of the academic year and become pariahs when the exam time approaches. Students eagerly see what they are about to learn in that year and they scan the textbooks with fervor. Somewhere down the lane, these books tend to lose their charm and they merely become solid masses.

NCERT, CBSE, SSC, & ICSE boards struggle hard to come up with syllabi that are both relevant and contemporary. The extent of research that goes into the academics is commendable, but still the impact of is not up to the mark.

It is true that they serve the purpose of educating the children; however, it the theoretical nature of the textbooks that make them very remote for students to associate with. It is for this reason that students are taking to internet and the video format of learning. Students feel that a well made video is a better teaching aid than a textbook which they cannot relate to.

Actually the textbooks cannot be blamed for this scenario. It is a change that has resulted due to onset of new media. To make textbooks more interesting and engaging, something of an outside approach has to be taken. The written material of the textbooks have to be augmented with some kind of field activity or a laboratory experience that can make students relate to the content of the textbooks.

This, for most schools would be an uphill task. Issues of infrastructure, budgets, and the aspirations of the parents make it difficult for schools to adopt new methods in education. The video mode of education is still not looked upon as a serious and viable alternative.

In this scenario, to reinvent the relevance of textbooks and ensure that students don’t chase test papers or other kind of material, the need for augmentation is paramount. A viable alternative for this is the introduction of more laboratories where students get hands on exposure to theories. In this way, they would be able to visualize what they read in the textbooks.

Nischal Learning Solutions is a concept that has come up for the very reason. Providing cost effective solutions and laboratories for all classes, we are ready to partner with schools all over India. We have innovative methods that would not only increase the academic standards of schools; they even make learning fun for students.

Know more here http://www.nsls.in/