There is a famous quote by H. Narasimhaiah about quality of teaching. It is said that a poor teacher complains, an average teacher explains, a good teacher teaches and a great teacher inspires. There is one more saying which goes somewhat like a great teacher does not teach but raises relevant and thought provoking questions. He causes students to get interested in the subject at hand and makes them learn, often out of their own interest. A teacher with passion towards learning and original thinking lays the foundation for a student’s career. There are hundreds and thousands of topics in literature that can be called fertile and rich in which original research can yield great success.
It is unfortunate that our education system emphasizes rote learning. Facts are presented in a bland and tasteless way. Students are encouraged to reproduce sentences exactly the way they are in text book. This is different from teaching in some countries that emphasize contemplation and reflection on what is learnt and on original thinking. There is an alternate method of teaching that focuses on ideas and tracking their influence on newer ones. Such a teaching method actually is proven to produce thinkers who have gone on to enrich the world of science. While a little bit of history is involved in narrating sequence of discoveries, the subject matter is presented in sufficient detail for the student to relate to its importance and applications. South korea is a country that has made great strides in manufacturing. Companies like hyundai and samsung have brought fame to them. I find in literature that south korea invested heavily in heathcare and education soon after gaining independence. Education in our country comes nowhere to the international standards.
Often students are found lacking basic knowledge of the subject when advanced topics are taught. Sometimes students hate some subjects thinking of them as either theoretical or uninteresting. Sometimes students fear some subjects where there is a perception of them being tough and difficult to clear. Sometimes the students take up studies mearly for the sake of degrees. Half baked bread is as good as none. Apathy and disinterest is contagious. These are all symptoms of a faulty education system.
Students should have the freedom to choose the subjects they are supposed to study in a course. Imagine the strategies a student might choose to pick subjects. Some may try out most difficult first, some may go for the most interesting ones, while the careful ones might pick easiest first. Such active interest from the students in choosing subjects makes them think of the applications and the subject's relevance to their career. There should be a minimum number of credits that he/she has to earn in a particular semester. Each subject should have some prerequisites which the student should have studied. There is also demand from some to make the duration of a subject course vary according to the pace of learning. Students are made to choose their branch when they have very little idea of what each of them contains. The world over students choose their branch after one year of study. This can be inplemented in our case too. At least i can testify that i did not know what computer science is when i opted to study it. Most colleges do not give any options to the students in choosing electives. Such steps are taken to reduce work load on the faculty and also to ensure a minimum strength in the class.
A class with less than ten students is awkward to conduct unless students show interest. On the other end of the spectrum the student-teacher ratio which should be 13-17 students for every faculty is sometimes as high as 20. Teachers face problems in controlling a class with huge numbers. Despite shortcomings bright students have gone on to rise above competition and get recognized. The other category of average students sometimes has struggled to be employed at respectable pay packages.
A small poem somewhere in the answer booklet of end semester examination fell upon my notice during valuation. Every post of mine has been inspired by some event or idea. This post is triggered by the angst in this student’s life. It speaks about the drudgery in education.
Lots to write, lots to read
This is the truth I accepted in deed
Word by word I write in pain
But as usual all my efforts end in vain
This is all I have to tell
For all I want to do is leave this hell
I must read, I must write
Till there is an end to this fight.
