Dear Editor, Moving away from conventional pattern of teaching and learning, the present age is witnessing a paradigm shift in way teachers are teaching and students are assimilating information. This change in educational patterns is all set to open up newer avenues for the teaching and learning groups, paving way for a modern school of thought. If you are curious to know about the futuristic trends in education that will shape the lives of the global student fraternity, here are the driving forces that you should watch out for. Learning by rote is a thing of the past. Now is the age when students are prompted to demonstrate their learning’s by following a practical approach. Laying the foundation for personalized learning strategies, the future presents umpteen opportunities to unleash the creative skills of students. It is only when students show what they learnt that they will better understand the concepts of the topic, before they step into learning the next topic as an extension to the earlier one. This strategy of practically demonstrating their knowledge can help students master their subjects. The future of education is all about strengthening and incorporating student-centric learning. In this endeavor, the onus is on teachers to adopt personalized learning and teaching patterns. Flexibility in learning is the keyword that governs the forthcoming tendency of imparting quality education to students. Given the fact that every student is unique with a different set of choices and strengths, it is through flexible learning patterns that students will benefit a great deal in future. All thanks to umpteen technological innovations, education is witnessing a sea change. Learning and teaching are no longer restricted to the use of textbooks and blackboards. Education has surpassed the geographical boundaries coming in the form of online training courses that can help students to enroll and complete them from any part of the globe. A host of open-source educative sites are now available to students to educate them about any topic under the sun. They can simply browse the topic that interests them the most and exchange information through social media circles. Active participation in the online social world will set the stage for a collaborative form of learning when students of one school or country can effortlessly reach out to their peers located in other regions; whenever they want. Hence, working together paves way for better communication between students alongside improving their competencies and skills for the world to acknowledge and appreciate. An amalgamation of education and entertainment is opening the doors to think ahead. It can mean the use of technology to concentrate on online videos or slide shows. Grabbing the attention of students, the latest technological innovations in the sphere of Augmented Reality (AR) have already replaced the pens and chalk pieces needed to learn and teach. It should be kept in mind that the relationship between students and teachers is constantly changing and evolving with the passage of every single day. Gone are the days when teachers were tagged as the only source of learning. Now is the age when students are able to educate teachers through classroom discussions and presentations. While teachers are looking for other means to educate students, online learning comes as a handy tool to excite the participation of introvert students. As a class enjoys the luxury of learning from different approaches, knowledge-seekers can make the most of such teaching methods. Permitting students to get introduced to global educative patterns, exchange of facts becomes a breeze when teachers assign interactive quizzes as class and home assignments along with the novel flipped classroom sessions. This is the generation of smart phones which are not only omnipresent but also omnipotent. Capable of simplifying our lives in a number of ways, students will be empowered to learn anywhere and anytime that is convenient to them through their internet-connected smart phones. Offering them the best learning experiences, mobile learning can further narrow the boundaries of learning. Transitioning from the traditional to the modern style of imparting education did take a long time. And now that this change is wide-spread, students across the globe will be at the receiving end of multiple benefits that will not only strengthen their knowledge-base but will also pave way for lucrative and high-paying careers they are dreaming of. Vijay Garg.
