INFORMAL EDUCATION - A REVOLUTIONARY INNOVATION TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION

As we are swiftly progressing into Industry 4.0 (Fourth Industrial Revolution), the nature and the demand of the industries are also changing at the same pace. The dawn of Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning is promising a better world for society but increasing some severe worries for industrialists and policymakers. The gap between the industry and education is also increasing with the continuously changing dynamics of Industry 4.0. There was a time when the objective of education was to produce - job seekers, but the future of education will be to produce - job creators. The biggest challenge for future educational leaders is developing an industry-driven curriculum that can supplement 21st-century skills. Developing an industry-driven curriculum becomes a big challenge in today's scenario when the industry is highly volatile and unpredictable. 

Most of the educational curriculums in India offer a monotonous approach towards learning. The examination patterns, curriculum delivery, teachers' training etc., are not updated with the current skill demands from the industry. Traditional instructional methods that rely on lectures and rote memorisation don't promote critical thinking skills because they emphasise memorising facts over conceptual understanding. Some researchers argue that the current standardised curriculum stifles creativity and prevents students from thinking critically in the classroom. They suggest that the present teaching methods emphasise memorising content rather than genuinely understanding and learning the material. They believe a healthy learning environment should instead focus on a student-centric approach where students can explore concepts, analyse resources, and apply information. Development of Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving abilities is the core demand of future industry from education. In today's world, it becomes increasingly important for individuals to develop the intellectual capacity to evaluate controversial issues from multiple perspectives and use different methodologies. This skill set is essential to succeed in the long run.

Critical thinking needs intellectual and academic tools. It has been observed that an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning promotes critical thinking. Many informal teaching practices like interdisciplinary teaching, experiential learning, project-based learning, design thinking, etc., encourage students from various academic disciplines to develop 21st-century skills. Today an effective teacher aims to help students to develop open-mindedness and see the larger picture of a problem to explore the right solutions. Modern teaching and learning is an intellectually driven process of actively conceptualising problems, applying skills, analysing solutions and evaluating outcomes. 

It may be challenging for teachers to engage students in active learning situations that require critical thinking skills when those students are used to being passive learners who only memorise and recall information. Teachers should be aware of students' initial responses to activities that require more than memorisation and guide them through the process of flexibly thinking through an answer. One way to do this is by assigning students to work on projects with their peers, engaging them in active learning and providing opportunities for critical thinking. The Six Steps to Effective Thinking and Problem-Solving (IDEALS) by Dr Peter A. Facione are a great guide to problem-solving because they provide a framework for responding to questions and challenges through peer learning. The IDEALS are Identity, Define, Enumerate, Analyse, List, and Self-Correct:

I - Identify the question
D - Define the causes
E - Enumerate the options
A - Analyse the actions
L - List down the reflections
S - Self-Correct the outcomes

These six steps provide a framework for students to think critically about a process and help them learn to collaborate with others. The project-based learning activities also use similar strategies in the application of information to construct a real-world project. The teachers have a lot of pressure to produce a future-ready workforce that can adapt to any situation. To develop a 21st-century skills-driven learning environment in their classrooms, teachers should consider the students as users of the information, not just receivers. A student-driven learning environment that engages students to analyse a problem and find the solution may develop industry-ready students. The teachers should also accept that every skill requires training, practice, and patience, which may require formal teaching methods, so a perfect blend of formal and informal teaching is required to produce industry-ready students. The teachers may initially face resistance from the students due to a change in the instructional techniques, as previously, they just had to remember information and not think about it. They may struggle with assessment techniques that test critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. However, developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills requires consistency in concept delivery and encouragement to the students. The initiative is worth the reward for society as students who can think critically for themselves and solve social issues can become industry-ready students.