Education is considered to be one of the most substantial elements of human life. The aim of education is best achieved when its communicative purpose is served. Throughout our academic world the process of educating a child involves an objective outlook. Subjectivity is shunned and discouraged. Students are expected to become disciplined thinkers in order to understand the complexity of the world around them. Teachers hardly focus on the true inner personality of the child to allow it to bloom. Such a hindrance results in failed communication and flop academic system.
The only remedy to this cancerous problem is personalized communication and students-centered courses. Our educational system should allow our teachers and students to connect with each other beyond professional classroom settings. They should make sure that the relationship is established and retained with students beyond conventional classroom settings. Blogging and other social networks can prove to be effective tools to build an organic and a lifetime relationship with students. It is in such settings (virtual) that the “voice and choice” of students shall be heard and appreciated.
Efficacy of communication in education is essential in every subject and it is inherently dependent upon the clarity and coherence of ideas. This clarity and coherence of ideas is best achieved when students are taught to express their feelings and thoughts clearly. In order to achieve this goal students must be given ample opportunities to express themselves in creative ways. Curriculum must be designed for students to think in creative ways to expressive themselves through different mediums of communication. While designing such curriculums instructors must kept a special focus on the selection of text and the complementary power of reciprocal quality of the language skills. Curriculum must be aligned with the individual needs and interests of the students. It is with this intention that our potential students will find it more meaningful and relevant.
In general, it is observed that Pakistani curriculum lacks social relevance. Teacher needs to make sure that each term of their students is completed with a profound sense of achievement and the integrity of societal connection with the curriculum is not compromised.
Teachers should never compromise on the integrity of idealism. They must strive to connect with my students at a deeper level with a more holistic approach towards their learning experience. Since there are many solutions to our problems, a fine “blend of existentialist and post-modern approach” is the most potent one to augment this point of view. It is strongly recommended that learning should focus both cognitive and affective dimension of a student.
In order to achieve this purpose, students shall be assisted and assessed through formative and summative measures in two broad categories: affective and pragmatic. Affective domain takes care of the motivational profile of the students whereas the pragmatic category shall provide students to express and respond to a particular text in coherent and creative ways.
The communicative and creative power of students can be developed in four areas: expressive, imaginative, transactional and analytical. Such existentialist and post-modern courses shall model variety of texts to students to read and to produce their responses in the form of response journals, essays, critiques and creative pieces. Following major elements shall be emphasized through pedagogic interventions to serve the purpose: Conciseness, Cohesion, and Coherence. It is time to realise that students need to be “happy” to be critical thinker.
ARHAMA SOHAIL
ISCS, PU, Lahore
