NEP 2020: Integrated lessons, interactive classes

Integration of subject areas allows children to think, explore and innovate

According to the National Education Policy 2020, the aim of education will not only be cognitive development but also creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with key 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration. Interactive classroom learning becomes a critical cog in the implementation of this vision.

Firstly, many schools have been adopting innovative ways to decode information that is relevant to children, and which allows the learning process to be engaging, motivating and empowering.

Secondly, it is crucial to building on children’s foundation and their understanding of a particular concept. The National Education Policy has emphasised the need to break away from our traditional thought process of providing knowledge. While moving into the future with a generation that has better exposure, has access to information, is stimulated and perhaps more independent than earlier generations makes it necessary for the classrooms to be transformed. One may call it as disruptions or simply talk about it as evolution! Interactive classrooms are a way to promote more thought processes, evoke curiosity, develop critical thinking, problem-solving, time management skills and cater to the development of various other important skills that will empower children to be creative and innovative.

Integrated curriculum

Integrating subjects in primary classrooms is beneficial. This approach of imparting knowledge is called ‘transdisciplinary’ or ‘interdisciplinary’ as it involves combining different subject areas to look at a unified platform of communication. For example, Cricket Math involves using two different subject areas to teach a particular subject. It is an interactive classroom learning wherein through cricket field, cricket statistics etc., mathematical skills are taught.

As a result, the learning is no longer in silos, but it is unified. Similarly, case-studies, mock trials, shark tank scenarios, field trips, discussions, debates can be integrated into regular teaching to make learning more interactive
and stimulating. Many educators have emphasised on the need to allow children to work with matter to explore, to reflect on their learning process, to be able to come up with concrete, abstract ideas.

Such an active implementation process will encourage self-learning, and in the process make learning personalised, customised and differentiated. An interactive classroom also enables a teacher to understand whether children have understood concepts and therefore leads to differentiated learning catering to each learner’s interests, abilities and helping them reach their true potential.

Many benefits

The benefits of interactive learning are many, especially in the foundational years. One of the things that National Education Policy has, emphatically spoken about is the fact that education is a learning journey that commences from kindergarten going up to university. It is a continuous process, it is not in sections, it cannot be treated in isolation, so the foundational years which consist of kindergarten and primary school ought to give opportunities for children to discuss, debate, express, volunteer to gather information, and stimulate them to research and take up the initiative.

One of the things that the current pandemic has taught us is that we can no longer work in isolation. Language is embedded when you even decode a math problem. Unless you understand the context of case studies, what it is talking about, you may not be able to generate appropriate solutions.

So learning is more about doing away with the boundaries of different subject areas and merging them instead. Such fusion of subject areas will allow children to think, to explore more to spark curiosity, and therefore build a generation of thinkers!

(The author is an educationist)