CORONA’ism is just a new term, that popped out of my consciousness, to include 5 aspects of post Covid impact, that gives rise to a new way of thinking, interacting, learning, living and creating new paradigms of life.

To set the context of New Learning Methods, let’s first decode the 5 dimensions of Corona’ism.

SITUATIONS : We are forced to restrict our movements and hence limited access to space food and people.

PRIORITIES: We have now better awareness to set things right - in terms of nature conservation, creating zero waste methods and be at ease with minimalistic living.

CONSCIOUSNESS : We are now super consciousness to build our natural immunity of the body and mind. Traditional food and healing methods that help the body and mind to fight diseases and stress are now easily accepted.

BEHAVIOUR : Our interpersonal behaviour, arising out of safe distancing will focus on hygiene and protection. This creates a new pattern of behaviour, that will give rise to new etiquettes and manners in social life.

EMOTIONS : Most of us have now developed a subconscious fear of death and uncertainty. We no more are able to trust anyone, entering our space - without following basic hygiene and safety methods. Even simple symptoms of cough and fever are enough to trigger our fear of Covid days. Though this will heal with time.

So we are now living in a new world of Limitations, Challenges, Containment, Fear and Frustration.

THE EDUCATION SPACE : GV Sreekumar, my friend, Guru and guide in his Facebook live session, opened up this topic of the evolving changes in education space. Vinay Saynekar, my super Guru and mentor to hundreds of students also invoked thoughts to be brought out for an open discussion and awareness. I have been experimenting with offline and online medium too at this stage and relooking at bridging the gap and channelising my vision of making Art Education as a unique wholesome experience.

GV in his comment on Online education says -

“Dear Vinay and Sachin, I wonder why so many people are saying online education is getting acceptance now. It was accepted, used (effectively and sometimes not effectively) and enjoyed for quite some time. During this lockdown, we are locked up inside the house, we have more time to sit in front of digital devices and look at content available in online sources, The difference is that now we are aware of the resources and are forced to make use of them. Earlier we didn't have the time to look at them. How will it impact the universities is a different thing. Even if information is available in abundance all over the digital world, the student still needs a guiding hand to pick up the lamps and light them. So there is a difference between information available and knowledge and awareness. So formal education and formal helping hand in the form of a teacher will continue, but it will need to make efficient, well planned, logical use of the vast digital space and the infinite possibilities available to us. At the end of the day, whatever method you use, it all boils down to taking students from one level to another. Upanishad : Sit down nearby, be in the same wavelength as the teacher. Be in total sync with the teacher. All these apply to education- pre covid and post covid!!!”

VIEW G V SREEKUMARS BLOG

Learnings from above extract - for Art, a Guru and formal education is important along with bountiful learning resources available on the internet space. We need to find the right mix of both.

BUT HOW DO WE DO IT.

Let’s look at the key stakeholders who need to participate and contribute to this movement of shift n change

STUDENTS : They need to invest in a perfect ecosystem at home.

A good laptop or a combination of a desktop for home and an iPad Pro to be enabled for all computing and commuting needs. Invest in industry standard
Software and also learning and adapting alternate tools that are cost effective (will write a seperate blog on that).
Webcam and video conferencing with good acoustic setup. A robust internet with a backup plan that supports smooth data streaming.
A good smarter phone to deliver hi-quality content ingestion.
Build a good network of talent and visibility via online portfolio sites like Behance and also active on various existing and upcoming social portals.
Learn to protect your online identity and security of all your data and privacy.
Adapt quickly to offline and online combo learning methods.
Use affordable cloud based storage to upload all data securely and which can be accessed remotely. (I use 1TB on Yandex - its cheap n easy)

INSTITUTIONS : Traditional institutes and faculty to create a new environment of upgrading, continuous learning and new models of training.

Perhaps create virtual labs where good internet connectivity can help students to connect to different libraries, learning experiences and talks from various industry professionals.
A good acoustic and internet setup is a must.
Invest in new Digital experiential learning like AR, VR, MR (all realities that are unreal)
Institutes can also become a hub for Creative Entrepreneurs to create their commercial workspaces and use the Lab and Class environment with students and faculty to work on LIVE projects.
Enable deep research attitude as a part of the self-discovery process of problem solution thinking.

TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS : Rethink on integrating a virtual with on ground learning

Every student can easily store and retrieve their study material from where they left last.
Re engineer the video conferencing engine to enable better content sharing, better and revised UI.
Since there are now deep tech machine learning and AI solutions, we can customise lot of profiling and interests of student to guide them at the right stages.
There is a huge potential to develop real profile avatars that can emote and respond to live webinars.
We can also create matching environments of a custom classroom from the current boring thumbnail profile box.

GOVERNMENT : The major support is required from the Directorate of Art, Universities and Government to facilitate and fund for this smooth transition.

India has a strong IT and Creative Industry that fuels lot of business in Films, Advertising, Design, Craft and App development.
Today we have these resources to funnel all our PMs initiatives like Make in India, Local pe Vocal and Atma Nirbharta.
The digital enabling of all our villages is a trigger for a great revenue generation for India from a holistic objective of growth and prosperity.
Free or paid secure Wifi across the country will be a path breaking revolution.

INDUSTRY : The Covid phase has enabled deep insights and learning for many businesses that can adapt to WFH (work from home) model.

Hence Creative industry can develop new ways of working online and offline thus optimising the daily expenses of office, travel and time usage.
More productivity - more profits - more results. Professionals can now be mentors from any place. They can contribute to create some interesting content for learning.
Also provide projects to budding entrepreneurs who are working in institutions with research labs as mentioned above.

FACULTY : They are the most important people in the value chain.

As GV rightly points out a quote from the Upanishad - Sit down nearby, be in the same wavelength as the teacher.
Perhaps the whole paradigm shift will now happen when this wavelength can also be transmitted online and the student receives it with the same intensity as offline.
This also requires the teachers to be esoteric in their own learnings and transmit it as energy. Be inclusive and well connected. Share your knowledge. Keep expressing through art.

FEW QUESTIONS TO PONDER

WHAT would it take for India to create a successful Guru-Shishya offline-online model?
WHAT would it take for students to choose the right combination to take education and learning to a new dimension?
WHAT would it take for the Institutions to reimagine and adapt quickly to build a better and affordable art education?
WHAT would it take for the Government to build a perfect infrastructure at robust speed?
WHAT would it take for Indian IT geniuses to build products that can ease the process of learning?

This blog is an expression of thoughts. Do feel free to share your thoughts too.

Thanks

Sachindra Puthran

Director

Thatz it Pvt Ltd. Mumbai. India.

Also listen to this Interactive Webinar organised by Radha Ambekar of L S Raheja College of Art, Worli for their students

Speaker: Sachin Puthran

Duration 60 minutes

July 2020

Perfecting Online and Offline learning methods

CORONA’ism is just a new term, that popped out of my consciousness, to include 5 aspects of post Covid impact, that gives rise to a new way of thinking, interacting, learning, living and creating new paradigms of life.

So we are now living in a new world of Limitations, Challenges, Containment, Fear and Frustration.

Learnings from above extract - for Art, a Guru and formal education is important along with bountiful learning resources available on the internet space. We need to find the right mix of both.

BUT HOW DO WE DO IT.

Let’s look at the key stakeholders who need to participate and contribute to this movement of shift n change

FEW QUESTIONS TO PONDER

WHAT would it take for India to create a successful Guru-Shishya offline-online model?

WHAT would it take for students to choose the right combination to take education and learning to a new dimension?

WHAT would it take for the Institutions to reimagine and adapt quickly to build a better and affordable art education?

WHAT would it take for the Government to build a perfect infrastructure at robust speed?

WHAT would it take for Indian IT geniuses to build products that can ease the process of learning?

This blog is an expression of thoughts. Do feel free to share your thoughts too.

Experiences Blog

CORONA’ism is just a new term, that popped out of my consciousness, to include 5 aspects of post Covid impact, that gives rise to a new way of thinking, interacting, learning, living and creating new paradigms of life.

So we are now living in a new world of Limitations, Challenges, Containment, Fear and Frustration.

Learnings from above extract - for Art, a Guru and formal education is important along with bountiful learning resources available on the internet space. We need to find the right mix of both.BUT HOW DO WE DO IT.

Let’s look at the key stakeholders who need to participate and contribute to this movement of shift n change

FEW QUESTIONS TO PONDER

WHAT would it take for India to create a successful Guru-Shishya offline-online model?

WHAT would it take for students to choose the right combination to take education and learning to a new dimension?

WHAT would it take for the Institutions to reimagine and adapt quickly to build a better and affordable art education?

WHAT would it take for the Government to build a perfect infrastructure at robust speed?

WHAT would it take for Indian IT geniuses to build products that can ease the process of learning?

This blog is an expression of thoughts. Do feel free to share your thoughts too.

Learnings from above extract - for Art, a Guru and formal education is important along with bountiful learning resources available on the internet space. We need to find the right mix of both.

BUT HOW DO WE DO IT.