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Learning comprises the acquisition of knowledge. There is a basic notion of education that has relevance for the teaching methods. A new thought process involves a broader vision of learning that consists of not only acquiring knowledge but also being able to use knowledge in various circumstances.
Two of the most critical educational objectives are to promote retention and knowledge transfer. Retention is the capability to remember the information at a later period, while knowledge transfer is the capability to use the knowledge to solve new problems.
Fostering creative thinking is more important than rote knowledge
Rote learning is learning information through memorization; though it helps students to gain knowledge, they often have little understanding or comprehension of the knowledge. E.g. of rote learning is memorizing the multiplication table. Conceptual learning is the opposite of this. Students learn to apply their knowledge to a specific situation, thereby enabling them to conclude based on evidence and previous knowledge. E.g. of conceptual learning is learning when and why to multiply. Such learning methods would allow students to solve problems creatively and not depend on previously learned solutions.
Rote learning has fewer benefits to educational performance; this is evident when considering the existing exam culture in India. Several types of research indicate that intellectual skills were absent from exams, along with analytical and creative skills.
In the existing exam culture, rote learning can translate to higher performance, as the exam structure values repeated information. However, this does not translate into real-world scenarios, where intellectual skills are very much valued.
Creativity boosts the economy
There has been severe criticism over how insufficiently exams measure intelligence, especially when it relates to these skills that support the creative sectors. In such domains, knowledge and understanding complement each other; both are important since it is challenging to be innovative without the capability to be creative. Creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving are highly valued in the real business world, as the skills required for innovation and economic development. Rote learning is necessary to establish a foundation from which a student can progress, but for a complete education that connects to the modern world, it would not be enough. Students have to understand the information that they are acquiring to know how to apply to various situations and use the value of new information for much more than exam outcomes.
Emotional Intelligence
Students should not rely only on traditional academic skills; they would become obsolete in an environment where computers can perform such techniques more quickly and precisely than humans. Information-based jobs would be under threat in the future.
The critical skills required to flourish in the future would be emotional intelligence and the capability to deal with change. Adapting to uncertainty would need an education system that fosters critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.
