Prof. Raj Shree Dhar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed India’s contribution to the field of mathematics owing to our invention of the Zero, and spoke about Vedic Maths during the 88th episode on his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat.’ He said, “One of the many ways to sharpen mathematical skills is Vedic Maths. Via Vedic Maths, you can do even the most difficult calculations in the blink of an eye.”
The new National Education Policy seeks to enlarge the field of knowledge to which the student is introduced and lays special stress on experiment and observation. The power of knowledge is necessary rather than the acquisition of knowledge in an illiberal sense. The graduates from our colleges can be great administrators, great lawyers or eminent medical specialists if liberal knowledge, original science and sound culture are taught to them.
A true education of the mind, that will prepare a person for a higher life has five principal phases: development of the power of concentration, the capacity of attention, development of the capacities of expansion, wideness, complexity and richness, organization of ideas around a central idea that will serve as a guide in life, thought control, and development of mental silence, perfect calm. A broader skill set across the organizations has to be cultivated that prioritizes problem-solving, adaptability, creativity and empathy, which are the building blocks of sustained innovation. These flexible skills are valuable in various situations and enable us to thrive in a world of exponential change.
A watchful eye is to be kept on techniques and technologies such as design thinking for next-generation problem-solving, augmented and virtual reality for immersive learning and advances in the subject of mathematics including Vedic mathematics or mental mathematics to fuel better understanding when it comes to rapid skills development.
The most important skills across all future jobs are in human skills like problem solving and communication, computer literacy, training of mathematics and career management. The main focus should be on building key data skills, strong foundational skills like Machine Learning (ML) and Mathematics. Mathematics students have been putting their skills to use with a number of high profile industry placements. These students apply their fields like data analysis and modeling skills to help each business answer a real world problem. The better you are at mathematics, the more money seems to influence your satisfaction.
Founded in 2017, the Chennai-based startup Math Love focuses on providing schools with innovative curriculums inclusive of equipments, games, and learning material to promote holistic numerical learning. Not only do the duo train teachers resort to experiential techniques of pedagogy, but they also promote a better learning environment for students to gain a grasp on mathematical concepts. Math Love is attempting to address three key challenges at the primary school level disengagement with numbers, gaps in foundational mathematic skills, and lack of practical understanding of the subject. The startup has introduced a learning model that includes interactive learning material, numerical board games, and workbooks to help the students.
Another startup Jyoti Education Care is committed and dedicated in improving and distributing innovative educational concepts for the brain and skill development of children. Their objective is to enable students to perform addition, subtraction, division and multiplication mentally with accuracy and without using any paper, pen or any electronic device. This helps students in getting rid of their fear of mathematics and boosts their academic performance. So, in order to offer an easier way to calculate, it is pertinent to encourage the two different ancient methods of ABACUS and Vedic Mathematics.
Mathematical skills include constructing and clearly presenting mathematical and logical arguments, advanced numeracy skills, turning real world problems into mathematical problems, analyzing data, finding patterns and extracting solutions, developing teamwork and leadership, presentation skills. Mathematics can be offered as a joint honors degree paired with business management, computer science, economics, finance, sports science etc. There can be an option to opt for a foundation mathematics program.
To create educational content or activities as startup can prove to be an exceptional initiative as parents are always looking for the tools and activities to keep their kids entertained and engaged. Some educational startups create new ways to boost morale. To become an online coach by providing tips of mathematical skills for clearing exams or using mathematical concept in every field for faster results or create online courses in skill mathematics are some examples of skill mathematics.
Unconventional startup ideas can become wildly successful businesses, although coming up with such brilliant innovative ideas may feel tricky for aspiring entrepreneurs. What is more likely is that educational institutions that don’t start transforming now may become obsolete in the future. Hybrid models, bundling of learning content or content factories, crowd sourcing platforms and other educational shifts will continue to threaten traditional players if they don’t start to adapt. The market dynamics between developed and emerging countries might be different, but the purpose of secondary and tertiary education is found everywhere to prepare as many people as possible for a world of disruptive change. That outcome will lead to citizens who are better parents, partners, workers and community members.
The highly competitive higher education landscape makes it imperative for institutions to know with certainty what is working and what isn’t, or else their very survival would be in jeopardy. This ends up translating into a growing need for higher education institutions to be modeled on the culture, IT and processes adopted by successful commercial organizations to help improve efficiencies and better understand the needs of students, employees and employers. Taking a leaf out of the business playbook will give organizations easier access to accurate data and help them respond quicker to market demands. Far from being at odds with the academic and enrichment ethos that underpins all great institutions, this approach will help them strengthen their relationship with students, from the initial application stage through to graduation, and bring certainty to their social mission. The world needs millions of the kinds of skilled workers who keep an economy functioning, such as auto mechanics, heating and air conditioner repair people, electricians, plumbers and computer technicians etc.
The mathematical skill curriculum includes basic numeracy, equations, functions, graphs, data analysis, statistics, industry projects and some chapters from CAT syllabus. But do your homework before diving into a start up idea. First make sure there is demand for the business you want to start and where to start. Write a business plan which contains objectives, marketing plans, and financial implications. Startup idea that imparts mathematical skill will gradually make the child capable of attention and innovation. It will train and elaborate upon new methods and techniques to infuse in students and above all make the study and learning of mathematics a beautiful journey.
(The author is Principal, Govt. Degree College, Jindrah, J&K.)
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