Local culture is commonly used to characterise everyday life experience in specific, identifiable localities. A localised culture reflects ordinary people’s feelings of appropriateness, comfort, and correctness. It additionally attributes what define personal preferences and changing tastes.
Innovation is often defined as applying better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market needs. Innovation is the process that involves multiple activities to uncover new ways to do things.
And often, it is the same innovation which is put forth again and called reintroduction!
Why schools need a reintroduction to local cultures?
When it comes to schools, innovations can be tech-driven, using new technologies. These can range from smart classrooms or IT enabled services, new applications and social media, or technology to teach, assess, document, etc.
There are some which are emotion-driven. These include:
Counselling
Inspiration
Role modelling
Motivational inputs
And more…
Then there are some STEM driven, appealing to the left logical, rational, sequential brain, taking succor from science, technology, mathematics, etc.
Many schools focus on turning every instruction-led learning environment into an experiential learning environment where learners are made to do what they study.
Reintroducing local cultures & traditions
Curriculum content across global schools are becoming more organic and less structured. However, in this chaos, there is a lack of synergy when it comes to culture.
Technology leads educators to buy, sell and share teaching resources. How can this be done?
Via Audio-visual Supplements
Graphical representation of complex equations using smart-board is another option here. One can also use audio-visual equipment indispensable for language learning or even the snippets of award-winning films, plays, and speeches of great orators.
Active participation
In a country where diversity thrives amid unity, the teachers should try to roll the responsibility of learning towards the students and make them active participants in learning. Providing them with resources via email or intranet, where students gather concepts, constructing knowledge, and drawing inferences for localised cultural traits is imperative.
Role Play
Let the kids emulate their idols. This is a great way to instil values as they play the roles of historical stalwarts like Gandhi, Nehru, Rani Laxmi Bai, etc.
Go beyond the classroom
The culture of India is not restricted, so let them explore Nature Trails, Heritage Walk, Educational Excursion, Field trips, Rural Journeys, City-walks, etc. It will help them understand more about the local culture.
The power of internet
At school, the future learners should think visually through pictures, images, graphics, cartoons, etc. One can take this a step further by integrating video creation & presentation making in the classroom is a necessary innovation today.
With the internet, the options are endless to explore the local culture. Students can add voice recordings or text sharing feedback with peers. When you make the learners co-creators of content, they are more engaged.
Keep in mind that the teachers need to evolve into mentors, facilitators, motivators and act as the second parents for the learners. They, too, need mentoring and learning from time to time.
It's time to embrace a balance of modern and tradition. Because only when you infuse the duo in the classroom -- do you get universal citizens of tomorrow!