Curriculum Development Challenges

After spending six years at IIT Bombay, I have observed several systemic challenges that affect research productivity—not just at IITB, but potentially at other institutions as well. Here are some key areas that need attention: 1️⃣ Encouraging Internal Collaboration: While faculty actively engage in national and international collaborations, internal collaborations within the institute remain limited. We need structured initiatives and incentives to promote interdisciplinary research. 2️⃣ Post-Promotion Productivity: Most faculty become full Professors after ~12 years of service, leaving 18+ years before retirement. Unfortunately, research productivity often declines post-promotion. Periodic evaluation and incentives for sustained contributions could help address this. 3️⃣ Avoiding a Culture of Mediocrity: Faculty with less research output often dominate decision-making due to their free time used for lobbing potentially sidelining high-performing researchers. A system that values and rewards research excellence is crucial. 4️⃣ Recognizing Hard Work: Whether a faculty member is guiding 10 PhD students or just 1, handling multiple projects or only a few, the institutional recognition and incentives remain the same. A differentiated reward system could motivate high performers. 5️⃣ Supporting Young Faculty: While IIT Bombay does well in promoting young faculty, some smaller departments still face challenges. Early-career researchers should receive greater institutional support to maximize their potential. 6️⃣ Enhancing PhD Student Quality: Stronger evaluation methods, mentorship programs, and targeted skill development could significantly improve research output and impact. Addressing these issues might requires structural reforms, cultural shifts, and policy-level discussions. #AcademicResearch #HigherEducation #ResearchExcellence #IITBombay #FacultyDevelopment #PhD Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Late night musings We don’t need better textbooks in rural India, we need different ones! As much as I have worked with rural schools of our country: I’ve seen children memorize what they cannot pronounce. Read stories about elevators and escalators they’ve never seen - while they climb trees barefoot every day. They solve math problems about shopping malls, but never about mandis. They learn about snow before they learn about drought. They speak three languages fluently - none of which feature in their textbooks. This is not a “learning gap.” This is a system design gap. And it’s not just about language. It’s about relevance. It’s about representation. It’s about respecting the learner’s context. We’ve done the hard work of getting rural children into classrooms. Now comes the harder part - bringing the classroom into their world. Textbooks must feel like mirrors, not mazes. Because children can’t dream in a language that denies their reality!!! So the question is no longer: "How do we help rural children catch up?" It’s: "When will we catch up to their world?" Rural India doesn’t need our pity. It needs a curriculum that listens! #education #rural #textbooks #multilingual #schools #priyankeducator

Today’s Irish Times reports that secondary school teachers in Ireland are seeking indemnity against legal risks posed by AI-generated coursework in Leaving Cert exams. The concern is that teachers, who must authenticate student work as original, could inadvertently certify AI-assisted submissions. This could lead to penalties for students and professional liability for teachers. The debate highlights the tension between outdated educational frameworks and the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence. This controversy, in my view, is only a symptom of a much deeper and more urgent problem. The widening AI literacy divide is the real crisis in education. The key issue is not whether students are using AI, but who is learning to use it effectively. The divide between those who master AI tools and those who do not will shape educational and career outcomes far more than previous technological shifts. Access to AI tools is increasingly stratified. Many of the most powerful AI systems require monthly subscriptions. This creates an economic barrier, but the more significant divide is not financial. There are excellent free AI systems available, yet their effectiveness depends on literacy. A child who knows how to use AI, who understands how to prompt, refine, and critically assess outputs, will have an enormous advantage over a child who does not. Parents who actively teach their children how to use AI are setting them up for success in ways that go far beyond any single school assignment. This gap is far more significant than disparities in high-speed internet access or even access to personal computers that we saw 25 years ago (as a “geriatric millennial” it’s close to my heart). When the internet became widely available, there were those who embraced it and learned how to navigate the vast world of online information. Others saw it as a problem, something to be constrained and sometimes even banned. The result was a generation of digital natives who thrived and a generation that struggled to adapt. AI will produce an even starker divide, but this time, the consequences will be more profound. I have seen firsthand how transformative AI can be in education. My children use AI constantly. Through voice features they created HTML code for a video game they could play on my phone, refining their understanding of coding through interactive experimentation. When reading books about sharks, they use chatgpt’s voice and video features to explore the subject in greater depth, asking follow-up questions and engaging with the material in a way that traditional textbooks simply cannot facilitate. They are not just consuming information. They are actively shaping their learning experience. This is what we should be teaching all children. The world has changed, and there is no going back. Pandora’s box is open. The choice we face is not whether AI will be used in education but whether we will prepare students to use it intelligently and effectively.

Part 3: Gaps in the Status Quo In Parts 1 and 2, we explored the value of an MDes and the potential of thriving as an autodidact in design. Now, let's dive into some of my observations as a practitioner and a practitioner teacher about the current state of design education. Many designers, regardless of specialization, end up in digital design roles (UX/UI), largely driven by market demand. This raises a nuanced question: Should you pursue a master's degree primarily for better pay and opportunities, or because of a genuine passion for the subject matter? If industry readiness is the primary goal, our current master's programs often fall short. Curricula struggle to keep pace with the rapidly evolving industry, leaving knowledge gaps and missing critical core competencies. Tools, which are a significant part of day-to-day work, are often overlooked. Disruptive trends and new theories are rarely incorporated. The elaborate processes taught in school often don't align with real-world constraints. Designers can become frustrated when they can't conduct extensive customer research or focus solely on desirability while neglecting feasibility. Auxiliary skills, crucial for excelling in daily work, are seldom taught. Community engagement, industry conversations, and expert insights are often limited to annual guest lectures, rather than fostering ongoing relationships. As a result, students often face a "second shift" after graduation, scrambling to prepare their portfolios for industry expectations. While they gain broad exposure to the field, they may struggle to be immediately productive in professional roles. Bridging these gaps requires a fundamental rethinking of design education. Programs must strike a balance between theoretical depth and practical application, ensuring students are equipped with the skills and mindset to thrive in the ever-changing design landscape. Understanding these nuances can help you make an informed choice around your structured and formal education. There are pros and cons to every approach. Weigh them down and make a decision. The first principle you should keep in your mind is make a choice in such a way that your ROI is disproportionately higher than you I aka investment. #careerdesign #designeducation #masters

💡𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟓 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐈𝐁 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦✨ The shift from traditional teaching methods to an inquiry-based, student-centered approach often presents unexpected challenges. I remember being in the same position a decade ago, I assumed it would simply involve delivering lessons from a textbook. But on my very first day, I realized it was much more challenging than I had imagined. With time, after attending numerous workshops and receiving continuous support from colleagues, I gradually adapted to the IB framework and, even now, continue to learn. Based on my experience, here are the top 5 common challenges new IB teachers face and practical solutions to overcome them. 𝟏️. 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐲-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡- 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞: Both new teachers and those experienced in other curricula may find it challenging to shift from a content-driven to an inquiry-based teaching model. 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Participate in IB professional development workshops, observe experienced IB teachers, and practice facilitating student-led inquiries to build confidence in this approach. 𝟐. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠- 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞: Blending different subjects into a unified learning experience can be overwhelming for newcomers and experienced educators alike. 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Use the IB unit planners as a guide, collaborate with colleagues to design interdisciplinary units, and start with small integration projects to gradually build your skills. 𝟑. 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭- 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞: Moving away from traditional exams to continuous formative assessment might be unfamiliar and Frightening. 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Begin by incorporating simple formative assessment techniques, such as student reflections and peer feedback, to track progress and adapt your teaching strategies. 𝟒. 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲- 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞: Allowing students more control over their learning while maintaining classroom management can be difficult for both new and experienced teachers. 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Implement structured choices within lessons and gradually increase student autonomy, all while maintaining clear expectations and providing necessary support. 𝟓. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐁 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠- 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞: The extensive documentation and reflective practices required in IB can be overwhelming for teachers new to this system. 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Develop a consistent documentation routine, utilize digital tools to organize your records, and seek guidance from mentors to streamline the reporting process. #IBTeacher #IB #Education #TeacherChallenges #InquiryBasedLearning #TransdisciplinaryLearning #FormativeAssessment #StudentAgency #EdChat #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #TeachingTips #EdTech #IBCurriculum

Overcoming Obstacles to the Vision - Expanding Student Pathways When I first stepped into the role of Head of Curriculum at a school renowned for its academic tradition, one thing was clear – university was seen as the only marker of post-graduation success. But I knew there was untapped potential in diversifying student pathways. My leadership vision was to broaden this focus, and it wasn't easy. I faced resistance from alumni and parents who feared that offering alternatives to university would dilute the school’s prestige. Convincing them required strategic communication and highlighting the evolving job market. I hosted forums with successful professionals from vocational fields and engaged in open dialogues with parents and students alike. Slowly, the conversation began to shift. The unwavering support of my principal gave me the resilience to keep pushing. We introduced workshops on career diversity, embedded technical training, and integrated TAFE programs into the curriculum. I showed teachers how these pathways catered to different strengths, and their commitment to student success made them enthusiastic allies. Students voiced their aspirations, letting us know that university wasn't for everyone. The key to overcoming deep-rooted beliefs? Persistent, empathetic dialogue, and celebrating every student’s path with the same excitement, whether it led to university, an apprenticeship, or a traineeship. Leadership often means challenging the status quo. It’s about envisioning a future that includes everyone and patiently steering the community through change. This journey taught me that true success lies in preparing students for life – in all its diverse possibilities. https://lnkd.in/gEy-vtwb Amba Press #Leadership #Education #DiversityInEducation #StudentSuccess #CareerPaths #ChangeManagement #EducationalLeadership #principal

Solving the unemployment crisis amongst Graduate Engineers. Below are my suggestions on how we can stem the increasing rate of unemployment amongst the electrical engineering graduates( both from the TVETs and Universities):- 1. Industry - Academia partnerships These partnerships can lead to the development of curriculum that aligns with industry needs ensuring that engineering graduates possess the relevant skills and knowledge required by the job market. Detailed demand-side study for engineering graduates demand and their employment skills should be conducted. This can be done in conjunction with the Institution of the Engineers of Kenya and the industry. 2. Internship placement The collaboration between Kenya Association of Manufacturers(KAM) and the Engineers Board of Kenya , The Institution of Engineers of Kenya should establish a structured and streamlined process for internship placement. This can involve creating a centralized internship placement platform where engineering graduates can apply for internships. NB: There are about 1000 manufacturing firms in the country. Additionally, this collaboration should identify eligible candidates for internships. This can be done through linkages with the academic institutions to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified engineering graduates for the internship program. 3. Sensitize our local firms Emphasize the potential cost savings for firms by leveraging the skills and knowledge of engineering graduates. Additionally, these sensitization forums can highlight the success stories of firms that have previously hosted interns, showcasing the positive contributions made by the interns. 4. Entrepreneurship and start-up support EBK, IEK and industry partners can establish incubation centres or innovation hubs where aspiring engineers can receive guidance, mentoring and financial support to start their own ventures. 5. Engage with government and policy makers Advocate for policies that support job creation and encourage investments in the engineering sector. Collaborate with government bodies such as KRA(KENYA REVENUE AUTHORITY) to establish initiatives such as tax incentives for organizations hiring fresh graduates. 6. Life skills training Including life skills as a unit for final year students at the institutions of higher learning recognizes the importance of preparing students not just academically, but also practically and emotionally for life after graduation. This would help the graduates in managing their expectations, about the job market once they're done schooling. Which other suggestions do you think should be added onto the list? #engineering #internship #graduateengineers #collaboration

🔖 Interested in academia-industry collaboration in #edtech? Read this new Commentary by a group of academic researchers collaborating with EdTech companies around the world. While we’ve seen many positive examples, the work hasn’t always been easy. We’ve faced challenges such as: 🔻 Early contract terminations or pressure to reanalyse data when results didn’t show positive impacts expected by the companies 🔻Unequal legal support, with individual researchers at academic institutions lacking the resources available to large corporate legal teams 🔻 Difficulty maintaining fair project timelines, due to ongoing “mission creep” (repeated requests for new revisions beyond what was originally agreed) We advocate for: 🔺 Formalized data-sharing protocols that promote transparency and open science 🔺 Dedicated legal support units for public-private partnerships at universities 🔺A centralized, anonymized data repository to enable more rigorous cross-study analyses. This would strengthen the evidence base not just for individual companies, but for the EdTech field as a whole ✍ Article co-authored with Todd Cherner Adam Dubé Adrian Pasquarella Nicola Pitchford Dr Helen Ross 🙏Thank you Sonia Livingstone Candice Odgers and Amy Orben for starting this important debate and thank you Prof Bernadka Dubicka Editor in Chief Child and Adolescent Mental Health, for facilitating the conversation in the journal! Download from:

The Knowledge-Skill Gap in Engineering. The engineering sector is facing a significant knowledge-skill gap that impacts workforce effectiveness. This gap refers to the discrepancy between what engineering graduates know and the practical skills they have to apply that knowledge in real-world scenarios. Causes of the Gap includes but are not limited to:- 1. Rapid technological advancement is a primary factor. Engineering fields evolve quickly, with innovations in AI, automation, and sustainable technologies often outpacing curriculum updates in educational institutions. As a result, graduates may have strong theoretical foundations but lack familiarity with the latest tools and practices. 2.Curriculum limitations also contribute. Many engineering programs emphasize theoretical knowledge over practical applications, leaving students with insufficient hands-on experience. Graduates often enter the workforce unprepared for immediate challenges. 3.Industry expectations further complicate the situation. Employers seek candidates who can contribute from day one, but many new graduates require extensive training to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical skills. This mismatch can lead to frustration for both parties. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach. Curriculum reform is essential; engineering programs should integrate practical experience through internships, co-op programs, and project-based learning. Collaborations with industry can ensure curricula remain relevant to current market needs. Promoting continuous learning initiatives can also help. Encouraging engineers to pursue further education and training after graduation through online courses, workshops, and certifications allows them to stay current in their fields. Stronger partnerships between academia and industry are crucial for better alignment of educational outcomes with market needs. Guest lectures, mentorship programs, and collaborative research can enrich the learning experience, providing students with insights and skills that are directly applicable to their careers. Regards.

This headline has been all over my feed: “...AI tutor rockets student test scores..." Everyone take a deep breath. We’ve seen this before, and it’s not the educational breakthrough we crave. We’ve been on this ride for 15 years—it’s just “adaptive practice”. But, to be clear, adaptive practice IS great. Putting students in front of personalized learning tools like Khan Academy would be better than a traditional lecture-based approach. And, I think those tools have a significant place in the future of school. But, we've seen this hype before: adaptive learning tools promise miracles, yet most students won't care. Their motivation remains untouched. The core issue is simple: teenagers aren't robots. Adaptive practice, even AI-enhanced, often feels like more efficiently delivered broccoli—still bland, still something adults make them eat. Even reducing schoolwork to three streamlined hours doesn't address the deeper issue: it remains disconnected from students' personal interests, dreams, and sense of purpose. Without meaningful context, shorter periods of adaptive practice simply reduce boredom—they don't eliminate it. That bargain will win over some students, but most won’t budge. Teenagers want meaning, community, and relevance. They engage deeply when learning connects with their interests and real-world goals. Picture this: instead of isolated science homework, students explore "Colonizing Mars," learning chemistry by balancing equations essential for rocket propulsion and sustaining life. Suddenly, chemistry matters because it connects directly to their interests. They deeply feel WHY the learning matters. Contents should be repackaged to fit into interesting, real-world problems. Those problems then animate all the thinking and hard work behind enduring learning. This isn't hypothetical—it’s called "interdisciplinary, inquiry-based learning," the approach we've embraced at Sora Schools. Adaptive tools become powerful when integrated into meaningful, real-world contexts, transforming chores into meaningful experiences. True educational innovation won't come from yet another adaptive learning iteration. It demands a fundamental shift—connecting knowledge to contexts students genuinely care about. Until then, we'll keep spinning on this edtech merry-go-round.