Education for an Emerging World: A Futuristic Perspective

Abstract

Etymologically, the word Education has its origin from Latin words such as ‘educare’ which is to bring out or to nourish; ‘educere’ refers to lead out or to draw out; ‘educatum’ means the act of teaching or training. Education implies ‘a breeding, to bring up, and rearing.’ The Sanskrit word ‘shiksha’ is derived from the word ‘shas’ which means the root. Shiksha implies “to discipline, to control, to instruct and to teach.” There are a number of definitions that could be quoted and presented. The task at hand however is grounding education toward strategies, content and goals that direct students to face the challenges and problems of the future by creating an environment to nourish and worship life. The word life also includes all animate, inanimate, living and nonliving phenomenon for example, crystals, infectious proteins called prions and so on. It is now discovered that computer programmes are also considered "living" by scientists. Many viruses have DNA or RNA which has led to an opinion that they may have a commonality with the human species. The word ‘LIFE’ is used here in its broadest sense with the awareness that life is a pulsating, dynamic energy constantly emerging and changing, defying definition. This paper discusses the challenges of the future, the present technological developments, the adequacy of the present educational system in that context, and the enormous scope of the future of Education for the challenges that lie ahead. It attempts to visualize a possible alternate paradigm as an Indian model of educational system with enduring values for a changing world.