Catch the new wave: Education 4.0 vs Industry 4.0

Education 4.0 cannot function in its old one-size-fits-all model of education in order to cater to the varied and complex needs of Industry 4.0. Howard Gardner suggested the ‘Theory of Multiple Intelligence’ in his 1983 book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, where he talks of people having different kinds of ‘intelligences’. He proposed that there are eight such types, given as follows:  

(1) Visual-spatial intelligence –those who can interpret pictorial data 

(2) Linguistic-verbal intelligence – those who have good command over language and can articulate well  

(3) Logical-mathematical intelligence – having a natural flair for number crunching and can correlate complex data for problem-solving 

(4) Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence – using talent for creating and designing objects, and enjoying activities such as sports, dance, etc 

(5) Musical intelligence – having a natural understanding of  rhythm, music and notes  

(6) Interpersonal intelligence – those who are empathetic and understand nuances of verbal and non-verbal communication 

(7) Intrapersonal intelligence – those who are self-aware and introspect on themselves and philosophies 

(8) Naturalistic intelligence – activities associated with nature and outdoor interest them a lot

Each of these eight types of intelligences lead to the understanding that no two persons are the same and humans are blessed with abundant variety of abilities and talents. Our education system should be able to recognize and nurture different types of intelligence – ultimately trying to create the right and best fit between an employee and the employment opportunity. There would be no laggards and failures if the education system could deliver customized solutions for different intelligence types.

In an era where information is free and ubiquitous, the big challenge is to recognize that students who join educational institutes have different intelligences and skill sets. It is important to create the right balance of curriculum and pedagogy for an outcome of employable graduates who can cater to different sectors of the industry and fit into different job profiles with necessary knowledge and skill sets. It’s also time to rethink on the role of education in an individual’s life.

At K J Somaiya Institute of Management, a constituent institute of Somaiya Vidyavihar University, we have been trying to achieve this very objective by developing sector specific MBA programmes and adopting a varied range of pedagogical tools such as classroom teaching, case studies, live projects, field visits, international immersions, simulation games, holistic self-management, sports, community service, experiential learning platforms and so on. Apart from this, the students have an opportunity to be part of more than 30 committees and hobby clubs that hone their talents. The latest technology based pedagogical tools, such as the Bloomberg Lab, Media Analytics Lab, Computer Labs, with their latest softwares and databases, help in a 360-degrees holistic development of the student and make them ready to catch the new wave.

- Dr Monica Khanna, Director, K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Somaiya Vidyavihar University