College is an exciting and important phase of life. It is a big step ahead in any young individuals' life. It helps us to finally get to meet many like-minded people and give us a platform for many opportunities that enable us to learn, create, work and even teach. However, that just barely scratches the surface as to the things that you will get to do in college. It's basically an information powerhouse and a repository of vivid experiences where youngsters take their first step towards a mature existence.
A student embarks on a journey of self-discovery and it marks the beginning of responsibility, independence and the honing of one’s mind as he/she enters college. Someone who has just passed out from school has several aspirations and dreams which he believes will be fulfilled during his undergraduate years and as a result, he/she expects certain things from college. However, it is also important to assess one's reality and move along accordingly.
A Life-centric approach
The first and the foremost thing that should be provided in college is more emphasis on a practical approach rather than the theoretical one. The regular class tests in colleges should be done away with and in place of them, students should be handed over with practical assignments to teach them practical implementation of the subjects they study.
Students should be encouraged to write review papers or create their own models based on what they have been taught because it is important to learn how things work in real life. Speaking of subjects like Engineering, colleges ought to have the updated equipment with the best machinery and the interactive technology that might help the student understand the principals and the concepts based on which the machines and programs run. This can help the student perform effective experiments on them without any difficulty. It is the basic need of the hour and so far this is where our education system lags far behind.
A focused approach to learning
Secondly, the student, being proficient in the basic knowledge of the subject he/she has chosen, expects the college to start with the core subjects in which the student has to specialize rather than teaching him the basics for a whole year. An early start to the comprehensive and detailed study can then lead the student to join internships and co-op programs which will help him/her gain the first-hand experience of the practical work that is to be performed in the future.
Independence
Lately, there have been student demonstrations and protests regarding hostel curfews which are stringent and place unnecessary restrictions on them. Colleges and hostels ought to shed the micro-management styles applied in schools. Early on in the lives of students, these approaches may have their use but in the long run, if students are expected to be provided with a framework to make their own decisions, them excessive surveillance and monitoring can be counter-productive. It is not through rules that youngsters ought to be disciplined but by allowing them to exercise their own moral choice.
Planning one's own curriculum
The one thing that students want most in school can be summed up in one word-choice. This can lead to Freedom of decision making, for themselves and their future. This is what freshers expect from a college to provide them with. Students want a choice in what classes they have to take and what they do in class. They want a choice in what they read and write, and which classes they take. They wish to opt for activities and roles which they have a keen interest in and look forward to joining the respective clubs or societies.
Often students ask, why can’t we slow down, either because of difficulty or because of interest. The answer is that choice is not an option for the teacher if he/she is going to meet the rigid guidelines. Also, students want to be able to pick what they read, read books at the appropriate level, and write about what interests them. Yet, schools can't afford to buy different books, nor are teachers encouraged, and in some cases allowed, to offer students their choice and so they expect the same from their college education.
Relevant Exposure
An active placement cell, seminars, lectures, business models, presentations and experiments not only make students stronger in their chosen field but enable them to tackle real-life situations which become necessary after they graduate. It helps them to get accustomed to the ways of the world and ensure their own success. A student hopes for and enjoys practical lessons and hands-on experiences when in college rather than the mainstream lectures and homework, A student expects to have the freedom to use and experiment with machinery and computer networks and should be allowed access to everything with permission without fear, learn from them and build their own innovative solutions so that the freedom is used in a correct and productive way.
In spite of the points mentioned above, it is important to keep one's expectations in check every now and then and stay grounded. Situations are not always favourable and it takes great strength of character to realize that and still keep moving forward. Having expectations is only natural, but what we make of it ultimately counts in the long run. Having said that, one can hope that the higher education authorities are attentive to the needs of the youngsters who opt for higher education.
- Hardik Srivastava
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