Department of English and Foreign Languages

Faculty of Engineering and Technology, SRMIST

18LEM102T
Value Education

Work Book
For First Year B.Tech Students
(For internal circulation only)

Name:_____MD OBAID ANSARI______

Reg. No:______ RA2011033010162_________
Branch: ___CSE-SWE___Section: ___S2___
 Module 2

Youth and Education

S1
Individual Work
• Do you think education is associated with accumulation of information
and knowledge in educational institutions alone? Why and why not?

To most, ‘Education’ simply connotes a process of facilitating learning or

the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Often, we do not lay enough emphasis on
values, beliefs, wisdom and habits, which are core to a good education. Good, well-
rounded education should help to bring lasting positive changes in human life and
behavior, so that we can contribute to society in a meaningful and positive way. To
create unity and justice for all.
Albert Einstein during his visit to Boston in 1921, while commenting on college
education stated, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of minds to
think.” He argued, that in order to learn facts, a person does not really need a school
or college education. The value of a school or college education is to train the mind
to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks, it is to create the capacity
of integrated understanding and an ability to use the knowledge intelligently. These
are fundamental aspects of the ethos of education that we continue to aspire for
even today.
Education is the catalyst that can help reduce poverty, improve health, prevent
needless deaths & illness, eliminate gender inequality and create a sustainable
planet. For societies, education drives long-term economic growth, spurs innovation,
strengthens institutions, and fosters social cohesion. Education gives people the skills
they need to help themselves out of poverty. As per a UN study, there is a 9%
increase in hourly earnings for every one extra year of schooling. In many cases
expanding access to education is in fact a matter of life and death. A mother who can
read is able to better protect her children from chronic illnesses and from dying
young. As per UN estimates, in the developing world, a child born to a mother who
can read is 50% more likely to survive past age five.
Widespread availability of quality education is vital to convert this demographic
dividend into a valuable economic resource and to harness the latent potential of
human capital. Education - not only in terms of skill development, but more
importantly, the development of strong value systems. On the flip side, if we a
society fail to remove the disparities in the availability and quality of educational
opportunities, this can easily turn into a nightmarish threat of a disillusioned and
frustrated youth, fuel social & political unrest.

Individual Activity
Find four cartoons (each) that make a point about the positive and negative
aspects of today’s education system in India. Provide a caption of your own
to each.

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S2
Group Work
1. Select a country, gather information on the ancient systems of education
in that country and write the outline that could be later developed as an
essay.

INDIA
Ancient Education System of India
Ancient Indian educational system focused on building a disciplined and values-
based culture. Human values such as trust, respect, honesty, dignity, and courtesy
are the building blocks of any free, advanced society. The convocation addresses
from ancient time throws significant light on the qualities required to be
developed in the students which are not very different from the qualities that
modern educational systems are trying to impart.

Salient Features of Ancient Education System

ANCIENT EDUCATION SYSTEM IN INDIA — A WAY OF LIFE

Viharas and Universities

Takshashila or Taxila
Role of the Teacher
Nalanda University
Role of Community
Continuation of Indian Education System
Our present day education system has a lot to learn from the ancient education
system of India. Therefore, the stress is being laid on connecting learning to the
world outside the school. Today educationists recognize the role and importance
of multilingual and multicultural education, thereby connecting the ancient and
the traditional knowledge with contemporary learning.
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2. Make an oral presentation based on the outline you have made. Other
learners can take down the points from the presentations made by their
class mates.

Ancient Indian educational system focused on building a disciplined and values-

based culture. Human values such as trust, respect, honesty, dignity, and courtesy
are the building blocks of any free, advanced society. The convocation addresses
from ancient time throws significant light on the qualities required to be
developed in the students which are not very different from the qualities that
modern educational systems are trying to impart

Topic-Salient Features Of Ancient Education System

From the time of Rigveda onwards, our ancient education system evolved over
the period and focused on the holistic development of the individual by taking
care of both the inner and the outer self. The system focused on the moral,
physical, spiritual and intellectual aspects of life. It emphasised on values such as
humility, truthfulness, discipline, self-reliance and respect for all creations.
Students were taught to appreciate the balance between human beings and
nature. Teaching and learning followed the tenets of Vedas and Upanishads
fulfilling duties towards self, family and society, thus encompassing all aspects of
life. Education system focused both on learning and physical development. In
other words, the emphasis was on a healthy mind and healthy body. You can see
that education in India has a heritage of being pragmatic, achievable and
complementary to life.

Sources of Education
The ancient system of education was the education of the Vedas, Brahmanas,
Upanishads and Dharmasutras. You must have heard the names of Aryabhata,
Panini, Katyayana and Patanjali. Their writings and the medical treatises of
Charaka and Sushruta were also some of the sources of learning. Distinction was
also drawn between Shastras (learned disciplines) and Kavyas (imaginative and
creative literature). Sources of learning were drawn from various disciplines such
as Itihas (history), Anviksiki (logic), Mimamsa (interpretation) Shilpashastra
(architecture), Arthashastra (polity), Varta (agriculture, trade, commerce, animal
husbandry) and Dhanurvidya (archery). Physical education too was an important
curricular area and pupils participated in krida (games, recreational activities),
 vyayamprakar (exercises), dhanurvidya(archery) for acquiring martial skills, and
yoga sadhana (training the mind and body) among others. The Gurus and their
pupils worked conscientiously together to become proficient in all aspects of
learning. In order to assess pupils' learning, shastrartha (learned debates) were
organised. Pupils at an advanced stage of learning guided younger pupils. There
also existed the system of peer learning, like you have group/peer work.

ANCIENT EDUCATION SYSTEM IN INDIA — A WAY OF LIFE

In ancient India, both formal and informal ways of education existed. Indigenous
education was imparted at home, in temples, pathshalas, tols, chatushpada and
gurukuls. There were people in homes, villages and temples who guided young
children in imbibing pious ways of life. Temples were also the centres of learning
and took interest in the promotion of knowledge of our ancient system. Students
went to viharas and universities for higher knowledge. Teaching was largely oral
and students remembered and meditated upon what was taught in the class.

Viharas and Universities

It talks about the importance of schooling back then and the interest of the kings
in promoting education. During this time, various educational centres were built
in association with viharas and temples. These universities became a central part
of the community wherever they were situated. They were basically meant for
higher level education and students that joined them enhanced their knowledge
with discussions and debates with learned scholars.

Takshashila or Taxila
It talks about Takshashila, a very famous institute where Buddhist religious
teachings were also taught for centuries. Students from all over the world came
to study here until it got destroyed. It also tells us about the curriculum that was
taught at this higher education institute.
The famous students of Taxila include Panini (one of his greatest works of
grammar is called Ashtadhyayi), Jivaka (a renowned physician) and Chanakya/
Kautilya (a royal advisor). Students used to come here to study from far away
places even though they had to undertake extremely long and tiring journeys.

Role of the Teacher

 Back then, teachers enjoyed complete freedom in selecting their students,
designing their course, ascertaining the syllabus and the duration of the session.
The course would conclude when they were satisfied with their students’
performances. Debates and discussions were the primary methods of teaching.

Nalanda University
It talks about the written accounts of Nalanda University given by Chinese
Scholars I-Qing and Xuan Zang. Xuan Zang enrolled himself in the university to
pursue yogashastra and he has described the Chancellor of Nalanda as the
highest living authority in yoga. It was a place for higher learning in various
subjects and attracted numerous scholars from all over the country and even the
world. Nalanda University offered a wide range of courses covering every bit of
knowledge available back then.
Role of Community
Community played a major role in making education accessible. During those
days, knowledge was known to be sacred and therefore, the students were not
required to pay any fees. Rich merchants, wealthy parents and society took care
of financial assistance whereas the universities also received gifts of buildings and
lands. Some of the other sources of learning also include Temples, Mathas, Jain
Basadis and Buddist viharas or monasteries.
Continuation of Indian Education System
The education system of India carried on in the form of ashrams, temples and
indigenous schools. Libraries and madrassas were also included in the education
system during the medieval period. Schools were there in lots of parts of India
such as tools in Bengal, pathshalas in western India, chatushpada in Bihar.
To conclude, we can say that the Indian education system concentrated on the
overall development of an individual, focusing on both the inner and outer self.
This prepared them to face life.
Conclusion
Our present day education system has a lot to learn from the ancient education
system of India. Therefore, the stress is being laid on connecting learning to the
world outside the school. Today educationists recognise the role and importance
of multilingual and multicultural education, thereby connecting the ancient and
the traditional knowledge with contemporary learning.

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S 3 Group Acitivity
Contn. of the group presentations and notes to be made by the students
India celebrates a huge number of festivals. These festivals are very diverse due to
multi-religious and multi-cultural Indian society. Indians greatly value festive
occasions. Above all, the whole country joins in the celebrations irrespective of the
differences.
Weddings are certainly festive occasions in Indian culture. There is involvement of
striking decorations, clothing, music, dance, rituals in Indian weddings.
India also has a great diversity in terms of weaves, fibers, colours, and material of
clothing. The clothing in India also encompasses the wide variety of Indian
embroidery, prints, handwork, embellishment, styles of wearing clothes. A wide mix
of Indian traditional clothing and western styles can be seen in India.
The Joint family system is the prevailing system of Indian culture. Most noteworthy,
the family members consist of parents, children, children’s spouses, and offspring. All
of these family members live together. Furthermore, the eldest male member is the
head of the family.
Not for nothing was India known for spices by the earliest of traders. The variety of
spices available in the different regions of India are so great that there is no alternate
name for them in the English language. Each spice is also known for its curative
property. Sweet dishes prepared from milk, sugar, jaggery and coconut are
commonly found in all regions, in their local variations. If Maharashtra is known for
its Shrikhand, Punjab is famous for its Halwa. Bengal of course is world famous for its
variety of milk-based sweets.
Traditional Indian food, arts, music, sports, clothing, and architecture vary
significantly across different regions. These components are influenced by various
factors. Above all, these factors are geography, climate, culture, and rural/urban
setting.
If the cities of India portray modern India with technological hubs in Bangalore and
Mumbai, the remote areas still preserve a rich and varied tribal population. In short,
the variations of India’s cultural diversity are strung together with a colourful string
of peace and harmony. But this great diversity of India never mars its unity. India, is
indeed, an embodiment of ‘Unity in Diversity’

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S4
Individual Work
Write an essay of 500 words on the topic “Impact of Technology on Education”
The Importance of Technology in Education
In the world that we currently live in, technology is a very vital factor. With
each passing day a new software or gadget is being brought into the market
that serves to improve our lives in one way or another and make it much easier
and also to advance an already existing software or gadget. However, it is
important to note that despite the fact that technology plays a big role in
making our lives easier, it is not the only role it has.
Technology is increasingly growing it’s importance in the education sector.
The more technology advances, the more benefits it provides for students at
every education level.

Technology that is made use of in the classroom is very beneficial in helping

the students understand and absorb what they are being taught. For instance,
since there are a number of students who are visual learners, projection
screens connected to computers could be put in classrooms to let the students
see their notes as opposed to simply sitting down and listening to the
instructor teach.
There is a number of very good software that can be used to supplement the
class curriculum. The programs make available to students quizzes, tests,
activities and study questions that could help the students continue with the
learning process when they are out of the classroom.
Today, technology has been incorporated into a good number of curriculum
even those that do not belong to the technology and computer classes.
Students make use of computers to come up with presentations and also make
use of the internet to carry out research on a variety of topics for their essays
and papers.
Students also get to know how to use the technology available in the world
today through the tech and computer classes. This gives the guarantee that
following their graduation, the students will not have any difficulties with using
technology when they are out there in the work place, which might serve to
make them more competitive compared to an individual who has no access to
a certain software or technology in school.
With the continuing advances in the technological world, students are getting
improved access to such educational opportunities. Every time something
‘better’ and ‘new’ is brought into the market, the price of the existing
technology is decreased which makes it much more accessible in the
educational setting even to those schools that might not have a lot of financial
resources available to them.
Technology has greatly grown to the point that it is also available today to
assist those kids who are yet to begin school. There are a number of
educational systems and video games for the small children that assist them in
getting ready for school and in a number of situations also give them a head
start on their education.
There are a number of people who are of the opinion that technology ‘spoils’
children. For instance as opposed to sitting down and getting to know how to
count, they will opt to get a calculator. Despite the fact that there are people
who are making these arguments, technology still remains to be a very vital
component of the society we live in today. By introducing it into our schools
and classrooms, we will ensure that the students are equipped with much
better tools and knowledge to make their transition from school to the work
place a very easy one. We need to face the truth, technology is the ‘in thing’ in
the world today and it has become necessary in each and every aspect of our
lives and education has without doubt not been left behind. It is very useful in
providing more knowledge to our students and also on making them
competitive in the job market.

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S5
SLO 2 Group Activity
Design a collage showing both the positive and negative impacts of any one
technological tool on education.
S6
Group Work
1. Discuss in groups and jot down points on the topic “Role of Youth in
Education”. A few of the points that should be considered are ‘bridging
the urban and rural divide’, ‘dissemination of education’ and ‘youth’s
part in designing and framing curriculum and learning materials’.

• Meaningful youth engagement in shaping and delivering Education is critical

today. It is a make-it or break-it factor that will determine how meaningful and
efficient the transformation process will be.
• Youth represent an important agency in shaping the future of education.Youth
advisory groups, student councils, online youth education hubs – young people
today have the capacity and the willingness to engage in many different ways.
• According to young people, education should facilitate social interaction
where learners are at the centre in designing the learning process. Education must
inspire curiosity and encourage exploration in learners.
• Also, by teaching important values of global citizenship to learners such as
empathy, resilience and diversity, it is possible to connect to the heart of learners
and empower them to take responsibility as active citizens.
• An interesting way to transform education is by instilling the ideals of global
citizenship education in learners through creative learning methods. It is important
to meet the learners where they are and engage them in experiential activities using
games, simulations, role play and storytelling, so that those who may feel excluded,
feel motivated to participate in the learning process.
• Empowering more youth to join the teaching profession will go a long way to
improve quality education, promote inclusion and ensure equity in education
particularly in underrepresented communities.
• Youth have been deemed the main factor of reform movements because they are
looking for a better and new life that meets their expectations and they are the one
who rejects the radical solutions of modern issues excluding religion and heritage .
• Youth role in creating a culture of creativity and Innovation which in turn
contributes to achieve a goal of sustainable development.

• Finally, if we are to provide a sustainable solution to education in a rapidly

changing world, we need to leverage on youth-led innovations and assistive
technologies that will transform the learning environment for every child.

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