Education Homepage
Early Childhood Education
In the mid-1990s, the Society began a research project to evaluate new educational methods developed in the USA by the Institute for the Development of Human Potential to accelerate early childhood learning of language, math and general knowledge skills. After sending several teams to study these educational methods, in the mid-1990s the Society sponsored establishment of an experimental school at Arasavanangadu, a village in rural Tamil Nadu, to test the application of these methods for teaching first-generation educated village children. This project has achieved dramatic results in accelerating the acquisition of both English and Tamil language reading and comprehension skills as well as a very broad range of general knowledge of first-generation educated 3-8 year old village children. Initial results indicate that children educated by these methods can acquire the mental knowledge and skills of a sixth standard rural education within the first two to three years. The success of the project received widespread attention after publication of an article in the Hindu by former Governor and Union Minister Mr. C. Subramaniam. The Society also developed a detailed plan for establishment of a teachers training institute to disseminate this approach which was submitted to all the state governments in India.
Farm Schools
In 1981, the Society evolved a novel strategy for improving the transfer of agricultural technology to farmers. The strategy calls for the establishment of a Farm School in each village on lands leased out from farmers. Classes are conducted for young farmers in the field and the students are paid for their field labour, so they can earn while they learn. The income from cultivation covers the entire cost of operating the school. The first farm school was established by E.I.D. Parry & Co. near their sugar factory at Nellikuppam, South Arcot District. One year classes in cane cultivation were introduced. In the very first year, the students obtained a yield of 56 tons per acre, nearly twice the average achieved by farmers in the district. In 2005, the National Farmers Commission of India, acting on the Society’s recommendation, proposed establishment of 50,000 farm schools throughout the country to disseminate the latest technology to farmers.
Craftsman Training Institutes
In 1981, MSS submitted a proposal to the Indian Planning Commission for establishment of a national network of craftsman training institutes to complement the higher level vocational training institutions for industrial skills and engineering.
Development Education
In 1980, the Society presented a proposal to Dr. Maduri Shah, Chairman of the University Grants Commission, for introduction of courses in Development Education at the graduate and post-graduate level in Indian universities and colleges. The purpose of the courses was to impart a practical knowledge to the students about the development process taking place in the country and the opportunities for gainful self-employment as an alternative to salaried jobs.
A research project was undertaken to evolve the syllabus for both B.A. and M.A. level courses. On the suggestion of the UGC Chairman, copies of the B.A. course outline were circulated to the Vice-Chancellors of all Indian universities. About a dozen universities responded with serious interest. The first M.A. level course based on the Society’s syllabus was introduced at Annamalai University in 1982 and was later extended to include M.Phil and Ph.D. as well. Lectures and reading materials were specially developed for the course. The course content was commended by officials of UNESCO in Paris.
In 1982, the Society organized a seminar on Development Education at Madras in collaboration with Annamalai University and the Institute for Development Education at Madras with a grant from the Indian Council for Social Science Research. The purpose of the seminar was to project the need for these courses and examine their relevance in several major areas undergraduate and post-graduate social science, engineering, agriculture, journalism, management, and public administration. The main theme of the seminar was the need for a re-orientation of the educational system to solve the problem of educated unemployment by imparting to students knowledge of entrepreneurial opportunities and the motivation to avail of these opportunities.
Computerised Vocational Training Programme
The Society has formulated strategies for widespread application of computers as an instrument for vocational training and distance education. One strategy calls for establishment of a national network consisting of 50,000 private computerized vocational training institutes known as “Job Shops”. Society staff conducted discussions with the Union Planning Commission and Government of Tamil Nadu as well as leading companies in the software industry including Microsoft, NIIT, Wipro and NASSCOM, which endorsed the strategy. The findings of this project were presented at the 8th National Conference on e-Governance in Chennai during November 2003.
Primrose School
Primrose School was established in 1999 in an urban area of Pondicherry to demonstrate the efficacy of the innovative methods of child education. The school develops and applies experimental approaches including the extensive use of computers for self-directed learning and techniques developed by American educationist Dr. Glenn Doman for early childhood learning. In recent years, the school has been widely recognized as the most advanced institution for school education in Pondicherry. Primrose is affiliated to Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). In 2012, the educational programme at Primrose School was extended to include 14 levels from pre-kindergarten up to the twelfth standard.
In response to the rapid development of open on-line courses for higher education (MOOCs), MSS launched a major research project in 2013-14 on the future of global higher education and submitted its findings at an international conference on “Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for New Paradigm” held at the United Nations in Geneva on June 3, 2013. Following that conference, MSS prepared a proposal for establishing a new international NGO to promote new solutions in global higher education and presented the proposal to the World Academy of Art & Science. The proposal was presented and discussed at a high level international conference organized by WAAS at the University of California at Berkeley on 2-3, October 2013 and endorsed by educators from leading US and foreign universities from five continents.
Following the Berkeley conference, WAAS and MSS prepared a detailed proposal for establishing the World University Consortium (WUC) and approached other leading international organizations to join as charter members. The first meeting of the Charter Members was conducted at the Library of Alexandria, Egypt on February 12-14, 2014. In addition to MSS, WAAS and the Library of Alexandria, other charter members include the International Association of University Presidents, the Inter-university Centre (Croatia), Foundation for a Culture of Peace (Spain), Green Cross International (Switzerland), Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (Germany), and Person-centered Approach Institute (Italy). In 2014 MSS staff made presentations on behalf of the Consortium at international conferences conducted in Alexandria, Baku, Moscow, Yokohama, Oxford, and Almaty, Kazakhstan. MSS staff also created a new website www.wunicon.org and began extensive research project covering more than 20 major aspects of higher education, including accessibility, affordability, quality, relevance, sustainability, employability, active learning, on-line learning, transdisciplinarity, creativity, leadership, original thinking, and values. A special issue of Cadmus Journal was published in October 2013 highlighting the need for this research initiative. An article on “Toward a New Paradigm in Education” appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of Cadmus. In addition, MSS launched an online survey of higher education courses to determine the primary factors considered by students in evaluating the quality of on-line courses.
MSS also continues its applied research program on early childhood education at Primrose School, Pondicherry.
Online Higher Education: World University Consortium (WUC)
MSS continued its active research collaboration with WUC on strategies for advancement of global higher education. During 2014-15, MSS designed, organized and participated in the delivery of three short courses at the Inter-University Centre (IUC) Dubrovnik, Croatia on Individuality and Accomplishment, Transdisciplinary Science of Society and Leadership (see below). MSS conducted a plenary session on The Coming Revolution in Higher Education and a workshop on Science, Spirituality and Consciousness at the Bio-Vision Conference at Library of Alexandria on April 7-9, 2014. MSS staff presented papers at the International Association of University Presidents’ annual conference in Yokohama, Japan in June 2014, at the Oxford Summit of Leaders, Oxford, UK on October 13-14, 2014, and at the Jawaharlal Nehru Rural University at New Delhi in November 2014. An article by MSS staff on “Toward a New Paradigm in Education” appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of Cadmus. In addition, MSS conducted an online survey of higher education courses to determine the primary factors considered by students in evaluating the quality of on-line courses. The survey was made possible by an advertising grant provided by Google. WAAS and WUC conducted a post-graduate level certificate level course on “Future Education” from September 21-23, 2015 at the InterUniversity Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia. MSS staff delivered lectures at the course. WAAS and WUC together with the Center for Complex Systems in Transition, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, conducted a workshop on “Transformative Future Education” in Davos, Switzerland in October 2015. The UNESCO Chair in Anticipatory Systems, together with WAAS-World Academy of Art and Science, ISSS-International Society for the Systems Sciences, the Advanced Design Network, and the Department of Sociology and Social Sciences of the University of Trento, organized an international conference on “Anticipation” at the University of Trento, Italy. Garry Jacobs delivered a presentation titled “Education at Warp speed” at the conference.
During 2015-16, MSS staff participated in and presented at the WAAS and WUC organized webinar on Future Education on June 26, 2015. MSS also collaborated with WAAS and WUC to conduct a post-graduate level certificate level course on “Future Education” from September 21-23, 2015 at the Inter University Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia. MSS staff delivered lectures at the course. Following the conference, a report titled “Report on Future Education Symposium” by Janani Harish was published in Cadmus Journal in the October 2015 issue. Another paper by Janani Harish titled “Contextual Education” was also published in the same issue. MSS staff also participated in a workshop on “Transformative Future Education” at the World Environmental Forum at Davos, Switzerland in October 2015. Garry Jacobs chaired the workshop. On November 10th, 2015. WAAS and WUC convened a meeting in Geneva to summarize core findings of fifteen conferences and workshops conducted over the past four years and to identify the agenda for future work. Garry Jacobs presented MSS research findings on the theme “Mind and Creative thinking”. A PG level 3 day course on Mind, thinking and creativity was held at IUC Dubrovnik on April 12-15, 2016 in which MSS staff presented. A preparatory webinar preceding the conference was held in March 2016 in which MSS staff presented and provided admin support. The international Conference “Technology + Society =? Future” organized by the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts was held in May 2016 in which MSS staff participated and presented. MSS staff presented at the New Paradigm and Planetary Engagement: A Call for Responsibility conference held at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea in September 2016.
Ecological Education
A special session was conducted on the future of higher education at the 20th international conference organized in association with Green Cross International at the Gorbachev Foundation in Moscow on June 26-27, 2014. Garry Jacobs highlighted thatthere needs also to be a radical reorientation of higher education to attune it to the rapidly changing needs of the 21st century, most especially the demands for employability and ecological sustainability.
Future Of Education in the 21st Century
Rome Conference: MSS is collaborating with The World University Consortium (WUC), USA on a research project to evolve a new model for higher education that more effectively prepares youth for participation in the highly competitive work environment and increasingly complex social environment of the 21st century. The research involves development of methods to shift the emphasis from rote memorization to understanding and independent thinking, from abstract theory to contextualized knowledge, from passive to active pedagogy, from fragmented disciplinary to transdisciplinary perspectives, from competitive to cooperative learning environment, from repetitive to creative educational activities. MSS partnered with WUC, World Academy of Art & Science (WAAS), USA, and the Person-Centered Approach Institute, Italy to organise the second international conference on Future Education at the University of Rome on November 16-18, 2017. The 300 participants included government officials from Italy and Romania, vice chancellors of leading universities, educators, business leaders, labor union representatives, faculty of many disciplines and a large contingent of students, including 23 representatives of Kyung Hee University, South Korea. Five members of the MSS research team presented papers at the conference.
Applied Research at Primrose School: The Society’s Primrose School has been widely recognized as one of the most advanced institutions for childhood education in Pondicherry and one of the pioneers in early childhood education in India. During 2017-18, MSS continued its research on new teaching methods, teaching materials, and technologies. The expenditure for this project is met from internal generation.
Primrose Conference: On January 28, 2018, MSS conducted a national conference at Ananda Inn, Pondicherry on a new paradigm for school education in India in collaboration with WUC, Mind Mingle of New Delhi, Global Institute of Integral Management Studies of Kochi and Spell Bee International of Chennai. The 150 participants included the principals and academic directors of more than 50 schools in India. Speakers included 10 representatives of MSS and the Society’s Primrose School teaching staff. The conference presented the latest international trends and methods for person-centered education and recommended new teaching methods to promote interactive, collaborative learning that emphasizes independent thinking, values, innovation and creativity.
Second International Congress on Nikola Tesla: MSS participated and presented a paper on the Future of Education at this international conference in Belgrade, Serbia conducted on June 2-3, 2017.
Workshop on the Future of the University: A research paper prepared by MSS was also presented at the International Transdisciplinary Conference 2017 conducted at Leuphana University, Luneburg, Germany on Sep 11-12, 2017.
MSS staff participated and presented at the conference titled “Educating for the future” organised by the Altius Society, UK. The conference, held in September 2018 at Oxford, explored topics such as the need for developing critical thinking and understanding in our contemporary societies; the future of educational institutions amid the rapid economic and social transformation enabled by technological disruption; the need to redefine human values and citizenship and the requirement of a new paradigm of national and global governance; and chiefly, the empowerment of the human mind.
Building on a breakthrough conference at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2013 and the Future Education Conference at the University of Roma TRE, in Rome, Italy, in November 2017, the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS) and the World University Consortium (WUC) joined hands with the Ministry of Education of Brazil, UNESCO and Fundação and Faculdade CESGRANRIO to conduct the “Third International Conference on Future Education–Latin American Perspectives” to identify practical measures to meet the needs and aspirations of major stakeholders – youth, students, teachers, employers, workers, research institutions, universities, governments and civil society. The event was conducted on November 12-14, 2018 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in which MSS staff participated and presented papers.
MSS staff participated and presented at the conference titled “Educating for the future” organised by the Altius Society, UK. The conference was held in September 2018 at Oxford.
On October 4-6, 2019, the 6th Altius Conference gathered eminent scientists, politicians, social thinkers and students at the Oxford Union under the title “Organizing Society for the 21st Century”. MSS staff participated in the event.
The 4th International Conference on Future Education was organized in Belgrade, Serbia from November 11-13, 2019. It examined effective strategies and policies required to accelerate a paradigm change in education. MSS staff presented at the conference.
The Society’s Primrose School has been widely recognized as one of the most advanced institutions for childhood education in Pondicherry and one of the pioneers in early childhood education in India. MSS staff have been conducting extensive research on the education system needed for the 21st century to meet the challenges the world today, with especial focus on evolving new methods of pedagogy. The current paradigm is more lecture-centric and teacher-oriented. MSS staff, through new pedagogical methods, have been exploring how the 21st century needs new ways of teaching in which the teacher is merely the facilitator and how education should become more student-centered. To achieve this, smartboards were installed in all classes at the school to aid students’ learning. MSS research staff have also been helping teachers in higher grades create flashcards.
Publications: Volume 2 Issue 4 of Eruditio Journal, an issue dedicated to papers presented at the International Conference on the future of education held in Rome in November 2018, featured 6 papers authored by MSS staff: “Introductory Report on the 2nd International Conference on Future Education” by Garry Jacobs and Alberto Zucconi, “Insights on Creativity” and “Beauty of Mathematics and Overcoming the Agony of Maths Education” by Vani Senthil, “Essence of Educational Inspiration” by Vidya Rangan, “Education is a Civilising Experience” by Ashok Natarajan and “Online and Hybrid Learning” by Janani Harish.
Applied Educational Research
The Society continued research and training on new methods, techniques and materials for early childhood and school education and testing them at Primrose School.
Come On!: Report To The Club Of Rome
MSS staff contributed a chapter on Education for the Club of Rome’s recent report titled Come on! that aims for a new paradigm in education by urging business, civil society organizations, universities and other socially responsible individuals to get involved in creating a much-needed momentum for bringing about a major rethinking of the current education system. The report, published in January 2018 by the Club’s co-presidents Ernst von Weizsacker and Anders Wijkman, calls for a major paradigm shift needed in the field; he argues that a 21st century system that follows the 19th century education system is not just unsustainable, it results in major underutilization of human capital. A shift is needed from passive to active learning, from memorization to critical thinking, from processing information to seeking lifelong education, from seeking a degree to gaining knowledge, from social conformity to mental individuality.