Day 8: Mevis Steven

Key Insights

On this day visited Shikha Academy, and I gained insights into the learning setting, educational management, teacher professional development, and curriculum design. The academy is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of global change-makers. They also believe in giving children from low-income families, access to top-notch education that truly prepares them for the future. Their curriculum emphasizes motivation, alignment, and transfer, fostering real competence among students. The integration of diverse activities and an engaging environment effectively supports this approach.

Students at Shikha Academy

Students are bright, motivated, and eager to succeed. They constantly challenge each other as well as our teachers and have an insatiable desire to educate themselves. The Academy is an international, K-12 IGCSE (Cambridge Assessment International Education accredited) school located at Borivali, Mumbai exclusively serves students from low-income communities.

Teaching Methodology

Shikha Academy use the MAT model, is an innovative model that enables students to acquire competence through real-world experiences, relevant experiences and opportunities to transfer. The model has three components as elaborated below:

Motivation: All units start with a problem or phenomenon that has to be resolved. Students are given autonomy and challenged to take on real-world expert roles in teams.

Ability: As domain experts, students now equip themselves with the right tools in terms of knowledge, skills and mindsets to solve the challenge.

Transfer: Students now use the tools that they have learned to solve the challenge, present their solutions and reflect on their process.

Shikha Academy integrates Information and Communication Technology (ICT) devices alongside traditional educational tools to enhance the learning experience. This dual approach ensures that students benefit from both digital resources and hands-on learning materials, fostering a comprehensive educational environment.

Takeaways point (Individual reflection)

The experience has significantly influenced my perspectives on curriculum design, examination systems, our educational system/boards, and the development of online short courses tailored for professional certification (Teacher Education). It has prompted a critical evaluation of current educational frameworks and the potential for integrating innovative methodologies to enhance learning outcomes.

 Reference:https://shikhaacademy.org/