A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH IN EDUCATION FOR 21ST CENTURY SKILLS

The four pillars of Learning are knowledge, skills, understanding and Aptitude. According to UNESCO’s Learning: The Treasure within (1996), education throughout life is based on four pillars: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be. The commons movement (learning to study, inquire and co-construct together, learning to collectively mobilize, learning to live in a common world & learning to attend and care) is one suggested strategy presented by David Bollier of The Next System Project for leveraging mutuality, cooperation and collective action for a better world. There’s no limit to learning and the multidisciplinary educational approach mentioned in the NEP 2020 is the correct step taken towards promoting the same! In a multidisciplinary curriculum, multiple disciplines are used to study the same topic. Although the NEP 2020 has asked institutions to pay attention to it, stakeholders are still in a dilemma about its advantages & challenges. A 21st century skills-based curriculum pivots away from content acquisition and rote memorization to focus on the skills and abilities that will best serve our generation of young minds. Each 21st century skill is broken into one of three categories: Learning skills, Literacy skills & Life skills. Altogether, these categories cover all 12, 21st Century skills that contribute to a student’s future career. With 21st Century skills, students will have the adaptive qualities they need to keep up with a business environment that’s constantly evolving. Essentially, a multidisciplinary approach in education requires significant changes in the way curriculum is designed and taught. Schools need to equip themselves with experienced staff who can deliver such an approach and ensure they have the necessary resources. Additionally, there needs to be greater collaboration between different departments and institutions to ensure successful implementation. Lastly, many school systems lack the infrastructure and support needed to successfully integrate multidisciplinary learning.