Publications
Contextual learning: rethinking education for Nepal in the wake of COVID-19 crisis
Usha and Neel Kamal reflect on the state of child education in Nepal, particularly with their observations during the COVID times, as well as drawing upon this ‘Contextual Learning Lab’ idea that they have been engaged with.
Abstract: COVID-19 lockdown revealed –among other aspects, shortcomings in educational thinking and processes in countries like Nepal. Apart from the surge in exploring online teaching and learning opportunities, this crisis also paved way for rethinking the prevalent education system. As with a 2016 report from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this inclination towards new avenues of educational tools provides a context to rethink education because technology alone cannot enable education. Fundamentally educational processes need to respond to specific contexts by anchoring itself to the context. Drawing upon alternative models of education, this paper suggests a contextual approach to learning with collaborative process and learner-centric pedagogy. The suggestion is based on the authors’ observations and experience in early education in general, but reflecting on the family experience of relevance of ‘contextual education’ approach in the times of COVID-19 crisis in particular. The contextual learning situates a learner –with a sense of freedom and responsibility, as the core driver of education, while other stakeholders (parents or teachers) facilitate the learningprocess by adapting to the interests and initiatives of the learner. This calls for a shift in our thinking about education –what it is, and what it should achieve, as well as democratizing and decentralizing the educational processes.
Contextual Learning: Exploring Multi-Level Pedagogy for ICH Education and ICH-based Education
Neel Kamal explores the relevance of his notion of ‘contextual learning’ for education relating with intangible cultural heritage (ICH) at both higher education and school or early childhood education. Since he is an active member of an Asia Pacific Network of Universities dealing with ICH, he borrows from his insights gained from other universities in the region as well.
Abstract: This paper is based on two phases of my work focusing on South Asian context: (i) my experience of designing an integrated heritage management programme and running it for the past five years, in which Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) has been a core concept; and (ii) mypersonal interest in rethinking the overallidea of education in general, and refining professional education for the heritage sector in particular.Both of the above aspects have emerged from my engagement and exposure to the overall heritage scenario in South Asian contexts, hence this paper is a reflection on ICH pedagogy at least for the South Asian context. The paper explores the idea of ‘contextual learning’ as a feasible pedagogy that could be adopted in ICH education at two levels: first is to create professionals for safeguarding of ICH, and the second is to integrate ICH as resources both in early (child) education as well as professional education in general.
Read the paper here (pages 25-39.)
कोभिड-१९ ले उठाएको शैक्षिक पद्धतिको प्रश्न
(Questions on Educational System raised by COVID-19)
Neel Kamal shares some of his observations about the state of education in Nepal, particularly those that are revealed during the COVID crisis.