“Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results.” John Dewey (1859-1952), the renowned American philosopher and educator, gives us a much-needed peg to anchor our reflections on reading the findings of the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024, released on January 28, 2025.
Writing at a time when rote learning was the norm in the American context, Dewey argued that students learn best through active engagement with real-world tasks. This concept transformed science teaching by focusing on experimentation, problem-solving, and discovery. While ASER 2024 sees very encouraging gains in learning outcomes compared to the Covid-19 years, complacency does not seem like an option because of a widening digital divide between urban and rural learners. This divide does not regard access but meaningful use for educational and productive activity. While access to a smartphone is nearly universal among 14 to 16-year-olds, only 57 per cent reported using it for education-related activities.
Meaningful learning
The question of leveraging technology for meaningful learning has found its way to the National Education Policy 2020. The learners of the future will be raised in technology-driven environments that will rely on technologies yet to be invented and do jobs that do not yet exist. Faced with the enormous disparities in levels of digital literacy and skills, especially the ability to identify and apply relevant information, the one question few people seem to be asking is, ‘Who will teach these learners?’ and ‘How should these teachers be prepared?’
This digital divide is compounded by a severe shortfall of qualified teachers at the secondary education level. The 2021 UNESCO Report, No Teacher, No Class, warned that India needs approximately 1.2 million additional teachers to meet current demand. Report after report has emphasised that rural and underprivileged areas bear the brunt of this shortage, leading to significant learning gaps, as reflected in national assessments like the National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021.
Coupled with this, traditional teacher education in India has long relied on theoretical training with limited practical exposure. The sheer diversity in the quality of BEd programmes in India means that the school internship or ‘practicum’ component can often be reduced to a ritual. It is frequently disconnected from real-world classroom experiences, leaving student-teachers limited opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in actual teaching contexts.
The practicum often focuses more on observation than active teaching, limiting student-teachers’ chances to practice and refine their skills. Additionally, there is usually a lack of structured reflection and feedback, which hinders professional growth. The short duration of the practicum, its focus on routine teaching methods, and limited exposure to modern technology further restrict the development of teachers who can effectively address the diverse needs of tomorrow’s students.
Many trainee teachers struggle with fundamental concepts in mathematics and science, while critical thinking and problem-solving skills remain underdeveloped. Solving this crisis requires more than just increasing the number of teachers — it necessitates a fundamental shift in how we prepare them for the evolving educational landscape. The ‘practicum’ cannot be the teacher preparation curriculum’s only ‘practical’ component.
Does the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) launch in 2024 across 64 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), including premier institutes like IIT Jodhpur, mark a turning point? This dual-degree programme, i.e., BSc-BEd, specialising in the secondary stage, is a pioneering effort to bridge the gap between subject expertise and pedagogical proficiency.
IIT Jodhpur’s ITEP programme embeds design thinking and project-based learning as fundamental pedagogic strategies in education that are imparted to future teachers. This approach ensures that future educators are well-versed in their subject matter and adept at engaging students in dynamic, interactive ways. Educational technology courses are also embedded in the ITEP curriculum within a project-based framework. Aspiring teachers should gain hands-on experience using these tools, learn to personalise instruction, create digital learning resources, and develop innovative teaching strategies tailored to under-resourced schools with severe teacher shortages.
Practical strategies
Project-based training helps teachers develop practical strategies for integrating digital tools into everyday teaching. From creating interactive science experiments with augmented reality to using online platforms for collaborative learning, the ITEP is an opportunity to make a curriculum and learning environment that ensures that educators graduate with the confidence to navigate the evolving educational ecosystem. Research undertaken at IIT Jodhpur has also demonstrated that gamified learning, virtual reality (VR) simulations, and interactive assessments can make learning more immersive and compelling.
Therefore, the ITEP curriculum allows trainee teachers to tackle real-world challenges, such as designing mobile learning solutions for rural students or developing AI-driven assessment tools. This project-based approach equips future educators with subject expertise and the ability to innovate, fostering classrooms that encourage inquiry and critical thinking.
While the programme is still young, with its first cohort of future teachers in their second semester, the value of hands-on experiential learning has been much recognised in the very definition of a professional in the corporate world. The most successful professionals can apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings, solve real-world problems, and continuously adapt to new challenges. As Ashok Leyland has demonstrated in the automotive sector, continuous talent development and training investment leads to long-term industry growth.
Similarly, investing in teacher education is an investment in the future of our workforce. EdTech solutions— including adaptive learning platforms, AI-driven tutoring systems, and virtual labs — can bridge critical learning gaps. Schools must invest in educational infrastructure and upgrade classroom technologies, so graduate teachers of programmes like the ITEP can experiment with their teaching.
The future workforce will emerge from classrooms shaped by innovative, tech-savvy educators. We must invest in the kind of futuristic teacher education that can shape a generation of learners better equipped for the demands of an unforeseen economy. As businesses increasingly rely on employees with strong problem-solving abilities, digital fluency, and adaptability, education systems must align with these needs. The fusion of project-based learning and educational technology offers a scalable, sustainable model for improving learning outcomes and workforce readiness. The future of education — and, by extension, work— depends on how well we prepare today’s teachers to inspire and engage tomorrow’s learners.
Agarwal is Director, and Philip is Assistant Professor, IIT Jodhpur. Views are personal
y