Interview to Professor Satish Pathak

Our Innovation Manager, Anushka, has interviewed her colleague and Professor Satish Pathak to understand what has motivated him to join forces with EDUREFORM. Professor Pathak will be one of the core team of experts that will teach the EDUREFORM Innovative Curricula to secondary school teachers during the vocational training in Chitkara International School Chandigarh.

Q1 – Why have you welcomed the initiative to become an EDUREFORM trainer?

I have welcomed the initiative to become an EDUREFORM trainer because I have been trained by a Team of Experts under EDUREFORM Faculty Training during 28 – 30 April 2022. Now, I am a trainer of EDUREFORM team and I strongly feel that whatever I have learnt, must be transmitted further through my sincere efforts so that the real target group/s will be benefitted, in long run. I firmly believe that this will be my small but very crucial contribution for achieving the aims of EDUREFORM.

Q2 – Why do you believe in EDUREFORM?

I believe in EDUREFORM because it is a joint venture of Indian universities, European universities, secondary schools and a small and mid-size enterprise having expertise in the field of education. Its major aim is to empower the teachers and students who are the real envoys of all kinds of developments in the nation. Another aim is to develop three major higher order thinking skills among the students (namely; critical thinking, creative thinking and analytical thinking) through teaching practices, which will serve two important purposes: (i) Institutionalization of the meaningful pedagogy for the construction of knowledge; and (ii) Development of national assets for the nation in terms of empowered youth.

Q3 – Anything interesting you might want to add regarding the project’s aim?

(Project’s aim- To mitigate the impact of the fourth industrial revolution on Indian society, Education reform for in-service and future teachers)

The initial phase of training and / or efforts for achieving the objectives of EDUREFORM has been focusing on using different EDUCATIONAL TOOLS for the development of said higher order thinking skills among the students. It can be observed that the scope is kept flexibly open for using other numerous pedagogical aspects and studying their efficacy for the same.

Q4 – As you are passionate about creativity and critical thinking, we are sure you have a lot to say on these matters. Please share your views with our readers.

For effective communication in connection with the development of creativity and critical thinking, brain storming is needed on the following aspects through various relevant intervention programmes for the teachers and students respectively.

• What research studies say about classroom creativity and / or critical thinking?
• Characteristics of creative students
• Students’ evaluation for creativity and critical thinking
• Teaching techniques for the development of creativity and critical thinking
• Resource room for creativity and critical thinking
• Creative teachers and their teaching

A huge thank you from the EDUREFORM Team to Professor Pathak. Not only has he shared his vast expertise in pedagogy and thinking skills with us, but he continuously shows a firm belief in our goal and carries on our efforts to improve the quality of education. Welcome to the team!