Higher education in evolving world: accelerating the pace of change in teaching for learning

Abstract

World-wide, 21st century higher education (HE) involves knowledge acquisition focused on addressing societal challenges. Fundamentally valuable are high order skills, such as critical thinking, creative problem solving, teamwork, evaluation, analysis, digital literacy, adaptability, and communication which can be used to navigate across a wide range of disciplines attributive to success in modern society. This is achievable through quality teaching for quality learning and hence the need for modernized pedagogical experience. In this regard, modern pedagogy in HE demands beyond routinized merely teachers’ transmission of information versus students’ retention efforts. It delves into the teaching of students on how to handle, address and interpret concepts, evidence and ideas, how to think and act as experts and how to produce original insights and valuable knowledge for the benefit of society, and ultimately, how to remain ahead of foreseeable societal challenges. Due to this, universities should change pedagogical approaches from fact-based traditional lecturing to interactive teaching with the aim of fostering deep understanding and expert-mindedness for problem-solving. This would result in graduates who fit the emerging economic, social and political situations that nations experience. They should be able to; approach societal challenges given their grounded curiosity, critical thinking and creativity, apply innovative skills in addressing real world problems, display a strong sense of personal and professional identity, and portray a high sense of self-efficacy. This paper is an attempt to explain how HE can give forth products who are world leaders in their specific disciplines in respect of teaching, research and community service.