Malvika R.Joshi from India is currently pursuing a Master of Engineering at MIT, Cambridge, with a focus on Quantum Computing.
What's so special about her when a lot of other Indian Students are also pursuing research careers at MIT?
Her's is a story about a mother's conviction to break stereotypes and the self-belief of her teenage daughter, who showed why "merit" has more weightage than "marks". Malvika found it difficult to get admission in elite Indian institutes like IIT, which has strict rules as one needs to pass class XII exams. She was in Class 7 at Dadar Parsee Youth Assembly School in Mumbai and doing exceedingly well in academics when her mother decided to pull her out of school. only because she felt that her daughter was unhappy.
How could someone who has not even gone beyond Class 7, in schools get into a prestigious institute like MIT?
This is where everyone should think about Designing Your Own Education. Yes, you heard it right. If you wanna be successful in your life and career in a knowledge economy you will have to beat all odds.
The digital world and the internet have brought a great opportunity for all learners. Unfortunately, majority of the students and parents are tied up in the old school system, which restricts learning to just the books and the summative assessments. They are more concerned about the competitive exams and grades which adds no value to their life or career. The School and college systems were designed to cater for the needs of the industrial society and still continue to follow the same patterns even after 200+ years.
Breaking the stereotype and overcoming a big educational mafia is a tough task. Even the governments and the policymakers are inactive when it comes to implementing the changes in the educational system. There are many political issues related to that which vary from region to region.
So the only solution is to Design Your Own Education.
But How is it possible?
Will I be successful if I take an alternative path?
What will society think?
What will happen to my career and life when I grow up?
These are some of the questions that will prevent us from taking action.
We will have to overcome all these thoughts and take action to be successful and I am sure you will be the happiest person after a decade or so and you will thank yourselves for taking this smart decision.
Designing Your Own Education is so easy with all the digital content that is extensively available over the internet. Learning contents are available in text, image, video, Augmented reality, Virtual Reality and many other forms. The contents are curated and presented by masters of different domains. The only thing is that you will have to blend it in a way so that it suits our personal goals and passion.
The knowledge economy demands lifelong learning skills from all individuals. People having self-learning skills and Selling skills will excel in such a situation. Everyone can make a fortune, even sitting in the comfort of their home by getting updated ahead of others.
How did Malvika Design her education dropping out of school from class 7?
She started coding as early as 8th grade, the time by which most of us play games on the computer. She started with C++ and Pascal and later moved on to Java.
She is a full-time coder, she left school, and she loved coding so much that she can code even at 3 AM in the morning.
As she left school in 8th grade she had lots of time to devote to competitive programming, the time most of us spent doing school homework.
She is an IOI winner and has lots of medals and honours and she never fears competitive programming.
She also trained with college students at Chennai Mathematical Institute in programming.
When she left school in 8th grade she tried her hands in every field, from maths, literature, sports, and music.
She took the help of web-based forums.
She attended coding camps and hackathons.
Not only was she a brilliant student, and a self-learner but she was also lucky to have the best parents in the world.
Designing Your Own Education in a technology world demands coding/programming to be the core skill. Platforms like ABCCODERS are providing opportunities for young kids to try hands-on coding from a very early age.
Designing Your Own Education doesn't restrict you only to achieving coding skills. You can learn and try hands-on in any area that you like. You can also utilize the opportunities provided by MIT, NASA, Airbus, Stanford, Harvard and many other premium institutes & organizations to blend a curriculum that suits our needs.
Be the Master of your Own Education.
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