Agile Education is the infusing of Agile principles with school management, it is a method of educating that is more people-centric and improves the process of educating. Of late the world at large has been all about the Agile framework. Agile proved vital in software development compared to the latter IT methods of the 90s. All the good didn’t go unnoticed as other sectors like the Human Resources and of course the Education sector, specifically at tertiary level.
According to Matthew Moran, head of transformation at The Open University in the UK, “Universities need to embrace an agile and product mindset, as they are grappling with hypothesis-driven development of new kind of products and services…” Moran emphasises the benefits of agile in academics in an interview stating, “Academics develop new knowledge through hypothesis and research and reflection… Academics perhaps more than most people appreciate the importance of transparency, inspection and adaptation, both for their research and their teaching tactic.”
With education professionals speaking so highly of Agile in higher education let’s go over why the Agile approach in tertiary education is important to educators.
One of Agile’s biggest advantages is its high level of productivity. This is achieved in higher education through meaningful and shorter timescales within semesters. This makes for a more intimate and productive learning experience as having goals set for shorter cycles within semesters ensures all students are on the same page. It also promotes a better understanding of higher education’s complex ideas and keeps students busy. Shorter timescales present an opportunity for more assessments.
Frequent assessments open the door for vital information for professors concerning their students. Because of the frequency of feedback, educators get to assess if their curriculums and chosen methods of teaching said curriculums are effective or engaging enough for students. Agile turns the fast-paced nature of higher education into a communicative experience where students give feedback through their performance and suggestions.
With communication between professors and students open, this improves the relationship and leads to more engaged students. The Agile way of learning makes students feel heard and involved in how they’re being educated.
The cooperation and teamwork between academics and their pupils cumulates in quality education. It is a level of quality that is achieved through the adaptability encouraged by the Agile framework. The service providers (educators) are in a state of constant improvement with stipulated consideration for their customers (students). Curriculums are tailor-made and up to date.
The heart of the Agile framework is the human-centric aspect of it all. When students feel cared for and genuinely considered it boosts morale and their effort in a class. For both educators and students, this makes for a more pleasant, productive and effective learning experience.
Unfortunately agile is still very new in education, there isn’t much information on this, every try is a collaboration between educators and students. But the future looks promising with educators praising Agile Education. According to Language Arts Specialist, Tim Boyd, “I love the Agile Schools manifestos… Even if a school could embrace just one of the statements, it