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By:

Anuradha P.S. and Divyashree

17 May 2026 at 6:29:51 pm

Teaching the Swipe Generation

As Gen Z reshapes university life, educators must balance technology, discipline and empathy in a rapidly changing classroom. The transformation of higher education has been a stealth change. In today’s classrooms, textbooks, lectures, and exams are no longer the only characteristics of a classroom. Instead, they are influenced by smartphones, artificial intelligence, social media, digital learning platforms and the attitudes of students. The core of this change lies with Generation Z, the...

Teaching the Swipe Generation

As Gen Z reshapes university life, educators must balance technology, discipline and empathy in a rapidly changing classroom. The transformation of higher education has been a stealth change. In today’s classrooms, textbooks, lectures, and exams are no longer the only characteristics of a classroom. Instead, they are influenced by smartphones, artificial intelligence, social media, digital learning platforms and the attitudes of students. The core of this change lies with Generation Z, the generation that has grown up in a hyper connected world, with new expectations, behaviours and challenges for both education and teachers. Gen Z students are different to their predecessors; they’ve been born to instant access to information. Now, knowledge is not just confined to classrooms or libraries; it is just a click away with search engines, online courses and AI enabled tools. Research reveals that Gen Z spends six-seven hours on digital platforms outside of their academic lessons, which has a significant impact on the way they communicate, learn and take in information. It doesn’t matter if there’s another classroom out there; it’s all about algorithms, notifications, and short attention spans. Shifting Roles With this technology, the role of teachers has been shifted from being the only source of knowledge to facilitators, guides and mentors. With this change came opportunities for interactive learning and innovation, as well as new challenges. Teachers see students today are more reliant on digital tools, less willing to wait long periods for a teacher to teach and more likely to get information in short bites, such as through short-form content or social media. This change was further driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Online classes became commonplace, digital interaction normal and flexible learning settings normal. Technology helped to maintain continuity in education but it also had a negative impact on face-to-face interaction in classrooms. In today’s world where students are constantly surrounded by distractions of digital technology, many teachers are finding it difficult to keep students engaged and interacting in the classroom. This “new normal” has been enhanced by artificial intelligence. Students are turning to AI tools, such as ChatGPT and educational platforms, for assignments, research, and exam preparation. The adoption of AI among university students is also on the rise, according to reports by McKinsey & Company, highlighting the speed at which technology is becoming an integral part of university life all over the world. AI has the potential to enhance accessibility and efficiency, but it also poses a threat to critical thinking, originality and excessive reliance on technology. Respect and classroom behaviour is also a current topic of discussion. Traditional education systems were often authoritarian based with the teacher having unwavering respect. However, Gen Z is more open to straightforward leadership, dialogue and emotions, than hierarchy. This change does not necessarily mean disrespect, rather a generational change in any student’s relationship with relationships and authority in learning spaces. Socio-Emotional Aspect As a result, mentorship is emerging as one of the most important aspects of modern higher education. Students want educators who will offer them more than just academic support — support for mental health challenges, career confusion, online distractions, and social anxiety. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the anxiety, stress, and burnout of young people have increased dramatically in recent years, especially since the pandemic. Schools are thus forced to address the socio-emotional aspect of learning and the provision of student support structures as well as academics. Meanwhile there is increasing pressure on teachers. Teachers are required to be constantly flexible in their use of new technologies, to deal with a classroom that is often distracted by technology, and to be emotionally available to students as they work and to support administration and instruction. Teachers have to be adaptable because of the speedy changes in education technology. But it is not only students or teachers that are to be blamed for the difficulties of higher education. The society has changed. Communication, socialization, jobs and the concept of education have evolved in the digital age. Gen Z students are growing up in a society that is facing significant economic instability, technological disruption and always being connected to the internet. Their attitudes and behaviours are a result of their growing up circumstances. Conflict between generations is not the right answer; it’s about understanding and adaptation. The learning environment in educational institutions needs to establish a space in which discipline is embedded within empathy, technology promotes human interaction, and mentorship is the core of learning. It is important that teachers receive institutional support and training to cope with the dynamic of the classroom, and that student understand the importance of being patient, respectful and engaged in their academics. Education for Higher Learning is no longer a mere process of assigning degrees; it is an educative process which prepares for the life of a rapidly changing world. As we live in this new normal, the teaching and learning process will not only be determined by the ability of students to achieve academic success, but also by the capacity of teachers to connect with students across generations and nurture understanding, adaptation and respect. While the classroom of the future could be quite different from the past, one thing is certain – education is fundamentally a human experience and effective learning is as much about relationships as it is about knowledge. (Anuradha P.S. is Professor at Christ (Deemed to be University). Divyashree is Professor, Alliance University, Bengaluru. Views personal.)

Indian Shipbuilding A Must Win Marathon

Shipbuilding

With a coastline of 7500 KM, it is hard to imagine, that for the first 20 years (1947-1967) India had no ‘shipping ministry’. In 1967 a Shipping ministry “coupled” with ROAD transport was established. Since then, this ministry has been on a name changing ride, not once, not twice but six times. In 2009 the “ROAD Transport and Highways” was de-coupled and ‘Shipping’ ministry was formed. Turning point came in 2015 with a clear maritime vision for 2030 and 2047. Ministry was re-christened, aptly to Ministry of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” in 2020.


Why is Shipbuilding important for a country?

a. A Shipyard becomes an opportunity hub and like a queen bee requires the support of an industrial colony to manufacture machinery and equipment.

b. National Shipyards support fleet renewal needs of the Navy.

c. Contributes to national GDP, increases inflow of FOREX.


Korea shipbuilding is 8% of GDP. Japan’s automobile industry is 2.9% of GDP. India’s shipbuilding a meagre 0.000578% of GDP. In context, India’s pharmaceutical industry, ranked third largest in the world is 1.72% of India’s GDP.


International Shipbuilding Market

The market is estimated to reach around USD 200 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.84%. While India is at bottom with 0.07% of world share, behind Philippines 1.5% and Vietnam 1%, however on the positive side, India has done well in taking care of its defence needs, with 37 of 39 Naval ships being built in India yards. Rear Admiral S Shrikhande researching on maritime as a Fellow at Wollongong University, Australia, says “Shipbuilding in India needs both, serious incentivisation and dogged determination and not harping on being a big ship breaking country. That Garden Reach shipyard has a $54 million order for merchant ships from a German owner, is a good sign.”


Were Shipyards of 20th century in Flight mode?

Prominent shipyards in India were built in the colonial period. Mazagon Dock 1774, Garden reach 1884, Hindustan shipyard 1941 to cater to British navy and merchant fleet needs. Cochin shipyard 1972, Adani Katupalli 2013, Reliance Naval and Engineering, Rajula Gujarat 1997 and others have limited capacity, hence a lot more work to do. Capt. Subhangshu Dutt (Singapore) a mariner and now a shipowner, says “GOI should hold hands in any collaboration till the marriage with the foreign entity is reasonably stable. He also suggests that “new shipbuilding sites should be given to existing successful shipyards since they have decades of experience and talent. Consortium of 3 or more parties may also be good idea”.


Shipbuilding GOLD

As per SPLASH report the demand for LCO2 carriers could reach 2,500 ships by 2050. As per other estimates, 40% of global fleet of ships could have wind propulsion by 2050. A surge in such vessels is due to an unparallel waves of decarbonization in the shipping industry. Demand for ships with ‘carbon neutral’ badges, such as Dual fuel, Wind assisted, Nuclear fuel ships, Hydrogen powered ships, Liquified CO2 (LCO2) carrier, is outstripping supply. A must in the ‘bucket list’ of every Shipyard. Pinning down a standard ROI in shipbuilding is not easy, but experts suggest it could range from 4% to 15% for the high demand ‘carbon neutral’ ships. While an LNG new build vessel could cost US$ 250 million upwards.


International collaboration

On China’s shipbuilding success story, Manoj Pandalanghat (Singapore) a mariner and ship owner believes that “China has around 50 active Shipyards. Each have a few large dry docks. In each dock two or more large vessels are built simultaneously. Thus, a single yard is able to roll out 2/3 vessels/month, 36 vessels/year and 50 shipyards roll out 1800 vessels/year”.


China could be a jaldi-5, but India needs a sturdy Mount Fiji. Besides technology, Japanese bring the most important hand baggage of soft-skills and culture, essential for success from keel laying to delivery. Maruti’s is a standing example.


Food for thought for New Delhi

a. Expertise: Hire Naval Architects and shipbuilding experts with current international experience.

b. Government assistance: Land, Financial support, subsidies and timebound clearances.

c. Monitoring: PMO should monitor the first 5 to 10 years till Shipbuilding takes-off on this long-haul flight to destination 2047.


India’s Shipbuilding is expected to grow to $237 billion by year 2047. On a back of the envelope calculations this works out to about 4% of India’s 2047 projected GDP of $ 5 trillion. While cars are driven on roads, however the Ministry of roads and transport has little to do with “Automobile manufacturing”. On a similar note, ‘Shipbuilding’ as an industry has little to do with Ports, Shipping and Waterways, thus it may be worthwhile to consider a separate ‘Ship-building’ wing in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways headed by a dynamic cabinet rank minister. Since 2047 targets are stiff and an uphill task, so in all probabilities, the officials in Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways are likely to push beneath the carpet, delays and failures of Shipbuilding with sweet success stories of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” and if this does happen then India will not only miss the Shipbuilding bus of 21st century but a lot more from a national security and strategic perspective.


(The author is a Shipping and Marine consultant. Member Singapore Shipping Association and empaneled with IMO as a specialist consultant. Views personal.)

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