A study of Jesuit Higher Educational Institutions in India to find evidences for relevance of Ignatian Pedagogy for innovation, sustainability and well being – Part 1.

Energy intensive, technology driven, and extractive process based economic framework has adversely impacted the environment. Expanding consumer base, rising consumer aspirations and competitive market place fuelled this trend. The mind numbing collective indifference to damages caused by super consumption has been gathering momentum scaffolded by globalisation, urbanisation and during last four decades by financialization. Rapidly expanding aspiring consumers joining the bandwagon is consolidating this framework. Another emerging concern is whether curriculum, pedagogy and evaluation, originated in 19th Century context, are suitable for equipping learners to the challenges in 21st Century? Specifically equipping students in recognising, understanding, reflecting and acting responsibly towards severe challenges facing humanity, namely, societal (Identity and financial instability), economic (globalisation and innovation), technological (machines and AI), personal levels (employability and happiness) and environmental (Climate Change) (adopted from Fadel, 2015). One of the key challenges before educational system is the limited mental models. Such mental models arising of specialised education are extremely useful for businesses, governments and market, in operating, managing, processing and consuming various products, services and technologies. However, such narrow perspective have weakened essence of social, economic and political fabric. Greed, competitiveness, individualisation, materialism and commoditisation have put every aspect of social relationship up for transaction, almost everything. One of the requirement is restoring the essence of equity, empathy, participation, reflection, action, respect for others, etc. in the minds of every citizen. Everyone should be able to independently capable of reviewing, reflecting and adapting what is viable, appropriate and sustainable for collective well-being. This framework should include not just the humanity, but other biological resources, physical endowments and protective atmospheric layers. This paper is based on an initial exploratory review of literature for an ongoing study of Jesuit’s Higher Educational Institutions in India to find evidences for relevance of Ignatian Pedagogy for innovation, sustainability and well being. The main objective of this study is to examine common underlying process of teaching innovation, sustainability and well being for an all round development of students in higher educational institution . This paper is divided into six parts. First is an introduction that briefly provides a background for undertaking a study of educational institutions to evolve a framework for teaching concepts of sustainability, innovation, and well being. The second section establishes the context for reviewing, reflecting and actioning an appropriate frame work for 21st Century. third section identifies various attributes of teaching sustainability, teaching innovation and teaching well being. Fourth section captures challenges faced by educational institutions in 21st Century. Fifth sections Ignatian principles which may hold some relevance for 21st Century education. Sixth section briefly outlines the plan for the proposed study and expected outcomes, which shall be a conceptual framework for 21st Century education.