Trendwatching – Learning Revolution

As a keen observer of the Indian urban landscape, it is fascinating to notice and put the city affairs in perspective with each other. So, here I tried to define an emerging phenomenon in my city, Pune and some other parts of this country and world. While doing so, I have attempted to apply Trendwatching approach in analysing all the pieces.

‘Skill Sharing for a Learning Revolution’

People are sharing skills, aptitudes and taking action to initiate others into learning, with all positive changes they want to see in the world around them. These are uneven and unique elements in the mainstream, still to reach many and get popular.
And, therefore it may not become a trend as yet, but here we are trying to see which direction peoples’ expectations are headed.

Basic Human Need and Desires that’s shaping it

• Connection with strangers
• Knowing more people
• Build network
• Learn, Teach & Learn
• Learn and demonstrate to contribute and evolve

Triggers for change and long-term shifts

– Ability to connect and coordinate using social media, and other mobile applications, has made it possible to reach smaller communities with like-minded interests.
– Formal education is changing, people are looking at options beyond what was available to us and our elders.
– People want to do things to please their inner self and not do it for money or immediate gains; It is part of ‘giving back to the society.’
– Also on the other side, people also want to experience things shortly before getting into something – to be able to make informed decisions.

Emerging consumer expectations

• People will learn more
• Know and be able to do more things on their own
• It is a smaller and smaller world
• People want to stay inspired
• Cooperate to support and add social values

Inspirations and Examples

How people have addressed these basic needs and drivers of change as they are playing out in their areas are articulated in some of the examples below.

Novel examples from Indian City

Place: Pune, India

 Pagdandi (Pagdandi – Books / Chai / Cafe) is a cafe with books (used or new) where people come and exchange thoughts and get together to improve on each others skills like poetry, writing. They are promoting conscious yet alternate choices that one can learn from someone that they met at the cafe.

Similarly, Artsphere (Artsphere Pune) is another such studio space used by people to get together for dance and art talks. There are also social attempts to encourage kids especially those who have no access to art, utilize their individual potential with the help of those who want to contribute to this purpose.

Taal (Tall Inc) is helping communities learn and teach West African music to others and therefore spreading drumming as a way of wellness & health for all age-groups. They are spreading it to other parts of India too. Though monetized, some of their efforts are social. They believe that it is an excellent way to instill qualities like dedication, concentration, teamwork and passion.

Place: Bangalore, India

Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC),  as mentioned here,
Bangalore’s IT industry members teach computer skills to slum kids – Softwares, the internet using open technology and using donated laptops, digital cameras, and screens. Older children are teaching the younger ones, not requiring much of external support.

Sharing Dias (SharingDias) is another Bangalore-based platform, enabling people to leverage benefits from either the resources others possess or skills & services that they can provide in the neighborhood. Currently active only in Bangalore and Delhi/NCR regions. There are skill providers, and there are skill seekers.

Other online forums

Skillshare (Skillshare.com) is a learning community for creators. There are online classes with active people from worldwide.
Their teachers use multiple platforms to share their skills, whether online or offline, and they do this because they’re simply so passionate about teaching what they know.

Meetup – http://www.meetup.com/
People are getting together to learn something, do something, share something. Meetup is developed as a tool where local communities are self-organizing themselves for a purpose. As per their belief, people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference.

Innovation potential to cater to this underlying trend

Design architectural spaces for ad-hoc events, learning or teaching sessions

Help build ad-hoc connections, even new mobile platforms for interest-specific communities

New schools, institutes to encourage new ways of education, and having public teachers from the society

Means to encourage people to walk up to strangers for tricks and tips