RELEVANCE OF IGNATIAN PEDAGOGY

FOR INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND

WELL BEING

A Study of Jesuit Higher Educational Institutions in India – part 1

A. Xavier Raj and S. Wenisch, SJ
 STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION

• Need for evolving a framework for teaching concepts of sustainability, innovation and
well being
• Context for reviewing, reflecting and auctioning a framework for 21st Century
• Various attributes of teaching sustainability, teaching innovation and teaching well
being
• Challenges faced by educational institutions in 21st Century
• Ignatian principles that hold relevance for 21st Century education
• Plan for the proposed study in India and expected outcome
 NEED FOR TEACHING SUSTAINABILITY,
INNOVATION AND WELL BEING
Concerns
• Specialised education developed for an economy based
on extractive principles
• Relegated to be a tool of political economic system
abetting an unsustainable exploitative framework
• Elitist and catering to top of the pyramid
• Educational system not prepared to address challenges
faced by humanity in 21st Century
• Values such as greed, competitiveness, individualisation,
materialism and commoditisation being celebrated,
encouraged and rewarded
Need
• Develop mental models that promote collective
collaborative co-existence
• Capacitate individuals to review, reflect and adapt what is
viable, appropriate and sustainable for collective well
being
• Teach values and skills that promote restore essence of
equity, empathy, participation, reflection, action, respect
for others, etc
 21ST CENTURY – SOCIAL, ECONOMIC,
TECHNOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
CHALLENGES

Challenges Gross World Product (GWP)

• Science, technology and financialisation exacerbate inequality, poverty,
deprivation, migration, social fragmentation and resource depletion • GWP was 1 Trillion USD in 1990
• Educational system continues with singly minded mission of training young
minds to perpetuate, protect and celebrate accumulation of wealth in the hands
of few.
• It is 78 trillion USD in 2014
Super consumption aided by globalisation, digitalisation, and ecommerce
•
• Likely to be about 100 trillion in 2012 at
• Blind faith in science and technology to offset these challenges

• Imperfect understanding of ecological systems

3% annual average growth rate
• Any new technology is unlikely to be a solution that does not further modify the
planet environment • Per capita GWP is ~ 13,000 USD: but
• Exclusionary nature of any science and technological solutions that may save the
rich at the expense of majority, which is over 90% of humanity
hugely skewed
 CHALLENGES FACED BY EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS IN 21ST CENTURY

Challenges Inadequacy
• Specialisation leading to fragmentation – Arts, Science, Engineering, • “Last major changes to curriculum were effected in the late 1800s as a response
Technology, Management, etc. to sudden growth in societal and human capital needs” (Fadel, 2016)

• Employability, reskilling and life long learning • “You can’t have a 21st century India with 19th century institutions” (in India)
(Forbes Interview with Amitabh Kan, CEO of NITI Aayog
• Knowledge / Skill / Value mix required
• The influence of technology will go beyond new equipment and faster
• Coming of AI and automation communications, as work and skills will be redefined and reorganized
(Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, 1991 (USA))
• Quality of education

• Relevance of 19th century format

• Education being viewed as ‘profitable’ business

• Competence vs competency

• Utility of education in securing a decent livelihood in market based economy

• Mounting debt burden of students pursuing higher education

• Rigid university systems, idiosyncratic research focus and ivory tower

perspective
 INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER
EDUCATION
Sustainable Development
Defined Desired Approach
• Sustainability is the goal of sustainable development – • Sustainable development as a non discipline

• an unending quest to improve the quality of peoples’ lives • Nurture appropriate skill, attitude, aptitude and beliefs for assimilating
and surroundings, and information, application of knowledge and practice on a daily basis

• to prosper without destroying the life supporting systems on
which current and future generations of humans depend.
• Like other important concepts, such as equity and justice,
sustainability can be thought of as both a destination and a
journey
(New Zealand Government 2004).”
• Enable everyone to recognise, think and act sustainably
• Link equity, participation, justice, duties and wellbeing
• Balance science, indigenous knowledge systems, technology for
appropriate solutions
• Bridge the gap between discourse and practice – individual, group,
nation states

• Recognise cost of changing behaviour or convenience factors will

continue to remain obstacles for sustainable action

Sustainability cuts across social, economic, technological, cultural, environment, business and market.
Therefore, teaching sustainability has to be transdisciplinary, adopt a holistic perspective and shape
world view.
 SUSTAINABILITY LITERATE PERSON

1. Recognise, understand and take the steps to change to a sustainable way of doing
things, individually and collectively;
2. Acquire sufficient knowledge and skills to decide and act in a way that favours
sustainable development;
3. Recognise, appreciate and reward other people’s decisions and actions that favour
sustainable development
(Parkin et al. 2004)
 PERCEPTION OF SUSTAINABILITY
Academic Perspective:
University of British Columbia envisages that students
graduating with a sustainability background shall have a
firm grounding in, and be able to demonstrate, the following
four key attributes: Holistic Systems Thinking; Sustainability
Knowledge; Acting for Positive Change and Awareness and
Integration. (UBC, 2018).
Education for Sustainable
Development (ESD):
ESD is being promoted as an integral part of quality
education and key enabler for Sustainable Development.
ESD is one of the targets for 4.7 of SDGs on education. The
roadmap for ESD includes content for curriculum
development, pedagogy, learning environments, learning
outcomes and enabling transformation of self and society
one lives in. (UNESCO, 2014). UNESCO relies on policy
level actions with governments, community level interface,
which is likely to be limited, at school levels, and building
capacities of educators and trainers.
 PERCEPTION OF SUSTAINABILITY
CORPORATE

Corporate Perspective: Business Perspective:

Corporate Perspective: Corporate sustainability, which is
intrinsically ‘utilitarian’, views sustainability related
activities in a short term perspective. Profit seeking remains
central to integrating societal, organizational, individuals or
environmental concerns in organisations policy, operations
or CSR activities. (Painter-Morland et. al, 2017).
Triple bottom line (TBL): TBL reporting, i.e., sustainability
reporting is one interesting measure of corporate
commitment to sustainability values. Though filing a report
per se may not be a good indicator of organisational
commitments, it provides a measurable parameters to
assesss where along a continuum a business choose to
locate, in terms of commitment to sustainability. Listed here
are five attributes that enriches sustainability reporting:
Materiality, Stakeholder inclusiveness, Target setting and
tracking, Completeness. Cisco, HP, Intel, Unilever, etc.,
regarded as excelling in sustainability reporting. (Fleischer,
Deborah, 2010).

Businesses approach sustainability from within: a sustainability officer as an agent identifies activities that shall benefit the business. A
Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) rallies around everyone for sustainability activities. This is usually done by enlisting entire organisation,
allowing everyone to own the process, adding value to business (through sustainability activities), continuous engagement to dispel
misgivings, and having a long term focus. (adopted from Weinreb, Ellen, 2011).
 PERCEPTION OF SUSTAINABILITY
UNITED NATIONS
UN Perspective:
According to the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (the UN regional grouping of
54 countries that includes Canada) Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD) “promotes
sustainable thinking and acting. It enables children
and adults to make decisions and at the same time
understand how those decisions affect future
generations and the life of others.” (Bell, D.V.J. 2018)
UN decade of Education for
Sustainable Development (2005-14)
(DESD):
DESD provided certain impetus to engaging
universities to consider education for sustainable
development, a shift from narrow specialist focus on
environmental education. The shift was from
environment to wholistic perspective of reconciling
quality of life for everyone, including that of future
generations, economic growth, social development,
cultural diversity and environment protection.
impact on society, cultures, economy, and
environment. (UNESCO, 2005).
 INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY - A FEW
INITIATIVES

Baltic University Programme Other examples

• Baltic University Programme (225 universities • UN principles for Responsible Management
and higher educational institutes) – within the Education (UNPRIME)
campus and in the society
• Ten Principles for Companies - UN Global
• Research, teaching, syllabus, learning, daily Compact (UNGC)
life on campus, connections with society,
• Catholic Social Teaching (CST)
organisation design and management and staff
development
• A results based approach improvising existing
activities with participation of all stakeholders
 LINK BETWEEN SUSTAINABILITY AND
INCLUSIVE INNOVATION
Need for inclusive innovation
• Sustainability questions existing way of living with
exploitative dependence on science, technology,
greed or self preservation.
• Any change in existing economic, technological,
political and societal structures requires finding
new ways to take appropriate measures.
Transformative approach
• It is here, innovation, using inclusive perspective,
can steer away from a notion of using science,
technology, economic, social and political
systems, all inventions of humanity in the last few
centuries, to a limitless progress.
• The terms progress, development, quality,
excellence, etc., might have to be relooked, which
are rooted more in the past, legacy of
industrialisation or management of large
workforces.
 INCULCATING INCLUSIVE INNOVATION

Key attributes of inclusive innovation Approach

• Acceptance of uncertainty • Divergent thinking
• ability to thrive in ambiguous situations • Insatiable Curiosity
• Adaptiveness and fearlessness • Infectious Passion
• openness to experimentation, and being realistic. • Perseverance and stamina
(InnovationsTools.com No year; Davis, J.B. No year). • Compelling Leadership
• Respect for other innovators and
• Courage
(Newquist, E. 2015).
 WELL BEING
As a concept
• Well-being as a concept has not captured the attention of
academician, researchers, governments, businesses or
other forums.
• Often it is consider as difficult to achieve and measure.
• Moreover, it is relative: that is, it might vary from one
society to another or it is aspirational and the bar may
keep shifting upwards depending one’s economic status.
Future of Education and Well
being - OECD description
• Well being involves more than access to material
resources, such as income and wealth, jobs and earnings,
and housing.
• It is also related to the quality of life, including health,
civic engagement, social connections, education,
security, life satisfaction and the environment.
• Equitable access to all of these also underpins the
concept of inclusive growth”.
(OECD, 2018)
 PARTICIPATION – MARKET DEFINED SPACE

Market defined space for The five pillars of Human

participation Development
• Global economic context has increased dominance of market over 1. A new concepts of security that stress security of people as individual
participants in market economy;
society or nation state. People spend more time in market
transactions than ever. The transactions in market place continue to 2. New models of sustainable human development;
overshadow, shape and structure societal,economic, political and 3. New partnerships between the state and the market that couple
environment perspectives . market efficiency and social compassion;

4. New patterns of national and global governance that accommodate

rise of people’s aspiration to participate in the economic, political
and social life; and

5. New forms of international cooperation and aid to facilitate this

restructuring. engage more in market ce compared to participation
in community life or in government. has become ubiquitous.

UNDP, Human Development Report 1993, 2-8:

Though rights, justice, equity, participation or sustainable development have been around for sometime, which emphasise on improving
capabilities of every individual through education, health, or skills, market forces did not facilitate inclusive development possibilities. In
many ways market defined political and economy restructured society and environment. Market promotes individual economic gains
before collective well being.
 SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality
• Spirituality, whether it is faith based, ritualistic or non-
religious, is an essence of individual or collective world
view.
• Spirituality is integrated into everyone’s day to day life
interactions or exchanges: societal, economic,
environmental or market.
• Mental models of individuals, group, organization,
communities, or even society, are shaped by
intermingling of spiritual pre-dispositions.
An essential requirement?
• Lived experiences continue to define the framework for
interpreting information, reflection, decisions, actions
and evaluations.
• The attributes of spirituality, which is multi-dimensional
like innovation, sustainability, or well being, are physical,
affective, cognitive, interpersonal, spiritual and mystical
dimensions.
• In this sense, spirituality as an attribute, is intertwined
with much of the business owners, entrepreneurs,
innovators or professionals (Washington, M. 2016;
Cavanagh, G.F. 1999).
 SIX PRINCIPLES FROM CATHOLIC SOCIAL
TEACHING (CST)
(1) produce goods and services that are authentically good;
(2) foster solidarity with the poor by serving deprived and marginalized populations;
(3) advance the dignity of human work as a calling;
(4) exercise subsidiarity;
(5) promote responsible stewardship over resources; and
(6) acquire and allocate resources justly”
(Goodpaster et. al. 2017)
 IGNATIAN PEDAGOGY IN 21ST CENTURY

Identifiable benefits of Ignatian

Pedagogy Ignatian Pedagogy
• It helps teachers be better teachers. • Context: Cura personalis – teachers become as conversant as possible with
context of life experience of the learner
• It encourages teachers expect more, entrust greater responsibilities, and
• The context in 21st Century includes social, economic, political, technological,
provide space for self learning. digital and environmental aspects.
• It encourages close cooperation and mutual sharing of experiences and • Acknowledges diversity in level of preparedness of learners and
reflective dialogue among learners. • finding ways to support lesser privileged.

• It helps teachers and learners to reach into the “context” of the known world
• It gives an exposure to decentralised style of management that governs Jesuits
organisation
• agility in responding to changing condition;
• delegation of authority and responsibility,
• greater accountability,
• ingenuity arising of vested trust and optimism ((Darmanin 2005, and Lowney,
2003).
• Experience: Current emphasis on facilitating learners to connect what is being
taught with what they already know: facts, feelings, values, insights and
intuitions
• Reflection: Skill sets to use memory, understanding, imagination and feelings to
grasp meaning, values, relationship and truth.
• Action: Applying information, knowledge and skills in real life situations. Such
actions that cultivate values, attitudes and aptitudes to transform the world into a
global community of justice, peace and love

• It gives a sense of global outlook through their presence across the continents. • Evaluation: Asses learners growth in mind, heart and spirit essential for a well
rounded growth as persons for others.

Ignatian Pedagogy to be effective has to be continuously evolving helping teachers and learners to perceive
 RELEVANCE OF IGANATIAN PRINCIPLES IN
21ST CENTURY
How Ignatian pedagogy can Changes required to enable
help learners in 21st Century such transformation
• consistent use of the Ignatian paradigm can help the growth of a student: • refocus on structuring educational institutions to mould young minds to
· develop perspectives, skills and worldview that enables them to
• learn to discriminate and be selective in choosing experiences effectively engage, participate and share.
• draw fullness and richness from the reflection on those experiences • Find ways to creatively reimagine education: Equity, innovation,
• becomes self-motivated by his or her own integrity and humanity to participation, sharing and sustainability need to be practiced,
make conscious, responsible choices. inculcated, encouraged and facilitated through appropriate pedagogy
(Korth, 2017).
• Jesuit Institutions should redesign pedagogy, curriculum and evaluation
based on Ignatian principles with an emphasis on inclusive innovation,
concept of well being and sustainable development.

• This should be applied across courses covering all students irrespective

of time spent in the campus.

Currently Jesuit Institutions affiliated to University System have lost focus on inculcating Ignatian
principles through appropriate learning, skilling and experiencing in the campus
 FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING USE OF IGNATIAN
PRINCIPLES FOR TEACHING , INNOVATION,
SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL BEING
Dimensio Attributes Shift in focus Pedagogy Adaptation required Relevant Ignatian
ns Principles / Tools
Sustainab Holistic approach; Shift was from Transdisciplinary; Transdisciplinary Context,
ility information and environment to ecological concepts; learning; Social, Experience,
Knowledge; holistic perspective; role of humanity; economic, political, Reflection, Action
Awareness, reconciling quality of contextualizing it in technological, digital and Evaluation
Attitude, Aptitude life for everyone, social, economic, and environmental
and Skills; Action including that of political, context immersed in Implicit in this
for change / future generations; technological and globalisation, framework are the
transformation; facilitating economic digital impact; how financialisation, concepts such as
Integration in day growth, social to acquire individualization and equity,
to day life; long development, cultural information, super consumption. participation,
term perspective; diversity and knowledge and inclusiveness,
environment skills to practice in justice, rights and
protection minimising day to day life; need duties.
or avoiding negative for collective
impact on society, response
cultures, economy,
and environment.
(UNESCO, 2005).
 FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING USE OF IGNATIAN
PRINCIPLES FOR TEACHING , INNOVATION,
SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL BEING
Dimensio Attributes Shift in focus Pedagogy Adaptation required Relevant Ignatian
ns Principles / Tools
Innovation Divergent thinking; Acceptance of Teaching Problem based / Context,
Insatiable uncertainty, thrive in fundamentals / Action Learning Experience,
Curiosity; 3. ambiguous situations, concepts; leading to Reflection, Action
Infectious Passion; ability to succeed in Transdisciplinary; discovering and Evaluation
4. Perseverance constrained settings; Liberal Arts’ basics; concepts; team
and stamina; 5. focus on solutions; respect for diversity based learning; Implicit in this
Compelling adaptiveness, and others; skills, cultivate creativity, framework are the
Leadership; 6. fearless, openness to attitudes and flexibility and concepts such as
Respect for others; experimentation, aptitudes as resilience; equity,
and 7. Courage blend of flexibility, important as participation,
resilience and being knowledge; inclusiveness,
realistic. justice, rights and
duties.
 FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING USE OF IGNATIAN
PRINCIPLES FOR TEACHING , INNOVATION,
SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL BEING
Dimensio Attributes Shift in focus Pedagogy Adaptation required Relevant Ignatian
ns Principles / Tools
Well Recognizing Shift away from concept of inclusive experiencing and Context,
being importance of unequitable access to growth through practicing inclusivity; Experience,
quality of life: material resources to equitable access; pitfalls of super Reflection, Action
Health, civic equitable access: notion of being a consumption; and Evaluation
engagement, income, wealth, job, custodian resources, sharing, caring and
social connections, earnings, housing, conserving it for collaboration for Implicit in this
education, security, etc.; recognition of future of humanity collective well being. framework are the
life satisfaction, relative notions of well concepts such as
and environment being; danger of equity,
unfettered aspiration participation,
based on inclusiveness,
exclusionary justice, rights and
perspective duties.
THANK YOU