Embark College held a powerful workshop on Smart Participative Active Learning (SPAL) in Schools on Friday, June 6, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The meeting attracted teachers, school administrators, and those interested in education, and Prof Ujjwal Anu Chowdhury, a well-known media and education expert, led a valuable session. The fact that tickets sold out quickly proves that many teachers want to adopt new ways of teaching.

Through his role as Director General of MSEED in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai, and Vice President of Global Media Education Council, Prof Ujjwal Anu Chowdhury used his wide knowledge to guide the event. Because of her work in transforming education with innovative and interactive methods, Prof Chowdhury has inspired educators across the world. He argues that students should be encouraged to go beyond basic facts and use methods that develop their critical thinking, encourage teamwork, and keep them involved. The SPAL workshop at Embark College was set up to help with this challenge. Educators learned how to use tools and approaches that support the use of Smart Participative Active Learning in classrooms. As explained by Prof Chowdhury, SPAL promotes students to be actively involved in how they learn. Rather than having just the teachers give lessons, SPAL lets students participate, discuss, and learn from others in the class. Taking this approach supports learning and, at the same time, helps students develop skills such as solving problems, communicating, and being creative.

In the one-hour session, Prof Chowdhury gave real examples of how SPAL could be used in daily classrooms. He emphasized the role of giving students space where they are empowered to talk about their understanding and views. By using everyday cases and group discussions, he showed teachers how using group exercises, peer learning and technology can make lessons more engaging. It was made clear in the workshop that an effective education should change as students and society change.
It also pointed out how technology benefits learning by getting everyone involved. Prof Chowdhury promoted the idea of using technology to lead learning games, hold virtual discussions, and use visual aids when teaching. Even so, he advised that using technology only up to a point was important and that real human connection should be valued in education. According to him, while technology is highly effective, the most important part of education is the relationship we have with students.

Thanks to Embark College, which promotes innovation in education, the workshop was held in an ideal place. Active in the busy location of Pulchowk, the college has a history of leading learning progress. This event clearly showed how the organization is working to empower teachers and students in the changing education world. People who took part in the session were motivated to make their teaching more inclusive and engaging.
SPAL Workshop went very smoothly, and many participants complimented Prof Chowdhury for the simple and clear way he taught them. They were keen to put the strategies into practice and show them to their colleagues too. If you couldn’t attend, Embark College has said they are planning more events to help improve how education is delivered.

Because learning changes over time, efforts like the SPAL workshop remind us how valuable involvement in the process can be. Many educators still find motivation in Prof Chowdhury’s belief, which is that education should be smart, accepting, and centered on students. Embark College keeps planning such events to help shape a brighter path for education going forward.