[ad_1]
Of the many things that have happened in the last decade, the advancements in technological innovations have been truly rewarding. Tools like Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and Cloud storage have unleashed their power in almost every sector of the world. From education to governance, each strata of society is using technology and moving forward.
Speaking about education, most schools have installed smart classrooms to facilitate learning among students right from an early age. Some schools utilize what is commonly called smart tools in classrooms, including smart boards and projector learning for several subjects.
There has been a fundamental reshaping of the whole education sector post the pandemic in 2020, with the world now rapidly heading towards digital learning.
Even the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says it “commits to supporting member states to harness the potential of AI technologies for achieving the Education 2030 Agenda while ensuring that its application in educational contexts is guided by the core principles of inclusion and equity.” The international organizations believe in a human-centered approach to artificial intelligence wherein it seeks to “address current inequalities regarding access to knowledge, research and the diversity of cultural expressions and ensure AI does not widen the technological divides within and between countries.”
UNESCO has also developed a publication titled “Artificial Intelligence and Education: Guidance for Policy-makers” for practitioners and professionals in the policy-making and education communities that discusses the opportunities and challenges that AI offers for education, among other things.
Not just this, the Digital India campaign is another massive step taken by the Government of India that seeks to transform E-learning in a way that transcends classrooms, thereby making learning a more equitable experience. The E-Pathshala, SWAYAM Prabha, and PM eVidya are a few of the initiatives by the GoI aimed at giving a fillip to digital literacy.
Now, to understand how integral and relevant technological tools are in schools and other educational institutions today, team Hindustan Times spoke to teachers as well as developers who are in the business of creating learning platforms for students. Following is what they had to say.
1. Enhanced student engagement:
It can be said without an iota of doubt that classroom learning has become far more conducive than it was 20 years ago. With the introduction of tools like smart boards and education-themed mobile apps, students can understand a topic more interactively. Many schools pan India are utilizing such tools to educate students in a way that enhances their knowledge and skills, thereby significantly contributing to their overall performance. For instance, Piya Sarma, a teacher from the Royal Global School in Guwahati, calls learning with technology a blessing. “It is amazing how technology has become an integral part of modern-day education. Students now can access education at the click of a button. Among many other things, the introduction of smart boards not only makes classes interactive but also helps students connect with the topic and keeps them engaged throughout the sessions.”
2. Promoting teacher-student connections:
One of the most important factors when it comes to education is the sacred bond between teachers and students. After parents, it is only teachers who impart valuable lessons to children and help them become responsible individuals of the future.
Fahd Hazarika, the Head of Business Development at online institute management app aulas said, “While a lot needs to be looked at differently while leveraging technology in education, there is still a lot that will continue to remain the same. For instance, the “teacher-student relationship’ is as important today as it was decades ago and will remain so. Teachers that treated me as an individual and cared for me were the ones that made me focus on working harder in class, and outside. Use of technology, therefore, would only make sense when it doesn’t hamper this bond and promote better face-to-face connections, not worse.”
3. The more secure, the better it is:
According to Hazarika, it is integral for any technological tool being leveraged in the education sector to be integrable, adaptable, scalable, and most importantly, secure. He said,
“The sudden breakdown of physical infrastructure worldwide post-2020 had forced educational institutions to adopt unfamiliar technology and realign processes on the fly, with limited or no time to assess risks and meaningfully integrate all stakeholders. You can’t just create an app off your phone and say I’m going to sell this to a teacher or student or an institute owner. Such apps must meet the criteria such as security and adaptability to be able to fully benefit the target audience.”
Also read: MAH LL.B 5yrs CET 2024: Registration date extended till March 18, notice here
4. Ensuring mental well-being of students:
A significant issue addressed by technological tools is that they ensure the mental well-being of students – in classrooms and at home. With the advent of mobile learning apps, learning complex chapters has not only become fairly easy but also an enjoyable experience. Today, there are course-specific learning platforms for subjects like science, mathematics, and even social science that are helping students build their knowledge base on relatively complex chapters in a significant manner. Dr Mayuri Pathak, former assistant professor of USTM said, “Mental wellbeing is an integral component for any student, and it needs to be given due importance. We have seen in the past that most students suffered mentally when they struggled to understand chapters. Thankfully, now we have learning apps that are solving the issue significantly.”
5. Making students ready for the digital future:
Finally, the use of technology in schools is playing a significant role in moulding young minds to be ready for the digital future. With exposure to the latest technological tools, students are not only learning about the fundamental aspects of society but also building their skills to live in a society where digital is the norm. Namita Goswami, a senior teacher at a Government Higher Secondary School, said “Introduction of technical tools especially helps students gives them the first-hand experience of the digital future, which of course, is an extremely crucial component of modern-day education.”
[ad_2]
Source link