Education in India had been like stagnant water for the longest time until technology seeped in and introduced new changes. Does technology have negative effects? Yes, but it also has positive effects and if used correctly, these are much more significant. Technology has proved itself to be a very helpful tool, especially since the first lockdown. Without it, our education system would have been in shambles.
The truth is education was never meant to be confined to the classrooms. A classroom is a conduit for learning to happen but not limited to it. Let’s go through some ways how technology can be used for learning in schools.
Communication has never been easier, thanks to technology
Humans function through communication so it goes without saying that in education, it’s something that needs to be worked on constantly. Technology does a lot of things but bridging communication gaps is one of its primary features. Not only teachers can communicate with students and help with queries but students can get in touch with each other. Even within an offline setting communication is not as smooth as one would expect. Online conversations can overcome that barrier for a lot of people.
Digital Simulation and Models
A lot of academic concepts are best explained through working models and in this case a digital model and simulation. This can help teachers explain difficult concepts more clearly. These models can be simple for primary students and also be a little more complex for advanced students. A good example of this is medical simulation technology which is letting medical students practice their skills in safer ways.
Advanced Research in Technology
If you ask your students to research, they will use google on their mobile phones rather than borrow thick books from the library. Cloud storage has made researching a lot easier nowadays. Anyone with basic education, mobile phone and internet connectivity can do it. This development has saved a lot of time too and between huge assignments and projects, students find this helpful.
Effective Assessments
Technology gives teachers the opportunity to measure the progress of their students better. The teacher can assess their students on a regular basis and figure out areas where each student needs improvement and focus on those key areas. Of course, only good technology support alone can’t solve anyone’s problems. If the teacher chooses to be lazy and poorly use practice quizzes and other learning resources, online learning can become frustrating.
Students can also give their teachers feedback or ask for help directly. Technology also makes it easier for teachers to keep track of students’ daily progress with accuracy. Teachers can find out things like how much time did the student spend on each question. These little things can be very helpful for the teachers.
Technology is shaping the future of education right in front of our eyes. They have become partners in pushing the learning journey of humanity in a better direction and we all can choose to be a part of it.
