The entire world has been reduced to a global village due to the advancement of technology, making it a digital world wherein technology becomes a necessary life skill, writes Sudhir Goel, Head of Commercial Business, Acer India for Elets News Network (ENN).
The infusion of technology has been a huge catalyst for the education sector as a whole. The rote learning methods are gradually being done away with and schools both in urban and rural areas are adopting advanced teaching methods.
Smart classrooms are becoming a norm and teachers at the same time are considering ways to improve the teaching methods and make it more interactive. Education cannot be limited behind closed doors and blackboards, these days, it is more about the way a child is taught to deal with practical scenarios and using technology to enhance the learning experience.
By 2030, the urban population in India is expected to grow faster than its overall population at present. This means that our economy and education system will be under tremendous pressure. According to the present scenario of education system in our country, not all sections of the society receive quality education and access to quality institutions. People have become more aware of the importance of education and this can only be attributed to the reach of technology to various parts and various strata of the society.
For technology to penetrate completely in the education sector, in both urban and rural areas, there has to be government policies and support to accelerate the change.
Rural areas still face difficulties to even get an easy access to basic education, lack of teachers, lack of interest, poverty, gender differentiation, lack of infrastructure, common curricula are few of the reasons which are holding back the progress in rural education. But with the use of technology, education can be improved with greater reach to the rural and underprivileged.
Our education system, both urban and rural, at present is in urgent need of digital infusion because it allows for personalised learning, and access to a global perspective.
The academic potential, strengths and weaknesses and learning pace of every student can be catered to. It opens up communication channels, allowing students to get more attention as well as enabling them to track their coursework progress and identify areas of improvement. Student feedback can, in turn, help improvise the system.
Device-based learning, such as through computers and projectors, will get rid of textbook constraints. Students can use a digital surface anywhere. Virtual Reality can be used to help student use e-learning platforms on mobile devices to interact directly with study material, and Augmented Reality can help teachers and trainers in performing tasks.
When a classroom is equipped with technology, students are provided with an instant access to information across the globe that just adds up to their learning experience. This also fosters a more collaborative learning environment; students, networked together online, can share information, work together on group projects, and interact with the instructor.
Since we are still a developing country, a right recipe of education and technology would be a combination of blackboard and smart classroom technology wherein the instructors should always remember that students have widely heterogeneous needs and learning styles.
Also, it should always be remembered that the instructor’s goal should be deep learning and that excellent teaching skills are needed to reap benefits from technology and overcome its limitations. (Views expressed by author are his personal opinion)
