Month: April 2015

Technology in schools

Madhu Rani 1 Comment

Today, we are living in the world which is best described as the ‘Digital world’ as we access most of the services digitally, using online information and communication system.

In India the use of this technology is not very old but it has picked up rapidly during the last decade and its benefits are already started to show. Advancement of in the field of information and communication technology during the last two decades has affected ever one’s life in some way or the other.

Due to this rapidly changing world supported by digital technology, it has become essential to empower the new generation with the latest technological inventions especially at the school level so that they can gain proficiency in using these tools efficiently.

Just a decade ago, teachers used chalk board then progressed to white boards and now they are using smart boards which allow teachers to teach and share information with students in a multiplicity of ways.

Computer audio visual capabilities from PPT and other animation software are used to present information in an interactive manner which invites greater interest from the student. With Internet being a vast information base students are finding it an effective tool for acquiring knowledge the internet has given education a new dimension distance learning and online education.

The concern for equity is related to fourth major motivation for introducing technology to prepare students for the future. If technology used properly in right manner it will ensure bright future for students in their career growth.

Technology made class rooms more effective and brought interest and can transform normal student into a better student.

Besides the positive effects that come with increased modern technology in education. There also negative effects.

Technology acts as hindrance to education. These days’ children indulge themselves in internet, playing games or texting these activities have affected their physic negatively, subsequently leading to increased frustration.

This behavior has shattered many parent children relationships. Excessive use of technology the writing skills of today’s young generation have declined quite tremendously. They have totally forgotten about improving writing skills and they don’t know the correct spelling for few words and usage of grammar.

Finally, technology has several positive effects on today’s world like making life more convenient and providing huge entertainment storage; however it can affect people’s health and interaction negatively.

Hence, parents should take more initiation in controlling their children in using computer and other gadgets. They should encourage more physical activities and also concentrate in improving their reading and writing skills which is very useful for their future.

Education Beyond Books

Madhumathi Leave a comment

Swami Vivekananda proclaimed, “My whole ambition in life is to set in motion machinery which will bring noble ideas to the doors of everybody and then let men and women settle their whole fate.”

In this context, I would like to share one of my most cherished teaching experiences. It was the occasion of Diwali. Students of class XI were highly excited about the vacation that followed. I thought that this was the right time to expose these young kids to the hard facts of life. I proposed to them the idea of a visit to an orphanage. After a bit of survey, we could find an orphanage- ‘Spoorty’ that housed around sixty orphan and semi-orphan kids in the age group of three to fifteen years.

When approached, the teacher in-charge of the orphanage was very happy to permit the students to visit the orphanage and spend some time with these kids. Filled with the desire to serve the society, the students meticulously planned the entire visit. This activity gave them an opportunity to develop various scholastic and co-scholastic skills. They drafted a notice to raise funds and displayed it on the school notice board. They prepared a list of items to be donated at the orphanage. It was, indeed, surprising to know that they had browsed the internet and visited various shops to check the prevailing prices of various commodities such as food grains, toiletries, clothing etc. They maintained accounts of the expenses incurred by them for the purchase of the above mentioned items. It was a real learning experience where in they could utilise their theoretical knowledge into practical application. Various subjects such as English, Business Studies, Accounts, and Mathematics could be co-related and transmitted to the learners under a single activity.

During their visit, the students interacted with the kids at the orphanage joyously, breaking the barriers of rich and poor. They danced and sang along with their little friends and loaded them with gifts that they would cherish lifelong. A small act of love proved to be very fruitful in developing a sense of patriotism and service to the nation in our young students.

The students, through this visit, not only managed to learn in detail about their subjects but also understood the greater purpose of education. They realised that education was not just giving examination and securing degrees but also referred to inculcation of values such as empathy, tolerance, sharing and caring, love for the needy and team work.

Therefore, it is only justified to conclude that ‘Right education is education beyond books.’ If the youth of India is educated in the above manner, it wouldn’t be unrealistic to state that India will certainly be one of the super power nations in the years to come.

Technology Support for Education

Krishna Rao 1 Comment

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever” - Gandhi.

Education is one of the basic necessity for a person to live a stable and happy life. A great and reputed life are few of the benefits of being an educated person. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. Therefore, education provided must not only be for the sheer purpose of earning money or building a great career, but also to enlighten and rekindle the personality of an individual.

The true purpose of education is to make great minds, not careers. So, in this journey of educating the student, the teacher may need some aids to drive them into the correct direction or make it more interesting for them. Apart from the primitive teaching methods, some new improved and innovative strategies are being implemented.

One of the major technology that has taken the entire world by storm is the Internet. It has made our jobs easier, access to information quick and less stressful. According to the latest data, video for homework is on the rise; mobile computing is “beyond the tipping point”; and most kids don’t use traditional computers to connect to the Internet at home. The students are having access to their computers, tablets or mobiles comparatively more than they have to their teachers. These days, students tend to show a greater interest in doing things on their own by seeing rather than being taught.

The teacher must take advantage of this interest and nurture the student to improve their creativity and thinking abilities. Video is another tool that has been on the rise in recent years. Many students access videos online-through their own initiative-to help with their homework. If teachers are able to make their own videos and go online, so that their students can access them, it would be an added advantage for the students to see them anytime and understand a concept better. Students perform better when they have the opportunity to tell their teachers what things in the classroom needs improvement, contrary to the old belief that students are too young to know what they need.

However, technology is an expensive investment and an ongoing expense as devices quickly become obsolete. Every issue has its pros and cons just as a coin has two sides to it. There are so many amazing things that a teacher can do with kids in a classroom. Negotiating, sitting down and figuring out a problem — don’t know how that happens on a computer. The good or bad of any technology, depends on how we use it. If rightly enacted, technology can be a boon to education and can revolutionize the process of doing it. In near future, education becomes much easily available to each and every one. Technology helps us to do it soon.

“A teacher never teaches pupils, simply provides the conditions in which they can learn” — Albert Einstein.

Education is the Manifestation of Knowledge

Latha Manikanth Leave a comment
Learning should be fun and stimulating for children to grow in confidence as they acquire knowledge.

 

A classroom is a sort of place where everyone matters and it is common for

  • Mistake making
  • laughter sharing
  • Independence building
  • Brain storming

Education is an art of de-learning and re-learning the concepts. The positive experience of education as said by John Dewey, “EDUCATION IS NOT PREPARATION FOR LIFE, EDUCATION IS LIFE ITSELF. “

Education and school go hand in hand to some extent as it is the platform for intensive learning. Education takes us or shows us the path to achieve our goals. As In the race of excellence there is no finish line as it is rightly said by A.P.J. AbdulKalam,

‘DREAMS ARE NOT THOSE THAT WE SEE IN OUR SLEEP, THEY SHOULD BE THE ONES THAT NEVER LET US SLEEP.’

In the race of excellence there is no finish line as it is a continuous process of life.

Schools are the place where the, “Teachers plant seeds of knowledge that will last forever.” Nothing is impossible as the word itself means I’m possible. So, as teachers let us show the path of light to our children which leads them to the path of Knowledge. So I would like to conclude by saying, we are what we repeatedly do Excellence therefore is not a habit. Ultimately as Teachers let us do our duty with commitment as a COACH, LISTENER, PRESENTER and FACILITATOR.

Education is a Powerful Weapon

Krishna Rao 2 Comments
“Education is the kindling of a flame, not filling of a vessel” – Socrates

Education is most important among all of us. Education is that which transforms a person to live a better life and even in a social well-being. Undoubtedly, education is both socially & personally an indispensable part of human life. As said by Nelson Mandela, Education is the most lethal weapon we can use to change the world. It is the one thing that can make a human’s life better till his death, unlike some temporary luxuries.

We live in an ever changing world. New technologies keep coming up and if you don’t want to be left behind, you must keep up with the world which is moving really fast. Without education it will be really difficult for you to adapt to all these changes. An educated person is much more aware of the latest technologies and all the changes that are taking place in the world. For example, an uneducated person may not know about the benefits of the internet whereas an educated person uses this gift of technology regularly for work as well as for entertainment.

Australia, USA and Japan are few countries with very high literacy rates. These countries are extremely prosperous and the citizens have a high per capita income. On the other hand, in underdeveloped and developing nations, where literacy rate is not as high, a number of people are still living below the poverty line. Education is vital for the economic prosperity of a nation.

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors to windows” -Sydney J.Harris

It completely wipes out belief in false beliefs .Superstitions are baseless, useless and may affect your life negatively. Illiterate and uneducated people often tend to hold certain superstitious beliefs. Education and awareness are the best ways to combat superstitions and replace such beliefs with reason and logic. Also, everybody likes a wise and knowledgeable person! Educated people are considered highly reputable in the society. Now-a-days, the more educated you are, the more respect you will get from those around you.

Education is what you need if you want an answer to your ‘what’ and ‘how’ and ‘where’. It helps you understand the world you live in. You get to know more about your surroundings as well as the whole world. Education majorly affects our understanding of the difference between right and wrong. An educated person is well aware of the consequences of wrong/illegal actions and he is less likely to get influenced and do something which is not legally/morally right. Also, a  number of uneducated people who live a poverty stricken life owning to lack of opportunities often turn to illegal ways such as theft and robbery to solve their problems. If you are educated, you are well aware of your rights, the law and your responsibilities towards the society. Hence, education is an important factor which contributes in social harmony and peace.

“Education must teach a child how to think, but, not what to think” - Margaret Mead.

If we want to see the world as a just and fair place where everyone is given equal opportunities, education is what we require. Education is a must if we want to do away with the existing differences between different social classes and genders. A society safe and secure for women in the society which is can only be achieved through right education and knowledge.

“Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil” — C.S.Lewis