Imparting Creative Ways Of Learning In K-12

The use of technology creatively can empower and enhance the process of imparting quality education to students. Our current generation of students is growing up in a world where they are thinking differently, receiving and processing information faster, all due to technology. Therefore it is only correct that the knowledge imparted to them should reflect the world they will inhabit. However, we have to be careful of the ways in which technology is used, as it should never be considered a substitute for regular classroom teaching. For example, a video/online classroom with one teacher and 40 students logging cannot replace a traditional classroom. 

Technology should be used for what cannot otherwise be done in regular classrooms, to help better use resources like time and infrastructure, facilitate learning and improve performance. Following are a few ways in which technology can benefit education: 

Better use of resources: Technology can be an effort saver for the teacher. For example, a student can be asked to watch videos on certain subjects before class and prepare for discussion in class. This kind of “blended learning” allows students to do in their own time and pace, a format which the current generation is more familiar with and helps the student to learn to do their own independent research on the subject. The teacher is able to save a lot of energy and dive deeper into the topic in class.   

Effective use of time: Online homework and testing is another method being used more often in education. Computer grading allows for quicker corrections and grading, thus freeing up teachers’ time which can then be utilized more effectively for lesson planning and other activities. 

Encourage collaboration: Resources like google docs allow multiple students to work on a project together as a team. Students can see each other’s work, leave comments, share ideas, pitch solutions, take on the rejection of their ideas or even learn from the ideas of others.  This setting also helps prepare students for their future workplaces where they will have to work in collaboration with others and also know to communicate effectively with their peers. 

Personalised learning: Through data from online platforms personalised learning programs allow teachers to understand the exact standing of individual students as compared to the class average and thus tailor teaching to meet these different needs. The teacher can give students assignments which are appropriate to their learning level. This means that students which are having difficulties on a topic can be given guidance to ensure complete learning before taking them to the next level, and on the other side, gifted students are given more challenging tasks which keep their minds occupied. 

Rohan Parikh

Guest Author The author is Managing Director - The Green Acres Academy