MyEdgeMyEdge
18
Sep, 2015

By MyEdge

5 New Age Techniques For Teachers That Expand Your Horizons

Are you a teacher who teaches children in 2015 using chalkboards? “What are those?” you quip.

Yes! Traditional teaching methods are gradually losing their sheen today. It may be added that as a teacher, you may or may not feel comfortable in the outdated techniques of yesteryears when it comes to teaching, as newer trends and tools are fast evolving and becoming usable too gradually.

Some of the fastest and best methods of teaching are through online tutoring. These include blogging, online forums and podcasts. Technology is fast reshaping the traditional classroom and as users of this technology, teachers must also venture into exploring newer horizons.

Engagement is at an all-time high with the use of technology- believe tech gurus- who think online tutoring is slowly but surely changing the learning environment. There are Web 2.0 tools, social networking sites, training modules, web video conferences that are raising the interactive quotient between the learner and the learned. There are I Tunes lectures, You Tube videos and mobile apps instead of books that are fast becoming the main source of information.

Here are 5 sure shot techniques for teachers to maximize output through digital teaching:

  1. Newer learning management systems such as open education resources or OERs and massive open online courses or MOOCs are fast changing the landscapefor teachers. Online learning is mutually beneficial for teachers and students alike.
  2. Blended learning is fast gaining ground as well and as a teacher you should make use of it. In this the entire course is presented online and the use of a “flipped” classroom may enable the professor to record his or her lecture and also provide a link to the video later. Students can go back home and then listen to the lecture in details. Such a teaching model is different from the traditional teaching model and recalibrates technological capacity with traditional teaching
  3. Use of the multimedia tools and animations, rich graphics, simulation and open course wares are fast changing the learning landscape. This enables teachers to replace books with concepts that are visually shared and experienced by students. Learning becomes retentive and very visual.
  4. There are many learning analytics that are being developed with the making of digital activities more scalable and accountable. Feedback is shared with the student continuously rather than once after an exam.
  5. Learning also becomes non formal and is self-directed and not coerced. Teaching is not one way rather a two way process. Also, slide shares, weekly web modules, text narration and online timed tests that display instant results are fast gaining ground. Each lesson is divided into units and lectures recorded with a comments and query section.

Teachers can now teach non-coercively without being too forceful on results and grades. Students feel motivated and interested when technology is infused. They feel less burdened. Also, when they see their teachers imbibing new methods to teach they feel driven too.

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05
Mar, 2015

By MyEdge

Online Learning is as good if not better than Traditional Education

More than 9.1 mn students around the world are currently enrolled in an online course/program. This trend despite its recent massive popularity is not being given its due recognition by conventional educationists, who still believe that the most effective way of learning is the traditional face to face classroom environment. But recent studies carried out by eminent global research organizations and institutions reveal a startling fact, to the surprise of such academicians.  The popularity of online courses has picked up substantially in the last 3 years mainly due to a number of merits (convenience, affordability, seamless, quality etc) over traditional education system, though it is highly unlikely that online education would be able to completely replace traditional system of learning. It is pertinent to note that online learning is a way to enhance one’s knowledge and can be utilized effectively to supplement formal traditional physical classroom based education.

“A number of well-known educators have said that there isn’t going to be much learning in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs),” said a professor at MIT. He added “if not, it is very helpful to already educated people, who want to learn but do not have time for it”.

Online courses are dependent on online libraries, real time teacher assistance, virtual classrooms and study groups.

Online libraries in contrast to traditional libraries are better suited to the needs of a modern day student who wants to refer from various sources. Very few online libraries offer high priced books at very affordable charges through an online subscription based model. A student can download as many eBooks as he/she wants and can make notes, create reports or read for pleasure.

But the real revolution in the field of education has to be virtual classrooms. It has replaced the old fashioned exchange programs run by schools and universities around the world. Now students can interact with teachers and professors in real time from the comfort of their homes.

Similarly, a student has the freedom to create study groups, exchange notes and interact with students from other parts of the world. Innovative platforms have been designed to make all this possible, all you need is a portable device and an internet connection.

Students from all over the world are finding these platforms extremely useful as it helps them in learning new concepts & network with people with similar interests. On the other hand, traditional education system is not as flexible as the online learning system.

Clearly, online education scores over traditional education on many fronts. Like any other system of education has its flaws too, but a blended system, where traditional education system is in sync with online learning is what is needed. Neither of the two can be ignored. Thus our education system should accommodate both.

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5 New Age Techniques For Teachers That Expand Your Horizons
Online Learning is as good if not better than Traditional Education