Digital Smart Classrooms: Transforming the Age Old Education

Education

Education is not just about being literate enough to read and write, it is about developing your perceptive and observational skills and constructively using them to deduce and infer, education is about becoming aware and making a positive contribution to our society and the world in which we live, education is about passing on the morals, values, literature, heritage, traditions and the vast scientific knowledge we gather in our time to the next generation. Education has never been a one dimensional process. It has always been an engaging triumvirate of teaching, learning and feedback assessment activities. And this is how mankind has developed.

Technology today has become so interspersed with the fabric of our daily life that we cannot in our wildest dreams imagine a life without it. Scientific wonders are a useful part of our everyday life, and so it was only natural that this science and technology enter the portals of the education realm too. Today, all modern schools have incorporated the use of Information and Communication Technology products as a complementary aid to effectively teaching the curriculum content and enhancing classroom practices all over the globe.

The use of such technology media is what transforms an ordinary teaching learning room into a smart digital classroom. With its impressive audio video aids, response systems, feedback analysis programs, big projection screens, interactive whiteboards, multimedia pens, animated content and so on, teaching has become a highly efficacious process engaging the attention and participation of all.

Have you ever wondered or noticed how little children seem to be able to learn the lyrics of a song and remember the story of a movie but not what’s in a 3-4 page lesson?

Here’s the reason why:

It is a fact that the more the number of senses involved in observing a phenomenon or event, the better is the retention of the same in our memory. When a child simply hears the lesson in the monotonous voice of the teacher, he will never be able to visualise and learn as effectively as when he does when shown visual clips with interesting voiceovers. Live experiments are always better than reading about them. The list of examples is very long. The point is that ICT resources have revolutionized the face of education like before!

The elements of ‘Plan and Control’

Not just this, one cannot rule out the twin important aspects of smart classrooms. Not only is the feedback via response systems instant, it simultaneously saves a lot of time which would have been spent by the teacher checking answer sheets manually! Grading papers, compiling report cards and drawing comparisons on the student’s performance can now be done in almost no time at all! The results are processed instantaneously. With the evaluation process a piece of cake, look at the other benefits. Your lectures become very planned and organized. You have control and can easily create a captivating ambience backed by AV support. The benefits are just so many!

Here’s a list of some important items you need in order to set up a smart classroom:

1. A desktop or laptop acting as the central system
2. Document Camera/Visualisers
3. Projector
4. Camera
5. CD/DVD player
6. Graphic Tablets
7. Remote controls
8. Big Interactive LED/LCD Panels
9. Interactive Whiteboard
10. Multimedia Pens/Stylus
11. Wireless Microphone for convenience
12. Speakers
13. Student Response System
14. Feedback assessment software
15. Educational Software
16. Video Conferencing systems
17. Printer
18. Scanner
19. Copier
20. Hi Speed Internet Connection

Source: http://smart-classroom-equipments.blogspot.in/

Effective Presentation Techniques

In this dynamic world, we can't afford to avoid the benefits of effective presentation. Effective presentation is a great tool to communicate ideas as well as educate, entertain and persuade people. A good presenter ought to have ability to learn, unlearn and relearn. Here are a number of tips to help insure you are giving a good presentation:

Start with an attention getter: "Good beginning is half done." So try to start with attention getter tools like telling a story, showing a picture, asking a simple but interesting question etc.

Keep it relevant: Audiences pay attention to stories and ideas that are relevant for them. Know your audiences in advance then design your presentation.

Use facts, not generalities: Fuzzy concepts distract audience attention. Using quantifiable, verifiable, memorable and dramatic are of great help than general statements.

Keep it short and crisp: Nobody likes lengthy and boring presentation. Instead of beating around the bush, come to the moot point directly.

Customize for every audience: "Different stroke for different folks." One-size-fits-all presentations never fit right and usually make you feel bad. Every audience is different; so customize it as much as possible.

Speak to the audience: Try to focus on the audience instead of slides or notes. Audience focused speech encourages them to focus on you and your message.

Avoid jargon: Your audience may have different background and culture. Keep your presentation jargon-free so that it could be easily understood and remembered. 

Prepare some questions: Q&A session at the end of the presentation makes it interactive and engages the audience.

Giving a presentation requires substantial research, organization, rehearsal and ability to influence people. An effective presentation has to get attention of the audience, arouse interest, engage them from beginning to end and persuade them to take action. It should be audience centered rather than speaker centered.

Source: http://geneetechnologies.blogspot.in/