With the digital revolution having made access to information easier, how far are we from a perfect school campus? Is it possible in the first place or is the thought too utopian? Let’s take a closer look.
There is no doubt that we are living in an increasingly digital world. Right from booking airline tickets to shopping for everyday groceries, everything is now available, at literally a click. It was only a matter of time before this digital revolution impacted the world of studies too. It has done it in a major way. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has brought online learning into sharp focus in our country and also it has exposed us to new challenges and hurdles of new ‘normal’ i.e. Embracing the New Normal. It has in a way set the ball rolling for further growth of online studies in the near future.
Access to information:
With the advent of the internet students these days have a lot of access to information. However, the access need not be limited to only the internet. Students, as well as their parents need to remember that there are other sources of information too. Magazines, journals, newspapers. Publications, TV and radio are good examples.
Quality factor:
Even with so many other different sources of information available, the question arises whether they can match the might of the internet? Remember, there could always be question marks on the information available online. So, the internet need not be the be all and end all of information. Students should be encouraged to use other sources of information too.
Putting pen to paper:
Recent research suggests that people tend to assimilate more information when they actually write about what they have learnt. No amount of tapping on computer keyboards can replace the kind of memory recall that writing can create. Parents and teachers therefore, need to ensure that students develop the habit of writing regularly. One good activity for the middle and high school students could be to make them write whatever they can remember, a few minutes before the end of a class. This will gradually improve their ability to recollect information. Similarly, for a first or a second grader there is nothing to match a parent reading out aloud their lessons, which allows them to pick up information, learn how to develop reading habit in kids often also learn how to select the right book for reading.
Application based learning:
The perfect school campus is perhaps the one where most of the learning is application based, also refer effective ways to use Apps for learning. There is nothing like showing a third grader a live plant and teaching him about the different parts. Similarly, there is nothing like asking a seventh grader to actually do an experiment to learn a concept in science. This will ensure that they pick up and store information much more easily.
Different learning pathways:
Different learning styles for kids help to take up the required-right style to learn. Remember, there is nothing called the perfect learning pathway. It would differ from a person to person. For example, while rhymes may be the best way to teach students to grasp information at the primary level, it may not be so for the middle school. For them perhaps, lab based activities maybe a better choice.
Supporting the student:
Both parents and teachers need to ensure that they support the student in their quest for access to information. They need to guide them on making the right choice. Remember, with the amount of online content available, the chances of distraction are many these days.
A mix of the various sources of information is what would contribute to a perfect school campus. We at The Camford School provide students access to both hard and soft copies of a host of publications. Our teachers are there to support and help the student to learn the impact of digital technologies as required.