Schools are endowed with the great responsibility of nourishing young talent and setting foundations for learning in the ever-morphing world of technology. This is a humongous task if it has to be done well, considering the innumerable challenges it presents. Any guesses on the biggest challenge educators face that trump every other roadblock?
Well, it is keeping the students engaged. Kids tend to get bored easily in the learning process. With the advent of technology that constantly competes for attention, it requires a great effort to keep the kids focussed and motivated to learn. On one hand, the process of imparting knowledge has become demanding, and on the other hand, it presents an opportunity to experiment and upgrade the current scheme of things.
Another challenge that educators face is keeping up with the technological advancements and changing trends in the industry. One of the recent developments in the field of student engagement is micro-credentialing and badges which are fast emerging as the most sought-after technique in the edtech space. But how many educators know about it or how many schools are using it? Unfortunately, very few, at this point in time.
As an educator, whether you’re looking for ways to inspire your students or you want to make learning more personalized so that every student can learn in their way, we’ve got some sure-fire ways to help you achieve just that!
New-age Platforms for Assignment Submission. The last time I submitted an assignment for school was in 2011. And that must have been in an A4-sized notebook. As an educator, if you are still using that medium, then perhaps you’ve not explored other channels. How about trying modes like blogs, podcasts, or even videos? Posting assignments as blogs enables students to display their work to peers and get feedback through comments. Posting the blogs publicly also translates into higher quality work. At the same time, digital modes allow students to create several versions till they achieve the one they are satisfied with.
Personalized learning. When schools implement personalized learning, the methodology and pace of learning vary for each student. However, the end outcome and academic goals don’t vary. Each student is expected to acquire a certain level of competence in the subject matter by the end of the semester or school year. Personalized Training not only means learning from a place of comfort, at a pace of comfort, and at a level that matches your student’s, but also, taking into account the aptitude, interests, and goals of the student. Personalized learning necessitates not only a shift in the modus Operandi of traditional schooling but also the use of modern technologies. Personalized learning can be facilitated by online learning systems that track and manage the learning needs of all students on a real-time basis.
Recognition with Digital credentials and badges. Digital credentials and badges are the digital equals of paper certificates. They represent a student’s achievement, whether it is the completion of an online course or passing a test on the subject. Badges can also be used to represent that you have certain skills, such as being able to use Microsoft Excel or being comfortable reading basic Spanish. Digital credentials and Badges represent a student’s aptitude and interests. They offer a great means to enable educators to maintain an active student engagement in the learning process. ValidateMe.Online is one such platform that makes issuing digital credentials seamless and easy-to-use.
Gamifying Learning. Learning should be fun. By adding fun to teaching, educators can ensure students that are engaged and interested in your content, which in turn will guarantee that they retain more and perhaps start enjoying learning new things. Whether it is solving math problems or learning new words through gamified tools, learning should create a sense of eagerness and curiosity instead of being a burden. Most kids are acquainted with spending hours playing video games, and the information technology used to make gaming so engaging is being employed in learning tools as well.
Augmented/Virtual Reality. Virtual and augmented reality is gaining increasing popularity among the younger crowd. These technologies, when used as an aid for learning, let students submerge themselves in a digital environment, which can help them learn new information or practice skills. Virtual reality can improve education by allowing students to learn through memorable and immersive experiences. For example, students can take a 3D tour of the human body, or virtually visit the solar system or Earth’s Ocean bed. And, have you heard the buzz about how metaverse could be the future of education? This requires a complete post in itself. So, for now, to satiate your curiosity about the metaverse and the impact it is going to have on the education sector, check this out.
Learning can be engaging, fun, and even meaningful, no matter what the subject is or what the age of the learner is. These are only a few techniques by which technology can be leveraged to make learning engaging. Educators just need to find a way that suits their students the best and take the plunge! We would be glad to know what you think about this post. Please feel free to write to us at info@validateme.online.
