What makes learning enjoyable is the fact that there are so many ways in which one can learn. An approach that is followed by many teachers is a ‘rotating approach.’ In this approach, teacher encourages learning where learning happens in various ways rather than fixating on one. ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology and that aids in providing information through wireless networks, internet, and other mediums.
ICT Classroom has a significant role to play today’s classroom education. It helps in ensuring that the students learn through various types of learning. The models that ICT uses are traditional pedagogy, learning as play, self-directed learning, differentiated learning, and constructivism. The ways in which these models are integrated in an ICT Classroom is through the following ways:
Interactive flat panel displays or flat screens help in providing a traditional pedagogy setting. In this method, learners/pupils are regarded as passive recipients of education. In addition to this, special emphasis is laid on the teacher by regarding him/her as the supreme source of knowledge as he/she imparts the education. Pupils are regarded as a body rather than individuals.
Since Interactive flat panel displays work as a replacement to blackboards and whiteboards, these allow the teachers to focus on what pupils will learn as a body, and give more power to the teacher.
This method is used to create knowledge from what the learner knows beforehand, and through new inputs. This helps the learner make sense from what they should learn. So, it is an approach that is centred more towards the learners. This method aids in providing pupils to work according to them, and also provides them with the time to do knowledge construction. Plus, pupils use iPads and Tablets in this process.
It is true that the pupil is most likely to remember the lesson if he/she had fun learning it. These can be activities like plays, quizzes, interactive games, etc. which are all types of group challenges. These activities can be done on an iPad or tablet.
This approach helps the pupil in giving a responsibility of learning to the learner itself. Secondary level education and adult learners can hugely benefit from it. The learner gets an access to the web and various learning apps on iPads and tablets. The learner is given the power in this type of learning.
In this approach, individuals work according to their own time and pace. This bears similarity to personalized learning. Here, the pupils are regarded as individuals rather than a body unlike the case of an interactive flat panel display where learning is imparted by the teacher. ICT helps in differentiated learning by making lessons quicker and easier, thus freeing up time for the teacher. This, in turn, provides teachers with more time to have a one-on-one discussion with the students.
Interactive smart boards or interactive whiteboards are also gaining prominence as an effective way to impart teacher learning. It is basically a hardware that looks like a whiteboard but is connected to a projector and computer to provide it with certain functionalities. It is actually a touch-screen version of the computer itself. Using Interactive smart boards helps in motivating students, especially those with certain learning disabilities. Use of different colour pens, visual learning, and accessing a website for information instead of printable materials are some ways in which these boards can be used.
Everyone should be touched by the joy of knowledge. By inculcating a rotating system, the teacher can make sure that the learning experience of the students is at a satisfactory level. ICT classrooms are going to play a prominent role on that front, and in shaping the future of education.