Thursday, August 13, 2015

Online Learning : The true definition of modern education.


With the rapid influence of science on almost all of the aspects of the world, an effective growth of the application of technical methods in the global classroom is somewhat comprehended. This has produced the concept of providing personalised and online educational services through the internet. Services like these provide various educational tools through the internet. We need to know about its availability in order to access it and to have all of the privileges that this modern way of education can offer.

It is time to learn in the ‘cyber’ environment

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A leading social learning network in the modern world is Edmodo; based in San Mateo; California. It offers resourceful educational materials with impactful and effective contents. It has a large number of teachers who provides quality education and provides a large share of good educational contents. Edmodo’s CEO Vibhu Mittal said “Resources shared range from a short pointer with immediate applicability to long, thoughtful analyses of interesting questions and possible solutions that might take a teacher days or weeks to think through and write.”


Traditional teachers vs. modern learning

The present difference between the traditional classroom teaching and the blended online teaching raises the problem regarding the teacher’s comfort zone in case of teaching students. It is a fact that the teachers are mostly trained to manage the traditional form of a class and the online mode of a class. So, initially it becomes problematic for them to handle the online mode of classes as online classes are more personalized than traditional classrooms. Teachers, however, do not want to give up their effort to help their students more. This will obviously help the students to learn effectively in a personalized manner along with having an access in their way of learning. Introducing different shifts like station rotation models and flipped classrooms would assist them more in their learning.

Secure the data first

The origin of data is another chief factor regarding online education having utmost importance. The
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privacy regarding the handling; managing and accessing of data must be present. We can see that various other service providers and third party providers are actively participating to the access of data. The privacy regarding the correct usage and access of data must be maintained correctly by the service user in order to maintain its authenticity. Because of this important step the data can, thus, correctly be implemented to the efficient improvement of students.

So why does the problems occur? They do because more stress is given on the usage of the data and not its security. Privacy not only secures the data but it also helps in the effective; correct and proper utilisation of it in its relevant requirement. So the edtech service providers should secure their data first before delivering it to the students. Once the data is secured the entire process of online education reaches its proper and dignified height of its state. So putting more effort in securing the data is required for the edtech service providers to implement the data both correctly and efficiently.

A new outcome!

The effects of the online educational mode are a notable fact. Online educational mode can be
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speculated as a platform in which teachers and students mingle. They also have online education as a mode where they can effectively share their ideas and can apply them for the overall development. These effects are, however, expected. But there are some other results of online education which are not only impressive but also effective in such a way that it would definitely assist online education to reach amazing heights in the future. One of these impressive results is that online educational mode has helped teachers to share it as a platform where they can share their views and can develop innovative methods of teaching. This would obviously benefit online mode of education.



More knowledge, more education

Online educational service also provides a technical way of studying which becomes efficient for the students of the modern generations. Here teachers do not become the one and only origin of knowledge as the technical method of learning helps the knowledge or information to be spread effectively to the students.

The technical innovation in education mingled with the necessity of it created a new path for the range of education to be wider and much more informative and personalized. For example the innovation of mobile technologies in studying has helped students not only to learn in a newer and innovative way but also guided them towards a more informative world of education. Previously the only source of education was teachers and books. Now students have the access to the internet where they can search for any queries of their mind that automatically fulfills their basic requirement for education. They can share information with others which becomes another extra added facility to their education.

Recognition of requirements

Online educational mode aims in personalised teaching rather than the traditional way of teaching. It
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focuses much more on the customized education that can be provided to the students. It levies more importance in case of the critical learning functions of the students which, sometimes, cannot be followed in the traditional; way of teaching for various reasons. In online education teachers are able to be with the students for a longer time than usual. Teachers can also stress on the fact of identifying the passions of the students; guiding and checking their overall progress; modifying and inspiring them to do assignments and projects all of which would be ideal as it chiefly puts the students and their effective progress as the central factor of their improvement to become a good and properly educated human being.


Edmodo provides what is required

What Edmodo provides is quite different from the traditional mode of teaching. It introduces a technique of the combination of adaptive learning and its wide range of educational materials. The system of Edmodo is not only innovative but also effective. The quality of education which it provides will be recognized as a scientific way of learning at an international level.

A brighter future with Edmodo

So, it is highly presumable that the effective implementation of the innovative technique in education; forming a proper platform for the teachers and students and creating an international standard of education is the chief aim of Edmodo. The technical methods of teaching and the vast range of accessible information will not only be helpful to students but also will modify them in such a way that they can create a brighter future for the entire world.

Article source - huff.to/1Jemt5U

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Can Technology Actually Help To Improve Education?

As more and more schools across the globe are adopting various online learning strategies like Bring Your Own Device programs and one-to-one tablet initiatives, it seems what academic experts claimed years age was right. Globally, spending on tablets at the K-12 level has significantly risen by over 60 per cent between 2013 and 2014. However, it seems that there is a shortage of reliable proof that educational technology actually helps in improving the learning experience.

Education & Technology


If we wish to understand how all the technological advancement will affect us, then we need to start by taking a look at it's origins. It started back in 1997 during President Clinton's term when he accumulated a science and technology committee that suggested a technological embrace in a broad scope. Moreover, an early 2000s research by Duke University found a constant fall in reading and math scores. Academicians and experts believe that it is primarily due to the dearth of adult supervision at their homes. This has resulted in increased time spending on playing online games and accessing social media instead of doing coursework.

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Apart from homes, our schools are now also showing an inclination towards the increasing use of technology. Michael Rich, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School & executive director of the Center on Media and Child Health located in Boston, is concerned that our students' “brains are rewarded not for staying on task but for jumping to the next hing.” 

Education is a human experience


Probably the most glaring signal of EdTech resulting in more damage than benefits for our learners comes from the leading tech firms. The Waldorf School in Silicon Valley has around 75 per cent students whose parents work in the tech sector. Still the institute refuses to use a tablet or computer in the classrooms. Why? The administrators and educators of the school believe that teaching and learning is basically a human experience and they plan to keep it that way.


Image Source : bit.ly/1DYAM6Z


Of course, the technology sector reacts rather negatively to this view of teaching. Lia De Cicco Remu, director of Partners in Learning at Microsoft Canada, has issued a warning for schools and teachers who still want to hold on to the traditional education methods- “Shift or get off the pot.” But is that what is necessary? Does the era of online education mean the end of traditional education? Not necessarily. Many educators and well as EdTech experts from across the globe believe that online learning is simply here to improve the way our students learn and not to replace the traditional mode of learning.

What we need to realise that using technology in education will not provide us a shortcut to better academic and student outcomes. Technology is not a magic wand or quick-fix solution.

The bottom line


As another school year begins, we need to understand that putting blind faith on EdTech tools or overemphasising the requirement for 21st century skills, might not only affect the education system in the long run, but it may also adversely affect our kids. It is very important that we maintain the right balance between technology and the traditional mode of learning to ensure your students get the training they need to prepare for the world of the future.

What do you think? Add to the discussion by sharing your views and opinions below.