Many years ago we couldn't have even imagined that we could get information on any subject in just one click. Did we ever think that we can attend lectures without even going to college or classroom? Could we even think that while living in some remote corner of the country and without travelling and getting admissions to renowned universities and colleges we could be taught by the best of the technology faculty?
Times have changed. Earlier Students used to spend days and nights in the libraries to write the reports, project or academic papers. Today the world has changed and been converted to a global village, we can do multiple things at one time and, in just a go.
In the age of internet, it is easy to connect with anyone in any part of the world. Internet has made education easy. Use of technology in teaching and learning is growing every day. This term grows along with advancements made in the field of education. With technology in education, the methods and aids used for learning and teaching have drastically changed in the past few years.
Nowadays it is one of the most preferred methods of learning. Traditional lessons have been supplemented by virtual ones. Online classes, live lectures, chat rooms are board of progress to follow the students' success. Students can maintain a flexible schedule that is convenient for them (anytime, anywhere learning). With the integration of technology, students are able to get direct, individualized instructions from the computer. This form of supplemental teaching allows them to become more self-directed in the learning process.
Sometimes because of complications we are unable to attend traditional education classes in School and college buildings but technology has just got a solution for it. New technology for education has helped students with special needs learn better. For example, the use of iPads and robots helps students with Austism to learn, talk and spell. According to a study it was found out that students with Dyslexia can learn how to read when they use computers.
In earlier times education was considered as an elitist privilege. With the inclusion of technology, education has become accessible to the masses. The information available on the Internet can be used by everyone who know and have the necessary equipment to access it. There is no discrimination on the basis of any factor and people of all strata have equal rights to education.
The need for heavy books to be brought back and forth from school and home is no longer needed with technology. The books can stay in the classroom because the information that they need is easily accessed on a computer. Not just this, the technology has taken the way more forward. Now we can hear of 'Go Green' initiatives like G-Drive which gives access to high quality Gate training without the need of Internet. It has broken all the barriers of learning and training in every way round. To think beyond physical books is the underlying criteria for advance education.
Smart phones are now commonplace, tablets are replacing or substituting for computers and laptops, and social media has become second nature. The rapid and widespread adoption of these technological innovations has completely changed the way we conduct our daily lives, including how knowledge is digested and taught. Also, teachers and students are increasingly expected to be proficient at a variety of ICT-based and other approaches for content delivery, learner support, and assessment. To communicate routinely with the digital means has become a new routine in itself.
Teachers see technology as integral part and parcel to education and want to use it. In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by GfK on behalf of Samsung Business, 90 percent say that modern technology is an important tool in achieving success in educational programs. Using Chrome books or tablets provides students the 21st-century skills they will need after they graduate. Technology is helping to change education in a positive way, it is improving grades for students and it prepares them for the future.
These active learning approaches are decidedly more student-centered, allowing them to take control of how they engage with a subject and to brainstorm and implement solutions to pressing local and global problems.
Abhijit Chaudhari
A graduate in Manufacturing Engineering, he completed his postgraduate diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow, class of 2003. He was working as a Product Manager in the Anand Group before he quit to set up Gateforum.
