Why Schools Need Technology More Than Ever Before?
COVID-19 pushed schools to innovate, but they have a long way to go…
Technology has become ubiquitous. From toddlers to adults, and everyone in between is connected, digital literacy in India is rising.
According to a survey published on statista.com, the internet penetration in India reached an all-time high of 50% in 2020. Remote learning and WFH upsurged the numbers by placing India second globally for daily active Internet users.
The education space has seen significant technological intervention since the pandemic hit the country—most private, semi-private, and some government schools have fully or partially migrated to e-learning platforms in the past two years. Technology-aided intervention is showing merit.
Does this open new avenues?
Yes, definitely! Children are early adopters of technology, and this is a critical skill. However, are schools fully prepared to embrace this change?
Traditional schooling is deeply rooted in rote learning, textbook-based curriculum and conventional teaching methods. Whether we like it or not, the pandemic did force schools to explore and pivot.
In 2020 Kerala became the first and the only state in India to implement high-tech classrooms in all public schools. This was a phenomenal first step towards digitisation.
But the challenge still persists..
At the onset of the pandemic, most schools migrated online and explored virtual teaching practices to the best of their abilities. Not to forget, teachers carried a tremendous load to plan and deliver their lessons online with the same enthusiasm and vigour. Innovation was the key here. Engaging children on a zoom call for three or more hours each day instead of an active, fun-filled day at school was of the essence.
But the real challenge came right after. Not every state in India was and is equipped to follow Kerala`s suit. Everything comes with a price. It would be fair to say that teacher capacities were of primary concern. Schools managed to implement new teaching methods; however, in many cases, teachers were using video calls for the very first time!
There were additional challenges of creating online tasks, working with google drives, getting familiarised with accessing internet resources, sharing audio/ video assignments, and the list goes on and on. Remote learning also added to the stress and burnout, including other factors.
It became imperative that school managements adapted technology as a way forward. But what mattered most was the choice of the right digital platform that improved efficiency.
For those schools who are yet to explore integrated tools that deliver performance, here is what to expect -
- Streamlined school operations — A school owner or the principal needs to see an overview of the school’s performance, administrative and operational tasks, admission reports and financials at any given point in time. This data is scattered in the traditional method. It often requires liaising with various departments and looking at multiple reports. With AI/ ML-driven all-in-one digital platforms, all data is accessible in one place. Admission statistics, new enrollments, financial records, school performance and more are accessible on the dashboard.
- Efficient teaching, resource planning and communication — Teachers are at the centre of it all. From their daily administrative tasks to planning lessons, assignments and communicating with parents, teachers must multi-task. Think of what data-driven tools have to offer teachers?
- Self-development & skill enhancement
- Measurable insights into student performance
- Automated reports and responses
- A digital diary that maintains resources, images, school planners and more
- Academic goal tracking and insights into student`s inclinations
- One-point communication with parents, management and the principal
3. Planned `Teacher Time-Off`- Online schooling surely connected teachers more closely with parents and students, but this also affected their privacy. Teachers` personal contacts were shared to establish the connection, but this invited all day interruption. Digital tools enable teachers to switch off and maintain their `quiet hours` as desired. Once the quiet mode is on, teachers can receive notifications only when they resume work.
4. Organised data and content library — Pre-covid schooling constrained teachers to maintain a digital library of all the content they created over the years. Most of this was created in the formats of physical projects or sheets. This is another prominent feature that has come in handy. Teachers can now save all audio, video and written content for future references and maintain a digital diary.
5. Better parent-teacher connect — Schools have often resorted to multiple communication channels in the pre-covid era. Emails, WhatsApp groups, messages and parent portals on websites are to name a few. Digital tools will eliminate the need to communicate via scattered channels altogether. An intelligent platform will be able to bring all stakeholders together and channelise faster communication.
Will schooling go back to normal post-COVID?
Looking at the current scenario, schools, parents and students have adopted the `New` normal. There have been both pros and cons of online learning. We cannot neglect the stress and burnout it has caused the educators. But the good part of it is the agility this has brought. Teachers and students have both been highly agile in adapting to the new circumstances and embracing digital tools to the best of their potentials.
The question, however, remains,
Whether schools will continue to integrate technology into mainstream education once lives are back to the `classroom normal`?
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
If you are interested to know more about how myelin is helping schools to become more efficient, visit: www.myelin.co.in or write to us at info@myelin.co.in
