The world is waking up to a hi-tech rhythm. This is not only testified by the way we connect to each other, but also by the advanced teaching-learning process. The conventional Indian classroom with hour-long teacher’s monologues have evolved into smart classes. It has provided students with easy access to technology-enhanced learning via interactive videos, textbooks and customized learning modules.
The future of Indian education sector is about access, anywhere and everywhere. Owning to the technological tornado, classrooms are now a cohort of students present in the physical space as well as online learners. Educomp Solutions, Everonn Education, NIIT, Core Education & Technologies, IL&FS and Compucom are the bellwethers of this technological revolution in education. Relatively new players like HCL Infosystems, Learn Next, Tata Interactive Systems, Mexus Education and iDiscoveri Education have further contributed to a great extent.
Based on his personal experience, Harish Arora, a chemistry teacher at Bal Bharti Public School, New Delhi who has been using Smartclass since 2004, affirms that technology has enhanced the teaching-learning process significantly. “Earlier it would easily take me one full period to just draw an electromagnetic cell on the blackboard. Though I could explain the cell structure, there was no way I could have managed to show them how it really functions. This is where technology comes to our aid — now I can show the students a 3D model of the cell and how it functions. Instead of wasting precious time drawing the diagram on the blackboard, I can invest it in building the conceptual clarity of my students,” he explains.
Realizing the potential efficacy of technology led teaching, its proponents are fuelling progression. Teachers as well students have rapidly embraced the expediency and convenience offered advanced technology-based learning.
Established on the grounds that technology is potent enough to enhance the quality access to education, Educomp Solutions was in fact the first ed-tech company to leverage it.
“When we launched Smartclass in 2004 as the first-ever digital classroom program, it was an uphill task convincing schools to adopt it,” says Abhinav Dhar, director for K-12 at Educomp Solutions.
“These schools had not witnessed any change in a century. It is a completely different scenario now. Private schools across India today see [technology] as an imperative. A digital classroom is set to become the bare-minimum teaching accessory in schools, just like a blackboard is today,” he adds.
More than 12,000 schools across 560 districts in India have already adopted Smart class. Also, the success rate is growing with almost 20 schools a day.
Needless to say, but anything potent enough to provide easy access to education along with enhancement in quality is of paramount importance. Though the high-rising numbers indicate inroads of technology led learning in the country. However, there is still a long way to go in certain regions. The ‘power’ is already here, we just need to embrace it steadily, and for the betterment.