The world is changing, and so are we. Every arena of life is improving itself technically. Earlier students were taught on blackboard made of stone with chalks. After which came marker and whiteboard and now since technology is developing and there is a compulsion of broadening the empire of learning.
In India, this change is slow but it’s going on, and within a decade or two we shall also be having smart learning in all the schools effectively.
Top 5 Gadgets for Optimal Edtech Utilization
For now, we are here to list few gadgets which are required for optimal edtech utilization. There are many of them, but we can still shorten the list till 5 gadgets.
? ARDUINO KITS: It’s one of the easiest ways to get into the world of smart learning. Introduce it to young engineers and students who are fond of technology, and soon they shall do wonders. It looks very complex at first, but it is actually a very simple thing to learn. This board is to be embedded and it’s programmed through Arduino coding which is an easy task to be done. If included in the curriculum after high school itself, then students shall know about the technology even before entering into engineering world.
? SMART MARKERS: We all know about the conventional markers and the spots they leave on our hands if not handled properly. It’s better to go for interactive whiteboards, and if you can’t afford it, then the better option are smart markers. These markers can write anywhere, can capture images and what not. Even the notes that you make can be stored in cloud or Dropbox so that it becomes accessible for students easily and there is no chance of messing up.
? STEAM KITS: These are the kits which are useful for students of any age. They are hands-on, portable kits which comprise of components, DVDs, books, guides and all the relevant equipment required. It can nourish and improve a child’s thinking ability and make him more creative in this field. Currently, there are 26 different types of STEAM kits available in the market, and they are easily available too.
? OCULUS RIFT: In this time of development, students want to feel the subjects rather than just to study it. This is completely a new gadget for teachers which are almost the perfect one. Be it a movie projection, discussing any important event in history like a world war, or any manufacturing process, Oculus always sets in. Through this students can feel as if they are really experiencing what they see on screen. Oculus also helps in architectural models and it can make students pay more attention to their whole consent and teacher won’t find any student sleeping on backbench while studying the subject.
? 3D PRINTER: The 3D printer is a revolutionary invention in the tech world and has created many positive changes. Suppose you are the teacher and you have to explain the atomic model to students, and you have a model of it in the laboratory. Sounds easy right! But what if the laboratory is under maintenance and you are left with no other option. It’s not feasible to explain it by a 2D model. Here comes 3D printer in the picture. It can actually give a 3D effect to the picture or any model which is printed on it. It promotes creativity, enhances the problem-solving skills, and make the subject more interesting which attracts the student’s attention to concentrate and learn the subject and all with fun.
All the gadgets listed above are interesting and cost efficient too. We no longer can keep the student away from sleeping just by shouting in class. Education has to be made according to the level of exposure that a child gets in this world to the technology. If such technologies are incorporated in teaching methodologies, preparing for competitive exams like UPSC, GATE, IES , GMAT etc would become fun and interesting.
If the quality of the education has to be improved, students must get involved deliberately into the subject and gain knowledge and as explained above it is possible by making education better by technology. David Warlick said – “We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.”
