Modern and ICT based teaching methods
When we talk about the modern or ICT based education system it include full fledged usages of high tech equipment in the educational institutions. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education is the mode of education that use information and communications technology to support, enhance and optimize the delivery of information. he modern teaching aids include computers, internet surfing, laptops, electronic note books, e-readers, computer educational games, online dictionaries, online encyclopedias, picture dictionaries, talking dictionaries, online tests, online e-books, audio – video teaching aids for learning various subjects including languages, PowerPoint slides and games, flash educational games, Lesson relayed on radio through satellites, lessons on TV relayed by certain TV channels, Educational CDs and DVDs, projectors; interactive white boards also called smart boards etc. Let us discuss some of the most important of the modern teaching aids:
1. Smartboards
The SMART Board is an interactive whiteboard manufactured by SMART Technologies. SMART introduced the first SMART Board interactive whiteboard in 1991, and the boards are now used in classrooms, lecture halls, group meetings and presentations across the world. A SMARTBoard, is a large, touch-controlled screen that works with a projector (either mounted or not) to provide users with a larger version of their computer screen. The SMART Board has a touch-controlled screen that works in conjunction with a projector and a computer. The projector puts the computer’s desktop image onto the interactive whiteboard, which acts as both a monitor and an input device. Users can write on the interactive whiteboard in digital ink or use a finger to control computer applications by pointing, clicking and dragging, just as with a desktop mouse. Buttons launch a popup keyboard and a right-mouse-click menu for more input options. The interactive whiteboard is usually mounted on a wall or a floor stand and is used in face-to-face or virtual settings in education business and government.
2. Computers
Computers have become of the most important learning aids of the modern times. Today’s education is considered incomplete without computers. This is the basic machine on which all other electronic medias of learning depend. These can be bought in various forms like desktops, lap tops, notebooks and simply e-readers.
3. Projector
Prior to the use of projectors in the classroom, teachers had to spend time writing notes on the board, as well as erasing information due to limited space. Projectors facilitate the planning process so teachers can decide on lecture content and important points ahead of time instead of making decisions spontaneously. Projectors require a simple click of a button or mouse, thus, freeing valuable class time. By using projectors, teachers can more easily prepare all notes prior to class for easy presentation. Teachers may also find that they spend less time repeating or rewriting information that is now accessible with a simple click. With the use of projectors in the classroom, students can take better notes with the ability to discern what information the teacher displays is most useful to them. Additionally, students can ask the teacher to repeat a slide if they missed information, or even ask that the teacher to email the presentation for further review.
4. Online dictionaries, talking dictionaries, online tests
The boom of learning opportunities through internet has spread like a wild fire among the youth of today. Many students are becoming internet savvy. This is because the internet offers a multitude of opportunities through thousands of websites to the young learners. There are free online dictionaries, free online encyclopaedias, picture and talking dictionaries. Many websites offer online tests for practice to the students. There are a lot of learning videos available on several websites.
5. Educational CDs and DVDs, Televisions
These days thousands of CDs and DVDs with educative content are available in the market at very cheap rates. One can get these multimedia gadgets almost on every subject ranging from simple nursery rhymes to very complex lessons for higher classes. These are very useful but you always need a working CD or DVD drive on your computer. Moreover, these multimedia discs take some time for initiation to come on the screen and thus waste time. Instead the data recorded in the computer’s hard disk can be played fast. Educational content is also available nowadays on televisions which is relayed to home by Direct to Home (DTS) services like the Dish TV, Big TV, Tata Sky, Airtel, Sun TV and there are many others throughout the country. The programme called “Topper” is becoming quite popular among the students.
Teaching became as important as tools of teaching in the past that you could not think of classroom without a teacher standing at the blackboard with chalk in hand, drawing diagrams and pictures or writing the lesson notes on the blackboard which the students busily copied in their notebooks. Though the same methods are continuing in most of the Indian schools, but many schools have changed to the modern methods of teachings as explained above. The best is to make use of both the traditional as well as the modern methods of teaching. Teachers of today have to keep abreast of the modern technology available for teaching and use each and every opportunity to get their classrooms equipped with the same. The teachers of today will need to change their teaching strategies according to the need of the hour. They have to be selective in choosing teaching aids relevant to the lessons and subjects they teach. “Guru-Shishya parampara” also should be maintained along with the modern ways of teaching.
