Education technology has become a significant part of the 21st-century learning experience especially post-pandemic. Tools such as computers, video conferencing, and even artificial intelligence can be used to augment college education, aid students with disabilities, and have a comprehensive variation of added applications and benefits when integrated suitably in the classroom.
Benefits of Using Technology in the Classroom
- As students now are very well versed with social media platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook etc., there will be increased student engagement if teachers can use video, songs and other media to develop interactive learning systems.
- Use of Google docs, Microsoft Teams etc. can encourage teamwork and collaboration among students thus making learning a stimulating, thought-provoking, and enjoyable experience for everyone.
- Educational technology may also be utilized to develop lessons that permit further exhaustive understanding and value-added learning outcomes.
- Courses at the undergraduate level can more easily be offered through online mode or in the hybrid mode between classroom teaching and online lessons.
Moreover, graduate students having the ability to use e-learning resources become better prospective candidates for jobs involving use of Microsoft Office products, typing skills, communication through emails etc. the use of technology in the classroom also strengthens the mentorship relationship between teachers and students.
Challenges in Integrating Technology in Education Sector:
After the pandemic, technology is being more and more utilized the education sector. However, many colleges, institutes and faculties are facing steep difficulties in incorporating it in their learning methods. The most common apprehensions of teachers include:
- Students misusing technology.
- Lack of teacher knowledge and professional training.
- Keeping students safe online and budget limitations of new technology.
- Poor network infrastructure as well as unreliable devices or software to keep up with changes. while implementing education technology and digital media in the classroom.
Some examples as how our college is incorporating education technology in curriculum:
During the pandemic, several online training sessions were provided to faculties and students to make the online teaching and learning process easy and user friendly. It included Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Classroom. It was decided by the college to purchase quality Microsoft Teams module on regular basis. G-suite for education has been implemented by the Institute during the year 2020-2021. The mail service of G-suite is used by all members of the Institute as their official email-ID.
Principal
College-Raja Narendra Lal Khan Women’s College (Autonomous).
Google meet service is used for conducting official meetings and online classroom training for students. There was use of virtual platform for Academic and co-curricular seminars, and online webinars on academic topics were conducted by all departments of the College. Collaborative programmes were held online. Various government schemes and commemorative days like national Yoga Day, World Environment Day, and National Youth Day were organized through online quizzes, competitions and talks.
Although situated in a Panchayat area, in the “JungleMahal” region of West Bengal, despite fund scarcity, our college has firmly adhered to the incorporation of technology for educating female students of very economically backward section of the society who are also the first-generation learners.
The college has helped these students financially by buying smartphones and other requisite gadgets and also promoting the use of various software and apps to make them eligible for different types of career jobs.
