HANDS ON EXPERIENCE
Introduction
Educational system around the world is
under increasing pressure to use the new Information and Communication
Technologies to teach students the knowledge and skills they need in the 21st
century. Through computers the use of multimedia has created novel modes of
learning and greatly contributed to the restructuring of instructional
environment in schools. The sophistication of multimedia technologies nowadays
give a great challenge to educators in order to continuously play significant
roles in the borderless globalization of information era. This challenge should
not be regarded as a threat but should be accepted as a great reward to
education world, which is able to produce an amazing result if the tools are
used correctly and wisely.
Education is the starting point of
every human development. Education is a light that shows mankind the right
direction to surge. If education fails to inculcate self- discipline and
commitment to achieve in the minds of student, it is not totally their fault. The educators play an important role in making
the learning process interesting and enjoyable. Learning process has to
generate interest in the students and motivate them to stay back in the
institution than to run away from it. Education should become a fun and thrill
to them rather than burden and boredom. The purpose of education is not just
making a student literate but adds rational thinking, knowledge ability, and
self-sufficiency. In order to achieve this purpose, effective and innovative
teaching and learning methods are vital. Today’s students are much more
media-centric than previous generation ,that’s why the use of multimedia in classroom
cannot be denied anymore.
If we want to continuously grab
students attention, we must make them happy to learn and create an exciting
learning environment, we need to follow the current and not against it. Most
students are not only auditory or visual learners, but also multi-sensory
learners. Multimedia has the ability to capture the attention of the learner because
it addresses a variety of learning styles. Today’s students expect to use
digital media devices in their daily lives, so these devices, or similar media
technology, should be woven seamlessly into their classroom experiences.
MEANING
Hands-on
experience means, knowledge or skill that someone gets from doing something
rather than just reading about it or seeing it being done.
1)
COMPUTER
Computers
have become the life line of young generation. The present generation students
like to embrace all the things in the ambit of this modern technology. It looks
as if technology had been with the children since birth, especially computers
been an integral part of child’s life and personality.
A
classroom computer can be
defined as any electronic device that allows students to access the internet to
research, create, and complete work. This means that a laptop or tablet can
also be categorized as a classroom computer.
Role of Computers in Education
v Teaching Learning process
·
Instructions:
o Instructing the students using
PowerPoint slides, Word documents or Web pages and using hyperlinks for better
concept clarity.
o Helps in improving pronunciation of
students by using microphones, headphones, speakers, specially prepared
software and special dedicated websites.
o Video conferencing, chat and email
helps in better communication, hence better concept clarity.
o The concept of E-tutor give access
to teachers instantly and give teachers a better chance to earn.
o Current syllabus can be viewed
through website of the concerned school board; made available to students if
teacher has made a website and uploaded using Internet; and updating- using web
could be done easily.
o Inspiring students to express their
imagination using Paint Brush
o Encouraging the students to surf web
pages and gather relevant detailed information through web pages.
o Readymade software could give
practice material to students
·
Learning:
o
Collecting
notes /pictures/videos from web pages for detailed information and
projects/assignments.
o
Saving
the documents as soft copy for future use
o
Learning
through animations, as they are much near to the students
o
E-books/online
libraries/online encyclopedias help to guide in minutes and save precious time
and resources.
o
Creating
videos using images, albums for better power point slides.
o
Simulated
Learning gives them an idea of the real situation.
o
Publication
of pamphlet/brochures for awareness with institution and among community
members.
v Testing and Evaluation process
- Keeping
records of students for their academic scores
- Keeping
records in relation to personal history
- Creating
question bank for students
- Using
computers for testing by asking questions from question bank
- Online
Testing and Evaluation
- Analysis
and interpretation of the data
- Previous
year Question papers and sample papers using web sites.
v Guidance purposes
- With
reference to collective records of the students maintained year wise,
stored in computers
- Testing
for aptitude, interest, psychology using computer data bases and
internet.
Benefits
- ·
The ability to provide
more engaging activities for students
- ·
Can be an incredibly
effective teaching tool
- ·
Computer software uses
scientifically-assisted educational research.
- ·
Motivating factor
- ·
Fast communication through internet
- ·
Co operative learning
- ·
Locating research materials through
internet
- ·
Encourages peer to peer learning
- ·
Visual illustration makes learning
easier
- ·
Personalize learning
- ·
Reduce on the amount of text books
students carry to school
Disadvantages
- ·
Expensive
- ·
Creates
distractions in the classroom
- ·
Poor
writing skills
2) LCD
An
LCD projector is a type for displaying video, images or computer data on
a screen or other flat surface. To display images,) projectors typically send
light from through a or series of that separates light to panels – one
each for the red, green and blue components of the video signal. As polarized
light passes through the panels (combination of polarizer, LCD panel and
analyzer), individual pixels can be opened to allow light to pass or closed to
block the light. The combination of open and closed pixels can produce a wide
range of colors and shades in the projected image.
Role of LCD projectors
The impact of a presentation made using multimedia is always
greater than the impact made by a simple speech. LCD projectors are very useful
while interacting with a large group. The presentations made can be projected
on to a big screen. This will help every participant to view information on the
screen without any problem. Many teachers find chalkboards to be almost a thing
of the past with the advent of projectors in the classroom. Rather than writing
notes across a board, teachers can make use of PowerPoint presentations, images
and even film as teaching tools through the use of projectors. Consequently,
teachers and students alike find projectors to be useful classroom devices.
Advantages
- Easier
Note Taking
- Greater
Teaching Versatility
- Better Use
of Class Time
- Better
Student Presentations
- More
energy efficient
Disadvantages
·
Light Can Play
Spoilsport
·
Costly
Maintenance
3)
MULTIMEDIA
The term
multimedia by definition means ‘more than one media’. It is the combination of various digital media,
into an integrated multi-sensory interactive application or presentation to
convey information to an audience.
Role Of Multimedia in Teaching-Learning
- Multi-media approach in
teaching and learning is psychologically sound.
- Variety and newness of the
media motivate the students for learning both at the preparation and
participation stages and promote learning.
- Students profit from recreational activities
like pictures, charts, posters, models, stories and plays, accounts of travels
and musical productions.
- Multi-media approach in teaching and learning
is essential for the effective realization of learning objectives.
- It also provides Learning environment in which
students take active part in the learning process.
- Multi-media approach in
teaching and learning is learner-centered in the sense that it can accommodate
learner’s needs and interests.
- The variety and flexibility
of multi-media offer the opportunity to adopt any media combination for use in individualized
instruction.
- Various types of media like computer, television,
video cassettes, video discs etc, can be of great value in supplementing and
enriching the class-room instruction.
- Media like audio
cassettes and CD’s enable the learners to receive any given information
according to their own convenient time
Benefits
- Enriches teachers creativity
- Leads to multi-sensory
students learning
- Offers a lot of fun and
interest in learning process
- User friendly
- It reaches all the senses
- Increases efficiency of
students
- Increases students
motivation
- Facilitates active learning
- Facilitates experimental
learning
- It leads to better learning
- It is consistent with
student centered learning
Disadvantages
- Expensive
- Depends upon the material
teacher creates
- Role of the teacher shifts
from instructor to facilitator
4)
THE
INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD
An
interactive whiteboard is a touch-sensitive screen that works in conjunction
with a computer and a projector. The first interactive whiteboard was
manufactured by SMART Technologies Inc. in1991. Educators were the first people
to recognize the interactive whiteboard’s potential as a tool for
collaboration, improving student learning outcomes and streamlining lesson planning.
Role of an interactive whiteboard
- Manipulating text and images
- Making notes in digital ink
- Saving notes for later review by using
e-mail, the Web or print
- Viewing websites as a group
- Demonstrating or using software at the
front of a room without being tied to a computer
- Creating digital lesson activities with
templates, images and multimedia
- Writing notes over educational video
clips
- Using presentation tools that are
included with the White boarding software to enhance learning materials
- Showcasing student presentations
Advantages
·
Visualizing
·
Time-saving
·
Motivation
·
Efficient education
·
Interesting
·
Rich content
·
It provides convenience
Disadvantages
·
Technical problems, lack of infrastructure,
·
Time wasting,
·
It tires the eyes and causes headaches.
·
Usage out of purpose
·
Software deficiency,
·
It requires preparation,
·
The touch screen does not work well.
Conclusion
Technology is changing the classroom experience. Information and
Communication Technology has made many innovations in teaching and learning process
in order to accommodate challenging student’s needs. Consequently, we need to
have interactive teaching and learning tools in order to ensure the learning
outcomes to be achieved. Educators need to take up the challenge by equipping
with multimedia skills to enhance students’ study interest. By using a mixed of
multimedia tools in teaching and learning process, we can be able to change
students’ mindset towards a subject and they enjoy learning and feel motivated
to participate in class room activities. Multimedia enabled teaching is able to
transform dry, plain and even difficult subjects into enjoyable and thrilling
ones. It depends on the respective teacher how to apply innovative and creative
teaching methods in order to accommodate digital student’s needs in this
borderless world. The most important thing is that we need to unlock our
creativity in order to be creative.
