Working with technology from a young age acquaints children with hands-on training in how modern methods are leveraged for professional duties in the future, says Ritesh Rawal

For the last decade or so technology had been making deeper inroads into the education system globally. Then the pandemic struck. And technology became the sole source of knowledge dissemination and procurement, for schooling and even kindergartens.

The non-believers of introducing technology in education ate humble pie as all the real world learning environments were replicated in the virtual space.

Technology does certainly make learning more experiential.

Distance did not matter, travel time was ruled out of the equation and children would not be required to move out of their safety spaces amid a raging pandemic outside. All the knowledge came home, so to speak. There was no water wasted on uniforms, no paper wasted in notebooks, no wood wasted from pencils.

However, the case for integration of technology into school curriculum goes further than the above reasons. Firstly, it should not be seen as a substitute to conventional paper pencil methods. It must perceived as a complement, a force multiplier.

For instance, certain subjects are often perceived as boring and staid. These are often those involving numbers and  ancient history. They all can be tutored in an integrated manner, such as by cultivating graphics, interactives and Artificial Reality with traditional books, which makes learning them a delight.

Secondly, tech simplifies creating, doing and evaluating homework. Also, the assignments are recorded in a natural chronology, easily accessible at a later date. A digital record can help hone individual weaknesses.

Working with tech from a young age acquaints children with hands on training in how modern methods are leveraged for professional duties later in life. These makes young ones industry ready and make learning future proof.

Then, game based learning, which is now a reality, in a classroom can make lessons fun, which students actually look forward to taking most as the joy quotient is high.

Creative learnings, which may become a task when attempted offline can be an immersive experience digitally. These include storytelling, PowerPoint presentations, using video streaming to share global content, visiting digital museums, showcasing digital sketching so on and so forth.

Then there are certain subjects which are in fact better off taught online. Nothing exemplifies this trend as the subject geography. With such advancements as digital maps, GPS, online routing and satellite imagery becoming commonplace, learning geography through digital means is the best bet.

Next, by using tech, students acquire vital soft skills which come in effect later. These are researching on net, understanding keyboarding, clicking, surfing, navigating etc.

Students being encouraged to undertake content creation through own recordings lays the foundation for their podcast, vlogging careers later. So rather than being merely consumers, they are shaped to be leaders.

Then, engaging social media for academic learning opens children to the making healthy use of seemingly addictive mediums.

Another area where technology can help education is by reaching those who cannot come to schools for any reason.

Having said that, on-boarding tech and expanding its scope in education will need better smartphone and laptop access to students, not to mention high speed internet connectivity.

Also, digital learning cannot fulfil outcomes in various subjects requiring practical training and physical doing. These include physical education, sports, lab experiments, handling biological matter.

Moreover, when a student puts pen to paper, they are actually honing their hand eye and hand brain coordination, sharpening their rational mind and intellectual center. So, computerisation might not offer a viable substitute for this.

In summation, technology is transforming education, drastically altering how, when and where children learn and empowering them to be more creative and ready for the tech-tonic shift that today’s jobs demand.

The writer is Founder, Dudes & Dolls World, Adhyay School, and Ritesh Rawal Foundation