Tackling the Facebook Generation in the Classrooms !!

Tackling the FB Generation in the Classrooms !! The concern of the masses at parents and teachers' level in totality. A group analysis by Dr. Dheeraj Mehrotra

Tackling the FB Generation in the Classrooms

Dr. Dheeraj Mehrotra, MS, MPhil, PhD (Ed. Mgmt)

VP, Academics & Audits, Next Education India Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad

www.nexteducation.in

       

“Sir, this is already in the book ! ! ! Please tell us something new !”.

 

Maa’m I googled you but could not find YOU ! !

 

These are some of the alarming classroom communication tone today, out to ponder over for now !

 

Posting on Walls and Friend Requests have come across more popular than HELLO or Hi ! in the schools today.

 

The need for today towards the teaching segment has dwelled with intelligence and IT friendly requisites by all. Quality Education is reflected by the involvement of the Quality Infrastructure at the learning arena which otherwise is not of any use and Children Friendly. The parents are requested to make their choices today for admission in majority of the mushrooming shops around the country more like any other service industry with the option to have a round around the School, the classes and even they are told to leave their wards in the class as a trial run for them to decide of taste. Computers, software, CDs and Smart Toys ought to be  considered as a supplement to the other, more concrete learning activities like completing puzzles, building with Lego and blocks, reading books, creating art projects and playing on the playground…”, is obvious by our observations and research, out of the present day scenario. On very grounds of improvement planning and the paradigm shift with education being characterized by technology enabled instructions, collaborative learning, multidisciplinary problem-solving and promoting critical thinking skills,  e-learning, a household name for the students today offers a wide variety of ICT enabled classroom solutions for learning the Smart Way ! It allows a user-friendly option for the learner to be integrated in what is desired and acquired to his or her requirements class and level wise.

 

No wonder you tell a child to write an essay as homework, he/she is bound to download the content to present before you the next day, making you baffle to the interest of the many others lying in the queue. The parents often think this as a menace out of the challenging work wisdom they possess in order to earn their daily living. Their frames are not yet over with more demands for the CD-Burner and Scanner for more computing and smart-study as they call it. The only option available to the poor parents of the IT age is to ponder over for solace and to accept novel ways to convince their future generations in regards to motivations and guided involvement.

 

 

The Requirement

 

The scenario today examines the requirement of a classroom equipped with LCD projector and facility for computer mediated instructions of the type will aid the teacher in developing a quality teaching learning environment.

 

They ought to take a balanced approach to policies and practices for children's use of the Internet. One must at the same time initiate conversations with teachers, administrators, and parents, rather than set and implement rules that may be perceived as too rigid. One must take note that all stakeholders have a chance to contribute to the decision-making process. There is no doubt in the fact that a computer and a great software can be fun and exciting learning tools, and can even provide practice of pre-academic and academic skills.

 

But at the same time it is indispensably true to keep in mind, however, that computer software cannot teach a child the concepts that he/she is not developmentally ready for. Computers should always be considered as a supplement to other, more concrete learning activities like completing puzzles, building with Lego and blocks, reading books, creating art projects and playing on the playground. It is universally true keeping the database analysis in view out of the day.

 

The Scenario Today

 

Today the child is a SMART viz. Systematic, Meticulous, Active, Realistic and Tactful to involve himself in the learning process within the classroom only when with the condition that he is give something to know what he did not know earlier. It is at majority of the time that he is told the same things what has been already shared with him by their parents/ friends or at the online tutorial option through the various search engines, primarily, the GOOGLE. We encapsulate the very nature of learning but with a little intelligence otherwise they come up to us (probably if not, will with the march of time and tide), I quote, “Sir/ Madam, we want to discuss all from OBAMA TO MALALA. Please Sir….. Do we have a reply to them?

 

Various researchers and scholars have defined the need of Quality Education but no one has ever desired the need of “We” the teachers today to be interesting and “Informed” with the march of time or else we would be the only “Un-interested” thing (Identity) in the class, if we are not enriching and of any interest to the children to make them forget their Facebook Walls’ and the SMS which otherwise make their mind fertile of interest.

 

Explore the best the first time Every time.

 

He, the new age teacher, must share the sites as notes online. We the educators must applicate learning as a module rather than a classroom based theory or standards.

 

 

Sharing by doing must be the nature of teachers uplifted with their ultimate usage of PEN DRIVES/ THUMB DRIVES towards making the education a learning by teaching. Let them share the techniques. NO Wonder if I comment on having a new vocabulary as: Say for Example:

bandwidth:  blog:  blogger:  bluetooth:

broadband: browser:

As common……and many more to follow….

 

�-  This would certainly generate fun in learning with mounting interest of children in the classroom oration and teaching sessions.  The ultimate is to make them LEARN not just sit and pass the time and depend on their machines and laptops back home for the needful response to their assignments. It is indeed a proven fact that Today’s world is a full of technology. In each and every field, we find new technology.

�-  For education, chalk and board is not enough for the teaching system. What is required is a SMILE, an opportunity to the students to CREATE, INVOLVE and EXPLORE through ICT, the novel ways of understanding the subject further.

 

�-  Teacher, the Educator should use technology. It will make the teaching/ learning process easy, interesting and result oriented.

 

The truth of the matter is that, Students are closer to the Technology than we are, especially the Hand Held Devices or the Ubiquitous resources, their comprehension of these resources is exponentially, which you will discover only as you get close to them.

 

Let us all explore the fun with learning and vice-versa as to develop the taste of learning and involvement as the only means to avoid “Distractions in the classroom” in particular. The 21^st Century Learner is a SMART learner more as a Trainer and Tactful at art to finish Strong. What is required is another CCE: Creative Cumulative Evaluation of the Teachers ! !

With the utility segments available to the trio, the teachers, parents and students in the form of Next Education products, there is a certain belief of low cost information and communication technology tools are empowering the way of change. As a result new skills and innovative abilities are required of students and workers in their learning, livelihood and life. As a matter of fact, for a meaningful and purposeful education, there is an urgent need for the schools to function as a learning hub for the entire community and to be equipped with all the facilities as per the need of the community. Similarly, the community has to extend their cooperation to the schools for the holistic development of the child. Hence, there is an urgent need to not only cooperate but to collaborate between all stake holders of the society. The school makes the society and the country there by. The National Policy on ICT in School Education by MHRD Govt. of India, states, “The ICT policy in School Education aims at preparing youth to participate creatively in the establishment, sustenance and growth of a knowledge society leading to all around social economic development of the nation and global competitiveness”. Here is the solution, a must for all schools to practice Quality Education with a flare of interest generating learning environment in the classrooms.

Dr. Dheeraj Mehrotra (National Awardee)

Vice President (Academics & Audits), NEXT Education India Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad.(INDIA)

[email protected]