THE CONCEPT OF SMART CLASSROOM
Dr. V.K.Maheshwari, M.A (Socio, Phil) B.Sc. M. Ed, Ph.D.
Former Principal, K.L.D.A.V. (P.G) College, Roorkee, India
Quality education is an essential requisite in todays competitive environment. Technology has affected us in every aspect. The smart classes is a modernized method of education in Indian education scenario which provides quality education to students by helping them in better concept formation, concept elaboration, improvement in reading skills and academic achievement.
The traditional approach of lecture and note taking has lost its effectiveness as the modern day around education grows. In efforts to grow academically it must be considered that differentiated modalities of teaching and learning are necessary to implement deeper levels of growth and conceptual development. Since every student is not interested in all subject matters. However, it is the responsibility of the education system to employ a variety of opportunities for the students to gain interests, orchestrating academic growth and progression throughout childhood and adolescence. ICT has turned from being a technology of communication and information to a curriculum creation and delivery system for teachers and learners.
Learning is not how much one can cramp up. It’s rather the knowledge that remains after one forgets what he/she learned in schools. Thus we emphasize on learning the concepts with the help visuals and activities. To keep such view the smart learning was introduced.
Technology benefited us in every aspect of our life right from communication to education. New methods of teaching have been introduced which is known as smart class. It uses instructional material, 3D animated modules and videos, and all the renowned schools are using this concept. Now the students are thrilled at this concept of innovation and interactive learning process. The concept of smart classroom has not only made education interesting but a chance to students to enhance their performance.
The Smart Learning approach provides learners of all ages and walks of life with a framework and a host of Smart Thinking Tools that motivate higher levels of understanding. Through the process learners activate and build background knowledge, process information, transform their learning into a product that shows what they know, and reflect on their learning. Structured talk and assessment as and for learning are carefully woven into the process to build a thoughtful context for learning and to advance the thinking of all learners. Smart Learning realizes the goals of inclusivity and differentiation.
It is a new vision in education. The use of Education technology can bring a huge change in education. Internet and e learning devices can make class room environment extremely amazing. Teaching through computer, internet and multimedia devices will be a common thing in future. Now a day’s different multimedia lessons are available. By using these multimedia lessons teachers may teach the students very easily.
These days, if it’s not showing up on a screen, kids aren’t interested in it. While some adults tried to get adolescents to move away from this behavior, many are now adopting a ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ attitude. This is especially the case in schools, where administrators and teachers are realizing that new high-tech gadgets can not only hold students’ attention for longer but can actually improve their ability to learn. So many school districts are deploying educational technology.
In these day Smart class and smart schools are very interesting dreams for students, teachers and the students. Students are very interested about the smart school and smart class. Several institutes are making their classroom smart and modern. They are working on “Smart School Project”.
In modern e learning and online education based system, the smart class and smart school are not an unknown thing, because in a smart class there will be computer enabled education system. Smart class provides a platform for online e class. We can say it “White Board e Evolution” in education. The question is that what is smart school and what is smart class and what is smart class education. There is a question also “What is smart school management system?”
“Smart school and smart class” is an innovative concept in education. Now a day’s we are living in the age of internet, so our education system is also going to be online. In this environment e learning and online education is the need of this time. Use of internet in schools and education is not only a dream, but it is the necessity of the time.
In a smart class there will be computers, projectors, internet connectivity and other multimedia devices such as home theater etc. The role of a teacher may be modified in such new environment. In a smart class students may use internet and this activity can change the old thinking about the students and the learning theory. In beginning, it should be launched as a pilot project in a few schools. The experience and result of these schools leads the future planning.
India has made considerable progress in school education since independence with reference to overall literacy, infrastructure and universal access and enrolment in schools. Two major developments in the recent years form the background to the present reform in teacher education – the political recognition of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) as a legitimate demand and the state commitment towards UEE in the form of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. This would increase the demand manifold for qualified elementary school teachers. The country has to address the need of supplying well qualified and professionally trained teachers in larger numbers in the coming years. At the same time, the demand for quality education is steadily increasing and the need for addressing the professional education of teachers acquires great importance, manner and maintain pace with the modern education.
Importance of Smart Classes
E-learning and smart classroom aims at developing the students learning ability as the entire chapters become more interesting to study and hence improve the results of the students. The smart classrooms are the new generation educational product which helps students gain more marks and is a step to the future of education. E-learning is a revolutionary product in the field of education.
The Smart classroom learning approach provides learners of all ages and walks of life with a nine-step framework and a host of Smart Thinking Tools that motivate higher levels of understanding. Through the process learners activate and build background knowledge, process information, transform their learning into a product that shows what they know, and reflect on their learning. Structured talk and assessment as and for learning are carefully woven into the process to build a thoughtful context for learning and to advance the thinking of all learners.
A smart classroom can be considered as a virtual classroom. A Smart Classroom duplicates the capabilities found in a real classroom.
A Smart classroom provides:
• Students and teachers use their computers to go to a virtual meeting place instead of a classroom.
• A list of students is recorded.
Lecture:
Teachers can choose from a variety of synchronous technologies including:
• Slide presentation
• Audio and video conferencing
• Application sharing
• Shared whiteboard
Interaction with students: Students can indicate when they want to speak by virtually raising their hand. Teachers can let students speak through audio and video conferencing. Teachers and students can use instant messaging and chat Teachers can present questions to students. Students can work together in groups.
Usage:
• Using e-class is as simple as operating your Television from a remote. As with e-class you get an e-box which needs to be attached with the TV and with the e-box remote you can navigate through the study material loaded on e-class.
• The students have access to the study material with them, so they can plan their studies at their convenience. Revision would never had been so fun earlier as all the have to do is switch on to e-class and sit back and learn using the Audio Video learning.
• With e-class you can study at your own pace, devote more time to your weak points. Studying and revising can be done at once own pace
Characteristics of a Smart Classrooms:
Adaptive learning: Any classroom will always have students of different types of learning abilities in it which often makes it difficult for teachers to make sure that all of them understand the concepts. The modern approach of adaptive learning gives students the freedom to learn at their own pace and in the way they are most comfortable with.
Collaborative learning: Learning through collaboration is one of the most effective forms of learning. Teaching and learning in isolation are very restrictive and hinder progress. Learning in groups enhances the scope of learning and develops critical thinking. Collaborative learning activities include collaborative writing, group projects, joint problem solving, debates and more. Collaborative learning redefines traditional student-teacher relationship in the classroom.
Computing devices: Computers are readily available in modern classrooms, since they are essential tools for 21st century students and replace the utilities of pen and paper. They give teachers the opportunity to enhance their lessons and assist them.
Mutual respect: Teachers and students should always have respect for each other. As now the role of teachers is no longer to be the sage on the stage, students should not forget their value as they will always receive guidance from them. Also, teachers should encourage students to speak with confidence and value their opinions.
Performance-based assessments: Regular performance-based assessments are carried out by teachers through various methods which are not restricted to tests. These can be by conducting quizzes and polls.
Student-centric: In Smart classrooms, teachers play the role of facilitators. They help students think critically. Students discover and master new concepts. Student-centric classroom environments put students’ interests first and are focused on each student’s needs, abilities and learning styles.
Students take responsibility of their learning: As students are encouraged to actively participate in their own learning, they become responsible for their learning.
Students understand and follow the rules and procedures: The learning environment is carefully planned and well-organized. Class rules, procedures, and notices of upcoming activities are posted in convenient places to help students stay on track. Students are constantly encouraged to remind them of their goals and responsibilities. They follow class routines and understand what they are expected to achieve each day and how they are to go about it.
There is innovative working system for teachers and in school management:
An attractive classroom environment is needed for such type smart and innovative activities. Smart school class will be more attractive, innovative, student friendly, healthy and more interesting class. In a smart class it may possible there to arrange “online classes” by internet. Smart class is a platform for e smart class and online IT class.
There is fully multimedia enabled audio-visual classrooms :
Smart Class is a Smart concept for Smart Educators of Smart Schools. “Smart Class” includes Smart Learning Techniques, Smart classroom management, Smart Learning environment and Smart Learning Materials. Internet, projector and other multimedia devices are the main parts of smart classrooms. Smart class is a class of modern age. There is fully multimedia enabled audio-visual classrooms in a smart classroom. It will be quite different than traditional class. In a smart classroom the teacher works as a facilitator in learning.
The upgraded kind of education:
This upgraded kind of education is very interesting for children! it is an innovative idea to change our boring system into a smart and innovative system of teaching-learning activities. Smart School: Smart class is a more fascinating model in the world. In a smart school teachers have to develop the skill of learning from experiences.
Objective of Smart Class Room
The following are some objectives for a Smart Class Room application:
- To help teachers to meet new challenges and developing students’ abilities and performance.
- To enables teachers to access multimedia content and information that can be used for teaching students more effectively. Pedagogically sound and visually rich curriculum resources.
- To enables teachers to express their views and ensures that every child is understanding the undertaken concept which ultimately affects his achievement.
- To make possible for the concepts to be understood clearly. To makes abstract concept real.
- To have interactive and live teaching to elaborate and compare different objects and perceptions towards the particular concepts
- To designed a module of smart class which allows a student to visualize the concept much better than static images. Visuals and animations that students will never forget.
- To move a step towards development where students’ achievement is highlighted.
- To makes learning an enjoyable experience for students. Activities and games to make learning process easy.
- To make effective blending of technology with the classroom, and to Inform the teachers of classroom events
- To instruct simultaneously remote and local students.
- To improve creative thinking in learning process to visualize the concepts and practices with model and demonstrations.
- To optimize the use of e-resources wise e-books, e-journals, protocols, lecture notes, documentaries and so on.
- To customized content as per the school’s scheme of work and to provide facility to update the content.
Principles inherent in Smart class room
The following are the principles for smart classrooms in terms of arrangement and pedagogical configuration which we have established as widely generalizable and which should be considered in order to transform any formal learning space in smart classroom .
Principle of Adaptability
From the idea that every teacher and every class is different, and that space can be adapted to their needs, the concept of smart classrooms includes the principle of adaptability to the type and needs of teacher and of each student.
Principle of Connectivity
The concept of connectivity has a twofold character. On one hand it is required that the learning space has a good network connectivity, both local and global, to use to the most the potential of mobile devices. Connectivity should be wireless, and this is fundamental to maximize physical mobility around the space and comfort in using technology. On the other hand, beyond digital connectivity there exists social and informational connectivity. Through networks, students live connected to teachers, friends, family, professionals and to a large number of information sources, both in their immediate surrounding and from distant places.
Principle of Comfort
Under this principle, elements which enable this well-being should be included in the learning space for the various tasks to be done for learning, such as couches, pillows, rugs and carpets, comfortable chairs. A smart classroom is a place arranged to comfortably do various activities –reading, watching videos, playing, listening to music and audios, writing, talking, debating, experimentation, and so on.
Principle of Flexibility of physical arrangement
The arrangement of a smart classroom and its elements is such that it allows agile and easy variations in activities, that is, make it possible to change student grouping, the type of resources being used, use of various types of resources at the same time, ICT and non-ICT, for different students to carry out different tasks, e.g. searching information, discussing, watching a video, etc. The classrooms is supplied with varied furniture elements to achieve flexibility of space arrangement.
Principle of Multiplicity
This principle refers to smart classrooms having features which enable the use of various types of resources and stimuli. While teaching and learning, the arrangement enable possibilities for creativity, reasoning, logical thinking, etc., and be adapted as close as possible to learners’ various needs and learning styles.
Principle of Order / Organization
This is an important principle, even though it is not easy to design, and attain, sustainable placing, storing, arrangement and rules of use of spaces and resources available. For this reason teachers carefully consider the order and arrangement of spaces and resources so that these are the most adequate for the learning activities that will take place in their smart classroom.
Principle of Openness
This principle relates to the false and rooted belief that learning takes place only in the formal space in the traditional classroom, where the teacher presents information and gives a lesson in a transmissive way . Learning takes place beyond the classroom space, both physically and virtually, and therefore activities put forward for smart classrooms should consider these extended learning places and learning times in order to learn beyond the classroom and the class times traditionally assigned.
Principle of Personalization
Smart classrooms allows students and teachers to personalize their environment according to their likes and needs. A space which progressively teacher and students should make their own, personalizing it by means of activities which support and reinforce learning.
Principle of Safety / Security
Smart classrooms have an arrangement which prevents users from having physical accidents and will also be safe in terms of access to information and communication on the Internet from the classroom. Therefore security systems will be taken into account when conceptualizing and designing smart classrooms.
In sum, the arrangement, structure, methodologies and principles of smart classrooms intend that learning experience be as likely as people’s learning ways, preferences and styles, in a natural way and in a personal space; all this through active participation, experimentation, collaboration, solidarity, rapport, creativity, leadership, and so on.
Main themes in the Smart Classroom concept
Smart Classroom aims at combining entrepreneurial pedagogy, collaborative teaching and the latest technological teaching tools to create a modern and effective education service environment in education setting. There are three main themes in the SMART Classroom concept:
- Smart Pedagogy,
- Smart Teaching Solutions.
- 3.Smart Learning Space
SMART Pedagogy is based on entrepreneurial pedagogy and methodologies. Smart Classroom project aims at fostering the application of these methodologies in institution setting and hereby provide more interactive alternatives to traditional teaching. This theme of the project results a handbook for teachers on applying fresh teaching methods into practise, tools for teachers’ self-reflection and evaluation and training programme for teachers.
The second theme of the Smart Classroom concept is called Smart Teaching Solutions and it deals with variety of practical teaching tools and materials for teachers including teaching games and simulations. Smart Teaching Materials include for example exercises and examples that teachers can apply to their courses.
Smart Teaching Spaces cover both physical and virtual teaching spaces spaces in the institution setting. The Smart Teaching Spaces concept defines the essential furniture and technical specifications of ideal physical classrooms and the most important features of virtual learning platforms. Also facilities and fuctions for lecture halls and collaborative teaching spaces will be defined in this package. The Smart Teaching Spaces as a whole brings flexibility to learning and makes the learning ubiquitous.
The Layout of Smart Classroom
The Smart Classroom is physically built in a separate room of Pervasive Computing Lab in which several video cameras, microphone arrays are installed in it to sense human’s gesture, motion and utterance. According to the characteristic of invisibility in pervasive computing environment, it deliberately removed all the computers out of sight. Two wall-sized projector displays are mounted on two vertically crossed walls. According to their purposes, they are called “Media Board” and “Student Board” separately. The Media Board is used for lecturer’s use as a blackboard, on which prepared electronic courseware and lecturers’ annotation are displayed. The Student Board is used for displaying the status and information of remote students, who are part of the class via Internet.
The classroom is divided into two areas, complying with the real world classroom’s model. One is the teaching area, where is close to the two boards and usually dominated by lecturer. The other is the audience area, where is the place for local students. Complying with the philosophy of Natural and Augmented. Natural means obeying real-world model of classroom as much as possible to provide lecturer and students the feeling of reality and familiarity, which leads to the existence of local students. Augmented means trying to extend is the reason for remote student.
Suggested features for Smart Class Room
Smart Class Room must have some of the following features:
• Redecorated interiors
• Enhanced lighting controls
• A gyro wireless mouse to control the computer and projector from anywhere in the classroom
• Switching controls to easily change projector output between the PC, laptop,
document camera, and DVD/VCR
• New projectors
• Laptop plugs so you can bring your own computer and hook it up instantly
• A document camera to show transparencies, papers, or small objects on the projector and even take
Snap shots of them
• A SMART Sympodium that allows you to make electronic notes and images appear
• The Classroom Performance System(CPS) to get real-time answers from your students in class by means of wireless multiple-choice response devices.
Components of Smart Class Room
• Smart Board (6X4)
• Smart LED TV High (Panasonic 42”, 2 USB, Viera connect)
• Short throw Projector (Panasonic PT-VX400)
• Video Conferencing Equipments
• Laptop with Internet connection (with public IP)
• Document Camera/ Visulaizer (12 time optical Zoom and 8 time Digital Zoom)
• Podium (ITC 6236B, 60W amplifier inbulit)
• Video Conferencing – High Definition (Lifesize Express 220) and Screen
Architecture of Smart Classroom at Library
Affordable Components of technology for Smart class Room
With so much new education technology being created at such a rapid pace, teachers can have a hard time deciding what will be beneficial in their classrooms. Even after a specific device or program has been chosen, cost can often be prohibitive in a school environment, making it difficult for smaller districts to access the same advantages of larger ones. To help sort through all of the noise and find the best tools at the lowest price, we look into four of the most budget-friendly pieces of technology that can benefit classrooms:
1) Document cameras
A budget-friendly device that can help to more actively engage students, document cameras allow teachers to display worksheets on a screen or to individual devices much like an old-school lamination projector. Group exercises and quizzes can be displayed with the camera instead of on individual sheets of paper, helping classrooms become more environmentally friendly as well as technologically savvy.
2) SMART boards
Interactive whiteboards, or SMART boards, offer a benefit similar to that of a document camera, but taken up a notch. Presentations are made more robust and given more depth. When a picture or document is displayed on the board, teachers can write on them with an Internet-connected stylus that provides a trove of additional information to the lesson, such as definitions, extra images or accompanying video. Instructors are also able to archive and share any lesson that has used the board, and past lessons can be revisited to reinforce new topics being covered.
3) Cloud-based communication systems
One of the most beneficial aspects of adding technology into a classroom environment is its ability to broaden the scope of what students are exposed to on a daily basis. With Internet communication services like voice-over-IP and Web conferencing, teachers can arrange for virtual field trips to places they wouldn’t be able to take their classes otherwise. Experts in specific topics can give a talk through Skype and students can collaborate with one another on projects online.
4) Tablets and eBooks
Like laptops and smartphones, tablets and e-readers are becoming increasingly popular with students outside of school. Harnessing familiar technology inside the classroom can help to engage students and help them feel more comfortable with the material since it is being presented in a format they are used to. Providing electronic copies of textbooks also allows students to go into the lesson more in depth, as links to additional material can be provided inside the text. Key concept summaries can also be provided at the end of a section, as well as digital flashcards that cover the lesson plan.
All of these devices can help teachers and schools greatly improve learning experiences for their students, but all of the benefits offered by the technology would be for nothing if it can’t be managed effectively and kept secure.
Functionality of Smart Classroom Applications
In this section, we will describe how our Smart Classroom application suite facilitates collaborative learning applications. Our Smart Classroom application suite facilitates different collaborative learning activities of a student, an instructor, and a teaching assistant. The suite also provides different functionalities for communication between the students, the teacher, and the teaching assistant
The functionalities of Smart Classroom Applications are listed below:
i) For a single student
a) The application suite reminds the student of his/her homework and class schedule based on current time and current location.
b) The application module will synchronize the lecture notes between a student’s smart phone and desktop computer before and after class.
ii) For instructor/Teaching Assistant
a) The application suite synchronizes the lecture notes between instructor or teaching assistant smart phone and desktop computer before and after class, since desktop computers have the original lecture notes.
iii) For student-to-student communication
a) The application suite enables students to exchange and share their documents in drawing.
b) It also enables students synchronize drawing document among their smart phone.
iv) For instructor/ Teaching Assistant-to-students communication
a) The application suite distributes teaching material (lecture notes/survey forms/grade sheet/course schedule) from instructor or teaching assistant to all students at proper situations.
b) The instructor can create exams for students and groups by using the application suite.
The instructor can also send exams to the students and groups and collect answers; grade
and send the grade back to the students by using the application suite.
v) For student-to-instructor/Teaching Assistant communication
a) The application suite facilitates students to store their questions or concerns in text format in their smart phone. When the instructor is available (in classroom), the questions are automatically transferred to the instructor smart phone.
b) Students submit their progress report in a similar way by using the application suite. At the end of a class, their reports are submitted to the instructor automatically.
c) Students make appointments with the instructor using their smart phone to send the request to the instructor’s smart phone and get a confirmation using the application suite.
d) Students write answers of the exams and send answers to the instructor using the application suite.
e) Students run and display their homework on the smart phone and project it on the screen with the help of the application suite.
A typical User Experience Scenario in Smart Classroom
The following is a typical user-experience scenario happened within the Smart Classroom. Multiple persons enter the room through the door. At the door, there is an audiovisual identification module identifying the entering person’s identity through facial and voice identification. If the person is identified as lecturer, he is granted the control right of the Smart Classroom. Besides, he takes a badge embedded with location sensor. The visual motion-track module tracks the lecturer’s motion in the room. Once he steps into the teaching area, he will be able to use gesture and voice command to exploit the Smart Classroom to give lessons.
Persons in the Smart Classroom other than lecturer are deemed as local students. When the lecturer is in the teaching area, he can start the class by just saying, “Now let’s start our class.”
The Smart Classroom starts Microphone Array Agent to capture and recognize his voice command, and then launches necessary modules such as Virtual Mouse agent, Same View agent. Lecturer loads prepared electronic courseware by utterance like, “Go to Chapter 1 of Multimedia course”. In the meanwhile, The Smart Cameraman Agent was activated to focus on the lecturer Location Receiver Microphone.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Smart class room
Bringing technology in classrooms has been a topic of debate for the last couple of decades. While many parents, teachers, academicians and policy makers are in favour of the same, others think it is a total disaster. Let’s look into the matter and discuss some of the positives and negatives of bringing technology inside classrooms.
Advantages of Smart class room
Access to online information: Technology tools allow learners to easily access a rich database of online resources. Teachers can use the wide variety of online information sources such as knowledge databases, online video and news items to reinforce their lessons. Learners can also quickly access the wide range of powerful tools and resources to conduct.
Allow for connectivity in different location: Interactive technology tools allow for connectivity in different locations; making ideal collaboration and distance learning environments. When using technology tools, student show to increase student-to-student collaboration and increase overall participation in the lesson.
Better understanding: It shifts the classroom experience from the sage-on-a-stage approach to a more collaborative environment. With classrooms turning into smart classrooms, students are also getting smarter! Big chunks of paragraphs are being replaced with pie charts, bar graphs and images and the theory “A picture is worth a thousand words” is coming to life.
Bridge the urban/rural divide: The smart classroom creates another opportunity to bridge the urban/rural divide by exposing students to technology in a classroom setting. Also, this classroom may be used in conjunction with our proposal for pre college outreach to allow children and teenagers to experience technology that they may not otherwise be exposed to in a rural, small town setting.
Countless resources for making learning more fun and effective: From apps to organizational platforms to e-textbooks and more, there are many amazing tools that can help .Tools will help both students and professors alike collaborate, share ideas, stay organized, and more to get the most out of learning.
Can automate a lot of teaches tedious task: There are engagement tools like that can automate grading for you and keep track of student performance. Similarly, tools can help him streamline grading for writing assignments, discussions, and participation, and answering common student questions, which otherwise can seem daunting due to their objective nature.The class has instant access to information that can supplement their learning experience.
Change the way of imparting knowledge: Overall, incorporating technology tools to the classroom environment is likely to change the way teachers impart knowledge to students and at the same time simplify the learning process for students. Students will find it easy to engage with lessons and gain a better understanding of the overall subject concept. It is an ideal tool for any classroom setting. The education field needs technology like this for students, learners, and educators to continue to grow in their field.
Environmentally friendly: Interactive technology tools are also environmentally friendly. They offer teachers an entirely different way of presenting information to students, which eliminates the need for writing, printing or photocopying. Which, contribute to eliminate wastage from over-utilization of paper and ink.
Enhanced teaching/learning experience: Technology tools provide new ways for teachers to teach, and for student to learn. These tools support a wide variety of learning styles. For instance, visual learners can watch as their tutors use the technology tools to project visual elements, whereas audio learners can listen and have discussions. On the other hand, the Boards come with touch screen capabilities that allow tactile learners to touch and interact with the board.
Increased exposure and wider access to information: With internet access, students are provided with great exposure as they are given a chance to think and feel outside their bubble. They come in terms with what is happening in the world and perhaps even try to change the wrong.
Technology nowadays is not only widely available but also affordable. From apps to e-textbooks to Wikipedia, no matter how far you go, all you need is the internet and information will be available to you and all other potential readers and learners.
Improved student engagement: Students who hardly raise their hands in class or the back benchers who are usually sleeping, now look forward to learning something new as these modern age tools are more relatable to them. By fostering discussions and surfacing new and out of the box ideas, technology also helps improve the student- teacher bond.
Interact and share: The interactive nature of technology tools offers learners an opportunity to share and participate in the instructional process. Interactivity provides a platform for students to demonstrate their grasp of the subject through touching, drawing, and writing. Every learner has an opportunity to participate or contribute to the presentation and discussion .
Low-Maintenance: Technology tools are neat and easy to use. There are no hassles cleaning or maintaining whiteboards. The data on the screen can be modified using a specialized highlighting tool or pen. There is no need for using unhygienic chalk or marker pens.
Provide rapid assessment: In addition, the technology tools provide for rapid assessment whereby learners can receive immediate feedback. Teachers and students are able to identify individual strengths and weaknesses in various subject areas and isolate areas/topics that need more focus or review. Thus smart board helps to increase the involvement of the students in learning.
Provides Flexibility: Interactive technology tools allow many different forms of media – including photos, illustrations, maps, graphs, games, and video, to be displayed. These tools help to expand the nature of content that can be used in learning. In addition, technology tools makes learning to be more dynamic as the different forms of presenting information are readily available.
Students can learn life skills through technology: Creating presentations, learning to differentiate reliable from unreliable sources on the Internet, maintaining proper online etiquette, and writing emails; these are all vital skills that your students can learn in the classroom and master before graduation.
Technology Integration: Technology tools allows for integration of various technologies in order to improve the learning experience. For instance, it is possible to attach tools such as microscopes, document cameras, cameras or video cameras to a whiteboard to aid in instruction. It is also possible to integrate the interactive learning tools with a wide range of software applications.
Teachers can do more experiment in pedagogy: As an academic professional, teaches learn more about how to effectively design and execute a class guided with technology. Whether it’s a dramatic change such as teaching with a flipped-classroom, or just adopting a single tool for a specific project or term, he will learn something new in modern academia! Being well-versed in technology can also help build his credibility with students, and even with fellow colleagues.
Disadvantages of Smart class room Technology In Education
A Disconnected Youth
This harmful effect of technology has already come to light in today’s world. People are attached to their screens almost 24/7, which is causing an entirely new set of social issues to pop up. This translates into the school system in a bit of a different way, however. More and more students are experiencing social anxieties when it comes to face to face interactions, but are perfectly fine socializing online.
Can foster more cheating in class and on assignments:
This will happen if the teacher give up hope on adjusting his students’ attitudes and only give them subjective assignments that require no thought or perspective.
Inevitable Cheating
While have an easy access to information may seem like a great thing, it can become a real problem in a test taking environment. Cell phones have made cheating easier than ever. You no longer have to figure out how to write all of the answers down, you can just look them up!
Inappropriate data:
With internet connectivity available 24X7, students are exposed to some sites and links which are inappropriate for them. While colleges can limit the availability of these websites on their network, they cannot control what the student is searching for.t is a bit of expensive job to set up the smart classroom environment. The biggest concern when it comes to the use of technology in schools is how easy pornographic, violent, and other inappropriate materials can be accessed and viewed. This could cause big problems if the material is shared with other students while in the classroom.
Lack of face to face interaction:
With social media platforms, students might have come closer to each other by using various apps and sites but, at the same time, they have gone far from each other when it comes to face to face interaction which is apparently affecting their real life social skills.
Lesson planning can become more labor intensive:
It can seem overwhelming to adapt technology into the classroom. In many ways though, using technology can become as natural to as any daily activity. Allow time to learn how to use something. Chances are that students will learn it even faster than you since they’ve grown up surrounded by technology.
Possible disconnection of social interaction:
Many people are skeptical of technology and what it does to students’ ability to verbally communicate. If the teacher create assignments in class that use both technological tools as well as oral presentations and collaboration, this will teach students to be dynamic in how they learn and interact with others.
Students do not have equal access to technological resources:
There may be students who do not have iPads or cameras or even the textbooks for class. It will be up to the teacher to point them in the direction of the library or community resources, or to create assignments that allow them to work in groups and share resources.
The Cyberbullying Trap:
Giving students access to anonymous accounts and endless contact avenues can only lead to trouble. Cyber bullying has become a real and in our face problem among young people today. This harassment has no end, which includes the class room. There is also no way to monitor or discipline students who are involved.
Technology can be a distraction:
One of the major drawbacks of having technology in classrooms is the distraction which comes complimentary with it. With so many tempting social media platforms like snap chat, Instagram, facebook, twitter and tumblr, it’s not hard for the students to divert from what is happening in the class and misuse the opportunity given to them. Attentiveness drops drastically in the classroom when students have their cell phones or other technologies out. The focus shifts from their teacher and education, to whatever they are looking at, playing, or doing on their phones.
The quality of sources may not be top-notch:
The internet is both a blessing and a curse. The students may need some guidance on identifying proper sources and unreliable sources. Many campuses have writing centers that can help with this.
However, the need of the hour is setting up of guidelines and rules in place, teaching students about online safety and helping them understand what the good sources of information are. Apart from that, trying to restrain personal usage of internet to as less as possible in the classrooms should also be taken care of.
Conclusions:
The structure and arrangement of traditional classroom space does not go with changes happened in educational agents, methodology and social context. Smart classrooms rethink learning space and learners’ expectations about what this space, along with resources and methodologies, should be like.
The Smart classroom is a one-stop resource for students needing research, technology, or writing help. The usage of this new technology must be encouraged in the current education system. The Smart classroom provide the students as well as teacher to learn through a new techniques and too in a different and interesting manner.
It is fair to say that both students and adults have become more and more technologically inclined. Students adapt quickly to new technologies, just as they will be expected to in the professional world. Cameras, remotes, and wireless devices are all common technologies that result in more engaged learning for students and adaptation to a variety of learning styles. In the near future, classrooms will too have to adapt accordingly and upgrade themselves. There is no stopping that.
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