Advanced methods for more effective learning

Technology has made its advent into various day to day aspects in the past few decades; one of the most important among them has been the innovative educational techniques being implemented today at schools, universities and also in the form of study guides to those students who require it. We have on one end universities which offer complete online degree programs for those who cannot fit a campus program into their schedule, and on the other end, many websites serve to help teachers cater to specific student needs, and hence help in being able to attend to many different kinds of students within the same class. Students who require the extra help to grasp details may do so in a more relaxed atmosphere of their home if the assignments and help is mediated through the internet rather than the traditional remedial classes to be held at mutual convenience after working hours. Teachers can prepare required material ahead of time as per convenience and more students can take up the remedial work as compared to when they are on a one on one basis.

From the educator’s perspective, using hard copy books might not be effective for arousing the net savvy generation’s attention and interest in learning. They are more inclined to learning in groups online, using collaborative tools such as google apps, slideshare, flash cards, videos and photos. Teachers can even offer such coursework online for submission or review, hence helping in re-enforcing classroom concepts in a manner which is more appealing to the students of today. Another important aspect of online educational techniques is students away from school can also follow classroom assignments and topics, hence making up for lost time. One key factor regarding such technology is the use of the same platform regardless of the kind of education and age group at the receiving end of the benefit.

Flashcards have been used as an important tool in education both online and offline. Their usage has been emphasized in many educational journals. Their advent into the online space has seen learning take a different curve. They have brought about the wide scale usage of multimedia in learning and as part of assignments. Multimedia has enormous potential from the point of view of self-based learning and it can serve as an independent complementary tool for enhancing the learning process. Instead of going through the inane information as contained in the text book, through multimedia the learner is exposed to a variety of information which helps in a clearer understanding of the subject as well as in whetting the appetite to know more. Exposing students to increase their appetite for knowledge is what most teachers believe to be the most important aspect of imparting education.

When we consider all these factors, a number of websites suitable in many respects come up on a web search, but on a closer scrutiny, the nascent requirement of ease of use and versatility is not met by many and not with the functionality which is expected when one considers the use being education. On my lookout for a platform which comes with all the above said features, the one which left a lasting impression is this.

As teachers we use flashcards on the internet to create multi-media flashcards with rich content such as photos paired with video/audio explanations for classes involving math equations and at times even in the form of quizzes. Students can work in teams to create or review materials prepared by the teacher or remedial students may use the material in conjunction with classroom notes to gain a more detailed understanding of concepts. Video/ audio explanations coupled with photographs serve in creating a lasting impression on the minds and hence in reducing any need for rote learning.

In a classroom scenario, there are not many techniques which can be used to help in teaching students, but when we move to the technology space, we see that different students can be taught using various methods. The teacher can make a large repository of material employing various forms of teaching and these methods can be tried by the students themselves to determine which will be most effective for them. Online learning methodologies have the ability to create a sense of “self directed” learning and problem solving attitude among students, which may be missed in a classroom amongst so many students. A balanced combination of online education and proper guidance of class room education can harbor best results for students.

Online flashcards enable students also to have group study sessions, with minimum wastage of time. Students can themselves create flash cards and interactive material and subsequently share them with their groups to help in revision and also these are seen to be simpler to distribute amongst the rest of the group as compared to written/ printed notes.

Once we, teachers use technology and see the simplicity and ease of deliverance of education, it is a matter of time that the educational setups leverage it to create a platform for a far more effective education system of the future. There are a few universities who have already started on their path to incorporate a change in education, like Virginia Tech and Ohio State University which uses a hybrid model of online and traditional school approach to cater to the large number and to provide a quality educational experience to all.