A Teacher's Insight of the Social Educational Platform

Having been a mathematics teacher in a reputed school in Dubai for over twenty years now, I can't help but wonder at the amazing progress which the education system has made in the Middle East in general.

Being a teacher, it has been my duty to ignite minds and help students to harness their potential to the best of their abilities so that they can blossom into self sufficient , life giving and good human beings who, with good will at heart,can make a positive difference to society at large, nature and fellow human beings.

The natural tendency of students or youth is characterized by high vibrational energy.
However, this random haphazard energy lacks direction. By providing it a direction the energy gets streamlined to be productive otherwise it gets wasted. As a teacher, it has always been my humble effort to lead students on in the correct direction. Interestingly, I quote a great martial artist philosopher who said ” I can only show you the door, but you have to walk through it!” A student will walk through the door , which means, he shall like a subject , only if he finds it interesting.

Twenty years ago, it would be extremely difficult to contain the energies of fifty students in a class and give each a line of direction was a herculean task Just telling them that ‘studies was important ‘ was not enough incentive.

Today, however, the scenario has changed. I see my son who is in eight standard, taking more interest in not just school studies, but doing equally well in inter school quizzes and extracurricular activities. Three years ago he would barely scrape through while getting promoted from fourth to to fifth standard.

Actually, I have learnt from him of a social platform where students, teachers, schools, parents can register and interact with each other for free. With the help of a unique learning management system, this platform has helped him and even me , in due course of time, to share resources and find new ways to achieve collaborative learning with one another. Moreover with the presence of social circles in it, I have got in touch with my older colleagues from previous schools. These days as we are in constant touch, we have extensive discussions on different forums and many a times seminars are arranged, bringing together teachers from different schools and all walks of life

I am a teacher and a father as well. While students have the freedom to explore and nurture their interests, parents can also interact online and reach out to teachers for guidance regarding their children.

The robust platform is heavily armed with a very neatly planned , well laid out and organized timetable which allows all to quantify one’s goals in measurable terms so that one can eventually achieve them in the desired time-frames. Surveys and different analytic tools provide accurate insights and guide students , teachers and all towards creating rich projects and spellbinding presentations. The social circles make the whole activity lively and interesting and broaden the horizons and scope of thinking.

Indeed, I am pleased to see how technology has uplifted the consciousness of people in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, India and UAE by nudging the students especially towards education which,after all, does groom an individual and is fundamental for the development of one’s character.

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Benefits of E-Learning Education Program

E Learning is the hot favorite of the market today and it is all for good reasons. If the procedures laid down in e learning programs are taken care of correctly then they can produce great results by decreasing the cost and improving the performance. One of the most interesting aspects about virtual learning or e learning programs is that unlike the traditional methods of imparting education the e learning course followed are available for others as well.

It is interesting to note here that the traditional learning theories have evolved from the psychological theories like Cognitivism, Behaviorism and Constructivism. However with the evolution of time and methods of living many training designers have developed the view that the education system designed in coherence to the ‘industrial age’ are no longer suitable for what is now called the ‘information age’. The traditional methods of learning followed a linear method wherein it delivered training in a set format of tutorial, knowledge checks and final assessment. All these were most often delivered from the point of view of the trainer and not the learner. This is where the Elearning Education Programs focuses on.

It is important to note here in this regard that the traditional theories of learning still forms of the basis of the very modern E-learning Education Programs. Only a few changes are made wherein entertainment and more engaging modules are integrated into the method to keep the attention of the learners hooked. Special focus is also given towards the constructivist principle of learning. Under this module the learner creates the scheme for his learning himself. E Learning therefore, is a modern approach that uses entertainment heavily as a method of engaging learners.

There are a lot of advantages that can be linked with promoting E-learning Education Program in the recent times:

Improved cost of training: producing course material is always an expensive affair whether it is for the traditional modes of learning or whether it is for the e learning module. With E-learning the only difference is that each time a learner access the course you earn return on your investment.

Decreased cost of Material: For any course to be delivered it takes a lot of investment to arrange for the tools necessary. However in case of E-learning can do away with the physical expense associated with arranging the training set up.

Increased Productivity: Given the fact that E-learning is not bound by the frames of geography or time, it gives you the opportunity to control the impact on production by training people during the down times.

E-learning Education Programs therefore, facilitates the learner in more than single ways.

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Benefits of Collaborative Learning

Technology has helped many different streams in life but its greatest impact has been on education. In the good old days, people had to walk miles to reach a learned person who had information or knowledge on a topic. They would spend time with their teacher and live with him so as to gain wisdom. However, now people don’t go out seeking education and information but instead it reaches them while they are in the comfort of their homes. The Internet has changed the way education works and now, online lectures and sessions are proving to be a huge benefit for students all over the world, as collaborative learning is slowly changing the very face of education.

There are many different benefits of collaborative learning. This is a system wherein like minded students can attend lectures hosted by teachers on certain topics. Studying text books is not enough nowadays and students have to work to ensure that they get a holistic view of the topic at hand. Thus, collaborative learning helps to establish a platform wherein students can not only exchange ideas but can also discuss doubts and explore the topic fully.

This is also an excellent medium for students that are relatively weaker in studies as this allows students to understand the topic better and at their own pace, with the help of audio visual aids and by attending repeated lectures. Thus, rather than confining the learning scope of students by limiting their source of information to books, collaborative learning provides them with a platform where they can gain as much information as desired. This has also proven to be an excellent tool for teaching special needs children as it allows teachers to specifically teach and guide them using various mediums.

Thus, collaborative learning may just be the very future of education, as the idea of classrooms is expanding to include a global student base and teachers teaching from any and every location on the globe.

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