Month: May 2018

The educational sphere is abuzz with three upcoming technological advancements including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data.

While everyone opines that the current educational model fails miserably in making learning relevant to knowledge-seekers, these three technology-driven options are poised to change the face of education.

In contrast to the conventional form of education when students sat in a classroom, listening to whatever the faculty is discussing, modern students can now step out of the boundaries of a classroom in pursuit of holistic education.

You can now gain experiential learning alongside improving their decision-making abilities.

All set to bring about a practical implementation to knowledge, here are the ways in which these three technologies will dictate the future of education.

1. The Future Educational Trends Stemming From Artificial Intelligence

Educational professionals are all set to unleash the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) so that they can help students to better interact with their surroundings in their pursuit for knowledge. Because of the fact that AI-embedded computers incorporate the primal principles of education namely: problem-solving, learning and reasoning, it is but natural for AI to have a say in the sphere of imparting knowledge.

• Creates Room For Personalized Learning

Through AI, it becomes a breeze to identify the specific educational needs of students.

AI will step in to make the job of a teacher less cumbersome by suggesting the best practices for every student to excel in his/her chosen field of study.

Students will benefit a great deal from AI when AI will chalk out their routine learning activities which are in sync with their educational concepts and subjects.

It is with these invaluable data points that you as a teacher can chalk out a befitting study plan for your students so as to maximize their learnings.

• Provides the Much-Needed Assistance to Teachers

With the above inputs that can work as effective alternatives for modern education, AI can definitely shoulder the responsibility of teachers across the globe.

Along with providing insightful information about the learning requirements of students, educationalists can bank upon AI in simplifying their routine tasks like evaluating the test papers of students; a time-consuming task of every teacher.

It is through AI that hundreds of multiple-choice answer scripts can be evaluated with utmost precision; surpassing the time taken by an intelligent human being.

Instances of AI being used to evaluate essays penned by students are being reported.

• A Perfect Tutor For Every Learner

Text-to-speech and voice recognition are the two noteworthy capabilities of AI that can be applied to the sphere of education.

Enabling machines to interact with students, the day will not be far away when tools will come as a perfect replacement to human intelligence.

While replacing teachers, AI can also extend a helping hand to teachers in trying to understand the needs of students.

This way, teachers will be well-equipped to alter teaching strategies that are in line with the exclusive needs of students.

2. Numerous Ways in Which Machine Learning Will Influence the Future of Education

Similar to the sanctions AI has to the field of education, Machine Learning is another technology that will make its strong presence felt.

Once schools begin to include the capabilities of machine learning into their daily educational activities, a host of benefits are bound to emerge both for the students and the teaching staff.

• Scope for Customized Learning Experiences

Teachers adopting the Machine Learning methodologies will be spared of the time and effort to fill in teaching logs of every student.

Teachers can make well-informed decisions about fine-tuning the curriculum to be in sync with the learning capabilities of their wards.

With all these in place, Machine Learning will set the stage for experiential learning experiences for both the teaching and learning fraternities.

• The Promise of Impartial Grades

It is not the teachers but the machines which will assess the performance of students. Since the human element is absent, there will not be any room for prejudices or biases.

Educators need to ensure that the machine is equipped with all the prescribed technical specifications.

However, the intervention of teachers is necessary to set up these technical requirements.

Machine Learning can also help teachers detect copied text in academic papers and reports.

Along with the promise of awarding unbiased ranks and grades, students, through Machine Learning will be able to work on parts of the essay that call for editing so that their report looks and reads better.

• A Keen Eye on Feedback and Performance of Students

Along with student grades, Machine Learning can step in to offer feedback about the data that was analyzed on the strength of the earlier submitted projects.

Here, machines are taught to analyze the performance of students with every internal assessment test.

Machines will also be able to show the progress of students with regard to understanding what is being taught in class.

These will come as informative data points for the faculty to work on.

• The Perfect Student-Teacher Match

Certain machines are crafted in such a way that they will help struggling students take the assistance of the faculty that is available for clarifications.

The machine takes care of all the unique needs of students while paying attention to their learning pace.

Thus, this technology will come as a blessing to students struggling with subjects which rely heavily on concepts or numbers.

It can also suggest a learning path for students, recommending changes to study material and teaching methodologies.

3. Big Data and Its Role In Shaping the Prospects of Education

Educational systems, like any other interactive practice, thrive on large volumes of data.

This data becomes Big Data once it is methodically collected, analyzed and retrieved for use as and when the need arises.

It could be robust information that is stored in the form of students’ attendance, their grades, their socio-economic details and the data concerning the population of the school.

All such information is not only required to keep a close watch on the progress of students but also to carry out the administration of schools in a prudent manner.

Thus it is not only about storing data but also to use it appropriately, when the time comes. Below is the rundown of the various benefits of Big Data to the upcoming scholastic scenarios.

• Enables Better Decision-Making

When schools store, collate and analyze volumes of information on a regular basis, they will be in a better position to come up with learning methodologies and goals that are practicable.

Their decision-making abilities are strengthened when information is presented as a blend of descriptive data, research inferences and the findings from educationalists.

Using this information coming from different quarters, schools will be in a favorable position to improve their teaching practices so as to bring in a greater relevance to education.

However, the key is to have knowledge about how to use Big Data.

• The Ripples of Data Are Experienced By Everyone Concerned

When pertinent information is made available to stakeholders, there will be umpteen avenues for changes and development.

When families are informed about the needs of their wards, it will set the stage for an interactive move to support their educational requirements.

When teachers are presented with teaching and administrative information, they will be in a better position to shift gears in line with the needs of the wards.

Researchers can also use processed information to identify the trends in education. They can then recommend changes to learning styles that suit a particular group of students in a class.

• The Mapping Concept

Mapped data comes in as an invaluable input to understand the learning patterns of students.

When information is mapped, it will lead to the scenarios of creative learning, group learning or self-learning.

A host of online learning interfaces are collating bulk information about students from across the globe.

It is through this mapped information that these platforms are able to better meet the needs of students.

Hence, laying hands on data about the interests of students will come as a welcome move towards progressive and customized learning.

Key Takeaways

Undoubtedly, the face of education demands a complete makeover for it to be much more relevant to the constantly changing trends.

It is in this regard that the three most sought-after technologies including AI, Machine Learning and Big Data will prompt educators to better understand the learning habits of students.

All set to transform the face of classrooms, these three technologies hold great promise for the future of education.

These revolutionary inclusions will not only improve the standard of education but will also create room for a better society.

It will not be an overstatement to quote that the India was considered a haven for knowledge imparted by great teachers of all times.

The individuals we would be talking of not only excelled in their chosen fields but also influenced the thoughts and actions of the society at large through their teachings.

Below is a salutation to the 7 such great Indian teachers who have helped people to not only become knowledgeable but also transformed them into better human beings.

1. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Apart from serving as the first Vice President and the second President of Independent India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was also revered as an eminent teacher of all times.

Born on 5th September 1888, he went on to gain the recognition of an eminent scholar of the 20th century.

He believed and lived his life according to the ideology that “A true teacher is one who helps us think for ourselves”.

Strongly believing in the importance of teachers in shaping the fate of a country, the ideologies of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan helped bridge the gap between India and the Western countries. He urged his countrymen to follow the precept of “teach to transform”. His birthday is celebrated as “Teachers’ Day” in India as a mark of respect for a noble and highly acclaimed teacher that the Indian soil is proud of.

2. Chanakya

Also known as Vishnugupta and Kautilya, Chanakya, belonging to the 4th century is another great Indian teacher.

He fulfilled the coveted roles of a philosopher, jurist and a royal advisor to King Chandragupta Maurya. He was the author of two books Nitisashtra (also called as Chanakya Niti) and Arthashastra. Both his works are a collation of his wisdom supported by a number of experiential realities that he wanted to pass on to his countrymen. Chanakya Niti consists of a list of sutras that are thought-provoking and essential for a successful life.

3. Rabindra Nath Tagore

Born on May 7th 1861, Rabindra Nath Tagore is another noted Indian personality known for his scholastic excellence.

Alongside being a writer, he was one of the freedom fighters who raised his voice against the British.

According to him, learning through activities was the sure shot means to develop the physical and mental faculties of a child.

Shantiniketan hence emphasized on the inclusion of physical activities like drama, climbing of trees, plucking fruits and dancing.

He taught through a host of narration-cum-discussions along with debates. These practices strengthened the oratory skills of his students.

Bestowing his students with freedom, Rabindra Nath Tagore, through his way of life encouraged them to identify their hidden potential.

He was a staunch believer and practitioner of outdoor education, prompting students to sit in the midst natural surroundings to assimilate knowledge.

He also believed that “The main objective of teaching is not to give explanations, but to knock on the doors of the mind”.

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4. Swami Vivekananda

In addition to being one of the most prominent Indian reformers of the bygone era, Swami Vivekananda was also a man of unparalleled intellect.

Born in 1863, he founded the ‘Ramakrishna Mission’; a monastery in which monks and his followers join hands to spread the awareness of Practical Vedanta. He was a staunch believer and supporter of the Gurukula system; a practice of education where students and teachers live together.

Through his teachings, Swami Vivekananda impressed upon the students to face the testing times of life.

He also urged them to lead their lives as good citizens of India. He was known for his famous quote: “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in men”.

Swami Vivekananda instilled a sense of confidence in every individual that he/she is already blessed with infinite potential.

5. Savitribai Phule

Amidst all the great Indian male teachers, there is one female name that deserves a special mention.

SavitribaiPhule is known for her strong voice against the atrocities committed on women.

In addition to fighting for this social cause, she was also recognized for her dedicated efforts in promoting the need for girls’ education.

Setting up the first women’s school, she supported the need for female education alongside encouraging the demand for gender equality in education. Rekindling the dreams of thousands of women, she set up a school for untouchable girls. Along with offering stipends to children for coming to schools, she conducted parent-teacher meetings to highlight the importance of education to children. As a mark of respect for all that she did to the field of education and for the execution of women’s rights, the University of Pune is currently known as Savitribai Phule Pune University.

6. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

There won’t be an Indian millennial who hasn’t heard of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, fondly remembered as the “Missile Man of India”. Transforming his life from being a scientist, Dr. Kalam, born on 15th October 1931 rose to become the 11th President of India. Known for his practical educational thinking, he was regarded as a visionary who stood up for the integration of modern educational ideas with those of the conventional practices. He strongly advocated the need for basic amenities for every school including safe drinking water, playgrounds and well-kept toilets.

Advocating the balanced availability of education for urban and rural areas, he enlightened all the sections of the society to go out and study.

After identifying the lack of educational resources to underprivileged people, he urged NGOs and other social-service institutions to lend a hand at equalizing the gap. He is known for his invaluable contributions to education which manifest in the form of though-provoking quotes. One of them being: “Some of the brightest minds in the country can be found on last benches of the classroom”.

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7. Gautam Buddha

Born as Siddhartha in 480 BC, Gautam Buddha was constantly on the lookout for freedom and happiness. He renounced his luxurious life and attained salvation after performing a strict penance under a Bodhi tree. He later on became the founder of Buddhism, educating people through his Eightfold Path.

He enlisted eight practices through his discourses. These were: right view, right intention, right speech, right livelihood, right conduct, right mindfulness, right effort and right Samadhi. These principles according to Buddha would help people put an end to suffering. It is this knowledge that made Buddhism a famous religion, currently practiced by many across the globe.

Wrapping It Up

Leading exemplary lives and striving hard in the pursuit of knowledge, these noble teachers through their simplicity have led an indelible mark on the minds of knowledge-seekers.

Serving as a great inspiration to a successful and content life, the lives of these 7 great teachers speak volumes of the dedication they had towards their ideals and philosophies.

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Blended Learning, true to its name is a mix of multiple learning materials and modes that are in perfect sync with the learning needs and goals of learners.

Blended learning is all about imparting face-to-face instructions in an online environment to learners so as to ensure greater effectiveness and efficiency in education. As a stark contrast to what traditional learning is all about, blended learning brings the best of both the worlds.

Along with the implementation of the best practices linked to instructor-led and online learning, this stream of learning is best suited for a small-group of learners.

Below is the rundown of the various benefits of blended learning when compared to the conventional learning mechanisms that were in vogue from times immemorial.

1. Learning is Much More Effective and Flexible

The curriculum of blended learning is so well crafted that learners can benefit from an “any-time” access to study material. Students will learn at their own pace and will be in a position to make the most of their study time. The flexibility to learn at your own pace and convenience makes blended learning a promising and viable practice.

Additionally, learning effectiveness is further enhanced when students make the best use of class time. There will be no time wasted on subjects or topics that are already taught to the students. Consequentially students will be prompted to master the topics they can learn on their own, thus maximizing the learning in the environment of blended learning.

2. High On Motivation

Blended learning as opposed to conventional learning provides immediate feedback about the academic progress of students. When assessments of students are tracked regularly, you as a student of blended learning can lay hands on your strong and weak points. It is this knowledge about yourself that keeps your morale high, constantly motivating you to transcend the limits you have set for yourself. You will be encouraged to perform better in every session, eventually leading to greater assimilation of knowledge.

3. Learning Through Tailor-Made Content

Take for example a traditional learning set up when all the students are taught the same subject in the same manner, typically manifesting the “one size fits all” principle. Compare this with the scenario of a blended learning classroom. Here, the individual needs of every learner are given a serious thought by qualified tutors. This form of learning strongly defies the earlier believed notion that there can’t be a learning process that is in sync with the needs of different students. Blended learning thus offers the flexibility of customized educational content that matches the varied needs of different students.

4. No Fear of Being Judge

In a blended learning environment, students are free to pose any queries to the tutors directly while they are concentrating on the academic session. Team this freedom with the customized content that blended learning promises. You now have an amicable learning environment free from the fear of being judged by others. Fearless students are those that learn the subject matter with a greater focus.

The concept of pass or fail thus has no significance in blended learning. When learners do not feel the pressure of being judged by their tutors, that is when they attempt to give their best in everything they do in class.

5. An Air of Freedom

As a learner of blended learning, an online learning program assists you in sharpening your vocabulary and the nuances of grammar even before you are assigned to a learned tutor. All thanks to technology, this learning mechanism can offer plenty of choices to students from across the globe. You just need to have a smartphone or a personal computer that is connected to the internet and you are all set to unleash the benefits of blended learning, sitting comfortably at your office desk.

In traditional learning, it is mandatory for students to attend classes that are conducted by their tutors by sticking to time and date schedules. Modern technology on the other hand, makes it possible for you to assimilate knowledge through live instructions that are given out by online tutors. You can sign up for online courses at your convenience and complete them in line with your availability.

6. Budget-Friendly

Organizations that sign up for blended learning can save a great deal of money since this pattern of education saves travel money, alongside not missing the day-to-day official work. You can sit comfortably at your work station and assimilate all that is being taught by your online tutor. Are these benefits possible with traditional learning? No, not in any way!

7. A Perfect Mix of Multiple Learning Styles

Given the scenario that you are aiming to train adults, it is always advisable to delve deep into all the learning styles that can be incorporated in the training program. This leads to a perfect blend of learning styles that can be availed under a single umbrella when learners can maximize their learning through multiple learning media and techniques.

8. Make the Most of Digital Instructions Coming from Qualified Tutors

By now, you must have understood that a blended learning strategy substantially brings down the teaching time. When the knowledge of qualified instructors is digitized, it creates an immense scope to reach a larger audience. Through blended learning, you will be able to meet the learning needs of various learners through superior quality content; at an affordable price. Multiple forms of technology like on-demand videos, online classes and instructor-led webinars make up the blended learning curriculum.

Closing Thoughts

All in an attempt to deliver the best possible results, the concept of blended learning is picking up with more and more enterprises signing up for online classes promising face-to-face instructions. It is through blended learning that you can infuse a great deal of efficiency and effectiveness to the quest for knowledge of a particular subject that intrigues you or that will aid your career progression plans.

Pedagogy enables teachers to influence student learning with an intention to capture the attention of students. Pedagogical methods of teaching theoretical concepts helps students to enhance their recall capacity by recollecting all the ideas that were taught to them even after a long gap.

This is a part of innovative learning when students are able to hold on to all the ideas that were long discussed in their classrooms.

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Here we shed light on 15 such pedagogical strategies that pave the way for innovative learning by incorporating interesting and effective teaching methods.

1. Pedagogical creativity

For the benefit of the learning fraternity, one of the innovative pedagogical strategies is to make use of creative tools that will excite the artistic senses of students. You as a teacher can positively influence the curious minds of students through the inclusion of visual exercises and games. These tools strike a chord with the young minds, encouraging them to stretch their creativity.

Subjects like science, math and history are best taught through creative means when students are prompted to come up with varied ideas. It is this freedom to explore their creative side that helps students to quickly recall the ideas that were discussed in the class as part of lecturing.

2. Brainstorming Techniques

Brainstorming is a potent exercise to infuse excitement into learning.

When kids are encouraged to come up with different ideas without the fear of being judged whether their idea is right or wrong, they will find brainstorming sessions engaging and interesting. They will begin to actively participate in such sessions by following certain ground rules that should be in place before the start of the session. You can choose between simple, grouped or paired brainstorming sessions.

3. The Use of Audio Video Teaching Tools

Modern technology has indeed changed the face of every sphere that is connected to mankind. Classroom lectures teamed with AV tools, students will benefit in more ways than one. Apart from sharpening their audio and visual skills, they will also start to understand the concepts better and deeper. Info graphics, mind maps and brain mapping tools are some of the pedagogical alternatives that will go a long way in expanding the imagination of students.

4. The Concept of Learning Outside the Classroom

Traditional learning was also restricted to take place within the four walls of a classroom. Modern and innovative learning is possible only when lessons are taught outdoors. A changed environ can work wonders for students when they step into the outside world which is full of excitement and freshness. Such a teaching practice will foster creativity, and help students learn and recall concepts faster.

5. Teamwork – The New Age Teaching Mantra

Why don’t we take a step forward and join hands with our contemporaries?

New horizons of teaching will begin to emerge when you try to incorporate the suggestions offered by your colleagues. You may seek the recommendations of your associates in trying to improve the teaching methods. Every teacher may come up with a different yet workable strategy..

6. Hobbies – Interesting Diversions to Break the Monotony

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. This is so true in the case of teachers who are ordained to take classes so that they are in sync with their lesson plans.

But there will come a time when monotony sets in, draining your creativity. Such is the time to engage in a hobby of your choice.

You can pick up any hobby and put in your heart and soul into it for a couple of hours as a boredom-breaking practice. This idea will work wonders for you to pep up your imagination.

7. Storyboarding – A Stimulating Teaching and Learning Practice

You will agree with the fact that a subject that is delivered in the form of stories has a longer retention span. Hence, modern teachers can take to storyboarding with any subject that calls for a methodical memorization of facts. If you are a history teacher, you can make the session even more interesting by recreating a famous and important event.

Alongside unleashing the imaginative skills of students, storyboards can also work as communication tools between students when they narrate a story the pictorial way.

8. An Enlivening Classroom

Which classroom according to you will stimulate the minds of students, allowing them to learn and think better?

A dingy one or a vibrantly decorated classroom?

Without a doubt, you will go with the bright classroom. When students are made to sit within the four walls of a classroom, work hard in maintaining an enlivening learning atmosphere. Bright colored classrooms positively impact students alongside encouraging you to give your best to every teaching session.

9. Make Room for Role Plays

Set aside time for role plays so that your students begin to hone their interpersonal skills. Through role plays, students will be encouraged to give their best to the task at hand with an intention to play their role to the fullest. Subjects like current affairs, literature and history are best taught through role plays. Students partaking in role plays will begin to exhibit their creativity by stepping out of their comfort zone. When it comes to recapitulating what was taught in class, students will be able to relate to what they have seen and experienced as part of the role play.

10. The Fun Element To Learning

Fun element to learning should always be kept intact. Learning should be fun and for you to encourage your students to learn and recall better, you can bank upon interesting games and puzzles. These are innovative tools that will impart quality education to the learning fraternity sparing them of the strain that academics come with. Infotainment games and puzzles are the tested tools that will uncover the creative side of students.

11. Refer to a Collection of Books on Creativity

Be abreast with creative teaching techniques and ideas. When you fall short of such ideas, it is time you take the support of books on creativity. Reading works published by top-class writers will not only help you tread the path of professional development but will also help you percolate the acquired knowledge to your students as well.

12. Embrace Novel Teaching Mechanisms

Develop an open-mind towards new teaching methods. Only when you welcome new ideas connected to teaching, you will prompt your students to try their hands at new things. To start off with, any new idea might come with a certain degree of weirdness. But you need to learn to overcome the teething problems. After that, the sky is the limit.

13. School Groups and Clubs –Platforms to Share Knowledge and Common Interests

Start off a school group or club. Work on topics that are of interest to you. You can collaborate with like-minded teachers and collate insights and knowledge from them which can prove to be of utmost benefit to you and your students as well.

14. Tap Into The Potential of A Story

Subjects which are taught with a story-based approach have a longer recall span as compared to those that are taught by referring to black and white texts. In addition to engaging your students, a story has the power to enhance the quality of your teaching. It make topics interesting and appealing. While you begin to toggle with new ideas, you will be setting the stage for students to experiment with ideas that come out of the love for knowledge.

15. Make Teaching Your Passion

If you love what you do, you don’t have to work a single day. This belief is so true with any profession especially with teachers who are ordained to bring in a lot of creatively and imagination to academic lessons. When you look at your teaching profession as your passion, you will make room for a relaxed teaching environment that will charm your students in more ways than you can imagine.

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Closing Thoughts

All in an attempt to enhance the quality of teaching, it makes sense for the tutors of today to implement modern pedagogical practices. When these methodologies and ideas become the way of life of both teachers and students, the day is not far away when the institution of tutoring will become the strongest form of imparting conceptual knowledge through tested means.

Learning is an enjoyable phase for every person when they get a chance to know and interpret things that are new to them.

Embodied learning has gained much appreciation in recent times for its unique approach in helping students.

According to many researches, this is one of the most effective techniques that involves physical movements and interactivity. This emerging field easily integrates human-computer interaction and learning sciences to provide a bit challenging experience but a great learning output. The technique is simple that needs some movements in your lessons. It not only improves student interest in learning but engages them in the most pleasing way.

However, teachers are finding it really hard to find ways to bring in the concept of embodied learning in classrooms. The combination of tangible intelligent objects, wearables, motion-tracking, sensor technology, and interactive video can give an ultimate outcome of this learning approach.

Here let us have a look at the strategies or methods or activities by which you can make embodied learning an integral part of a classroom.

1. Lego building:

This is one of the best ways in stimulating vision and patience in students while fostering their creativity. For completing a structure, they will have to come across different mathematical skills as well as the out of the box strategies. A number of other factors needed for a developing student such as fine motor skills, puzzle solving, cooperative play and persistence have a significant role during the process. This activity can be used effectively to learn counting and measurements, patterns and symmetry, illustrating stories as well as visualizing different concepts.

2. Kinect-based educational games:

Schools are now making use of advanced educational gaming systems using motion sensing to take learning to next level. The idea of learning subjects such as mathematics with just text book assignments is now getting replaced with such game based learning. The advanced options such as, Microsoft’s Kinect motion-sensor incorporates physical gestures with intelligent thinking in order to find solutions for puzzles. There are numerous options with interesting games such as pricking the right balloons, finding the right path for hedgehogs, magical baskets and more to learn complex puzzle solving. The advanced learning strategies such as SMALLab Learning utilize motion capture technology.

3. Act out worksheet tasks:

Rather than simply doing the text book assignments with papers and pen, encourage the students to come out and just make an act of the worksheet tasks. When working out chemical reactions, students can form groups and pretend as electrons or neutrons or as different elements to combine reactions. Such activity would be fun and eliminates boredom from classroom. At the same time, as students interact very closely with the problems, they would get a very clear understanding. While learning biology, they can imitate different animals and their species. Such acts in fact stimulate effective conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy within a classroom.

4. Hop scotch math:,/li>

Learning mathematics is one of the hurdles of students of diverse class levels. Hop scotch math is an interesting gaming concept by which students can have an interactive math learning experience. With just a basic knowledge of arithmetic, students can learn higher level concepts only with chalks and stones. This game can be modified in different forms depending on the learning concept handled.

• The hopscotch area that resembles a calculator can be drawn in the classroom.
• Make the boxes close so that students won’t find it difficult for jumping into boxes.
• When the stone keys ‘1’, the student has to hop through equation that gives result as ‘1’.
• For example, 4, 3, -, = or 1, *, 1, = and so on.
• Student gets out while committing any mistake and the last person that completes the entire round becomes the winner.

5. Hands on projects:

Hands on learning is the key to embodied learning as students study the subjects by doing the stuff. Students can be given open ended projects in which they can come up with creativity. History can be taught with interesting ways such as folk art. Virtual science labs are the best option to learn science subjects by nearly experiencing it. If the projects are open ended, students won’t need to stick on with the guide lines and go for out of the box ideas to explore the subject in an engaging way. Drawing out the topics and storytelling methods are other interactive methods of approaching a difficult subject.

6. History mimes:

History is a vast subject and it is a night mare for many students to remember the many phases and periods. The rulers, the traditions and the way of life was very different in diverse phases. The history mimes strategy has proved really effective as the students work closely with the subject. An outline of different history periods and the traditions are discussed first. The students would voluntarily come up with mimes on different traditions or rulers by showcasing the way they dressed or the materials they used. The other audience students have to identify the history period after the mime show.

7. Map art:

This is an awesome way of learning social studies through embodied learning. Map art involves adventurous exercises that help you learn more about the subject with hands on experience. In this technique, art and history is combined in its most effective way that gives you a layered understanding. In normal methods, many ways are devised to learn the map from the already printed materials. This strategy demands students to prepare the maps themselves that helps them to be closer with the elements of the map. This form of learning stimulates their creativity and teachers are advised to give only minimal guidance to do the job.

8. Field trips:

Taking a break from the four walls of a classroom can be a real boost to the students. Engage them with field trips once in a while when they get a chance to interact with the environment along with subject areas. When they experience the lessons of their subject, it is very easy for them to understand and memorize it for long without the additional effort of ‘typical learning’. As we all know a picture is worth a thousand words. So you can imagine how effective it would be to really see the chemical reactions, motor functions or the transformation or growth of a plant.

9. Energy breaks:

In addition to all these activities that make the subjects more close to the student, getting some energy breaks can add great value to improving their alertness. Handling a set of drowsy students can be really challenging for the teachers and the learning session would be less productive. Warm up exercise between the sessions can act as icebreakers and relieve boredom while improving the blood pumping. Jump shot movements, swimming mimics, crossovers, weight training movements or simple arm rotations can do the trick. Including music and simple dance moves with all the students in the class can be real fun and they would easily get refreshed.

These are just a few among the many ways through which you can bring in the concept of embodied learning in classroom. The use of both context and body in learning lays a foundation for abstract thinking. As the situations of the learning subject are explored during the process, the student gets the upper hand of multidimensional involvement. The basic idea is that existential learning can be stimulated with physical interaction. Research studies have pointed out how effectively movement can stimulate a person’s mind and that signifies the role of movement in classrooms. As physical activities are highly correlated with intellectual growth, embodied learning is sure to reset the trajectory of traditional learning.

Today’s education world is witnessing a lot of changes in the way teachers employ different learning strategies and the way students perceive it.

Unlike the traditional chalk and blackboard education where teachers are one sided dictators, the present form of learning has opened a world of hope for interactive learning.

Both teachers and students will have an almost equal role and responsibility in executing the learning process.

Out of the advanced learning techniques, embodied learning is receiving a lot of attention as it is making a serious impact in the productive learning.

The idea of this strategy is to use body and mind together while the student simply experiences the subject.

In simple words, one can also say that embodied learning stimulates learning by doing things rather than listening or seeing from a third party perspective.

It is interesting to note that virtual reality has a crucial role in reinstating embodied cognition.

Role of Virtual Reality in Embodied Learning

Embodied learning supports exploring information through body and mind while students naturally learn from the environment without an extra effort of ‘typical learning’.

Virtual reality is an engaging alternative to the conventional mode of instruction that in one way or the other stimulates embodied cognition. This is a kind of multi-sensory learning in which students get a chance to experience or just do what is in the context.

This in fact serves as a playground where students can go through in depth and interactive learning and exploration and be part of meaningful learning experiences.

When one says ‘I have learnt this’, it simply means that he has a strong enough memory on the subject to regain it at any point of time. A touch or audio can strengthen the memory further. So it is not quite surprising how a VR-induced presence with physical movements, gestures and hand control induced sensory motor signals lays a strong foundation of memory on the particular subject.

Here let us have a look at the ways by which virtual reality can be used as a good stimulator of embodied learning.

1. Google expedition virtual tour:

The virtual reality using this platform lets students to take a tour on almost any places of the world. The inexpensive Google Cardboard helps students to make use of this virtual tour with just their common mobile. With the rise of technology, teachers brought in a series of photographs or even video documentary to introduce a difficult subject to classroom. However, this virtual reality toy gives an amazing experience to students to learn any difficult subject by working closely with it. This immersive and interactive experience at the comfort of their classroom gives them more meaningful learning moments without the expense of distant trips. Those who can’t afford costly VR applications can go for this fold-out cardboard viewer.

2. VR headset:

This standalone product for the classroom lets students to have virtual reality learning without the need of an additional mobile device. This amazing finding of today’s technology is managed well by innovative ClassVR Teacher Portal to offer a completely immersive VR experience for students. It can be managed wirelessly and is suitable for students of all age groups. Students can visualize even the difficult subject concepts that help them to retain it in the memory for long. The structured lesson plans and the engaging curriculum give a memorable learning experience for students.

3. VR platform Peer:

This concept gives a mixed reality educational experience for students by combining digital and physical elements to engage them in the most productive way. The learning time involves more visible and tangible moments that aids them to get easy with abstract concepts or complex forces. The digital headset along with internet enabled sensor enables students to just experience the force in case of learning physics concepts such as the ‘Doppler effect’. This way of learning helps students to think about the subject in a different perspective than just text book assignments which helps them to have a more meaningful learning.

4. Virtual reality apps:

Bringing in virtual reality apps to your classroom is another way to make a more interesting and engaging learning. There are various apps that are designed specifically for improving the learning for different subjects for students of various class levels. The Elements 4D app has features to combine diverse elements to visualize chemistry reactions. An AR creation tool, Blippar is being widely used to give students an amazing reading experience. The Arloon Plants app lets students to interact with the parts and structure of plants to visualize the growth of plants.

Unseen Benefits of Embodied Learning through Virtual Reality

There are a number of other ways to use virtual reality in classrooms that in one way or the other reinstate embodied learning. Let us have a look at the positive impacts made by these VR concepts in today’s learning industry.

• Students would easily get bored if they are asked to sit at the desk and read or write for some time. But learning through augmented reality motivates them throughout the learning and they would crave for more.
• This supplementary learning tool can help teachers to deepen the understanding level of students in really difficult subjects and make learning more exciting for them.
• As students have a less attention span, this immediate learning effect through VR experience proves beneficial
• As they have an immersive experience, there is no way for an outside matter to distract their focus during the process
• As the concept works with interactive technology, students of digital era would find it really exciting
• This type of hands-on approach for learning helps them to improve their retention capacity.
• Rather than text book learning, VR strategy helps students to get an idea about what exactly the teacher is talking.
• Moreover, embodied learning using virtual reality technology is helping out students to be independent learners.
• As it is more fun, it is easy for teachers to keep students engage for long without actually giving them the feel of ‘learning’.
• One of the potential benefits is the elimination of language barrier. Teacher would be able to handle students with any language as they can understand the concepts better with a multidimensional visualization.
• Gaining perspective on a subject through real life experiences is the key to proper learning and VR application can be a great support for the same.
• Quality of education is improving on an impressive scale as both teachers and students can use its possibilities to explore the unseen or in depth details of various subjects.

A majority of teachers are in support of the advanced virtual reality induced embodied learning. They have pointed out how this teaching strategy has created a positive shift in the way student think about a subject. Students are seen as excited as not like ever before and the classrooms are more engaging and interactive. Teachers are receiving more questions from students regarding the subject which simply means that students have started to think out of the normal syllabus and text book frames. When learning a new subject, it takes a considerably longer time for students to develop a mental model around it. However, the virtual reality is easily helping them to connect between the dots and build a mental model of the subject. The textbook learning has created a generation of students who knows the theory but fails to apply what they have learnt in real life. But now we can hope that the virtual reality technologies are slowly bringing back the impact of embodied learning in today’s education.

Study life is the most important phase of a person that shapes up their personality. From meeting new friends to learning new things every day, school life is always enjoyable.

However, exam time is a nightmare for most of the students as they are failing to cover lot of portion all at once and even finding it difficult to remember what they have studied. According to experts, applying certain tricks can help you make your study time more productive.

Here are a few simple hacks or learning strategies you can apply in your study time to learn anything easily and remember it without many hassles.

1. Teach someone else:

Once you study a lesson, you can teach that lesson to someone else. Doing this would help you to register the lessons better on your memory. Even if there is no one there to teach, you can just assume that you are just teaching someone. Some students try teaching the ‘pillow’ or some students even try teaching by looking at the mirror.

2. Read out lessons loud:

You can try reading the lessons aloud for a better chance of feeding the lessons in memory. When you read the lessons aloud, you are not just reading it but you get a chance to listen to it which gives a double learning effect. But it doesn’t mean that you have to compromise your energy by reading really loud but read it in a soft way so that you can hear it.

3. Short frequent sessions:

Students are not able to pay attention to a subject for long. So it is good to avoid long study sessions, say for an hour or two. It is better to have short but frequent sessions of study to make the most out of the attention span. Similarly, research findings advise you to have frequent learning sessions even if it is short rather than long infrequent sessions. This especially works out if you are trying to master a new subject.

4. Take study naps:

Once you feel tired or sleepy in between the study sessions, it is not advisable to push yourself hard and distress you. Instead it is good to take a short nap of some 20 minutes before you start the learning again. These short naps can help you to refresh yourself and approach the lesson with a fresh mind. This makes your study time more productive and helps to grasp the lessons better.

5. Meditate:

The ability to concentrate matters a lot when it comes to grasping your lessons better and remembering it for long. If you are not able to concentrate for long during your study sessions, it is good to go for some activities such as meditation or yoga that improves your mood, concentration, and presence of mind. This helps to avoid getting distracted and get fully immersed in the important things you do such as learning.

6. Reward yourself for merits:

Getting some praise or gifts for something you have achieved motivates you to do more. Don’t wait for your parents or teachers to reward you always. Give small rewards to yourself for the merits you have in your study life such as scoring good in tests, making a good presentation or finishing the lessons as per planned.

7. Create mind maps:

This is the best way of getting an overview of what you are actually learning in the subject. Make the main map as well as sub-maps that are linked to it. During exam times, you just need to have a look at the mind map to memorize the whole lesson and that makes it easy for you to recollect the lessons. Using acronyms or similar mnemonic devices is another way of memorizing your lessons better.

8. Listen to music:

Music is a magic that can transform your mood from down to up in a minute. Have some soothing music running in background when you are studying a tougher lesson. Researchers have praised a lot about the music therapy that can work wonders in making the study time more productive. But make sure that you select the right music that helps you to focus on your lessons.

9. Set small realistic goals:

Setting unrealistic goals and failing to achieve it can really stress you out and you will go low in confidence. Instead you can try going for small realistic goals that you can achieve with a considerable effort. You can increase the target level once you get comfortable with the lesson which boosts your confidence level. Avoid multitasking and invest a considerable amount of time for just learning.

10. Make it a story:

When you are finding it difficult to study a lesson and remembering it the next, try going for a story approach. Make your own version of story out of the lesson and make the keywords in the lesson your story characters. So you just need to remember your favourite story to answer the lesson’s questions in exams.

11. Use mental spacing:

Once you have covered a lesson, give some time say 2 to 3 days or a week before you revise it. Your mind responds better when you give mental spacing rather than pushing it by repeating the same lessons in frequent successions. Experts say that mind pays less attention if the same lesson is repeated in short successions but gives more importance if it is done after some considerable spacing.

12. Study in a comfortable space:

Make sure that the place where you choose to study is really comfortable for you. See that there is enough lighting, minimal noise and distractions and proper air circulation. Studying in a comfortable space can make a real difference in the way you grasp a lesson and memorize it.

13. Change ways of learning often:

It is not surprising that you would easily get bored if you go for the similar learning approach all the time. So go for a different learning style that can make a positive difference in the learning. You can try different approaches such as video learning, online quizzes, flash cards, group study or storytelling.

14. Study in a group:

Of course, self learning is the best form of learning ever proposed. However, you can try for group study approaches for a change at times, especially before exams. You can make learning more fun by having some interactive games based on lessons. You can make the most out of the time by teaching others and learning from others.

15. Use visual learning techniques:

Make use of visual aids as part of your learning process which helps you to learn things easily. Go for a video tutorial or subject expert presentations to connect easily with the subjects. You can include visual tools such as flow charts and structured diagrams in your learning guide. Concept maps and graphic organizers are another way of utilizing visual stimulations in learning.

16. Take notes by hand:

Nowadays, students would prefer digital tools for note taking which helps them a lot to save time. However, taking notes by hand is the best way to get closer with the lessons. You will indirectly get a chance to link the lessons to your memory when taking notes with hand. Mind is involved in the activity whereas digital note taking leads to mindless transcription.

17. Have a light walk before exam:

Getting proper exercise is directly linked to improving your memory power. That is why experts recommend going for a light walk before you go for an exam. This helps you to memorize the lessons you have studied pretty easily and score well in exams. So make exercise a daily part of your routine which helps you positively in your studies.

18. Have a good night’s sleep:

Getting proper rest for your body and mind is really important to relax. This helps you to focus more on your study time and grasp the lessons better and memorize it. It is not advisable to over stress yourself by long hours of study by compromising your sleep. The best medicine for a good student is 7 to 8 hours of good night’s sleep every day.

Memorizing with flash cards is a productive and funnier way for remembering even the toughest subjects. You can also use post-it notes to get closer to the lessons by recording your thoughts. These are just a few among the many tested and proven learning strategies that help students to make learning more easy and enjoyable. Every student is different and the way they approach learning is also different. So every technique may not help every student.

So try out these techniques for some days and choose the most feasible tricks that get things done for you. In addition to these tricks, stay optimistic in your caliber and be confident when approaching new subjects. Don’t complicate things by stressing you. Just laugh out loud and celebrate your failures. Find good friends and try a new hobby and give no chance for loneliness in your life.

Also Read: 10 Simple Steps to Motivate Your Students to Read