Tag: student-centred learning

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Good news awaits all the educators, students and school administrators for the year ahead.

Much to the surprise of all the stakeholders, a number of exciting trends are predicted to shape up, revolutionizing the educational sphere.

The year 2018 is all set to shed light on a number of concerns and topics that are poised to transform the way educators teach and students learn.

If you are keen on exploring the much anticipated and imminent educational trends that will make a mark for themselves in 2018, here is a long list of 15 such instances that can be expected.

  1. The Internet Will Continue to be the Omnipresent and Omnipotent Learning Tool

It is now the age of technological learning that provides umpteen learning opportunities to students and teachers alike. With the booming use of internet, students will expect the seamless use of technology in classrooms as well. Since technology has already penetrated into their homes, the present generation students would be poised to bank on the internet to realize all their learning aspirations.

Students can rely on web portals to submit educational projects and assignments. Paving the way for computerization of schools, the internet will continue to provide the much-needed, unlimited access to information for students.

  1. Augmented Reality Will Rule the Roost

A number of studies that were conducted over the last couple of years have put the technology behind Augmented Reality (AR) on a pedestal. AR is the buzzword that will enhance learning alongside improving classroom interactions. Students who bank upon AR will enjoy experiential learning alongside motivating them to perform better in studies.

AR is the next big thing for tertiary learning institutes like colleges and universities. The year 2018 will witness AR to transform into a mainstay learning technology, especially for subjects like humanities, arts and sciences. AR will team up with 3D modeling software systems, allowing you to submit 3D assignments and project presentations; from your smart devices. Students majoring in architecture can employ this technology to build 3D models and assist them in their college and university project submissions.

  1. Widened Scope for Paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals who support the activities of teachers will witness a plethora of opportunities in 2018. They will bring in quality learning experiences through a number of creative methods. Paraprofessionals will have access to information that will hone their skills so that they can employ them for the collective welfare of the students of a classroom. The year 2018 will see the rise of professional development opportunities for these paraprofessionals for different school districts attached to every country.

  1. A Rise in Cost of Education Continues

College education is becoming expensive on account of many reasons. Inflated costs will definitely fleece the budget of colleges, forcing them to compensate through an increased tuition fee. Along with a deliberate cut in state funding for education, public schools and colleges are forced to jack up their tuition fees. This trend of high education costs will make its strong presence felt in 2018 as well. Given the fact that low-income students are finding it difficult to enroll for college education, colleges have decreased the college enrolment fees, eventually hiking the tuition fee.

  1. Trauma-Informed Practices Will Experience a Fillip

The future lies with educationalists having a keen interest in information concerning trauma-informed practices. The present day educators and students are relying on the professional resources which can ease the effects of trauma. It is an eye-opener to know that students under the age of 16 have already experienced the debilitating effects of stress. Given the number of factors can lead to stress in students, it is for the educators to identify them. Once these are recognized, it is for the administration to come up with strategies aimed at better management of classrooms. These trauma-informed practices will help new age students to counter and surpass any sort of educational or behavioral stumbling blocks they encounter.

  1. Flipped Classrooms – The New Age Learning Arenas

Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams along with One Drive will soon become the indispensable learning tools in modern schools. Flipped classrooms will continue to make their presence felt in education, guaranteeing the benefits of collaborative learning. The year 2018 will make these online learning tools very significant and pivotal to students to make the most of modern educational practices.

  1. Niche Learning – The New Kid on the Education Block

All in an attempt to address the increased demand for skilled professionals required by various industries, it is the need of the hour to tread the path of niche learning. Enrolments to certification courses will see a rise with organizations spending monies on equipping their workforce with on-the-job trainings and certifications. This trend is expected to open up millions of jobs for certified professionals. It is for these certifications that schools will tie up with industries who are scouting for skilled workers. This will lead to a smooth transition for the learned to pass out of college and immediately get placed in companies scouting for trained professionals.

  1. Micro-Credentialism Will Witness A Major Push

Similar to niche learning that is the much-needed form of education to thrive in this highly-competitive business environment, the concept of micro-credentialism is steadily gaining ground. Businesses are no longer in need of students who attend colleges in pursuit of knowledge about various subjects. On the contrary, they are constantly on the lookout for professionals who are abreast with the working of a streamlined vocational environment. It is through micro-credentialism that students of the present generation will have to sign up for niche learning courses so as to fill the widening gap between the demand and supply of skilled labor.

  1. The Use of Collaboration Tools Will Witness a High

In 2018, as in the previous years, students will rely on technology to not only socialize and make friends but also to collaborate. While this is an external parameter to a classroom, this trend is expected to percolate into the classroom as the entire class will use similar technologies to make education enjoyable. This will not only set the stage for students to learn from each other, but also to engage better with their topics.

  1. The Prominence of Video Communication Tools

Google Expeditions is a Virtual Reality (VR) learning tool that allows students to enjoy virtual trips by travelling to any nook and corner of the globe. This is a video communication tool that holds great promise to students of modern times to enjoy real-life learning experiences that are far-fetched with traditional teaching styles. Such video-driven learning tools permit you to make the most of online content that makes visuals thrilling to watch and learn.

  1. The Modern Age of Data-Centric Schools

Another educational trend that you should be in the know of concerns the use of statistical information in school management. Be it the seamless monitoring of attendance registers or the storage of educational projects, the year 2018 is all set to witness a sea change. Schools will begin to incorporate a widespread use of EMIS (Education Management Information System) so as to better monitor the performance of both students and teachers alike. EMIS helps schools to have up-to-date and relevant information that can be retrieved effortlessly. With the EMIS in place, schools will be in a strong position to make better decisions when they can compare past trends to current happenings.

  1. Reading Will Become A Pleasure Through E-Books

It is not an overstatement to quote that e-books have a positive impact on the reading habits of students who are reluctant to hold a book in their hands. You can now pick an e-book of your choice and read it so as to not only improve your reading skills but also for the sheer pleasure of befriending black and white text. By 2018, you can expect all the schools to employ e-books as promising reading tools to make the assimilation of knowledge a pleasure for life.

  1. The Upcoming Benefits for Teaching Fraternity

New age teachers will begin to enjoy better career pathways through typical classroom practices like teacher leadership roles and mentoring skills. Given the fact that teaching is considered a flat career without any promotions, the attrition level in the teaching line is quite high.

Some teachers will sign up for new teacher mentoring roles while some become instructional coaches. It is through these novel career options that a fresh breathe of life can be bestowed to teachers. These education-centric admin roles that the teachers will embrace will help them gain recognition for their expertise in the fields of delivering curriculum. They will also become the vital instrumentals in the growth of new teachers who are aspiring to teach and inspire students.

  1. Teacher Shortage Continues To Be A Matter of Concern

Shortage of teaching staff linked to subjects like science, math and special education will still persist in 2018 apart from registering a rise. While schools continue to face a serious shortfall of teachers, it is also crucial to retain new teachers. With a steady rise in the number of school-going students coupled with a low teacher retention rate, most of the schools, across the globe will face an acute shortage of teachers in 2018 as well.

  1. The Growing Popularity of Inclusive Practices in Education

The year 2018 will witness a steady popularity of inclusive educational practices. It is through such practices that differently-abled students can be brought into the educational mainstream. These practices will help such students to excel in their academics through an endearing support coming from educators. Enabling them to meet their numerous learning needs, a free-thinking and a collaborative learning pattern will support them in more ways than one.

Closing Thoughts

There is so much in store for all the stakeholders concerning the sphere of education in 2018. The above-explained pointers highlight the developments that you can expect in 2018. It is through these fact-based predictions that you can come to a conclusion that a paradigm shift in education is imminent and here to stay.

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When you speak of a traditional classroom, the first image that crosses your mind is the sight of a tutor lecturing to a class.

What about the students? They simply sit without participating in the classroom discussions. This non-participation of students does a great deal of harm, marring the basic premise of learning.

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In an attempt to encourage students to actively engage themselves with everything that happens in class, a model of instruction called the student-centered classroom is in place.

This is a concept that shifts the focus away from teachers and revolves around students, encouraging them to partake in classroom discussions. All in an attempt to allow students apply their minds, here are 10 intelligent ways to build a student-centered classroom.

  1. Bestow Students with the Freedom of Choice

A student-centered classroom is one which allows the freedom of choice to students.  The teacher can allow them to use their discretion about what projects they wish to work on. For that matter, you can also permit them to choose their bench and the company of their classmates. This sense of freedom will spark creativity in students, alongside strengthening their decision-making skill.

When students enjoy autonomy in everything they do, they will feel less restricted, constantly giving their best to academics or extra-curricular activities.  When students apply their knowledge, they will create an environment which promises individual and collaborative learning, while working on a group project.

  1. Unleash the Power of Student Reflection while Becoming Their Mentors and Coaches

When students are encouraged to reflect upon what they have been learning, they will slow down their pace and introspect their strengths and weaknesses. Teachers can help them analyze their worthiness when they will try to process all that they have learnt in their inquisitive brains. This will help them tread the path of individual and collective growth.

Teachers are the pivots of a student-centered classroom. They are required to implement a learning structure that urges the students to actively participate in classroom activities.  Every teacher needs to transform into a mentor delivering deep insights about how learning should progress. Posing questions, having discussions etc will help you comprehend the level of understanding each student has.

This will ultimately lead them to a holistic learning process revolving around their innate intelligence.

  1. The Inclusion of Academic Workshops and Educational Gadgets

A student-centered classroom works best through workshops along with plenty of professional development opportunities. Teachers should work hard by playing the role of mentors for specific subjects. You should create a concrete lesson plan supported by a host of teaching techniques that will benefit your students. Workshops which focus on different subjects will help students strengthen their fundamentals. In order to facilitate these mechanisms, teachers can sign up for training sessions about the use of teaching gadgets like iPads that will create an environment of personalized learning.

  1. Demonstrate The Strength of Open-Ended Questioning Techniques

Posing open ended questions allows students to formulate their own answers without sticking to a particular response from a series of answers. Since open-ended questions have no pre-determined limitations or boundaries, students can hone their creative thinking abilities while sharpening their problem-solving skills. You will also create an environment of clear intra-class communication which develops a sense of reassurance that your class welcomes every student’s ideas and thoughts.

  1. The Formulation of Rules

Autonomy is not about allowing students to do what they like. It is also about following certain non-negotiable rules. Given a scenario when all your students are working towards a group project, you can allow one student to start and lead the discussion. Others will step in through their comments. These comments will again be called for discussion so that you can keep a check on unruly and distractive students. through these boundaries students can make the most of collaborative learning and deliver the project on hand.

  1. Flip The Assessment Grades With Comments

Treading away from the traditional educational pattern, grades no longer come in as a measure of a student’s success. On the flip side, teachers should change the feedback process which collates all the comments and discussions of students with regard to submission of their assignments. The simple alphabetical grades should be done away with. A conscious effort to uncover the strengths and weaknesses of students through constructive feedback is required.

Academic quizzes and assessments as learning activities can be conducted frequently. This will come handy while collating performance metrics of every student.

  1. Unveil The Attraction of Student Collaboration

Teachers working towards a student-centered classroom should encourage students to constantly engage themselves in group learning activities. Students should be provided with umpteen opportunities to partake in group discussions. Such activities will not only introduce your students to varying opinions of their classmates, they will also be thrilled to assimilate different views coming from their mates. These activities set the stage for a healthy competition amongst your students.

  1. The Union of Family and School

For the success of a student-centered classroom, teachers would need the endearing support of the families of their wards. When you are striving towards a student-driven learning pattern, you should work hard in the direction of motivating them alongside making them accountable for all their actions.

These two traits of accountability and motivation should be honed from the home-front as well. Notwithstanding the fact that a school is indeed the second home of every student, it is only when you rope in the parents of your wards that you will derive synergistic benefits of well-informed families teaming with classrooms. For this, it is the need of the hour to educate parents about the principles behind a student-centered classroom so as to reap the benefits of enhanced student participation.

  1. Chalk Out Individual Assignments

It takes all sorts of students to make up a class. Contrary to the belief that one size fits all, a classroom has students with different IQ levels. They also demonstrate different speeds at which they grasp the classroom learnings. In an attempt to handhold these different students, you can chalk out individual assignments that match varying learning styles. With such assignments in place, students with diverse learning patterns can benefit from an in-depth understanding of the subject.

  1. Introduce Students To Multiple Learning Avenues

Given the rate at which technology is penetrating into every walk of human life, millennials of today have lots to explore through the internet. You can encourage them to register for online courses which are in tandem with their core interests. Such learning avenues can encourage a motivated student to look at education from a completely different perspective.

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Alongside practicing the model of self-learning, students can become a part of experiential learning that is offered by technology  like AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality). All these not only allow students to apply their knowledge but also aid in a significant paradigm shift in the learning methods employed in classrooms. Such technological interventions can become catalysts to a student-centered classroom.

Key Takeaways

After understanding the importance of student-centered classrooms, it goes without saying that this form of learning can lead to a much-needed and exciting educational transition.

All you need to do is to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of your students. After understanding these attributes closely, you can carve a student-centered classroom.

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Learning is an ongoing process and you are really blessed if you get a chance to study in your life. It doesn’t matter much on how you perceive your education but what matters is the way you apply it in your real life.

A majority of the students are regular school or college goers and they gain their degrees by spending a major part of their day at the institution. However, the trend is slowly changing as many of the students are now opting for online courses. And there are enough reasons for students to think different and get their education done online.

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Here are a few among the many reasons why many students are opting for online courses:

  1. Balance time flexibly: Are you running a family or taking care of your kids or parents and finding it difficult to attend a regular course? Then why not go for an online course and get your degree by balancing your time flexibly? Most of the online courses available let you perceive it without restrictions for the time flexibility. You can invest your free time in these courses and take care of your other priorities during the prime time.

 

  1. Learn despite time and place: Are you staying in a remote area and finding it difficult to make convenient transportation to good institutions in the city? The online courses make your dream of learning possible without the hassles of travelling kilometres daily. Online courses won’t demand students to learn in a particular time and this gives them the convenience of studying despite whether it is day or night. Thus you can balance the personal and professional life well.

 

  1. Learn and work in parallel: Some people might wish to learn more but have to get into a work to earn the living. The online courses offer the flexibility to learn on your free time by still pursuing the career. You can work on day time and spend a few hours for the course during night or weekend and manage both things efficiently. Some work demands a lot of travelling and this restricts the option for going for even weekend courses regularly. Online courses with flexible timing are a solution for such students also.

 

  1. Flexible schedules: When you opt for a regular class at campus, there is no compromise on the daily attendance. You have to be present for almost half of your day at the institution to pursue your dream. The advantage of studying in flexible schedules makes the online learning a plus for people with multiple areas to focus. This also gives them a chance to focus on different areas of study in parallel. Missing a class lesson due to fever or heavy rain is out of question in this approach.

 

  1. Student-centered curriculum: This type of learning in fact promotes the student-centered curriculum. Students would get a chance to share their decisions and be confident in their capacity. Their distinct aspirations, learning needs or areas of interest can be addressed well using this mode of study. This in fact develops their communication and social skills and triggers their intrinsic motivation to learn. They can easily identify the ways through which they can transfer their abilities to the real world.

 

  1. Access to online education materials: There is no trouble of carrying heavy text books to the school or college every day. You can have access to the wide range of online education materials with just an internet connection. Moreover, they can review notes, re-watch lecture videos or access other online resources at the time of their choice. There is no botheration of returning books on time to the library as you can refer to the materials that you need at your preferred time.

 

  1. Globally discuss online: The advanced online courses will have a global community of the student members who are taking the courses worldwide. So you will get a chance to discuss about the subject from different students globally which helps you to learn about the subject on a wider perspective. This also improves their online communication and everyone gets a chance to express their views which is not always practical in a traditional classroom.

 

  1. No limits to learning by geography: The flexibility to learn despite the place where you are living is what makes online learning this much special. So you don’t need to give up your dream of pursuing certificate in your preferred subject just because the institution near your home is not offering it. Similarly, students can get courses across the country or globe and thus erasing the barriers of limited students and instructor options.

 

  1. Improved computer skills: When you gain a degree by undergoing online courses, you would be more frequently using the system. So there is a good chance for you to become masters of the computer with good technical skills. The proficiency in using the system and web gained through online learning format are really going to help you in their professional life, as well.

 

  1. More choice of course topics: There may be limitations on the courses available if you plan to pursue your degree on a campus. However, online learning opens a world of choices and you can seek a degree of your favourite subject. Staffing limitations of your favourite subject no more stops you from pursuing what you really wish. The choice can be made from a wide variety of programs that open a world of opportunities for pursuing various careers.

 

  1. Accessibility of qualified teachers: Another important advantage of taking degrees online is the availability of subject experts. Many of the courses allow you to fix a schedule for learning with the subject expert of your choice from a group of qualified teachers. There are also options to send your doubts or queries regarding the subject to the teacher’s email and get a fairly quicker response.

 

  1. Convenient group meetings: Group projects can be more flexible than in a traditional classroom. They can discuss the project ideas and plans in the discussion corner and execute it well on time. There is no need to take trouble in coordinating a time or place for discussion unlike in a regular classroom setup. Moreover, this opens up a chance to grow your professional network and friendship.

 

  1. Learn from comfort zone: Some may not prefer to study by sitting at the desk for a longer period of time. Similarly, some others won’t prefer to wear uniforms and go by the school responsibilities to study their area of interest. Online learning is an excellent option for those who prefer to study from their comfort zone. They don’t need to sacrifice their time, place or other engagements and study at their comfort.

 

  1. Self-paced learning: Independent learners would always prefer to learn at their own pace without any restrictions or pressure. This is possible with online learning unlike the traditional classroom schedules and weekly exams. In this method, a student has the sole deciding power of what to study and when to study and this flexibility proves really good for independent learners. They can invest ample time for their other passions and give dedicated time for learning at their wish.

 

  1. Character development: An institution is considered the best place where a student develops interpersonal skills and many doubts that it will be missed in online courses. However, learning online is not that easy going as many think. This requires good time management skills as well as a lot of self-motivation. This is the most important skill a student should develop that gives him a self drive to do things in life. It also teaches how to meet deadlines without any external pressure which is going to help you a lot in the work place.

 

  1. Lower costs: Most importantly, you can save pretty decent money if you opt to take up courses online. The payment is needed for just the tuition fees, any book posts and the exam fees. Students can be free of the money they spend for housing and transportation. This helps them to avoid the possible debts and save more.

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If you are trying hard to balance the learning phase for any of the reasons, don’t leave up your dream to learn more. Instead, do a thorough research and join an online course of your favourite subject and enjoy the true spirit of learning. Even when you have enough degrees in your life, you can try your intelligence or excellence in different subjects by opting for various courses online and keep up the passion for learning.