From Blackboards to Smart Classes-Growth of Edu Tech

Technology means application of science to any particular field. It has been rightly said that necessity is the mother of invention. Since the prehistoric times, man has been looking for ways and means to improve his way of living, the present is pushed by the past and pulled by the future; we manage our daily livelihoods and work by a mix of age old and new technologies, as new knowledge derives aplenty from past knowledge. In our times the rate of growth in technology has accelerated and has radically impacted our way of living. Technology has impacted almost all fields including education.

In the field of education, educators face two challenges; the first is to improve the presentation of knowledge and information and the second is to enhance learning. If the former improves the latter is also enhanced. Since ages, blackboard has been the medium for educators to impart education. Smart classes make sure that the educator can impart more knowledge and learning in a shorter time span. Smart classes comprise of a screen and a pen with which the educator can write on the screen. The screen is connected to computer hardware and internet. Such type of connectivity makes it possible for the educator to access knowledge data bases and present information with ease. Advanced smart classes can have facilities for distance connectivity with learners and scholars and access to knowledge through cloud computing. Presentation of information can now be more enhanced by 3D screens. Given to imagination, if virtual reality, touch screens and transparent screens are brought into the set of tools, the education scenario can almost be like science fiction movies; well if the resources are limitless then possibilities can also be limitless!

Most of the private schools are now offering smart classes, thus preparing the future generation for the technological changes that are happening around them rapidly. The government has plans to make this facility available in more and more number of government run schools, as a requisite step towards preventing a knowledge divide. The straw shows the way of the wind, the present changes in the technological environment of education scenario strongly suggests radical changes in the way people will be taught in the future.