Technology Driving Innovation in Education

Kids, these days, have become ‘screenagers’. iPods, PSPs and computers have become their best friends. How can their texts books interest them when a far more entertaining source, the computer or television screen, is awaiting them?

This shift that has taken place in the preference of children has given impetus to innovation in education. The role of technology in education is now coming to the forefront. Educators are looking out for newer learning methods to be introduced. Given the monotony of the age-old textbooks, graphic books with interactive content are gaining popularity. Involving content, fresh presentation of knowledge and brilliant self-assessment would be the key elements of the next generation textbooks.

The current trend in education is doing away with monotonous lectures and instead gripping the attention of the children with edutainment. Edutainment is a term coined by the new-school educators who believe that retention of knowledge is possible only if the kids like what they learn. The only means of ensuring this is by revolutionizing the technique of teaching. To put it simply, children will like what they learn only if they enjoy how they learn.

A teacher lecturing dryly for an entire class or a dull textbook is sure to take all the fun away from learning. Instead, if one were to work around the interests of the kids and develop an innovative learning pattern, we could be looking at a whole new world of education. If films are what they like, help your kids learn through movies. If your kid is an online gaming fan, look for learning-based games.

Kids, today, are smarter than we can ever imagine them to be. All that is needed is to tap the right source to educate and teach them. We need to play the game as per their rules. For all you know, you may end up learning a thing or two in the process.

Audio-Visual Aids in Education

The profession of teaching can also be looked at as an opportunity to alter the lives of students. How does one do that? Well, as a teacher you can enrich their lives with knowledge.

When it comes to certain topics, it might be possible for students to follow the subject quite easily. For other topics, however, you might have to explain with the help of audio-visual aids. Why audio-visual aids? Well, simply because the use of such visual representation really enhances the lecture and enables better and easier learning for the student. Even research has proved that the greater the number of senses involved, the better is the learning.

Students enjoy it when they are exposed to different styles of learning. As a teacher, you can include ways to increase student participation in class. A great way of doing this is by asking students to make presentations. Besides that, you can also have screenings of movies in class, followed by discussions based on the same.

Another exciting way of teaching is through the experience of educational trips. Organising an outing to the local science centre or planetarium is a good option. One more way of making the lecture interesting is recording educational content on audio or video CDs/DVDs and then playing it to the class. This is particularly useful when learning languages as listening improves our ability to understand.

Using audio-visual aids in class helps make the learning process more fun. Essentially, the education system remains traditional. It is only the method that becomes more contemporary. The idea is to hold the attention of your students and get your point across. Audio-visual aids also give you the opportunity to incorporate different educational resources.

Thanks to the constant development in science and technology, educational audio-visual aids are continuously changing and improving. The use of these aids has helped transform our traditional education system into one which is highly interactive as well as a lot of fun.

Education through Games

Education through games? Sounds strange, doesn’t it? But it sure is true. Well, times are changing for sure. With the turn of the 21st century, we have progressed very rapidly in different domains such as personal technology, medicine and science; and education is no exception to this rule.

Methods of education are changing across the world. In India, however, we still have a fairly traditional system of education. So it is time that we revamped our system a little to make it more contemporary and enriching. One useful way of doing that is providing education through games. Games are surely great teachers. For instance, research has shown that video games, which are usually associated with promoting laziness, actually assist in teaching varied subjects ranging from Mathematics to Music. This is because it engages learners and involves them in the learning process.

Robert Kiyosaki, author of the famous book, Rich Dad Poor Dad, is a very strong advocate of the educational abilities of games. In his book, Kiyosaki has created a game called Cashflow 101. It is a board game designed to educate players about the different notions of earning through investments. This was also released in the form of a computer game and both were extremely successful.

Games help kids to become self-reliant in terms of learning. They provoke the children to start thinking for themselves and questioning ideas presented to them instead of merely gulping them down and reproducing them in examinations. You will come across several instances where kids lose concentration after sometime while sitting in a traditional classroom.

The great thing about education through games is that kids are made to think and process information while they are playing them. Games also appeal to others kinds of learners for whom books might not work such as children who prefer to learn by doing.

Educational games make learning fun, but more importantly, they ensure that learning actually occurs. They also help in the reduction of stress levels among kids by presenting assessment exercises like tests and exams in a more interactive format. In addition, a combination of education and entertainment can act as a strong motivator for students.

Futuristic Education

The culture of innovation in learning and teaching has long been a standing and active predicament for educators world over. Education has constantly triggered the need for innovative learning methods that can stand the test of time.

Education has transformed young minds in the past. But the changing times and the pace of the real world have only exposed rigidity in the education system. Wouldn’t we be better off if new ideas and methods to learning and teaching were introduced to keep up with this change?

In the past we have dwelled on monotonous theoretical exchange of knowledge; however the need for a more interactive medium has never been more necessary. Interactive learning incorporated within the system with the use of movies, presentations and hands-on activities have the ability to ignite the children’s creativity.

Many children have realized their passion for learning when their teachers used presentations with audible and visual feedback in the classroom. The range of learning tools by Axiom Education have proved effective in stimulating young minds and should definitely be used more extensively.

Another innovative method of teaching could be role-plays of famous personalities in the form of skits. Including the parents and teachers along with the children is another means of make learning a more enjoyable experience.

Extra curricular activities have always been treated as secondary to academics. But with the new approach that educators are taking children can learn and play together. Parents may even grow to learn the importance of sports for it has a way of teaching discipline and moral codes that is second to none.

Understandably, innovative methods may seem abundant but incorporation of the same within the system without examining its feasibility and rationale is erroneous. New teaching tools come at a price and budget allocation for these need to be looked into. Investing in effective educational tools brings far-reaching results in the long run.

The New Age Classroom

Classrooms have undergone quite a transformation from the open air ones under shady trees to the ones with benches, air conditioners and whiteboards. The appearance may have gone through a radical change but classroom culture has been more or less the same.

Teachers have been so used to reading out from lengthy textbooks, writing copious notes on the board and lecturing endlessly. No wonder retention of knowledge is such a challenge for children. But things are now looking up. A revolution has hit the world of education. Schools have taken to a newer approach of teaching and children seem to love it.

Instead of dreary, black and white textbooks that repulsed children, schools are introducing textbooks with bright images and engaging content that encourage interactive learning. The mechanism to deliver education has been modified such that children can better relate to it. The comic characters in these text books are sketched to teach children everything right from the most practical subject science to most theoretical one i.e. history.

For a long time, comic book enthusiasts have argued that comic books make more than just a fun read and the new age classroom has now confirmed their belief. The use of comics to teach kids is proof enough that edutainment is the way to go as far as delivery methods are concerned.

Today, as one enters the new age classroom, it is not an uncommon sight to see children learning through educational movies and games. This change has made learning fun for the children, their teachers and parents. What is truly wonderful is that these fun learning methods have seen remarkable success.

Not only do the children enjoy the new age classroom and its teaching techniques, but they also understand and remember better. A lesson learnt through movies, audios and comic books has a much better recall value. In the new age classroom, every student can crack every exam with zero stress. Now this is what we call innovation in education.

Education with Entertainment

Does it have to be a battle for the mother to get her son to study? Do board exams have to scare students? Do text books have to be boring? And do stereotyped final exams have to be the only way to test children?

Today, we are dealing with a world of change. And no, we need not accept the same old teaching practices only because that’s how they have been. From parents to teachers to students, everyone is ready to explore innovative and efficient ways of learning. The concept of interactive learning has arrived and is here to stay.

Schools are changing their conventional ways and adopting edutainment. Contests and quizzes are replacing the exams that once intimidated students. Children are taught self-analysis and self-assessment instead of rigidly evaluating them. Gone are the days when board and competitive exams were considered the only means of testing a student’s knowledge.

We have all identified the need to educate the young ones if we are to envisage a better future. If education is to fulfil its purpose, it needs to be in keeping with their preference, interests and the changing times. If textbooks bore them, how are they going to learn from them?

Mexus Education has been one of the first to identify and welcome this change in traditional learning methods. It’s new NCERT curriculum-based Iken Books are signs of tectonic shifts in the field of education.

Studies have proved that children learn faster from story books and comic books, besides enjoying them more. This is precisely why educators are moving to the use of comic text books, creatively designed curriculums and innovative education.

We stand at a point where change in education is inevitable as much as it is desired. Comic books that teach, movies that educate and free online games that test are becoming a part of the classroom. And there’s no denying that they are doing a job better than the dull text books of yore.

Comics and Exams

The last few hours before an examination are intense for both kids and their parents. While parents are busy making sure their kids have revised every bit of their study material, kids are plain bored with the excessive cramming that is happening. They would like to do nothing better than pick up their favourite comic and unwind.

This gets me to think what a great tool the comic book would make at the time of exams. With just a little effort, comic books can be designed innovatively such that they become one of the ways to prepare for exams. The creative content in comic books is said to have better recall value than the conventional text books. Kids are sure to remember chronology, time-lines, name of places, historical characters when presented in the form of graphic books.

Think of young children discussing Science, Geography and maybe even History with the same interest as Superman and Batman, quizzing one another using their Iken Books and acing tests just like that!

Not only can this revolutionize learning methods, but also the process of revision. The otherwise boring question banks that kids usually skip in their text books can be replaced by fun games and tests. Even the last minute revisions seem less stressing.

While recognizing the need to innovate learning, Mexus Education has turned to comic book resources, Iken Books and other comic text books to teach children. A welcome change for teachers, parents and definitely for the students.

From time immemorial, the image of a child hiding his comic inside his text book speaks of his disinterest in studies. But today, the winds of change have come; urging us to open our minds to newer methods of preparing for exams. Kids need no longer hide those comic books for the day has come when parents will be happy to see their kid with comic book in his hand. And as for the kids, they’ve always enjoyed it!

Comic Books that Educate

Myth? Unbelievable? Impossible? Of course not. One of the most recent trends that has brought education and entertainment together is the emergence of the educational comic book.

It all began way back in 1949 when Hutchinson’s experimented with a weekly comic called Puck, which was centred about a school curriculum. At the time, most teachers found that the comics had increased motivation and participation levels among students. However, there was also the conservative lot who actually kvetched about educational comic books oversimplifying learning. Since then, the educational comic book has metamorphosed through various avatars including Superman language arts workbooks and many others to gradually gain grudging acceptance in educational circles.

Truth be told, most people, particularly children, think in images and this is why they are drawn to comics, educational or not. With regard to education, comic books can be particularly useful because they help ease the cognitive burden plain text places on a learner. While students may spend many minutes reading a few paragraphs on the water cycle, a simple graphical representation of the same phenomenon explains the process in seconds. Such is the power of the medium.

Unlike other visual mediums like movies and animation, comic books provide a sense of visual permanence. Simply put, this means that specific images are always easily available to the learner allowing the learning to be self-paced.

The most important aspect of educational comic books is that they have the potential to make learning pleasurable in stark contrast to the boring textbooks that most children have to put up with. As a result, studying becomes less of a burden.

While guides, question sets and poorly compiled study notes have become a booming industry to boost examination results, educational comic books pose parents and students with a qualitatively better option.

Will educational comic books take off? That’s anybody’s guess right now!

Learn while having fun

What is the one thing that children seek all the time? Every hour and every day? Be it dusk or dawn. Come rain or sun… Undoubtedly, it is Fun. The element of fun is very crucial to a child’s development and learning. In fact, a lot of early learning takes place through sheer play and joy. After all, fun is the most fundamental need and birthright of children - of all ages!

In that case, what a dream it would be for students if they were told that they could actually learn while having fun! How ecstatic would they feel if their learning pattern were to undergo such radical changes so as to facilitate studying without stress? What a delight it would be if the students were offered a simplified learning management system whereby they would not even realize that they are learning and playing together?

There’s good news here. Introducing Axiom Education – an edutainment resource to commence your journey of fun learning! For Axiom has pioneered an innovation in education and revolutionized the learning methods of the NCERT curriculum. Based on the primary principles of simplicity and pleasure, Axiom Education has created educational content which is enjoyable and everlasting. Axiom has formulated a creative blend of entertainment and education, which it strongly believes will be the future of education. “We must make learning fun so that kids yearn to learn…at all ages and all levels!” This dictum has driven Axiom Education to design efficient and inventive system of learning.

So, what, you may ask, is this new learning method?

Behold! This innovative and efficient way of learning is known as Iken books! Learning through Iken books serve as a unique educational experience. By making learning fun, memorable, amusing and engaging, Iken books make education come alive!

Compulsive studying versus Encouraging learning

Imagine- A typical scene at home before school feedback and assessment time. When the mother is coaxing her child to do his homework. Struggling by all means to get him to study and revise. Trying it all - persuading, negotiating, shouting, threatening and sweating it out to get him to sit on his desk, but to no avail. The stress levels are high, so are the sound levels arising out of the confrontation. The child has a strong resolve. He is adamant - come what may, no one is going to succeed in getting him to sit and learn. He has a far more important agenda – playing. How can anything else come in the way? How can he allow study to interrupt his precious play time? Studying just doesn’t figure in his scheme of things.

Familiar sight, isn’t it? There is a sense of desperation on both ends. While the child is exercising all his defiance, the mother is left feeling helpless and in extreme anxiety. This is without doubt a consequence of studying which feels compulsive: Rigid, unbending and strict. It’s got to be done in a certain way, no choice given there.

Compare that to a diverse learning pattern. Where learning is encouraged by implementing an innovative and efficient way of teaching. Through educational content which is enjoyable and everlasting. Whereby the student is self-motivated to learn. Whereby self-learning becomes a new found way of gaining knowledge.

Mexus Education has pioneered a soon to be introduced edutainment tool, a revolution in the education scenario. So there are no more quarrels at the desk. So that learning is encouraged to be enjoyed.

Innovation in NCERT curriculum

It is commonly said that ‘Familiarity brings content’! True. But with all due respect to whoever quoted it, this too is also a well-known maxim - ‘If you do not change, you can become extinct’!

Now this can become a debatable situation. On one side, it is easy and convenient to tread on the known path and to swim in safe waters. To continue doing what has been believed and done for even aeons together.
While on the other hand, in order to bring in change, there is always the fear of the unknown, the skepticism of the concealed and the reluctance of getting out of the comfort zone.
Herein lies the difference between complacency and risk-taking. The difference between stagnation and movement.

Mexus Education firmly opines that innovation stems from the necessity to transform. The desire for change, the compulsive rejection of the old and the craving for the new. When there is scope to improve, why tolerate the existing? Why make do with the ordinary when the extraordinary is attainable?

Adopting this philosophy is the cornerstone of Mexus Education and its fundamentals.
And this has led Mexus Education to revolutionise the NCERT curriculum. To present it in a manner which has not only challenged the conventional, but also thrown open a whole new array of learning methods.

What follows is only the outcome of taking the risk, of plunging into unknown waters!