To build great ed-tech, think like a great teacher
We can all recall that favourite teacher from our school days. They treated us like the unique individual we are. They intuitively understood how we learnt best. And, they made learning enjoyable.
In an ideal world, every learner (of any age, but particularly children) would have a great, flesh-and-blood teacher next to them. But in the real world, they’re in short supply, especially in economically depressed regions. In our Corona-world, even those great teachers have to reach students through technology. This is where ed-tech comes in.
The goal of children’s ed-tech must be to empower the teacher and the student to give their best. For this, there are three qualities we must imbue ed-tech with — qualities we can borrow from that favourite teacher.
1. Empathy
Many children have less-than-reliable Internet connections, so developers should consider developing lessons and apps that can be accessed offline. Also, what about teachers and students who don’t have constant access to personal devices? And those with less familiarity with tech or English?
“Technologists should focus on how digital education can reach everyone, even students with no personal devices and limited or no access to bandwidth.” says Prof. Milind Atrey, Dean R&D, IIT Bombay.
2. Personalisation
Technologies like AI can help teachers offer personalised training programmes for students isolated at home.
“Remote education does not mean focusing only on standard academic curriculum. Developers should also focus on remote education solutions for fitness activities and project based learning.” Says Dr. Biswajit Saha, Director, CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education), Government of India
3. Fun
Spending countless hours in front of a screen can be tedious. Learning outcomes for children will improve if teachers are able to gamify lessons — a brain teaser here or a challenge there.
Developers shouldn’t underestimate the importance of enjoyment — the fun element makes children more curious and want to come back for more.
IBM’s Call for Code has several tools that help do ed-tech (especially remote learning) well. Three examples:
- A node.js app that can function as a quiz or test platform.
- A sample Python app that extracts text and notes from instructional videos. Also a Watson-based app that translates notes into several languages.
- A tutorial on how to set up a highly configurable virtual classroom environment.
https://developer.ibm.com/callforcode/get-started/covid-19/remote-education/
