The challenge for teachers today is to use technology and deliver them on the long-held dream of personalised learning for every student, says SANDEEP BAPNA
Technology can lead to more one-on-one interaction between teacher and student (not less). For example, in classrooms that use mastery learning systems, teachers get information and insights to provide personalised instruction for every student. “They’re able to better meet the needs of every student and build deeper connections with their students,” said Sandeep Bapna, Khan Academy India’s head honcho.
Speaking about the importance of technology at the elementary level. he said, teachers have always known that meeting individual needs of each student accelerates learning. “They have been heroic in their efforts to do this in classrooms of 30 or more students at a time. However, it’s challenging for even the most passionate teacher to meet the needs of every student. Today, teachers can finally use technology to begin to deliver on the long-held dream of personalised learning for every student,” he added.
Bapna recently conducted a market research and results said that 40% teachers were not using online education in classrooms because the school administration didn't recommend it or there was a lack of proper infrastructure.
“But 98% of these teachers surveyed were found to be confident that the use of online learning tools is only going to increase in the future, and such tools provide excellent remediation options and supplement the classroom learning,” Bapna said.
Disclosing that the Kerala Government had signed a five-year partnership with his Academy to cover 4,775 schools, one lakh teachers and 20 lakh students, he said that in the first year of partnership, the State would link Academy’s content to Samagra — its education portal, provide training to teachers and begin a 20-school personalised learning pilot. “Learning’s from the first year would be applied to a State-wide rollout over the next four years. The content, delivered through its website and apps, helps students attain grade level mastery. Teachers can track progress, identify gaps in learning, and use data to help individual students,” he explained.
As for the Mastery Learning P rogramme, Bapna said that “teachers have always known that meeting the individual needs of each student accelerates learning. And they have been heroic in their efforts to do this in classrooms of 30 or more students at a time.
However, it’s challenging for even the most passionate teacher to meet the needs of every student. The mastery learning system makes this vision a reality for teachers and students everywhere. It is free. In this system, every student progresses through unlimited quizzes and questions at just the right level for them.
“They get immediate feedback as they learn and, when appropriate; learning interventions at the exact moment the student needs them. Teachers can track progress, identify gaps in learning and use data to help individual students,” he said.