Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I. Introduction
Teaching, a noble profession is a daunting and challenging task. In the present era, with the advent of new
methodologies in teaching and the way digital and smart learning has made inroads into the field of education, the
role of teachers has also greatly evolved over a period of time. Today, a teacher is faced with the arduous task of
keeping him/herself abreast with the latest inventions and strides in the field of medicine, education, science, art
and etc. Upgrading their skills and knowledge from time to time is thus necessary and is an utmost priority today.
A teacher is also an educator. They have the opportunity of making a huge impact on the students, but with
this opportunity come many challenges. The greatest of the challenges faced by a teacher are:
3. Motivating and encouraging them when the students underperform and have to deal with parental and peer
pressure.
It is imperative for a teacher to form a healthy bond with the students. Every effort should be made by a teacher to
know their students well. The interaction should extend well beyond the Classrooms. A teacher should be a friend
first and should shoulder the responsibility of grooming the Students with warmth and a cheerful disposition.
Students should feel free to broach any subject and express all doubts whatsoever and a teacher should be
approachable and accessible. A broad mind and a friendly attitude on the part of a teacher will make all the
The biggest challenge for any teacher lies in understanding the different learning abilities of the students.
Students differ in their grasping, memory, concentration, ability to learn and write and show varied interests in
various subjects. A student who is good at Mathematics may find grasping the concepts of Biology difficult. So
also a student may be good at sports and other co-curricular activities but does not show the same attention and
interest when it comes to Academics. Some students are exceptionally brilliant and hard-working, while others
are slow learners, who struggle to understand what is being taught in the class. How does a teacher handle
different students?
A good teacher will always focus on the slow- learners takes them into his domain and nurtures them with
care and concentration. Comparing and criticizing the students on the basis of grades and marks scored should
never be encouraged by a teacher. Talking individually to the students, designing modules as per their
requirements and assigning tasks to them based on their interests and then assessing their progress is vital here
Today, the students not only have to cope with academic and peer pressure but also have to deal with unrealistic
parental expectations. This is leading to unprecedented stress in the Students. The biggest challenge for any
teacher will be, as to how he motivates, guides and encourages the students when they underperform, lose their
focus and are distracted due to various circumstances. Lending a shoulder, a word of comfort and support,
instilling confidence and a positive attitude towards the students in their tough times is bound to bring a sea
The Parent-Teacher equation has changed today. Parents more involved in the schooling and academics of
their wards and PT meetings are well attended. The biggest challenge for a teacher lies in assessing the progress
of the students and effectively conveying the same to the parents. A teacher should identify the strengths and
weaknesses of the Students and be able to discuss the same with the parents, thus creating an open atmosphere for
the parents. Being harsh/rude to the parents and the students can prove detrimental to both the teacher as well as
to the institution. Teachers should be accountable to the management as well and need to cooperate with the
changing rules and regulations and play a key role in cementing a healthy bond between Management-Parent-
Student.
Politeness, Patience, Perseverance and Assertiveness are all hallmarks of a great teacher. Teachers should rise
up to these challenges, take them in their stride to make a difference and bring about a change in the society as a
whole.
II. Innovation
It reviews ten innovations that will have profound influence and impact on education.
1. Playful learning
Playful learning focuses on the process more than the outcome. There are many different ways to support playful
learning. Play provides an important contrast to an increasing focus on memorization, testing, and performance
Conversations that facilitate and enable learning are an essential part of education. Skilled teachers engage in
frequent conversations with their learners. Intelligent software assistants and robots can help. Robots are also
becoming capable of learning through interaction and conversation with a human tutor.
3. Decolonizing learning
As education has become increasingly global, communities have challenged the widespread assumption that the
most valuable knowledge and the most valuable ways of teaching and learning come from a single European
tradition. Decolonizing learning helps us to recognize, understand, and challenge the ways in which our world is
shaped by colonialism. It also prompts us to examine our professional practices. It is an approach that includes
indigenous knowledge and ways of learning, enabling students to explore themselves and their values and to
4. Drone-based learning
Learners can use drones to look inside inaccessible places or to see a landscape from different angles. Using
drones, students can collect data in places that would otherwise be difficult or dangerous to access. The use of
drones helps learners to develop new skills, including planning routes and interpreting visual clues in the
landscape. Drone-based learning also stimulates valuable discussion around how emerging technologies can be
A wondrous event, such as seeing a brilliant rainbow or a majestic mountain waterfall, creates an experience that
provokes interest and curiosity. Such wondrous encounters motivate learners to see a phenomenon from many
different perspectives. Teachers can include wonder in learning activities through magic shows, object lessons,
nature tables, cabinets of curiosities, and outdoor quests, as well as through literature that evokes a sense of
wonder.
6. Action learning
A team-based approach to professional development that addresses real and immediate problems. The approach
was developed for workplace learning and is now being used more widely. Its aims are to improve existing skills
and to solve problems that are significant to those taking part. Learners work in small groups with a trained
facilitator. The groups contain a diverse set of people with different interests and experiences. Each learner
introduces a problem or issue of concern. By meeting regularly and sharing different perspectives, group
members find and apply solutions. In order to do this, they ask questions, share experiences, and reflect on their
actions.
7. Virtual studios
Virtual studios are not simply an online version of physical studios. They have their own educational value and
offer new possibilities. A globally distributed design, specification, and fabrication studio is no longer an
impossibility – it is a probable future for design practice as well as education. Commercial examples have
already been established. It is now important that educators reflect on how to make best use of this emerging
technology.
8. Place-based learning
Place-based learning considers location to be a trigger for learning and an active part of how people learn. It is an
approach that involves looking for learning opportunities within a local community and using the natural
environment to inspire learners. It can support learning about a wide range of subjects, including Culture and
History, Geography and Science. Mobile technologies are opening up new opportunities for place-based
learning. They offer a sophisticated set of tools that can be used to support study outside the classroom. They
Learning becomes more effective when students can visualize their thinking. This can include setting goals,
writing down the steps when solving a problem, and making annotations. Making thinking visible fits with a
view of learning as a constructive activity. Technology-enhanced assessment prompts students to show their
working as they solve problems and receive automated feedback. Visible records of students’ personal and social
learning can become resources for reflection. Teachers can see how each student is progressing towards mastery
of a topic and can identify where students are blocked or have misunderstood a topic
Roots of Empathy is a classroom programed designed to teach children empathy. It prepares children aged 5 to
13 to interact with others healthily and constructively. It also prepares them to cope with different relationships
in their lives. This programed is based on the principle that when children understand how they feel and how
other people feel, they find it easier to cope in social situations. In order to help them to do this, Roots of
III. Conclusion
To conclude, the presence of educational technology is growing in the classroom. The new generation of kids
come ready to work with these new technologies, which play an important role in children’s learning and
acquiring various cognitive knowledge so that educational technology must be incorporated into future curricula.
The application of educational technology enhances skills and cognitive characteristics. With the help of new
technology comes an explosion of learning and receiving new information, especially on mobile devices.
Teachers have been using new technologies in the classroom. However, the development and application of new
technologies grows as a measure that is the question of whether teachers are trained to keep up with them. Here
we have two problems. Are the teachers have the ability to use educational technology and whether the school is
sufficiently equipped with all modern technical means? Numerous studies were carried out, some are still
ongoing, but we have to find the right strategies to apply educational technology in teaching.
REFERENCES:
Becker, H. J. (2000). Access to classroom computers. Communications of the ACM, 43(6), 24–25.
Clark, R. E. (1983). Reconsidering the research on learning from media. Review of Educational Research, 53(4),
445-459
Clements, D.H., & J. Sarama. (2003). “Strip Mining for Gold: Research and Policy in Educational Technology: A
Response to ‘Fool’s Gold.’” AACE Journal, 11 (1): 7–69.
Dynarski, M., Agodini, R., Heaviside, S., Novak, T., Carey, N., Campuzano, L., Means, B., Murphy, R., Penuel,
W., Javitz, H., Emery, D., & Sussex, W. (2007). Effectiveness of reading and mathematics software
products: Findings from the first student cohort. Washington, DC: Institute of Education Sciences.
Glaubke, C. R. (2007). The Effects of Interactive Media on Preschoolers’ Learning: A Review of the Research and
Recommendations for the Future. Oakland, CA: Children Now.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Lee, H. W., Lim, K. Y., & Grabowski, B. L. (2008). Generative learning: Principles and implications for making
meaning. In M. J. Spector, D. M. Merrill, J. van Merrienboer & M. P. Driscoll (Eds.), Handbook of
research and educational communications and technology (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis
Group.
Leu, D. J., O’Byrne, W. I., Zawlinski, L., McVerry, G., & Everett-Cacopardo, H. (2009). Expanding the new
literacies conversation. Educational Researcher, 38(4), 264-269.
Lowther, D. L., Inan, F. A., Ross, S. M., & Strahl, J. D. (2012). Do one-to-one initiatives bridge the way to 21st
century knowledge and skills?. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 46(1), 1-30.
Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kemp, J. E., & Kalman, H. (2010). Designing effective instruction: Applications of
instructional design (6th. Ed.), New York, NY: Wiley.
NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media (2012). Technology and Interactive
Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8. Joint position
statement. Washington, DC: NAEYC; Latrobe, PA: Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning at Saint
Vincent College. Retrieved from www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/ positions/PS_technology_WEB2.pdf