City Teachers to learn tech-savvy lessons

Teachers will be trained on how to use mobile apps to teach students and connect better with them

MUMBAI: From using the latest gadgets and mobile apps to attending workshops on technology and even encouraging teachers to get Google certifications, city schools are going all out to groom their teachers to become tech-savvy in a bid to fortify the teacher-student connect.

Take for instance, St Mary’s School (ICSE), Mazgaon. The students plan to organise workshops for more than 500 teachers from the city’s Jesuit schools on using mobile apps while teaching. This is part of the ‘Rang Bhare Teachers’ initiative, which aims at teaching lessons in an interesting way.

“The students will introduce us to the latest education-related apps, such as photo maps, which we can make use of while teaching subjects,” said Joan Dias, who teaches at St Mary’s School.

The idea is to ensure teachers stay abreast with the latest trends in technology. “Students today are ahead of their teachers when it comes to using technological devices. Teachers cannot afford to lag behind. They have to make use of these devices and apps to retain students’ attention,” said Father Francis Swamy, the school’s principal and co-ordinator, Jesuit School Board.

Some school principals said training teachers, especially older ones, in technology will be an uphill task. “It’s challenging to keep teachers, especially the older ones, updated with technology, as they prefer not to use it too often,” said Seema Buch, principal, Gundecha Education Academy, Kandivli. The school has, however, ensured its teachers are trained every year on how to use digital classrooms. “We have been conducting the same training programme every year. We also teach them basic computer skills, such as using PowerPoint and test them on it,” said Buch.

Since last year, teachers of RN Podar School, Santacruz, have been applying for Google certifications. “It started with a few of us applying for it and now, it has caught on. It is important for teachers to know how to use technology. It makes work easy and efficient,” said Avnita Bir, the school’s principal.

Familiarity with technology and the ability to use it in classrooms has also become one of the main requirements while recruiting teachers, said schools. “We hire teachers who know their subject well and use modern technology while teaching,” said Meera Isaacs, principal, Cathedral and John Connon School, Fort.

The bachelor and diploma in education programmes need to include more modules on using technology in teaching, said experts. “There is a need to overhaul the curriculum of the teacher training programmes to match the modern-day requirements. They should train teachers on how to use the latest technology as teaching tools,” said Isaacs.

Source | Hindustan Times | 30 September 2015