Digital classrooms must not replace teachers, says MKCL chief Sawant

NAGPUR: Digital classrooms must not try to replace teachers but focus on the role of assisting them in classrooms, according to chief of Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL) Vikram Sawant.
Speaking at a seminar organized in Nagpur for school principals and teachers, Sawant said technology should be used for the overall benefit of increasing the knowledge base. “I have never been a fan of rote learning as it basically means that you are revising what is already known. When a student asks questions or analyses the issue then he builds on the knowledge bank. Technology must be used to increase this knowledge bank,” said Sawant while interacting with academicians.
MKCL provides software solutions for most of Maharashtra government’s exams, admissions etc. Now the organization has envisaged a concept where teaching in classrooms will take place through Android-powered phones. Many schools in Pune region have adopted this system wherein students of Std V-IX use their phones (without sim card) in class to access a software-powered ecosystem of learning. The students app, teachers app and the main software working through a laptop are all connected to each other through the school’s wi-fi.
Amit Ranade, a senior official of MKCL, said their system has been developed keeping in mind the learning ability and capability of students. “Students can stay attentive for maximum five minutes at a stretch after which cognitive overload starts. “Every five minutes the phone will vibrate and a question about the topic being taught pops up. Students have to answer it by choosing the correct option and this keeps them fresh and engaged,” said Ranade.
Removing phone’s sim card is a deliberate move to ensure that at least in the classroom the phone is not misused. Ranade said, “Without sim card students won’t be able to access the social media sites.”