Keeping up with the times

Aisha Hamilton, Trainer and Lecturer

Anything that brings education to the masses can only be a good thing. We now live in a world full of technology and information at the touch of a button. Teachers should access all forms of teaching aids and the computer is simply one more tool to be used as effectively as possible. Of course, this raises issues of censorship and controls. Technology is a must-have in the current education system, but there should be effectively monitored controls and censorship to protect our children from the less savoury aspects of technology. This should be an integral part of the curriculum, not just an easy option for lazy or ill-prepared staff to escape their responsibilities.

Bernadette King-Turner, Founder/Director, Beautiful Minds Nurseries

Children of today are born into the age of technology. I firmly believe it is our duty to correctly and honestly make the necessary tools and equipment available for all children so they can learn, understand and correctly use the present technology. Our Beautiful Minds Nursery classrooms are equipped with interactive learning boards, multimedia projectors and computers. Our nurseries also have active Facebook accounts which helps students share the everyday happenings with their families. Social Media is here to stay and the key to success is accessing correct information, thereby gaining knowledge.

Susan Castle, Success Strategist/Trainer, Outwith The Dots

Social media, the internet and YouTube are all here to stay and I believe we should be using these as learning opportunities rather than treating them as distractions. There is an incredible wealth of information out there, and yes, a lot of rubbish too. But our understanding of how the human brain learns has expanded exponentially in recent years and one of the things we now know is that we learn best when we are happy and relaxed and are enjoying ourselves. We also know that the more variety of ways we experience a concept — by watching, by listening, by doing and by hearing the same ideas expressed in many different ways, the more thoroughly we understand.

Adam Zargar, Life coach, 2blimitless

I believe you have to embrace new technology in the classroom as this is what inspires, interests and motivates today’s children. YouTube is a fantastic learning tool — a teacher or student can quickly pull up a short video on the topics being discussed to break up or enhance the ‘normal’ teaching environment. Engaging children and catering to all learning styles is what education should be about. Schools might not get a multitude of books on every topic but if every child was given a personal iPad to work from they could access endless information. To prevent it being a distraction, the school needs to be clear on what sites can be accessed and balance its use.