What Is Smart Classroom And How It Works?
The traditional concept of chalk and duster classroom has been challenged with the advent of technology and rapid digitisation. Moreover, the online education system in the past couple of years has revolutionised the way of teaching. Learning has become all the more interactive and interesting with the introduction of smart classrooms where students can learn in a more fun-filled way.
Though many of you are familiar with it, others may ask what is a smart classroom and how it works!
Smart classrooms are advanced educational infrastructures where learning is processed digitally. Audio-visual sessions enhance the student's knowledge and interest in studies. Teachers conduct interactive sessions to teach their students. These interactive sessions can be conducted in school and from home as well.
As the name suggests, smart classrooms are the smart replica of traditional classrooms. Smart classes differ in their approach with the same intent to impart knowledge. 3D animation and videos make the interpretation easier for students. Therefore, they can learn faster compared to the traditional educational system.
It focuses on developing students' problem-solving abilities and performances through engaging learning methods. After analysing the age group and educational needs, the system runs on special software optimised for each standard.
These classrooms feature smart projector screens, computers, and digital gadgets, making them more attractive. Teachers also enjoy this advanced communicative method as it allows them to make the lessons easier to grasp. Smart classrooms are highly upgraded teaching and learning procedures for students and teachers.
However, there is more to explore about this state-of-the-art teaching technique. Keep on reading to know more about smart classrooms.
What are the Elements in a Smart Class?
A smart classroom features hi-tech digital educational gadgets such as smartboards, e-books, digital student devices and more. Focusing on smart digital interpretation, they also have equipment for better presentation. Moreover, students learn through various applications developed for e-learning.
The elements of a smart classroom are mentioned below with their features to provide you with a better idea of them:
Smartboards
Smartboards or whiteboards serve the same purpose as a blackboard but in a digital way. Lessons are interpreted on these boards via audio-visual presentations to impart detailed information. Moreover, there is an internet-connected stylus to help teachers write on these boards to make an illustration more relevant. Apart from that, teachers can save the lessons taught and share them with students for further reading.
Digital student devices and learning applications
Laptops and tablets are the new notebooks for the students in a smart classroom. They can write their assignments and search for information on the Internet from their gadgets. The Internet provides a vast library for the students for much deeper knowledge. Moreover, various e-learning apps help the students to do their tasks.
Cloud-based communication system
As this classroom concept is also developed for teaching from remote locations, they are integrated with a rich communication system. They include web conferencing and voice-over-IP to enhance communicative interaction. Therefore, students can communicate with the teachers while attending classes at home.
E-books
Apart from laptops and tablets, students are provided with e-books to make them feel familiar with the traditional books. These electronic books are replicas of paper books. They contain familiar chapters and exercises. The digital representation helps in a better and clear understanding of the students.
With an intent to offer the best educational facilities to the student, smart classrooms are developing new features each time. Besides, they are categorising themselves for better and smarter functioning. The latter section provides further details on what is smart classroom and how it works.
What are the Different Types of Smart Classes?
Types of smart classes represent the structure and accessibility of different digital learning modes. Based on that, smart classes are categorised as basic set-up, virtual reality, student tracking management, IoT, etc. These categories offer some unique features that enhance the student's learning experience.
Some of the smart class types are described below for a better understanding:
Basic class set-up
The basic smart class set-up has been popular for years; several schools used it to upgrade their students digitally. It includes a projector, screen, and a computer to operate the lessons and presentations. Teachers use videos and animations to convey detailed information regarding a lesson.
Student tracking management
This category represents the digitised version of all the functions of a school. From attendance marking to school bus location tracking, everything is accessible on the cloud management system. Moreover, it provides real-time data on the progress and performance of each student in the class.
Personal devices
Students can use personal devices such as laptops and tablets instead of digital slates. Using a laptop, students can gather ample information on various subjects and even take down their notes in it. It is a smart solution to prevent deforestation, as digital notebooks can replace paper needs.
Virtual reality
Do you recall watching a 3D movie wearing 3D glasses?
Virtual reality offers something like that; a student enters a new sandbox world by wearing a VR headset. It is developed to conduct experiments on their science chapters and learn theories. Chapters learned through VR are effective, and students can remember them for a lifetime. Teachers set the presentation in a VR so the entire class can learn the same lesson simultaneously.
Internet of things (IoT)
Links or QR codes that come in a digital book to enhance the student's knowledge of a particular subject are IoTs. Students can find more information on the related subject or chapter by clicking those links or scanning the QR codes. This technique helps in improving students' in-depth subject knowledge. Moreover, they also enjoy learning new aspects apart from limited bookish knowledge.
The more you know about smart classroom features, the more you feel the need for one in this advanced world. Let's know about their objectives to understand them clearly.
What are the Objectives of a Smart Class?
Smart classrooms are designed to improve learning methods and implement an advanced infrastructure. It focuses mainly on the intellectual development of students. Moreover, it helps in inculcating the best knowledge in an easy and smart way to keep the students updated. Apart from that, it focuses on reaching remote students easily and providing them best educational facilities.
Here are some of the objectives of a smart classroom that helps the student discover a new dimension of studying:
Preparing audio-visual study materials according to the school's curriculum
Designing chapters and lessons digitally so that students can easily learn and remember them
Ensuring better understanding and easy learning by simplifying abstract concepts
Introducing several games and activities to make students enjoy learning
Incorporating live teaching sessions where students can interact and put forward their objectives and perceptions
Helping teachers to access and operate multimedia content for better interpretation of subjects
Redesigning the traditional teaching methods with a blend of technology to cope with the advanced learning procedures
Encouraging students to creative thinking and smart understanding through visual concepts and practice sessions
Putting efforts into student's development and achievements for a better future
Introducing e-learning methods and optimising their usage and benefits for an advanced world
To understand the objectives of a smart classroom in a broader aspect, let's take a look at its advantages.
What are the advantages of a Smart Class?
Smart classrooms are advantageous in a lot of ways. The first and foremost is to provide extensive knowledge of various fields digitally. Moreover, using virtual teaching methods, they save the usage of pen and paper. Therefore, smart classrooms are indeed smart and environment-friendly educational options.
The advantages of a smart classroom are explained below for a better interpretation:
Easy and innovative learning
Learning has been easy with this innovative approach to teaching. Smart classes implement advanced technology to make things easily understandable to the students. Teachers use videos to explain a chapter. Therefore, live illustrations help in easy understanding.
Digital tools help in better understanding
Digital tools such as e-books, VR headsets, and presentations through smart boards help in understanding complex concepts in a better way. Comparing and analysing different objects makes students learn better.
Easy access to online information
As smart classrooms are digital, therefore, students have access to the Internet. Therefore, they can dive deeper into the web and gather more information about a chapter or subject. It gives them access to the universal library full of unlimited knowledge.
Free from attendance hazards
Some students fail to meet the attendance requirement at school. However, students can attend smart classrooms from anywhere; therefore, they don't need to attend school every day. It saves them from low attendance marks and lets them attend all the classes and improve their grades.
Environment friendly
Students get e-books to learn and e-notebooks to write their tasks; thus, there's no need for paper notebooks. It helps in saving trees and reducing pollution. Therefore, a smart classroom also takes you one step ahead to smart, eco-friendly life.
Easy maintenance
Smart class equipment is costly, but the best thing is, it's a one-time investment. Unlike traditional classes, you don't need to buy chalks and dusters at regular intervals. As classes are conducted online, there's no requirement for classroom arrangements like a chair, table, desk, etc. So, they can help saving on school maintenance expenses.
Boosts academic performance
With the introduction of smart classes, notable improvements in students' grades and marks have been noticed. Most students acquire in-depth subject knowledge because the learning procedure is easy and innovative. Therefore, their academic scores were remarkably boosted.
Smart classrooms are beneficial, isn't it? But how does smart class management work? Keep reading to know!
What is Smart Class Management?
Smart class management includes students' engagement in productive learning techniques. Every student present in the class actively engages in each venture. Teachers follow communicative methods to keep students indulged in educational activities.
In traditional classes, some students keep idling during a class without pursuing their studies. However, each student in a smart class must engage in all the activities. Thus, smart classes focus on students' productivity and engage them in new learning techniques.
Moreover, students can learn freely in smart class technology as they undergo interactive sessions and learns self-teaching techniques. Thanks to the advanced technology! Students are exploring this new learning method efficiently with access to huge information sources.
Thus, smart classrooms are significant and purposeful for a better future for students. Schools are implementing this advanced and innovative method by improving their infrastructure. Parents too are curious about this high-tech learning procedure. If you have been wondering what is smart classroom and how it works, this article is the ultimate guide!