The move towards digital learning in schools and colleges was well underway even before the pandemic. We’ve also seen better presentations, unbiased evaluations, and online exam monitoring done on autopilot. But when it comes to classroom learning, educators constantly look for new ways to make learning fun and digestible. Institutes like Manipal Institute and Cambridge International School have already hopped on the bandwagon of advanced methods of learning with high-tech spaces and systems, while some are still trying to figure out a way to bring affordable technology into the learning space – especially in regions that still need to get the hang of tech in education.
How we teach and learn is rapidly changing, and traditional methods are falling behind. The current generation is all about trends and experimenting – social media is entertaining and provides informational content on the go. There’s a constant urge to stay updated with the newest trends. Popular platforms like YouTube and Instagram provide easily consumable information through long videos and byte-sized courses. According to a national survey, more than 60% of our youth today spend an average of up to 3 hours on social media – either consuming entertainment or information. And so – with a similar mindset of trying out new things – educators can look for ways to enhance classroom learning experiences while keeping a budget in mind.
Given this tech-savvy generation’s dwindling attention span, one way of making learning fun is through gamification. The idea of gamification sparks curiosity and promotes healthy competition, and the best part is that learning a concept has never been so fruitful.
Here are 4 platforms that can transform classroom learning into a fun and interactive environment.
Kahoot
One of the most competitive and fun classroom quizzes can be held using Kahoot. It’s an online learning-based gaming platform where educators can host multiple-choice quizzes. The platform is about quick responses, keeping students focused, and creating an environment of fair and healthy competition among peers. Weekly quizzes can help monitor the students’ learning progress and save the educator a chunk of time, which would otherwise be invested in manual quiz evaluations.
Classcraft
Classcraft provides an immersive learning experience along with classroom management strategies. Each student can select their character and have unique abilities. Educators must design the tasks, which are usually story-driven. Students must apply the concepts they’ve learnt and solve problems more creatively. This platform promotes creative and critical thinking and is often commended by educators who want to make their learning sessions more creative. A plus would be that Classcraft provides parental access to understand their child’s performance.
Duolingo for Schools
Duolingo provides the best gamified learning experience especially for third language (or foreign language) subjects. The platform helps educators with insights to monitor every student’s progress without a hassle. Creating virtual classrooms has never been seamless, and Duolingo always finds a way to make learning a new language fun. In addition, educators can create assignments focussing on improving particular skills, and students earn points and badges which will help them stay motivated to do more. The best part about the platform is that teachers can sign in for absolutely free. So making learning fun while also choosing a platform that doesn’t burden any budget is definitely something that educators and institutions can look forward to.
Prodigy
Learning math can be a headache for many, but with Prodigy, you can make it fun, too. This platform creates a virtual world where students need to create avatars and battle with their opponents. But the twist is the way one needs to battle with math questions. The algorithm of Prodigy is interesting as it adapts based on each student’s skill and gameplay. Educators can integrate Prodigy into the school’s curriculum benefiting the students to learn in a fun way. The platform is yet to be introduced in India, but this is something you should look forward to in the future.
With the National Education Policy’s (NEP) strong advocacy towards digital learning platforms, you can consider the above tools that can enhance learning with an interactive approach. Revamping learning avenues will help every student become more involved and inspire and motivate educators to become comfortable with technology in the teaching space. All it takes is a small initiative to change learning experiences – and it doesn’t even involve a budget constraint.
