Outdoor Play for Students with Special Needs

Education Technology

Article | August 4, 2022

2020-21 proved pivotal for online learning technologies. The sudden shift to remote classrooms pressed educators and parents to emphasize environments conducive to anywhere learning, creating anywhere classrooms everywhere. Classroom management has become integral to these new settings where learning has to be an extension of the physical classroom. Virtual classrooms may still be in their nascent stage, but this is the time to test better ways and establish smart classrooms that are flexible, advanced, and encourage knowledge retention. What Makes a Classroom Smart? A smart classroom will make extensive use of technology to engage and immerse learners. The tools will be designed to generate interactions between educators, learners, and parents through multiple media. For instance, laptops and tablets will complement or even replace books, and a significant portion of the curriculum will require online tools to implement the study plan. According to TeachThought experts, there are eight components to a smart classroom technology stack: Integration of the digital and physical space in learning Live feedback from teachers Diverse technology usage, like smartphone apps and Wi-Fi Workflows that are not linear Customized learning paths and environments Transitioning lessons with no beginning or end A new approach to delivering learning Availability of an immense amount of data Managing a Smart Classroom Traditional classroom management thrives on the ability of educators and students to create a robust learning environment that promotes an exchange of ideas and the creation of a learning ecosystem that is conducive to creativity and productivity. Managing a smart classroom with or without technology is about keeping learners engaged and focused on the learning outcomes. A technologically-driven smart classroom only aids learners to develop self-initiative and act independently when it comes to presenting ideas and projects. Smart classroom management will focus on three things, namely: lesson and group organization; instructional approach, and optimization of technology and time. Passive learning isn’t something every student will prefer, so digital smart classrooms offer them the avenue to initiate learning, actively learning and get involved in class forums. Smart classroom management also comprises addressing technology-based hurdles for accessibility and technicalities. For instance, issues like cyberbullying, data security, ransomware, and a breakdown in internet access can hamper lessons and cause interruptions. What Are the Best Practices to Follow? In traditional classroom management, the emphasis on student-teacher association is paramount. The point is to establish relationships, define boundaries and help identify the students’ strong and weak points in order to help them thrive. Educators and school administrators can follow a range of best practices to get the most out of smart classroom technologies. Here are some best practices to follow: Do a thorough check of whether all technology is working as it should Set a contingency plan for when something goes wrong Determine protocols for providing students with the help and point of contact they need when something isn’t working Set collaboration guidelines to avoid unnecessary back and forth Provide teachers and students with an avenue to engage offline as well Take regular screen breaks What’s Next? Today, technology is a playground of the youth and even the youngest school students are well versed with the use of technology. It is only a matter of leveraging this familiarity and affinity and ensuring that learners are making the most of these skills. Embracing a smart classroom fully will take tome but the possibility to create a springboard for richer learning experience using it is immense.

Education Technology

Article | July 5, 2022

Two Years in Lockdown with Digital Boost, Growing Competition, and Easy Accessibility through the Self-Publishing Platforms, Traditional Publishing is facing a major fallback to keep up with the Trends and the Changes within India. publishing. Many people still prefer publishing a book in an old-fashioned traditional way, but this is certainly not the future. It seems to me that Traditional Publishing is something we’re all going to be working with while also considering other formats that might overpower it or co-exist with it – whether it's Self-Publishing, Hybrid Publishing &/or Audio Publishing (Podcasts). Introduction With Covid-19 and Lockdown, a lot of people shifted their attention to pursue their passion and started writing. In order to Leverage Authority and Build a Brand, a lot of Thought Leaders and Experts, Wrote and Published a Book in a specific Niche. In order to Start with the Writing Career, a ton of Amateur Writers, Wrote and Published their Content in an Anthology. Not to forget, many celebrities also took up the challenge of penning their autobiographies in the form of a Book like Priyanka Chopra Jonas. There were more than 1 Million, New Instagram Writing Accounts created, and over 2.2 Million books Published in 2020 itself. This solidifies the rising demand of The Writing and Publishing Industry. Self Publishing Rise Traditional book publishers were once known as the Titans of the Book Publishing Industry. During the 1970s, there was no such concept as Self-Publishing. Over time, Traditional Publishers gradually started to exploit Authors by offering Lower Royalties and seizing the Author's Publishing Rights. Fast forward to 2005, with the penetration of the Internet and Social Media, things started to speed up. The online Self-Publishing giant Amazon has had a huge impact on the Book-Selling Industry, driving many Brick-and-Mortar Bookstores out of Business. This marked the rise of Self-Publishing Books and the rapid growth of e-Books and Audio Books. Fall of Traditional Publishing There are various reasons why 97% of Writers avoid choosing a Traditional Publisher like: Complex Selection Process, Slow Marketing, Very Less to No Control of the Book, Limited Royalty, Huge Time Investment, Absolutely No Creative & Marketing Control Benefits of Self-Publishing There are various reasons 97% of Writers are choosing Self-Publishing like: Full ownership of Rights and Royalties, Speedy Marketing, No Start-Up Cost, Full Control of the Book, Completely Customizable Full Creative & Marketing Control, Control on Pricing, Complete Freedom, No-One telling You, what you can and cannot Do, Significantly High-Profit Potential, Pitch your Book Straight to the Readers, Publish any Niche Books and become the Expert of that Niche. Firstly the question arises, Who all should Write A Book? Well, Everyone, Business owners Consultants Entrepreneurs Business people C-level executives Financial planners Lawyers Doctors Coaches Anyone can Write and Publish a Book! Why should you write a book? 1 ) You can help others Writing about yourself, your life lessons, your experiences, how you have tackled some of the most traumatic situations, helps other people around the globe deal with the same problem as yours. Each one of us has unique life experiences, worth sharing with the world! 2 ) You become an authority Becoming an author sets you apart from the rest of the crowd. You become an expert in your niche. You gain that credibility and authority that lifts you up from the rest of the crowd. 3 ) Grow your business Writing a book can help grow your business, it can act as the new ‘Business Card’. Imagine, you going to a meeting, and instead of exchanging your business card, you give a copy of your book? Not only the person wouldn’t forget you but also keep the book copy securely with him, which otherwise your business card would have been long lost. 4 ) Recurring passive income Writing a book, and setting it up through a perfect step-by-step system, would allow you to gain recurring passive income, i.e. ‘royalties’, that are transferred every month into your bank account. 5 ) Learning New Skills By writing a book, you not only build credibility but also learn new skills in the entire process of writing and publishing your book. For example, skills like project management, writing, setting goals, planning, accountability, commitment, and many more! 6 ) Ripple Effect and Creates Value One book can create a ripple effect in the world. One book can entirely change the lives of thousands of people around the world. One book can create enormous value and a positive impact on the world. It only takes one book! 7) Our Time here is Finite When we write and publish a book, we leave behind our legacy, our footprints, our life lessons, our value system, and our teachings for generations and generations of people to learn from. We will die one day, but our teachings, morals, and lessons will be forever here in the form of our book. This reason is a huge answer to the ‘Why write a book.’ 8 ) You'll Gain more Knowledge While writing a book, research is a must. Through the complete process of research, you’ll learn more insights, gain more knowledge, and become an expert in that niche. 9 ) Impact beyond Yourself Writing a book is not only about gaining royalties and credibility, No! Your book can generate goodwill, your legacy, and most importantly, itcan help solve problems for people, creating a positive impact on their lives, and helping change their lives forever! It will create an impact greater and beyond yourself! 10 ) Sense of Accomplishment Imagine yourself holding the first copy of your own book. A sense of pride, confidence, and accomplishment. It doesn’t matter if your book is not a best seller or if you become famous, the bigger picture will be that it is your book! You created it! It will forever be something you can call as ‘Yours’, and be proud of! Believe me, the feeling of holding the first copy of my book was beyond amazing! 11 ) You'll Reignite a Passion If writing was your hobby, and in the time's course, you just couldn’t give any time or energy, here is your bright chance to reignite it! Paths to Publishing Your Book As discussed earlier, you are aware of the two paths of publishing, i.e. Traditional Publishing and Self-Publishing. There is one more way of publishing you can opt for! Assisted Self-Publishing Firms that charge fees for various publishing-related services such as Formatting, Cover Design, and Copyediting and help Indie Writers Professionally Self-Publish Their Work is Assisted Self-Publishing. Authors earn all of the royalties and retain full control over Editing and Cover Design and Title. WHRUTS also helps and provides these services. Conclusion Reading has become a part of our daily activities now. Book readership has increased by 30% since the Previous Year and People are routinely searching for new stories to capture their attention, With more writers being seen and heard, it’s no wonder readership is up. Self-Publishing is the future of publishing in a world where everyone can be a Writer.

Education Technology

Article | July 15, 2022

Due to the increased exposures and positive COVID-19 cases, the educational industry is adapting to the fourth industrial revolution more swiftly than intended. Both students and educational institutions are realizing the requirement of technology to support the learning process. It has also led to the development of digital badges and the adoption of blockchain in this sector. But, why should we adopt blockchain? Blockchain which is originally known as being the support of digital currencies like bitcoin is not new to the academe. Blockchain can be used as a validation tool for learning. With blockchain as the backbone of the educational system, institutions will become able to list courses, manage training badges, and issue certificates to the students. It will in return reduce the chances of issuing fraudulent certificates. Moreover, having high-end encryption, even the most experienced hackers will not be able to tamper the credentials. And, what’s a digital badge? A digital badge validates the accomplishment, skills, and certifications of students. It can also be offered to the student after completing internships. In the educational sector, a digital badge can be acquired by a student after learning a skill or completing a course. It should be considered by every institution to help students in showcasing their skills in the job market as well. The digital badges are multipurpose. It can be used for certifications to show the acquired skills, transparency for other universities or schools to collect key details of the student, and validation to show that the individual has participated in a workshop or training program. Besides the basic reasons discussed, how these digital badges can help and why should institutions opt for digital badges? Why Should Educational Institutions Opt For Digital Badges? Among numerous reasons why an educational institution should go for digital badges, let’s check some of the most important reasons. Personalized Learning Micro-credentials help in dividing the part of the subjects into certain skills that enables students and educational institutions to design plans according to their needs. With the availability of personalized learning, a learner can complete the course anywhere regardless of the time and earn a badge. Skill-Based Learning A digital badge can enable students to showcase their skills while applying for an internship or part-time job. These badges must be connected with professional capabilities that confirm that it is worthy to the students. These skill badges either can be for technical skills like programming or soft skills like leadership, teamwork, and so on. Open Standards As we know that digital badges are verifiable, it offers a chance for students to learn something outside their typical classroom. It increases the achievement and abilities of the students creating a new opportunity for them at the time of recruitment. Some of the companies and institutions that are using digital certifications include Certif-ID, Stamford University, Georgetown University, and MIT. For those who want to implement blockchain and digital badges in their educational institutions, you can easily hire developers that will build a powerful system to glorify the entire education process. Wrapping it up! To maintain educational records, a digital badge is the most innovative solution. Moreover, the education industry is gradually moving towards record maintenance on blockchain to eliminate fake degrees due to which many deserving candidates lose their chance to attain better opportunities. It is also beneficial for the companies as they will not have to hire less staff for cross-checking the information which will increase their profitability and productivity as well. Despite the increasing acceptance of digital badges and blockchain in the education sector, many educators are unaware of their power. Plausibly, it is about to change soon.

Article | May 18, 2020

You can’t future-proof your L&D initiatives, no matter how much you allocate for employee development. Technology evolves and new techniques emerge to continually change the eLearning landscape. However, you can prepare your mobile training program by choosing the right responsive LMS. Mobile LMS platforms keep you one step ahead of the tech curve so that you’re ready for anytime, anywhere Performance Management. But you still need to make a strong business case to reluctant stakeholders to show them that responsive Learning Management Systems are the future of successful LMS implementation. Here are 8 notable benefits that may win them over.