Reading Journal: A UK school makes an incredible transformation

We have all heard how technology can change the way students learn and it is the teachers job to implement this kind of instruments inside the class. We need to remember that technology is in our everyday life, so why not implement it in the classroom as a part of a new way of teaching? 

This was the idea of Showkat Badat, when he arrived in a school outside of Manchester as the new principal. He saw how bad this school was in terms of infrastructure and also the bad results obtained from the students.  He brought some ideas on how technology can engage in a positive way the process of learning in the students. 

For this purpose he created an independent academy which is called Essa Academy.  His first idea was to give each student an iPod to let them interact with direct information. Teachers noticed the changes immediately, seeing the enthusiasm of the students from the first day.

This allowed more engagement from the students in their own learning. This new way of teaching was well received by the students and by the rest of the teachers, increasing student’s grades and also the way they detect all the opportunities they have to succeed. We have to mention that students keep their iPod every day and also when they are at home which allow them the possibility of being in touch all day with their teachers in case they have some doubts about something.

This option of learning directly through technology makes the process of learning more attractive to the students. In one hand most of the younger students are born with these technological devices, so why not take advantage of that and implement it in the class.

On the other hand, our Chilean society is not yet prepared to learn in the classroom through these expensive devices inside the classroom, because it is not in our culture to take care of the things that do not belong to us and things that are expensive.  Some of the private schools have implemented ICT tools as part of their teaching which also have develop more independent learner.

 Maybe in a near future these technological devices can be part of a new way of teaching, not only in some schools but in every Chilean school. ICT tools are necessary inside the classroom; in this case teachers will have more motived and independent students.