Monday, 10 February 2014

Interactive Learning with Smart Classroom Equipment



Hello Everyone!

We are going to press our first blog today. As we start ahead, we would like to inform viewers that this blog is for everyone, who is associated with education industry. Follow the blog to explore the new innovative teaching techniques with us.

Starting here- 

What is a smart classroom?
Ways apart from traditional learning environments, today’s smart classrooms bring in technology to enhance the teaching process. It includes the equipment that facilitates both teachers and students to have a more collaborative communication in between. While the range of equipment installed in smart classroom varies, the general concept includes interactive whiteboards, visual presenters, computers and other audio visual equipment. 

Smart Classroom equipment


Why smart classes? Know the advantages of smart classroom equipment-
  • Makes teachings / presentations more enjoyable and lively
  • Brings about academic excellence through a high degree of interaction and collaboration
  • Facilitates better formative assessment
  • Less stressful for the teacher
  • Individual assessment for every member of the audience
  • Lectures can be recorded, saved and reproduced multiple times
  • Share lectures across digital mediums (through internet)

What are smart classroom equipments?
The technology based equipments installed in a classroom is referred to as smart classroom equipments. A typical smart classroom infrastructure consists of:
  • Permanently installed digital podium or console
  • High definition projector featuring high lumens
  • HD document camera / visual presenters
  • Computer for the instructor
  • DVD/VCR/CD players
  • High quality sound system throughout the hall / class
  • Network and internet connection
  • Interactive whiteboards
  • Telephones

MAJOR SMART CLASSROOM EQUIPMENTS & THEIR SIGNIFICANCE

Interactive Whiteboards-
An interactive whiteboard allows the projector to display the content on the computer screen onto a larger board. This makes the content visible to every member of the audience. Even the last benchers will be able to benefit from an interactive whiteboard as it facilitates better understanding of the lecture. While visual content is becoming an important part of every lecture, interactive whiteboards make it easy for the presenter to explain the content through effective annotations, typing, highlighting, marking and sharing digital content. No more chalks are required, as it is workable through the swish of finger or a dummy pen.

Visual Presenter
A visual presenter, also called the document camera is a cost effective, easy to use and time saving tool in classroom lectures. It allows teachers to display anything from bacterial cells (via microscope attachments) to a piano on the interactive whiteboard in its true color, shape, texture and size. The presenter can also zoom into individual parts of the object; get different angles of the object by rotating the camera and go into minute details without losing upon quality of image. This flexibility of the visual presenter makes it amazing smart classroom equipment, especially for classes that require practical exposure to elements.

Projector
As the reader would already know, the projector is the medium to connect the smaller screen of the computer to the larger display of the interactive whiteboard.

Public Addressing Podium
The public addressing podium makes it easier for the presenter/lecturer to reach out to every member of the audience without stressing himself/herself too much. In traditional classes, teachers had to shout loud to get the attention of the last benchers. In some cases, it also results in throat infections for teachers. However, a public addressing podium allows a teacher to speak naturally while being able to reach out to everyone.

Computer
Modern classes are unbelievable without computers. Be it a small power point presentation or an animated explanation of the subject – computers have become irreplaceable.
Using smart classroom equipment, school management can beneficially boost the process of lesson creation, student assessment and classroom management. The infrastructure ensures that the lecture is easy to deliver and it reaches every member of the audience. With various smart classroom management equipments, one can look into every individual need of teachers and students regardless of big class environment and individual learning needs.

In case you have more points to add on to this topic, please feel free to add.