The digital leap from Blackboard to Smart boards

Our Correspondent

Kohima, March 15 (EMN): Digital smart boards for classrooms were recently launched in government-aided colleges including technical institutions in Nagaland to enhance the interactive teaching-learning experience.

Although new technologies take the learning experience to a new level through visual display and instant access to information, it also poses a challenge for those living in remote locations when faced with poor internet connectivity and power irregularities.

Eastern Mirror contacted faculties and students of a few government colleges about the digital board experiences so far, which had garnered diverse reviews including—positive impacts, as well as practical challenges faced by them.

A state-wide launching programme of the interactive smart board for classrooms—both the government colleges and technical institutions was held on March 4th and the 10th respectively, by department of  Higher Education as well as Technical Education.

“Digital smart board is a requirement of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) that all the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enabled in teaching-learning, management and governance”, said Dr Lily Sema, Principal of Kohima Science College (Autonomous), Jotsoma.

How smart board takes teaching-learning to new level

Apart from improving the teaching-learning experience, the interactive digital boards have taken the experience to a new level with its multiple features and tech-aided solutions.

The principal explained how digital smart boards have specially designed interactive display panels, can annotate, write, and highlight. “We can have two way real time video conferencing, which can provide distance learning or invite lecturer from any location. Hassle free multi-touch display allows multiple students to touch and draw at the same time”, she said. Further, the smart boards allow any software to be installed, use windows interface, open office files, record and share lectures, connect devices like mobile phones laptops etc. wirelessly and with educational whiteboard softwares and applications etc., she added.

“The state- of – the – art facilities and features available enables real time interface,  lectures and access to latest teaching and research materials,  networking  and resources sharing among students and teachers” according to Sema.

When asked if smart boards will downplay traditional method of teaching-learning in the long run, she said that the “new technologies and approaches to education already has a clear and positive impact on higher education”.

“While traditional methods of teaching-learning will continue to form the bedrock of education systems, higher education landscape is undergoing significant change as a result of technological innovations. We are witnessing changes in the way education is imparted and the way students learn. It will be enhanced by the integration of new tools and pedagogies and complemented by greater variety of providers”, the principal added.

On the possible barrier of teaching-learning process due to slow internet connectivity, she offered alternatives that are available at the college, to handle in such situations.

“We have a well equipped central library and departmental libraries along with white boards in every classroom and smart boards attached with LCD projectors placed in all the departments”, she pointed out.

Smart board increases student’s motivation

For some colleges like Pfütsero Government College, the presence of smart boards in teaching-learning process showed “increased motivation” among students.

“Students in my college show increased motivation and enjoy the interaction that smart board offers”, said Khrotoü Kapfo, former general secretary of Pfütsero Government College Students’ Union.

“We students always look forward for better techniques of learning and we yearn for quality education. And I am glad our college is introducing certain modern facilities for students’ benefits though gradually, our college is certainly developing”, the former student leader added.

She was of the opinion that teaching and learning through smart board is a “win-win” situation for both teachers and students. Digital boards provide means of learning for all students, including students with different learning styles. In fact, “students learn by doing and physically interacting with a medium”, and smart boards give students the opportunity to explore and manipulate concepts of learning, Kapfo said. 

Presently, there are two smart boards in Pfütsero Government College—the first was installed in 2017 sponsored by RUSA and another one that was installed recently. As for the classrooms, projectors are used, she informed.

However, two smart boards are not sufficient for all students and teachers in the college, as they have to take turns in using the systems. In addition, they are often faced with poor network connection and power failure in the college area, Kapfo said.

Will Smart Board succeed in rural context?

Though smart board for classroom comes in with 4G network, colleges located in rural locations were apprehensive of internet connectivity getting any better. Their first experience of poor internet connectivity being the day of launching (March 4), in which, the programme was live telecasted in all government colleges.

Vice principal of Peren Government College (PGC), Albert, said that network is “really not good” in Peren. Even on the launch day, the network was “very slow”. He expressed doubt at the rate of success of smart board in the context of rural areas like Peren. When, “network is not very good, I don’t know how far it will be really successful in class scenario,” he said.

As for now, a training programme was conducted for its teachers on how to handle smart board (one for PGC), as many teachers are yet to familiarise with the system, he said.

Poor connectivity: A major challenge

Shangna Konyak, a Political Science lecturer at Wangkhao Government College, Mon, shared that one sad thing is the poor network connectivity. Even on the launching day, “we were having problem”, she said.

‘The success of this smart board fully depends on the good network’, Konyak said. Since there is just one board for the college, it is not used in the classroom, as “we cannot be biased to other classes”. Therefore, the smart board is kept in a seminar hall for “common purpose”, and for students and teachers to avail whenever required, she added. Despite the smart boards being connected to 4G WiFi, internet doesn’t work properly, she said.