When we come across discourses and analyse the transition taking place in the modern day classrooms, it is important to know that no two classrooms can exactly be the same. However, we cannot deny the fact that there are certain evolving trends and unique features that makes it necessary for a teacher to adapt pedagogical transitions in modern day classrooms. Unlike the conventional and monotonous learning activities (like recitation, memorizing and cramming the facts, etc.) common in the traditional classrooms, the modern the classrooms call for a dynamic pedagogical approach from both, teachers as well as the learners.
Modern-day classroom management and pedagogy
One of the most crucial elements in teaching pedagogy is agency. It focuses on the basic learning and enhancement of decision-making among the learners. The best agency that modern-day-day teaching can be built upon is by voice and choice. It’s very necessary that the teachers help the learners to voice out their interests and pursue them ardently. The learners can count on learning based on personal experience (experiential learning). After agency, skill-building and knowledge development through higher-order thinking are essential. The learners can further express, access, and also engage themselves in learning through modern day classroom activities. It can be considered as multiple modalities, but it is also important to know that teaching and learning today may include resources based on the internet and is online, but it can’t be limited only till there. A blend of virtual worlds and reality must go hand in hand specially when teaching is progressing to create virtual classrooms and metaverses. Technology can be a means in enriching the learning experience of the learners but not the ultimate end as learning is an intricate and incessant process. It involves consistent efforts from the learner’s end.
Ultimately the students can carry out learning assessments by self reflecting and communicating with teachers and peers. Other boosters for effective transition strategies in the classroom include learning through argumentation, computational thinking, adaptive teaching, promoting critical and rational thinking among the learners, optimum utilisation of knowledge tools and spaces, etc.
Transition for pre-schoolers
The aim shall be to promote self regulation by helping the children actively participate in their learning activities. The pedagogy for the toddlers and the pre-schoolers should aim at making them independent as well develop a sense of time which includes past, present and the future. The learners at this age need to have self control and developed socio-emotional skills. Providing visuals, giving previews, establishing routines, planning, acknowledging reality, praising their success etc. can be of a great help. Pre-schoolers and toddlers are very important to focus on if you are aiming to adapt pedagogical transitions in the modern day classroom.
Sometimes things as simple as using a fun song can get children along. The entire learning can be transformed into a game or a fun oriented process. This can also ensure the involvement of all the senses of the learner.
The tech loving pre schoolers learn from the visuals very quickly and it has made its way into the toddler’s classroom as well. Utilisation of these resources for their learning is going to be the key to pedagogical transitions in coming times.
Transition for students
With quick and rampant progress being made in the field of technology, remote learning is gaining popularity among learners. Even UNESCO confirmed recently that around half a billion students were engaged in remote learning, especially after the advent of the covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The rise of the ed-tech industries is concealed from none. This was also the time when various instructors with no prior experience in teaching online and using various teaching aids had to switch to the online mode of teaching. Kudos to the endeavour put in by the teachers, the enthusiastic learners didn’t suffer much. A majority of the teachers who were already familiar with the devices brought them to the classroom or rather turned it into a classroom. This was a very quick and successful pedagogical transition in modern-day classroom. The faculty members sought help from colleagues active in online teaching throughout the world. A multitude of webinars were held on the same and many ‘Ask an Expert’ resources were flooding in.
Transition for students with special needs
The development of teaching pedagogy for the children with special needs depends much on inculcating confidence in them. It should also include focusing on developing tenacity, self advocacy skills and leadership in them. A step further can be educating the students about their higher studies and the various choices they may have, available options for employment, vocational training and value based educational programs. It is important to recognise the potential and enthusiasm they develop for a certain thing while they are learning. Leaving the learners with a lot of choices and options can help them easily achieve this goal. By observing the new trends in teacher recruitments in various institutions that focuses highly on trainers for children with special needs, one can understand the need for transition in pedagogy for students with disabilities.
The path ahead
To put things in a nutshell the need for transition in teaching pedagogy for the students emerged because of the sudden and new demands of a knowledge-based society, raising expectations of the students, emerging technologies with rampant changes, dynamic work culture around the globe etc.
The instructors are responding with flipped classrooms where there are provisions for addressing a multitude of students, either through recorded lectures or live interactions. Blended and hybrid learning that calls for an amalgamation of real classrooms and virtual classrooms are also popular nowadays. Developing knowledge through questioning and experience by building communities of enquiry and practice is much on demand. The learners are controlling their learning, enjoying choices and independence in learning like never before. The learning with multimedia and e-resources have caused a paradigm shift in teaching methodologies. The evolving arena of self directed learning has also made assessments more dynamic yet easier.
The trends are directly leading to a pedagogy where the learning is opening up with equal sharing of power between the learners and the instructor. Technology is bound to find its place in the modern day classroom. Adapting pedagogical transitions in the modern day classrooms is the need of the hour and the instructors cannot help but update themselves with various CPD (Continuous Professional Development) modules to become successful teachers.
Remember the anxiety and stress of tests? Assessments are an integral part of education. But if they read more...
Well planned lessons ensure that time and resources aren’t wasted and that students progress as th read more...
Schools are known as a student’s second home. This is because a significant proportion of time in read more...
As an educator, the primary task before you is to know your students and their psychology. In fact, read more...