Introduction
Education and learning form an integral part of a person’s overall growth. Today, every country places a high priority on promoting quality education and learning to advance economically and socially. Classrooms with smart technology have become increasingly popular in the Philippines due to the use of the latest hardware and innovative technological solutions. These tools enhance the learning process and help educators assess students’ performance.
Smart classrooms refer to technologically advanced classrooms and teaching methods designed to enhance learning opportunities and increase efficiency. In this way, students, educators, and technology work together through utilizing computer equipment, audio, video, graphics, virtual reality, interactive platforms, and specialized software.
Smart classrooms solutions in the Philippines make use of a variety of digital teaching strategies and tools to facilitate a more effective and productive learning environment. Some elements or characteristics of smart classrooms include:
Hardware Equipment – Using cloud-based services, students can access educational materials and track their progress on various devices, including computers, laptops, and tablets. A wide range of software applications is also available for use by researchers, students, and educators.
LCD Projectors/Visualizer – These are portable devices that can be connected to a computer or laptop for the purpose of displaying content in a large format.
Interactive Whiteboards – As with traditional blackboards, teachers can relay information on smart boards in the form of audio-visual presentations. These interactive whiteboards are equipped with WiFi-enabled pens or styluses that can be used by teachers to write and make graphics more interesting and engaging.
E-Books – By defining the standards for learning and content, e-books have many advantages for both students and educators, such as reducing time and resources and increasing the accessibility and enjoyment of reading.
Student Response System – This system allows the evaluation of student performance to be carried out in a matter of seconds, making it an ideal solution for large class sizes.
Microphone – It is now easier for teachers to deliver information to every student, despite a variety of distractions, with the aid of wireless microphones attached to their clothing.
Importance and Advantages of Smart Classroom for Teachers and Students
The following are some of the benefits of adapting smart classroom solutions for teachers and students:
Makes Learning Enjoyable – A smart classroom allows teachers to deliver lectures in a more efficient manner. These classrooms are equipped with technological devices such as computer systems, projectors, and digital whiteboards to promote student-centered learning. The use of visual learning allows students to fully comprehend the lessons and helps boost the overall effectiveness of the classroom learning experience.
Ease of Understanding – Smart classrooms significantly improve the teaching and learning process. Aside from obtaining information from the textbook, students are also able to gain knowledge from online resources and lectures such as audio and video recordings, illustrations, diagrams, and animations. In this way, the teaching process is made more dynamic and understandable, as teachers are given a wide range of tools to use in their lesson planning.
Access to Online Resources – In a smart classroom, computers and the internet are integrated, allowing students to access online resources instead of being limited to printed materials. For students, there are a number of online resources available to help them learn in addition to the set curriculum. Furthermore, this facilitates teachers’ accessibility to diverse digital educational resources to promote effective pedagogical interactions.
Excitement and Engagement – Through the use of innovative tools, an interactive classroom can be established in which students are able to build positive relationships with teachers. They will be motivated in their pursuit of knowledge and actively participate in class discussions with the assistance of modern technology. The implementation of smart classrooms will also enable students to develop teamwork, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving techniques.
Examples of Smart Classroom:
Smart classrooms solutions in the Philippines provide different approaches, methods, and ease of access to digital teaching and learning. Many schools and universities in the Philippines have implemented the use of smart classrooms for educational advancement, including STI College, Philippine Science High School-Bicol Region (PSHS-BRC), and the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines. Here are some examples of smart classroom setups:
Standard Smart Classroom – This is the most commonly used classroom teaching tool, involving the use of a computer or any hardware, a computer-based whiteboard, and a projector. The standard smart classroom functions similarly to traditional classrooms, wherein the teacher provides front-of-class instruction utilizing only limited technological resources. There is no need for teachers to undergo additional training to operate the features offered by the smart classroom. In this instructor-led classroom setting, students will be able to grasp a broad range of lectures efficiently.
Semi-Digitalized Smart Classroom – In semi-smart classrooms, students have direct access to the most up-to-date teaching and learning tools. As part of these smart classrooms, educators employ advanced digital tools that include augmented and virtual reality in their teaching techniques. VR technologies in classrooms are widely used for laboratory experiments. By means of virtual reality devices, students are able to conduct simulated experiments, which can facilitate hands-on learning without posing any risks or injuries.
Student-Led Smart Classroom – Student-led smart classrooms provide students with a fully automated learning space with individualized devices, enabling them to take advantage of educational resources at any time. The goal of this smart classroom is to allow students to take control of the learning process through self-discovery and investigation. These classrooms will feature an array of technology to support educational activities, such as virtual reality consoles, portable tablets, and laptops, as well as software applications for creating educational materials.
The aim of a smart classroom technology is to deliver highly effective and functional learning facilities for students for better outcomes. This also encourages students to be active learners by incorporating cutting-edge technology to the teaching process. The integration of smart digital tools to classrooms in the Philippines helps provide a large platform for educators to share knowledge beyond the traditional textbooks to cater their student’s needs.
With more than 20 years of experience in the audio-video industry, All Visual and Lights System (ALVS) is a smart classroom solutions provider in the Philippines offering advanced digital tools, including interactive displays, projection systems, cameras, and specialized digital speech laboratories, to help transform standard classrooms into an interactive learning space. To learn more about our products and services, you may call +63 (2) 8291-0863.