What is a Smart School & How is Smart School Education Beneficial?

A smart school is a modern concept where technology is used to make teaching and learning better. The goal is to make education top-notch and help students learn better. Smart schools use modern tech like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and more to make learning exciting for students with different needs.

The ultimate goal is to make education better and help students learn more effectively. Smart school education offers different services like virtual classrooms and online communication channels between students, teachers, and other helpers.

What Makes a School “Smart”?

Becoming a “Smart School” involves considering several key aspects:

1. People: Everyone in the school community—like leaders, teachers, support staff, parents, and students—should get involved with new technology.
2. Technology: Schools can use technology in lots of ways, from how teachers teach and grade, to how students do their work, and even how schools keep track of information and talk to everyone involved.
3. Educational Tools: This means using things like tablets, special software for learning, digital books, and online resources to help with education.
4. Procedures: Technology can change how schools do things, like how they give tests, how teachers and parents talk, and even how the school building itself works, like with security and temperature control.
5. Teaching Methods: Using different teaching methods like personalised learning, blended learning, and focusing on skills for the 21st century can make education more effective. It’s about using technology in all subjects to help students learn better.
6. School Management: Schools can make better decisions using data, have smoother administrative systems, and communicate better with everyone involved—students, parents, and teachers. It helps keep everything running smoothly!

Benefits of Smart Schools and Smart School Education For Teachers:

1. Improved Learning Outcomes

   Using technology in classrooms can make learning more fun, engaging, and personalised, which helps students to do better in their studies. Research shows that students who learn with tech often do better on tests and remember more of what they’ve learned.

2. Create Better Lessons and See Progress

   In the past, it was hard to keep track of how students were doing and adjust lessons accordingly. But in smart schools, we can use special tools to collect and analyse data to see how students are doing and make lessons better.

3. Be Eco-Friendly with Digital Tools

   Using digital tools means we use less paper, pens, and printing, which is great for the environment. With digital tools, students can share information easily, and there’s no need to take lots of notes or wait a long time for feedback. It makes learning more interactive and helps us be kinder to the planet!

4. Cost Effective

   Using technology in schools can actually save money. Smart schools can be cheaper to run compared to traditional ones because they don’t need to buy lots of expensive books and materials.

5. Provides a Safe Learning Environment

   Smart schools make sure that students and teachers are safe by using technology to protect data and information. This creates a secure learning environment where everyone feels comfortable.

6. Saves Time

   Smart schools make things quicker by using technology to do tasks like grading and paperwork automatically. This means teachers can spend more time teaching and helping students learn.

7. Helps Teachers Grow

   Smart schools give teachers opportunities to learn and grow in their careers. They can attend training sessions and workshops to improve their skills and knowledge.

8. Better Communication

   Smart schools provide ways for students and teachers to talk and share feedback easily. They also involve parents more, so everyone stays connected and informed.

Benefits of Smart Schools and Smart School Education For Students

1. Increased Engagement

   In a smart school, learning becomes more interactive and engaging. The way teachers teach and the tools they use encourage students to participate more in class. With fun quizzes, online tests, group activities, and other cool stuff, classrooms are never boring, and students really get into what they’re learning. This makes it easier for students to remember what they learn and even gives shy kids a chance to join in without feeling nervous. It’s like opening up lots of new ways for students to talk and connect with their teachers.

2. Ensure Parent Involvement

   Parents should be part of their child’s school life, even if they’re busy. They can use special apps to talk to teachers and know what’s happening in school. Apps like the Extramarks Parent App help parents stay connected by giving them updates on their child’s schedule, grades, and school notices right on their phones or computers.
   

3. Learning Anywhere, Anytime

   Smart schools let students learn using phones or tablets whenever and wherever they want. This becomes possible with modern apps like the Extramarks Learning App. However, in regular schools, learning only happens in classrooms at specific times.
   

4. Accessibility for Special Needs

   Smart schools make sure that students with special needs can learn just like everyone else. They use special tools like screen readers, text-to-speech software, and devices that adapt to students’ needs. These tools help every student take part equally and make learning accessible for everyone.
   

5. Personalised Learning

   In smart schools, technology lets each student learn in their own way. Teachers use special programs and tests online to see what each student needs help with. Then, they can give feedback and create lessons that fit each student perfectly. This personalised approach helps students learn better on their own, making learning more interesting and helping them do well in school.

Smart School vs Traditional School

Feature	Smart Schools	Traditional Schools
Tech Integration	Technology is woven into the curriculum, from interactive lessons to online collaboration tools.	Limited use, separate computer labs or basic classroom tools
Engagement	Students actively participate in discussions, projects, and online forums, fostering collaboration and critical thinking.	Learning often revolves around teacher-led lectures and individual assignments.
Environments	Classrooms are flexible and adaptable, with digital resources and learning spaces tailored to individual needs.	Classrooms are typically fixed with traditional furniture and rely on textbooks and standardised teaching methods.
Support	Students receive personalised feedback and guidance through technology-powered support systems.	Feedback is often generalised, with less individual support available.
Organisation	Students use technology to manage schedules, track progress, and stay organised.	Paper-based systems like planners and paper trails are the norm for organisation and tracking.
Learning Goals	The focus is on developing 21st-century skills like critical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving.	The emphasis is on acquiring fundamental academic skills and knowledge.
Assessment	Technology facilitates both formative (learning-focused) and summative (achievement-focused) assessments.	Assessments primarily rely on traditional methods like tests and quizzes.

How to Turn a Traditional School Into a Smart School

Vision: For converting a traditional school into a smart school, your goal is to make a learning space where teaching is creative, learning fits each student, and communication is strong with the help of technology.

Key Objectives of Smart School Management:

1. Make the School Better:

• Set up technology tools like computers, interactive screens, and software that help students learn better.
• Improve classrooms and make them into a place where everyone works together and gets involved in learning

2. Help Teachers:

• Train teachers well so they can use technology in their lessons without any issues.
• Encourage teachers to keep learning new things and trying out new ideas.

3. Help Students:

• Teach students how to find and use information online.
• Make sure each student can learn in their own way, with materials that suit them.

4. Improve Communication and Teamwork:

• Set up systems that make it easy for parents, teachers, and students to talk to each other.
• Encourage everyone in the school to share ideas and work together.

Smart School Management:

1. Plan Everything Clearly:

• Make a clear plan with specific steps and deadlines for each goal.
• Make a team to lead the changes and keep everything on track.

2. Find Money:

• Look for grants and partners who can help with money.
• Spend money wisely to make sure changes can keep happening.

3. Keep Everyone Safe and Private:

• Make sure all information is safe from hackers and follows privacy rules.
• Teach everyone how to use technology safely and responsibly.

4. Keep Track of Progress:

• Pick out specific things to measure (key performance indicators) to see if the changes are working.
• Keep checking how things are going and make changes if needed.

Closing Thoughts

And there you have it – the lowdown on smart schools! From better learning to happier students, they’re changing the game for education. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s work together to make education smarter and more exciting for everyone!

Last Updated on May 13, 2024