Digital content and classrooms in primary education

Publish: 7:01 PM, May 10, 2022 | Update: 7:01 PM, May 10, 2022

Gazi Md Abdur Rashid

Digital content refers to any type of media that an organization uses to engage with visitors, learners, or users of their website or applications, disseminated by online delivery systems. Each piece of digital content has an intended audience that expects a certain delivery method from the teachers. Content based educating has become one of the key tools in all promotional materials but also serves other needs that students want satisfied. Digital content is a cost-effective and efficient method for curriculum contents to engage with their students. Historically, delivery systems include television broadcast or print media to get a specific digital content/message delivering across to potential students. Today, digital content spans all facets of a person or educational institutions online experience and you can optimize delivery using a content management system (CMS). CMS tools help you in the classroom to create content, store the files, execute workflows during the design stages, and schedule the publication (or delivery) across different digital touch points for ensuring quality primary education.
Today, education is not any longer confined to the physical boundary of a faculty or school/college as access to digital platforms enables continuous and effective learning. From assigning pre-work, recording live videos, or answering student queries, both students and teachers need a digital platform that has the potential to become one window of engagement at every stage of learning – be it before, during, or after every class. Digital learning focuses on enhancing the standard and innovation of teaching and learning and accelerating productivity and collaboration. This will be realized in multiple ways, as an example, just by leveraging the trend of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and blending that with requisite mobility and security infrastructure, educational institutions can enable a seamless process of anytime, anywhere, any device, any resource learning, able it through secure means. By supporting virtual classrooms, educational institutions especially primary schools can support new online learning experiences, empower students to find out on-demand from any location, and eliminate the boundaries that limit a student’s ability to find out. As an example, students sitting on two different continents and two different schools can connect and have interaction regularly. In short, digital learning can maximize the training potential of scholars and help to require learning beyond the classroom walls.
The use of computers, multimedia classrooms and information technology in our education system has also been considered as a priority in the National Education Policy-2010, National Information and Communication Technology Policy 2009 and the 7th Five Year Plan. The modernization of the education system through the combination of educational materials digitization and information technology is playing a timely role in improving the quality of education. And digitalization should be emphasized at the primary level of education.
Digitization of primary education has two aspects: (1) its use in multimedia and digital classrooms in primary education, (2) conversion of primary education content to interactive multimedia digital version.
Use of multimedia and digital classrooms in primary education-(a) Objectives: To coordinate information technology in education to ensure quality of education in Bangladesh in line with developed countries in the age of globalization and to use technology as an educational tool like other learning materials in classroom activities, which will help meet the needs of teachers and students. (b) Methodology: Information technology is being used in the educational activities of teachers and students by coming out of the ingrained concept of computer education or lab based. In this case computer or other information technology is working as a modern learning material used in classroom as well as backboard. To this end, the government has made arrangements for the combination of multimedia projectors, laptops, internet modems and speakers in the classrooms as well as various materials currently used in educational institutions. This classroom is called ‘Multimedia Classroom’.
(c) Importance: In the present education system, acquiring and mastering information technology based education is considered as the most important. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations place greater emphasis on sustainable quality education for all. It is important to make children’s learning environment, teaching methods and content interesting and enjoyable. The use of digital learning content is vital to ensure that all students acquire quality marginal qualifications at every level, possessing developed thinking, imagination and inquisitive thinking instead of memorization. Education is conducive to the stimulation of the student’s thinking and creativity and the development of his lifelong knowledge through indigenous atmosphere and material involvement.
There is no substitute for making the education system up-to-date and information technology dependent to reach the pinnacle of development. And in the case of digitization of the education system, it is necessary to give utmost importance to the primary education system, because the basic foundation of a nation is formed on the basis of the educational activities given to the children. And that is why in developed countries the highest importance is given to improving the quality of primary education.
Conversion of primary education content to interactive multimedia digital version: (a) Objectives-The main objective of this program is to create interactive multimedia digital education content on Bengali, English, Mathematics, Science and Bangladesh and World Identity (17 books) in the light of primary curriculum (first-fifth class) formulated by National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB). (b) Methodology: To make the concepts of the textbook more interesting and easy to understand, according to the context of Bangladesh, various types of pictures, charts, diagrams, audio, video and multimedia materials are being presented through animation. These digital learning contents are being prepared in the light of the desired learning outcomes of each chapter based on the direct participation and feedback of various primary school subject teachers, trainers, pedagogy experts, education sector experts, child psychologists, colour, programming and animation experts. (c) Importance: Using the contents in the classroom to make the text easy and the learning-teaching process participatory, interesting and enjoyable. Transforming the classroom into a student-cantered classroom by using the contents in the classroom. To draw more attention to the teaching and to clarify and apply the thematic ideas. Increase the teacher’s understanding of the text. Arranging self-learning for both teachers and students. Introduce students and teachers in remote areas with modern computer technology.

The Writer is Research Officer, District Education Office (Secondary), Munshiganj