IMPORTANCE OF NEW MEDIA IN EDUCATION

We have gone from a time when citizens of the world were consumers of media to a time when we are becoming producers of content a time when information is controlled by many more than just a few, as it has been in the past. It is only a few years old, but the potential of what New Media can do and the role it will play in shaping society and setting the agenda on issues that affect the lives of people are going to be significant and crucial as we move forward.

There are several reasons why one would like to use new media in technology education. In the first place there is a motivational reason for that. Many teachers have the experience that the use of new media excites pupils. They are more motivated to go through the content of a course when this course is supported by new media in which video fragments, animations, interactive information is offered to them. Research has confirmed the positive attitude of pupils towards learning about and with computers. In the second place the use of new media is almost unavoidable when Technology Education is to offer a valid representation of what goes on in professional practice. In almost any profession new media have become widely accepted. Pupils and students should get to know these media in education to prepare them for whatever future career. In the third place new media can support different learning styles and thus can help teachers do justice to those different learning styles. Of course this only works when the new media are used in a proper and sophisticated way. But when that is the case, they can be a powerful tool to deal with differences between different pupils and students in one group.

If cbse schools Bangalore and education systems can shift from content to process, part of the path will be cleared for the development of new literacy’s. Such a shift includes letting go of our subject based curricula to open orientations: inquiry based learning, learning about cognition, thinking about thinking, learning the value of cooperation. Certain soft skills, such as respect for diversity and intercultural communication, will come to the forefront in teacher development because these are the issues that ‘pop up’ when dealing with new and constantly changing environments. Many schools Bangalore is these days using the new media to support and enhance the learning process of their students.

How Schools can Go Green

Everyone is keen to protect the environment, and schools today are driven by a highly vocal pressure group of small, eager faces who want to save the polar bear and protect trees; or older, more discerning, but no less vocal teenagers who want to discuss the issues of global warming versus climate change. Educate students! This is a school's number one role in going green: change the mindset and behavior of the next generation. Some Bangalore Schools should teach students about global warming, climate change, renewable resources and all of the exciting technologies utilizing these, about recycling of solid wastes and water, and about green building.

Being environmentally conscious is something that deserves more than simply a day or week in the school year. Neither is it just a lesson, but rather a way of life that needs to be taught to children of future generations, particularly on how they can take care of the environment. As centres of learning, schools also offer a prime opportunity to teach by example. Sustainable design and construction practices help achieve all these objectives.

There are numerous strategies that schools going green can adopt. Make all necessary building renovations or new buildings green. Building green means complying with green building standards such as LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design), administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. By meeting these standards schools can create a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money. Minimize the use of paper in handouts to parents. In many cases parent communications can occur through email. When printing is necessary, use both sides of the paper. Recycling can include traditional recycling pickup of paper, metal, and glass products, as well as composting associated with a gardening program. Schools can recycle their printer cartridges, and earn money for the school for doing so through organizations. Schools can go further and involve the community by creating art projects such as a mosaic mural out of recycled materials from chipped coffee mugs, cracked china, and other non-porous items that ordinarily would have been headed for the garbage can.

Grow a garden, and integrate gardening into the curriculum. School gardens give students a wonderful outdoor botany laboratory, as well as education in sustainable environments, local growing seasons, and the nutritional value of locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs. Rethink student transportation. Bus and car idling in parking lots leads to high levels of emissions into the atmosphere, so set up the pickup and drop off to minimize idling time. Turn off computers at the end of the day. Many schools in Bangalore have large computer labs, and turning them off, rather than leaving them in hibernation mode, can make a significant difference to electricity consumption.

How to protect children from internet threats

The internet provides children and young people with a wealth of opportunities for their entertainment, communication and education. But there are also risks of harm through the deliberate behavior of others online, and through exposure to inappropriate content. With children spending time online at younger and younger ages, it is vital that we explicitly teach young children how to protect themselves online. Most young children get the "Stranger Danger" talk at school, so they know about how to handle strangers in their neighborhood and in face-to-face situations.

As children grow up in an increasingly digital world, they need to be aware of the risks they face online. Everyone can play a part in keeping children safe and the internet industries have a particular responsibility to create tools and information to help. Internet safety policies and guidelines can help make the Internet a safer experience for your family members.

Tips for children are:

·         Always ask your parents' permission before using your full name, address, telephone number or school name anywhere on the Internet.

·      Always tell your parents or guardian if you see something online that you know is wrong or that makes you feel uncomfortable. Don't respond to messages that make you feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

·         Never give out a credit card number or password online.

·         Never send out your picture without your parents' permission.

·         Be careful when someone offers you something for nothing, such as gifts or money.

·         Don't ever accept a gift or an offer that involves having someone visit your house.

·         Never arrange to meet someone you've met online in person unless you discuss it with your parents and an adult goes with you.

·         Talk to your parents to set up rules for going online. Decide with them the best time of day to be online, the length of time to be online and appropriate areas to visit.

·         Get to know your "online friends" just as you get to know all of your other friends. Be sure that you are dealing with someone that you and your parents know and trust before giving out any personal information about yourself via email.

Boarding Schools can play a major role in this as they can influence children to be safe online. Schools and teachers can do awareness campaigns and make them use simple technologies available to keep them always from threats and help them use internet in a positive way as well.

Making reading interesting for children through various ways

Reading is great for both you and your children and is a fantastic form of relaxation and escapism. Reading books helps your children develop their language skill, extend their vocabulary and their understanding of the world. Your children’s spelling and writing skills are also improved by regular reading. A good book gives them a mental place to go where the day to day worries aren’t so ever present, it gives them new people to meet and gets them involved in other people’s stories. Reading develops your children’s creativity.

Some of the options which schools, teachers and parents can make available are given below:

Make books available and accessible.  Children who become readers almost always come from homes where books and other reading materials are present throughout the house.  Don't put your children's books out of the way where your child cannot see them or cannot reach them himself.  Remember babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are small.  Put the books near the floor, within their reach.

Read yourself.  Modeling to your children is one of the best ways of teaching children to read.  If your children see that you read, you choose to read, and you enjoy reading, they are more likely to develop the same habit and pursue the same activity. Don't forget to give books as gifts at birthday time, holiday time, or whenever.  There are so many inexpensive, good books out there and something given or received as a gift becomes more valuable and cherished.

Make reading fun!  Something that is enjoyable is favored.  Act out stories, use different voices, and most importantly use enthusiasm.  Presentation can be everything.  A boring reader makes for a boring story no matter how exciting the story may really be.  You might just find that you are having more fun as well.

Read frequently.  Offer to read to young children every day, even several times a day.  Encourage older independent readers to read every day as well, and engage them in conversation about what they're reading.

Turn off the television and provide quiet time.  Turning off the television forces our children to "find something else to do" and too much television can have a harmful affect on a developing younger child, especially when it comes to teaching children to read.

Above all, make your read aloud sessions fun. This is a great start to teaching children to read because children love to make sound effects, so add them wherever you can when you read aloud.

And we can dream of a generation with wisdom and thinking skills to match the requirements of the competitive world. This is possible only if schools and parents put in their effort.

Why Meditation for Children

Meditation techniques for children can help them relax and focus better during school, so that they can concentrate and memorize more effectively. From the spiritual perspective, good meditation techniques teach children self-awareness, encourage them to be themselves, and help them face life with greater belief in their potential.

Parents always ask how we can we help our kids to be happy, caring and calm little individuals in today's world along with balancing what they learn at school?  Ideally, the education of children should integrate their intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual development. However, present day education is primarily focused on academic achievement with some additional emphasis on sport and physical education. The emotional and spiritual development of children tends to receive less attention. Education has the important aspect in how the outer world helps the child to acquire various skills which eventually help them to earn a living.  Meditation deals with their inner world and their personal development in the art of living, whereby they can live a balanced and productive life based in inner strength, positive actions and harmonious relationships. Hyderabad Schools and parents can encourage children to follow this through life and attain their goal easily. 

Meditation for children just might be the key to raising offspring with a sense of focus and well being. Meditation for children can alleviate stress and anxiety, frustration, fear, anger, restlessness, and many more symptoms children suffer in this fast paced life we live in. Teaching a child how to meditate is quite easy, yet some parents feel that it’s difficult to get their children interested in meditation, or to convince them to meditate. At first I couldn’t imagine why, until a friend told me that her kid refuses to even try a meditation with her when she does her own meditation. Teachers who build meditation into lesson plans report their classroom environments being more peaceful and attribute this to their students’ ability to express compassion to each other. Schools in Hyderabad can promote its practice well.

Meditation is a process that teaches principles allowing you to control your thoughts, focusing your mind and concentration on a single idea or phrase. For children, the easiest way to meditate is to find and listen to one’s own heartbeat. The heart is an organ that keeps us alive and allows us to feel love or sadness. By listening to our hearts we can understand more about our self and know our own hearts.

Meditation is not an overnight exercise. Children won’t feel the benefits immediately, but with regular practice, just five minutes a day can bring positive changes to their life and learning ability. Of course the best thing to do is be a role model and use meditation in your life as well!

The Oakridge Times - Bangalore

Greetings from Oakridge! As another month winds down and we come even closer to the end of our first academic year, I find myself nostalgic for not just the weather but for also our path-breaking first year. As we moved from one building to the next and our school grew just like our children grow around us, we traversed through Founder's Day, celebrated another Republic Day and shared a phenomenally experiential day with Rob, the master craftsman.

Children of Bengaluru were taken into the world of colorful surprises with art guru Rob. It was a day of innovative learning for them through arts and crafts. Rob created wonders and amused all the participants. The event turned out to be a golden opportunity for those who are passionate about the artistic world. 

Oakridge Bengaluru had its official inauguration of the campus by the chief Guest, Shri .N Santosh Hegde, and celebrated its first Founder’s Day. Our Oakridgers made it a huge success and showcased their commendable talent through various performances. This was followed by an exciting ‘Happy Feet’ dance workshop conducted by Bosco-Caesar, the Tinsel town dance masters.