The ultimate list of effective online teaching methods

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 10:19:42 +0000

The onslaught of corona has pushed all educational institutions, worldwide to immediately adopt online educational methods to cope with the lost times and catch up with the academic completion of students. It might have come as a boon, but it has its own share of problems.

Since this was a very sudden and a major disciplinary change for institutions, teachers and students it calls for an ad hoc planning and execution of changes right from the very foundation. Starting from the teaching method to using technology and other elements that helps in implementing effective virtual classroom sessions every needed a fresh start.

There might be certain basic methods and rules that work for a majority of the teacher and student community but it is not a hard and fast rule that what works for some has to work for others too. It all depends on the subject you are teaching and of course on the students too. Any process or method has its own positive and negative points.

As per India Today reports, as far as 84% of teachers have reported challenges in delivering education virtually. And one of the main statistically proven reasons for this being lack of the necessary equipment and technical knowledge to deliver.

In this article we will be discussing various online teaching methods that will give you some ideas on how to teach online more effectively.

Let’s get straight to the point

1.Experiment with graphical presentations

Presentations are one of the most effective ways to put forth an idea. Apparently about 65% of the population are visual learners. More than just lectures, if you implement creative visuals and slides, the retention of the topic presented will increase drastically.

Using only your words or completely depending on the slides doesn’t work. It should be balanced. Also, have an active interaction with your students periodically. This will keep them interested and also, concentrate better. You can also assign students to give presentations as well.

This way they have an option of self-learning and can start developing presentation skills from a young age. Your presentation need not always be connected to the subject at hand, you can also include a few stories and make it more interesting and indulging.
Here are a few tools you can use to create a presentation-
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Google Slides
• Slide Share

2. Use virtual white board

Written thoughts can be always put across more effectively than mere spoken words. There is a possibility of students missing many important points if the lectures are only vocal.

With the new virtual teaching methods being into play, the age old note taking system has also evolved and become virtual too. This is the time of online whiteboards.

There are many online tutoring software that provide different features that will help you teach virtually more efficiently. You can use- images, connectors, and text on these boards. There are many techniques you can use, like – mind mapping, graphical representation, Venn diagrams, flowcharts, etc.

These techniques will help you to-
• Delegate and review assignments
• Brainstorm about lessons
• Upload documents
• Integrate multimedia content
• Schedule interactive sessions like- quizzes, presentations, group discussions etc.

3. Try out flipped classroom method

This has proven to be one of the most effective online teaching methods since its inception. About 9 out of 10 teachers have noticed a positive change in student engagement. This method is totally the opposite of what the traditional method stands for.

Here the students review and prepare for the class-to-come by studying the material prepared beforehand. This is then implemented through debates, problem-solving exercises, group discussions, quizzes, etc. under the teacher’s guidance.

One of the main techniques in flipped classroom is pre-recorded study materials. You can either tape your own or if possible share your colleague’s videos as well. You can also share these videos using a wider platform such as YouTube so that it is easier for a larger student base to access it.

4. Take live online classes more often

This is the only synchronous way where in a two-way communication is possible real-time. To say the least, you will be able to instil a personal touch to all your classes though you might not be present there physically.

Taking live virtual classes will help you to not only keep an eye on the student while you are teaching it also helps them in assessing their progress in real time. Depending on the response to your classes you have the advantage to change the methodology or modify to suit them on the go.

These sessions also provide opportunity to students to clarify their doubts then and there.

However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind while taking live virtual classes-

• Always be prepared with an outline of your session’s content
• Keep student engaged by asking them relevant question or providing associated facts etc.
• Do not deliver your lessons as one lengthy session. Break them down into sizable chapters so that it gives time and also helps students to understand better

5. Exercise healthy group discussions and debates

One of the main negative outcomes of online tutorials is the sense of isolation. Hence, in order to minimize this as much as possible, do conduct group discussions, and make way for healthy debate platforms and other forms of team activities.

This will not only help them get more involved in what is being taught and in accelerating their learning process but also virtually socialize. You can also have a monitored group chat window that will help you and others from your class be connected. This can be a forum for subject related discussions and also help to clear any of the students’ doubts and queries immediately.

6. Record screens and videos by using different tools

In case of online classes, the teachers and the students need to create many videos. The students need to make video presentation as a part of assignments so as to explain their work or understanding of the concept. The teachers need to record the live teaching session or create a response video to the queries asked by students.

There are different tools available which can help to create such videos with absolute ease. These tools enable the teachers or students to capture videos, add captions, add images or comments and trim them as well. Some of these tools enable the teachers and students to add music if required.

These videos can be later uploaded on Cloud or YouTube for sharing purposes. Thus these tools come in handy during online classes.

7. Use Artificial Intelligence for improving teaching techniques

Artificial Intelligence is one of the less explored yet extremely effective technologies especially in the educational field. It can prove very beneficial if it is customised as the online educational requirements.

Artificial Intelligence can be used to analyse the performance of students. The AI powered tools can analyse and compare students’ performances in single as well as multiple other subjects.

They can generate detailed analysis report of every student in the classroom which can help the teachers understand where a particular student is lagging. The teachers can thus give more focus on those students who are weaker in studies.

AI can also assist the teacher to find the perfect teaching techniques which the teachers can incorporate so that the students understand the concepts easily and can thus retain them for a longer duration.

8. Make use of templates for different purposes

It is scientifically proven that students can quickly understand and retain information for longer duration if taught using graphics or diagrams.

Many templates are available online which can help teachers prepare class schedules or create a lesson plan and share them with the students. These templates can help teachers and students to prepare presentations which can include images, info graphics, graphics, diagrams, etc.

A Report Card Template would help the teachers to track each student’s progress and add it to the report card. The teachers can share these graphical report cards with the students at the end of the semester.

There are many more such templates available which can enable the teachers to explain critical topics in a fun and interesting way which would help students to not only understand them but also remember them.

9. Incorporate the technique of self-study

It has been observed that the students who acquired good marks during their board exams have given more emphasis on self-study.

The same technique can be implemented on online teaching but in a little different way. The teachers can assign topics to students which they need to study on their own. This helps the students to explore the topics in their own preferred ways according to their areas of interest. This type of teaching technique will help each student to bring in a different and new perspective while understanding the topic or concept.

This will also help the students to put in more efforts not only to understand the topic but also to explain it to others in their own words. Self-study will enable the students to find ways of learning new concepts in the ways that interest them and also help to find their interest even in the most complex topics.

These are not the only methods. You can either follow one among these or you can adopt other experimental methods and see what works for you and your students. You will learn and evolve with experience. It is almost impossible to get everything right on the very first attempt. So, take a deep breath and continue your hard work.

Good luck!

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10 Helpful EdTech Tools Every Smart Classroom Needs Today

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 07:51:01 +0000

We have to adapt to the changing of the traditional classroom to remote learning. It can be quite challenging since it’s new territory for some of us. There is a lot to learn, from editing videos to inserting comments in the work of your students.

We’re here to help.

These are 10 tools that can help you navigate your way around the new virtual classroom.

1. Interactive whiteboard

Most educators, especially the older ones, are used to chalkboards or whiteboards. Our current situation doesn’t exactly make it easy to use whiteboards.

Or does it?

Online whiteboards provide the same features as normal whiteboards. But these offer more opportunities for collaboration.

You can write on it like a normal whiteboard and use it for a visual representation of what you’re teaching. This becomes useful when you’re teaching math concepts.

The downside to this is it’s hard to write with a mouse as you would with a marker. It just feels way different! This can be solved by buying a drawing pad that you will connect to your computer.

But what if it’s too much an investment to buy a drawing pad? You can also type in whatever you would want to write. It’s cleaner and faster. Also, you can add other things on the whiteboard like photos, music, and even videos!

Your students can then be granted access to collaborate with you on your whiteboard. They can add pictures, write their thoughts, and create a whole mind map with you.

2.Mentimeter

Polls are always a fun way of starting a class. It’s nice to exercise the students’ critical thinking and ability to make decisions. But then it’s always a hassle to count the votes.

What if you had a way to show the students the question and give them buttons they can click to cast in their votes? That’s what Mentimeter is for.

Mentimeter not only helps you elevate the looks of your presentation but also does the tallying for you. Just prepare your poll or survey, send the code to your students, and watch as the magic happens. You can see the results in real-time and you can just share your screen so everyone in the class can see as well.

3. Voice Typing

Some students can’t attend synchronous classes because of the lack of a strong internet connection. Not everyone has access to it and that’s okay.

But they also need to see what happened in the synchronous class. Sending a video might not be the best solution in this situation. A transcript of the lesson would suit them better. But transcribing from your videos can also be a challenge.

This is where voice typing comes in.

Voice typing turns the things you say into typewritten words. Many programs offer this feature. One of the best would be from Google Docs and our old pal, Microsoft Word. MS Word is highly recommended as you can use it offline as well. And if you have an Apple device or a Chromebook, which is a great gadget for students, you can find several tutorials online on how to install Microsoft Office in them.

4. Mote.me

Virtually grading the outputs of our students has become a vital skill in today’s setting. We need to learn how to add comments to their papers. It’s not as simple as what we’re used to where we just write it down. Now there are many steps before we can add a comment to a document.

But what if we can make it easier?

Mote.me is a Google Chrome extension that lets you attach voice messages as comments. It works just like a normal comment but instead of the student reading what you want to say, they hear your voice.

How does this help you as an educator?

Recording a voice message is faster than typing down your comment.

How does this help the students?

Hearing your voice makes it easier for them to understand what you mean because they can hear your tone. The comment doesn’t get lost in translation since they know how you’re feeling through your tone.

5.Canva

Canva is a pretty familiar tool by now to a lot of people. Be that as it may, it’s still one of the most helpful tools we use when crafting our presentations.

Hundreds of templates to choose from and over a million stock images ready for your use. There is also an endless collection of fonts and filters to choose from. All you gotta do is drag and drop elements and you’re good to go.

If the available templates don’t fit what you’re looking for, then start from scratch. Look for free PowerPoint templates and see if anything fits what you need. Then you can look up elements that’ll help you explain the topic and boom! Awesome presentation! Having template backgrounds and drag and drop elements will make your workflow faster.

6.Scavenger Hunts

If you’re teaching younger students, it’s always a challenge to match their energy and help them focus on the topic at hand. A scavenger hunt can help bridge those two goals together.

Scavenger hunts can be fun to do but challenging to organize. It gets even more challenging because we’re all stuck inside! This is why using a tool like goosechase.com can be a lifesaver.

In goosechase.com, you can set up challenges for your students to do at home. It then helps you tally those challenges to see which teams earned the most points.

For example, you’re teaching children about hygiene. You can add challenges like “shoot a video of how your brush your teeth.” The children would then get excited to shoot videos to submit to you while they learn more about it later.

7. Creatability

Creatability is a rollercoaster ride for your senses. Google refers to these tools as “Experiments”. These tools have a variety of purposes but all of them were made so students can have fun. One of the experiments put together drawing and music wherein the stroke of your pen is dependent on the sound you make.

These are awesome energizer activities for hyperactive kids. If the students are feeling a bit sleepy from studying at home, these can definitely liven up their spirits.

It’s important to have breaks and be silly for the sake of fun sometimes.

8. Google Lens

This gives a new meaning to having all the internet’s knowledge at your fingertips. If you see something that you’re unfamiliar with, all you have to do is take a picture and Google Lens will give you information about it.

“Oh look, a pretty flower that I don’t know the name of.” Google Lens can help you identify it and give you more information about it.

“That machine looks so cool, I wonder what it’s for?” Google Lens can help you understand how it works.

With this tool, children can go explore the things that interest them as much as they want.

9.Quiver Vision

Coloring can be an awesome way of introducing new topics to younger students. Giving them a printout of a volcano and asking them to color the lava from orange to deep red helps them understand that the core of the volcano is hot.

But what if we can bring it to life?

Quiver Vision helps you with just that.

Ask the students to color the printouts and then watch them come to life together. Augmented reality helps the students understand the lesson better through activities and interactions.

Seeing something in front of them gives the students a whole new understanding and appreciation of the topic.

10.Prezi video

Videos can be awesome teaching materials. The students can be entertained while watching the video, capturing their attention and helping them focus. But making them can be quite intimidating especially with all the editing.

Prezi Video integrates the smooth and aesthetically pleasing animation of Prezi on top of your video. You can shoot a video of you explaining the topic while the animation happens right beside your head.

This takes the pressure of learning how to edit off of your hands. Prezi Video’s interface is pretty easy to navigate, making sure you don’t get lost in editing.

Key Takeaway

Finding the right tools to help you make your materials will speed up your work process. Instead of using complicated tools to edit, you can use options that only require you to drag and drop. Instead of wracking your brain for energizers, why not let them go crazy with art to blow off steam.

At the end of the day, if it helps the students learn better and reduces the time spent getting ready, it’s a win-win.

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CBSE, ICSE exam for class 10th cancelled in 2021!

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 05:08:33 +0000

The pandemic situation which was caused last year i.e. in the year 2020 due to the covid-19 virus seems to be getting repeated in the current year. Thus, in the wake of this virus outbreak the CBSE board has taken a crucial decision regarding the class 10th examinations.

The CBSE board announced the biggest news of the year yesterday, i.e. on 15th April 2021. The CBSE exams for class 10th have been cancelled while the exams for class 12th have been postponed by the CBSE board.

A meeting was held between our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Education Ministry and the CBSE officials to take this decision. This decision was taken after considering the surge in the patients affected by corona and the increasing need of a lockdown.

The 12th class which were supposed to be to be held from May 4 to June, 14, 2021 are hereby postponed. The exam dates are expected to be announced on or after 1st June after assessing the gravity of the pandemic situation.

CBSE stated that a notice at least 15 days will be given prior to the start of the examinations.

Calculation of marks for class 10th

An objective criterion will be developed by the board to calculate the marks in CBSE class 10th exam results in 2021.

Here is a list of few important points from the official notification.

• CBSE 10th Result 2021 will be declared based on objective criterion (to be set by the board).
• Students who are not satisfied with their CBSE 10th Result 2021 will be allowed to appear for exams (to be conducted if the conditions are conductive)

The objective criterion included that CBSE will create an assessment scheme consisting of some set of rules. The weightage of the internal assessment might be high in the new scheme.

But this is yet to be decided by the board.

In the official notification, CBSE has also stated that students who are not happy with their result can appear for optional CBSE 10th board exams 2021 later. These optional exams will be conducted when the situation due to COVID-19 outbreak get better.

Several other state boards such as Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Odisha etc. have already taken a decision to either postpone or cancel the 10th board exams.

The Maharashtra and Delhi governments have requested the Center for the cancellation of CBSE Board Exam 2021.

A uniform policy on board exams was being demanded by the students, teachers, and politicians from across the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to release a nationwide guideline regarding the board examinations along with the decision on CBSE Board Exam 2021.

Alternate Assessment Scheme for marks calculation in the last year

In case if you are wondering on what basis CBSE will give marks, below is the list of few important points from the last year’s alternate assessment scheme used by the board to calculate the marks in CBSE Result 2021 which could prove helpful.

• If a student has appeared for more than 3 exams, the average of three papers marks will be used as scores for pending papers.
• For those students who appeared in lesser papers, the average will be based on the two highest-scoring subjects and allotted to the remaining papers.
• For students who have not appeared for less than three exams, their score will be marked as per internal/ practical/ project assessment.

As of now, CBSE Class 10 exams have been cancelled and Class 12 exams have been postponed. Thus, the students of CBSE 12th class can go ahead and check the sample question papers or previous year’s question papers as an addition to their preparation.

Criteria for evaluation and assessment of internal marks

The CBSE board consulted the experts to help them decide the criteria for evaluation of marks for class 10.

After considering the suggestions from the experts, the CBSE board officials have come up three ways to assess the students and evaluate their progress.

Below are three points which would be considered as criteria for evaluation and assessment.

1. Internal Evaluation of marks

The school have conducted internal assessments during the months from January to March for class 10 students. The marks received by the students in these exams have already been submitted by the schools.

But as there are chances of bias happening from the schools’ side while allotting the marks, these marks would not be the only criterion to assess the students belonging to class 10.

Considering this fact, the board will seek advice from the experts as to how much weightage should be given to these internal assessments.

2. Periodic and mid-term exam scores

The experts also contemplated over the possibility of including the scores/marks received by the students during the periodic or mid-term exams.
The schools have conducted periodic exams and evaluated students on that basis.

Some schools have also used innovative project based assignments to grade students’ progress in the studies. Thus the only way to address the possibility of any bias happening while giving the marks by the schools would be to consider the annual performances of the students.

But the weightage to be given on these periodic exams still remains undetermined.

3. Inclusion of class 9 score

As the third criterion, the experts also examined the possibility include scores of class 9 while calculation results of class 10. But this decision might pose some challenges as the students were mostly promoted to the next class due to the pandemic situation.

As for the schools, the scores of the students of class 9 were based on their annual performances. In some schools, the students were assessed based on different parameters when they attended the last class.

Some schools also conducted annual exams for class 9. Thus, according to some CBSE examiners, the marks received by the students in class 9 can be used as a metric to gauge the students’ performances.

Thus, the board has tried to seek advice and suggestions from the experts as well as the thousands of CBSE examiners across the countries that are experienced and have been participating in the evaluation process since a long time.

The final decision would be taken by the board and it might require a month to finalize the criteria for providing marks to class 10 students.

The solution to internal marks assignment

The assignment of internal marks has a burning issue for the CBSE board officials. They are not sure on what basis these marks will be calculated during this pandemic situation.

Online exams are the perfect solution to address this issue as they enable the students to take exams from their own homes. This will help the students to maintain social distancing norms and help the officials to take exam for assignment of internal marks.

Splashgain has developed an online examination system named as Eklavvya which can help to conduct exams in online mode. Eklavvya has been developed using advanced technology such as Artificial Intelligence which helps to eliminate any chances of cheating such as identity frauds, copying from books, using electronic devices, etc.

Eklavvya also provides many innovative features and techniques such as Remote proctoring which help to conduct exams in an environment which completely free of cheating.

An online examination platform such as Eklavvya also offers a system for Onscreen evaluation. This onscreen evaluation system enables the teachers or examiners to check the answers from their preferred location.

Thus, adopting an online platform like Eklavvya will certainly help the schools or colleges to carry on with the teaching-learning activities without any obstacles in a secure manner as also help them to abide by all the government rules related to pandemic to remain safe and healthy.

Eklavvya, an award winning platform for online examination system, has helped many different educational institutes to conduct online exams in a successful manner. Here is a testimonial given by one of the most reputed schools.

We have been using Eklavvya platform to conduct exams. Interface is very user friendly, Remote proctor can pause or terminate the exam if any malfunction occurs from student side. Proctor can listen audio of students, Evaluation interface for subjective answers is very simple for teachers, Compilation and Generation of result is too fast and accurate. Our teachers really enjoyed Eklavvya platform for the conduction of online exam.

Exam incharge

Delhi Public School

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7 Tips to Create an eLearning App

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 04:28:18 +0000

The study of Forbes states that there has been a drastic increase in the number of smartphone users; hence this proves that it becomes significant to build an eLearning app, and they are going to be the future of our globe.

The popularity of eLearning apps like Byju, Kindle, Duolingo, Coursera, Khan Academy, and many prove it correct. Considering this, many eLearning professionals have plans to build their eLearning app and look for better opportunities and ways to develop it successfully.

App development is a challenging process, and hiring a top mobile application development company will help you a lot. For this, you may require mobile app developers who have technical knowledge and experience. They then retain the offshore technical support after the launch; Hunt for such mobile app developers and hire them to develop your app.

To get better insights about what all is required to build a successful eLearning app, Continue browsing through the article:

Many factors need to be considered before building an elearning mobile app, but the key factors are mentioned below. So let’s have a glance at each of them in detail.

1. Know Your Audience

The foremost thing you need to do is to define your idea and your target audience. Depending on your niche and your idea, you must be certain about the audience you are planning to target, as it can be everyone.

And once you choose your target audience, you must have an in-depth understanding of your target audience. Who are they, what kind of content they would be looking for, What all would be their requirements, What kind of knowledge quotient will they expect from your eLearning mobile app.

You must meet your users’ requirements as if it turns out impossible to meet your users’ requirements, and then they might switch to another alternative eLearning mobile application. Once you study your audience, the tasks become way simpler.

2. Define Your Mission

Before you initiate to develop your e Learning app for kids, you must clearly define your mission.

You should have insights into why you are developing this app?

To whom will this app concern?

Is it going to be an e Learning app for kids, adults, people who want to learn different foreign languages?

Every eLearning mobile app is developed with a specific motive, and your app is no exception. After you are clear about your mission, further, you can concentrate on technical specifications and requirements that will be integrated into the eLearning app.

3. Develop an Active, Intuitive, Engaging and Meaningful eLearning app

Modern educational methods have evolved the procedure of delivering knowledge, as now they use several advanced tricks and techniques that can help make the eLearning procedure easy and effective. It is not enough that educators deliver the information and students take note of it.

Modern teachers use the e Learning app for education as it acts to deliver information and become a coach and a facilitator of instructions.

ELearning mobile apps should be developed to promote active learning. Students don’t have to do the listening and writing process, engage in discussions, perform tasks, and do various other activities. For example, debates, practice sessions, discussions, and problem-solving are some ways that can be used to make an active e Learning application. The second thing to be taken care of is intuitive design, as it is also a vital element of e-learning educational procedure.

It is very important to make the e Learning application engaging and non-distracting at the same time. As students will expect the e Learning app to have a clear user interface, and the app should be user friendly. As if the e Learning app for kids is un-interactive and has complex functionalities, users may get bored by the app and uninstall it.

You can differentiate the e Learning application as being engaging or not. But all the points indicate making the app motivational as the students should feel motivated to spend time on the e Learning app and have fun and learning at the same time.

Finally, you should concentrate on making the app meaningful, as if the students should have detailed knowledge about the subject and the topic and should know the reason behind their learning. Setting up clear objectives can help you to deliver maximum output and underline several benefits for the users. Hence, learning should be systematically planned, connected to previously learned subjects, stuffed with applicable instances, and a clear picture of the gradation system.

4. Come up with A Marketing Strategy

It will require a lot of effort to promote your e Learning app for kids and create a buzz about the same in the market. For this, you will require a well-planned marketing strategy. And in case you don’t have a team of skilled marketing experts, then it’s better to hire a top SEO marketing company specializing in eCommerce marketing.

The marketing strategy would require paid advertising for PR promotions and social media marketing in several cases. But the primary thing is that you must reach your target audience and convince them that your eLearning mobile app will be informative and practical.

5. Create A Technical Specification

Before the app development begins, the project requires to have in hand technical specifications. For this, you must create a detailed document that states and describes all technical requirements and functionalities that need to be integrated into the eLearning app. If you cannot make a report yourself, then hire a top mobile application development company who can help you prepare a report and help develop an e Learning app for you.

6. Choose Your Set of Developers

It is one of the most vital steps of the app development process. A set promising team of app developers can ultimately break your app project or make it a successful one. So how will you choose your top mobile application development company? In the first place, ensure that the app development company has a convincing track record and has massive experience in app development. Further, select your set of developers who have a good command of English and are located in a region and time zone that suits you best.

Finally, choose the company with clear and transparent cooperation terms and with whom you are comfortable working. After you sign the agreement, don’t feel relaxed about your job getting over. As of now, you need to take constant updates and keep track of the app development process until the release and success of your eLearning mobile app.

7. Test The App After the Launch

Once your e Learning application is released in the market, it is fundamental to have extensive testing by actual users. And once they test your e Learning app and provide their feedback. This will provide you with insights that will spot the errors and will recommend you with things that can be improved.

Conclusion

The virtual learning industry is booming, and on the other side, the number of mobile phone users. Hence anyone can conclude that e Learning app for kids are becoming a new trend of education. If you plan to grab this opportunity and have made a clear view about your target audience, mission, niche, learning format, and made an appropriate marketing strategy with detailed technical specifications.

So what are you waiting for? Schedule a call now with a top mobile application development company, select your team of developers, sign a contract, and then share your idea with them and work collectively on building your e Learning application. Following the above steps can help you build, launch, and succeed in your e Learning application

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Students can take 40 percent of their course online: UGC

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 05:22:20 +0000

The pandemic situation which occurred in the year 2020, led to some major changes in various sectors. The use of technological advancements which was earlier restricted to the corporate sector became the new normal for education sector as well.

The education sector switched over to the modern and innovative ways of teaching and learning which were invented with the help of technology. Different educational institutes such as the schools, colleges, universities started adopting progressive means of performing education activities.

To support the new social distancing norms, these educational institutions started conducting classes and examination in online manner wherein the students could attend classes and appear for the exams using any electronic device from the comforts of their homes.

These educational institutions thus started looking for and adopting different online platforms which would help them to conduct classes and exams as also help them with carrying out the admission process.

Now in 2021, it is being estimated that there are high chances of the repetition of the pandemic situation. The lockdown would continue worldwide and the education sector thus needs to continue its dependency on the technology i.e. on EduTech for carrying out teaching-learning activities.

UGC’s decision regarding online courses

Considering the current situation and the above mentioned facts, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has put forth a proposal to the universities. As per the proposal, the universities can now offer 40% of the total courses in an online mode for every semester.

These courses will be provided through and application known as SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds).

UGC designed a new set of regulations called as ‘Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds Regulations, 2021’ which will allow the universities across the country to conduct 40% of the semester courses in an online manner with the help of SWAYAM platform.

The University Grants Commission said, “Every higher education institution shall within four weeks from the date of publication of these regulations in the official Gazette make the necessary amendments, as may be required, in their statutes, ordinances, rules, and regulations to adopt and incorporate the provisions of these regulations for seamless integration through SWAYAM based online courses.”

In addition to above, the Commission said, “No university shall refuse any student for credit mobility of courses earned through SWAYAM platform.”

Seamless Integration through SWAYAM

UGC uploaded a Gazette notification on its official Twitter handle UGC INDIA. The notification stated that the institutions have been asked to amend their rules and regulations within four weeks for “seamless integration through SWAYAM based online courses.”

In the view of lockdown caused due to covid-19 virus outbreak which occurred last year, the schools were closed for a long period of time. Thus, the students have now become accustomed to the new online way of learning. This new regulation by UGC will help students follow a model of education which will be a blend of online and offline studies in the future.

SWAYAM is India’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform. UGC as the national coordinator for non-technology postgraduate courses has developed 145 MOOCs and offered 208 MOOCs on the SWAYAM platform.

Thus, UGC has thoughtfully chosen SWAYAM platform for this kind of seamless blend between online and offline courses.

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CBSE launched Competency Based Assessment Framework aligned with NEP 2020 for classes 6 to 10

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 07:20:04 +0000

Introduction

Since a very long time, the Education system has been following the pen and paper based method for conducting exams for students belonging to different age groups. However, due to the current pandemic state, the Education sector welcomed the technology as also its infusion in carrying out the learning activities.

The new age of digital era began and helped to resume the educational activities in a modern and innovative way.

The Education Policy which was being followed for last 34 years also needed a makeover. To keep up with the changing times and its knowledge needs, the Education Ministry along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi published a new draft of the National Education Policies on 29th July, 2020.

In this new draft, some major changes which are based on the pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability are yet to be implemented.

About new CBSE assessment framework

In addition to above changes, the Central Board of Secondary Education launched a competency-based assessment framework for classes 6-10 for three different subjects.

This framework which was launched by Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Union Minister of Education, is a part of the CBSE Competency Based Education Project aims to replace the existing rote-learning method in the coming 3-4 years.

The main aim of new National Education Policy 2020 is to prepare students for the 21st century and lay emphasis on competency-based education rather than an education which tests mindless learning. The new National Education policy 2020 will envisage an exceptional shift in the education ecosystem in India.

As stated by Manoj Ahuja, CBSE Chairman, “The CBSE has had collaboration with British Council and three UK agencies, Cambridge, NARIC and Alphaplus who are helping CBSE in attaining this objective. The work has already started, and significant progress has been made and we do look forward to this co-operation and working with British Council in the future”.

Framework of the CBSE assessment as per NEP 2020

This framework will mainly cover three subjects- English (reading), Maths and Science based on National Education Policy 2020.

This project which is the basis for a larger project wherein 40 assessment designers, 180 test item writers and 360 master trainer mentors will be trained in using this framework to create model question bank and collection of ideal lesson plans.

In the first phase of this project, a few selective Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, UT Chandigarh and some other private schools across the country will participate in this programme. This programme will be rolled out to all 25,000 CBSE schools in India by 2024.

“Education and research collaboration is central to the India-UK relationship. The reformed assessment framework will support high quality teaching for both an improved learning experience and outcomes for all students in CBSE schools” as said by Barbara Wickham OBE, Director India, British Council.

“Our extensive work with government agencies in India over the past few decades and our links across the whole UK education network meant we were able to propose a framework that will not only bring international assessment standards to Indian schools, but accompany it with an implementation roadmap tailored for India. We are committed to working closely with the CBSE and Indian school system stakeholders in the last mile delivery of the project,” she said.

Conclusion

This framework will surely help to improve the quality of teaching and implementation of changes recommended in the National Education Policy 2020.

This framework designed and developed by the British Council along with AlphaPlus after analysing the current learning and assessment model in Indian schools will surely help the students of CBSE board to gain more exposure and knowledge- both practical and theoretical.

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A Complete Guide to Educational App Development

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 05:04:49 +0000

In today’s world, the smartphone plays a crucial role for everyone. For the last few years, even the educational industry is now a platform seeing tech innovations.

With just a smartphone and educational app, the tech is not just defined to kids, or learners but also a great platform for adults too. Hence, Educational app development targets both students and teachers to build different e-learning platforms.

Education technology has gained huge recognition that it is turning out to be a productive business niche for both entrepreneurs and app developers.

If we look at the research reports, it states that the global educational app market will see a growth rate of CAGR of about 26% during 2020-2024.

Here, in this blog, we guide you through the basics of educational app development right from trends and benefits to the features and useful tips that you need to consider.

Types of Educational Applications

Educational apps are usually classified into two categories – Apps for teachers and Apps for students. To get started with educational apps, you need to be certain of where to invest in.

Educational Apps for Teachers

Educational apps for teachers are quite different from the apps intended for students. Apps for teachers are aimed to ease their process of teaching. These apps can able to track student’s performance and improvement along with the ease of sharing the grades and reports to parents.

Here are few points a best educational app for teachers can do –

Gamification –

For creating the overall process of education fun and exciting, gamification has been added to make the classes fun and engaging. Consider the example of – Kahoot. The app lets teachers and educators prepare questions & answers and then turn them into the form of games.

Tracking Progress

There are features in the educational app that enable teachers to track and watch students’ progress while sharing their grades and results with parents too. Apps like Seesaw provides the student’s portfolio and allows teachers to share the grades with their parents.

Learning Materials –

Cloud-based platforms are the best platform for sharing and saving large quantities of learning material. Through the saved data, gaining solutions are easy and available for both. An app like Schoology lets teachers and students make notes and highlight them in the form of text.

Educational Apps for Students

Students need apps for getting information about several different subjects. And hence, there are lots of topmost educational apps already available in the market.

For Learning Language –

There are students and people who are eager to learn foreign languages and thus need regular practice. Moreover, a lot of top educational apps are in the market for tutoring people to learn new words in a fun way together with videos too. An app like Duolingo provides users with testing their level of language learning. Hence, the app renders a course based on the data collected.

Apps for Kids –

Educational apps are not just defined to adults and students, there are apps for kids too. With the best educational apps, kids can discover lessons via games. By such applications, kids can learn writing, reading, or counting. An app called Poptropica English offers kids solving puzzles for practicing English lessons.

For Online Courses –

Schools and colleges are also coming up with the best educational apps for letting students choose courses as per their choice. An app known as Udemy offers teachers for various subjects. This platform comes up with exceptional search aptitudes and filtering systems.

Preparing for Exam –

There are various apps available like GradeUp, ExamPrep providing comprehensive solutions to students. These solutions provide quizzes, test papers, memorizing chapters, flashcards, and many others.

Crucial Features of Educational App

When building an educational app, there are features and capabilities that must be a component of your design. They help to maximize user experience and keep your app simple to operate and organized. These involve:

Sign up/Log in
Dashboard/user profile
Search bar/Filters
AI-sourced behavioral analysis modules
Link to Social media
In-app social platform
Database
Educational Content
Scheduling system
Download of materials
Projects, exams
Analytics such as surveys, reviews, feedback, and tests
Offline mode
Push notifications

Benefits of Education App Development

Developing new skill sets
Innovative teaching methods
Productivity tracking
Unlimited resources
Time-saving
Hassle-free learning

Useful Tips on Educational Application Development

Use Right Teaching Methods –

Education should be effective! If you yourself don’t understand the instruction, don’t limit yourself to expert advice.

Add Game Elements –

It’s time to place the knowledge into practice. i.e., education apps can be implemented as interesting games such as Quizzes, buzzer zone, multiple choices.

User-friendly Interface –

It must be easy, friendly, and clear. And again, when it comes to kids, the simplicity of design is supreme.

Compatibility with Different Devices –

You don’t know which platforms (Android or iOS) your users prefer, so you should ponder all the possibilities.

Make use of Bright Graphics & Interesting Sounds –

Ensure that the sound effect can be turned off in order to serve the requirements of all customers.

MVP Model –

If you have a thin budget, but still want to create an educational app, begin with the MVP model. Later, you’ll have the opportunity to enhance your mobile service.

Technology Trends for the Educational Apps Market

There are several trends that are developing in the field of online learning. A lot of them are transforming the narrative on education.

They urge innovative methods of educational app development and enthusiasm for learning. These involve

Gamification plays a big role to let people invest in learning and becoming challenging for the overall development.
Artificial Intelligence, i.e., AI, helps to improve learning capability.
Augmented Reality, i.e., AR technologies, engage all of our senses.
Virtual Reality i.e. VR basically enhances experiential learning.
Multiplicity and like-minded community-driven applications make a positive loop to solve queries across the globe.

Top Educational Apps in the Market

Udemy –

For high-quality training and better experience, Udemy is one of the top educational apps that offer high-quality teachings from individual teachers. Also, the app is famous for offering several courses to adults too.

Photomath –

For all the maths experts, Photomath is the best app to solve high school algebra problems. All you require to obtain a solution is to snap the image of the problem or type it, the app then splits down the solution into several steps.

edX –

edX apps empower everyone and anyone to discover things from known organizations like McGill, MIT. This is one of the top educational apps that provides ease to one by allowing them to access online speeches, tests, and assignments.

Duolingo –

The ideal platform for all those who are interested in learning foreign languages. Duolingo offers a series of lessons for well-known languages like Italian, German, Spanish, English, and many others. It also provides support to users as they can choose their native languages making the learning experience convenient and simple.

GradeProof –

GradeProof is an app that helps learners to sharpen their writing, one sentence at a time. Its AI offers techniques for improving style, originality checkers along identifying intricate grammatical issues.

Conclusion

Certainly, Educational app development is the future of learning. To make an education app, you have to make sure to use the right tools and technology to get started with your education app development services.

If you are looking to create education apps, Ajasra Tech, the leading mobile app development company, can let you succeed with your educational mobile app by using the best of technology.

For more information, connect with our experts today!

About Author

Muhib specialises in identifying right team for deploying world class tech products. Having experience with business and data analysis, will help you define your ideas clearly

The post A Complete Guide to Educational App Development appeared first on Education Technology for Digital Assessments, Exams, Admissions and trends.

Top reasons why students present plagiarized assignment

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 10:43:38 +0000

Assignments and examinations have been part of the educational process from the very start. That means, so are cheating and plagiarizing.

Every institute defines plagiarism differently. It has serious consequences in educational institutes and is strictly prohibited.

Plagiarism means copying or stealing the work of others or not giving them credit for it. It can be intentional or accidental.

There are many reasons why students tend to plagiarize but the top 6 reasons are listed below. Teachers can take measurements to reduce the percentage of plagiarized assignments and exams.

1. Overconfidence

When a student gets away with plagiarism one time or more, he or she would think they are clever enough to trick the teacher. They become overconfident and plagiarize every time they can.

This happens when the invigilator or teacher is not paying attention. They skim read assignments. As a result, students are not caught if they plagiarize.

The reasons why the teacher cannot detect plagiarism can be laziness, no familiarity with the plagiarism or sometimes it can be by accident.
How to prevent it?

Firstly, teachers need to tell the consequences of plagiarism to students strictly. That there will be no leniency.

Warn them about plagiarism over and over again. If possible, give students references to such incidents in your institute so they will get lessons. Every teacher should perform their duty diligently. Check all the assignments deeply.

Use a plagiarism checker. This way students will get away with copying

2. Poor time management and un-organization

The next reason on this list is also very common to witness. Students procrastinate their assignments and think they will complete them tomorrow and this goes on.

They spend their time on useless hobbies and when the deadline arrives near, they panic. This causes them to plagiarize. Since they do not have enough time, they copy from others.

Sometimes they do add citations but the amount of quotes is so large that it becomes clear students put no effort into it.

Another reason is unorganized notes. Students make poor or no notes and when they finally start to work on the assignment, they make blunders. Most commonly, students add improper citations.

How to prevent it?

Students should be taught time management skills and make the most out of them. Making timetables can be helpful. To-do lists are also very common among students when it comes to time management.

While searching, students should make organized notes with proper citations. For the speedy process, the student can use an online wordpad for simultaneous research and note-taking.

3. Laziness

One of the most common reasons due to which students plagiarize is laziness. This happens due to the lack of productivity. Students know they can copy and do not work hard.

Because of laziness, they sometimes plagiarize their peers’ assignments and sometimes their own. It is unfair to those students who work hard.

How to prevent it?

Teachers should teach their students about the importance of hard work. Along with that, students should know how false the act of plagiarism is.

Students can follow productivity tips and use online tools to tackle laziness.

4. Lack of knowledge about plagiarism

Another reason why students plagiarize is that they do not know the importance of unique assignments and they are not exquisitely knowledgeable about plagiarism.

Because of this, students don’t consider plagiarism unethical. Or in the case of lack of knowledge, they don’t give much importance to citation.

How to prevent it?

As said earlier, educators should guide students about the institute’s policy about plagiarism. Some institutes consider every type of plagiarism a crime whether it’s intentional or unintentional.

In that case, students should proofread their assignments and exam papers before final submission. A plagiarism checker can be used to remove any chance of accidental plagiarism.

5. Online Learning Trends

After December 2019, when the covid pandemic started to spread on earth, the trend of online learning reached its heights. Almost all the institutes around the globe have shifted to remote institutes.

Where there are many advantages of online learning, its disadvantages cannot be ignored. The most highlighted one is plagiarism in online exams and assignments.

It is seen that students of the same course sit together and take online exams. They help each other or in other words cheat. Similarly, when students spend so much time on the net, they also use it to write assignments.

Which is not necessarily a bad thing if done rightly. But many students take it lightly and don’t pay attention to plagiarism and citation.

How to prevent it?

Since online learning is inevitable now, institutes will have to adopt measures to make online learning efficient.

To avoid the cheating process, modern technology should be used. Students should be monitored through webcams. Mics must be demanded to be turned on. To guard this process further, secure browser technology can be implemented.

6. Lack of Motivation

When new types of projects are assigned to students without any guidelines, they look for shortcuts. Students think as it is a new topic, it would be alright to copy.

They think it is obligatory to submit an assignment with lots of facts and experts’ words. They keep their ideas to themselves and fear to open up. Such students have no thinking of their own.

This happens mostly when a divergent topic is assigned to them. learners have no knowledge about it and search online. In doing so, they cite the expert words only and submit an over-cited assignment.

This way the assignment consists of material that has already been presented. It contains nothing new. Students do not think about the topic.

How to prevent it?

Like most cases, students need to be taught some lessons in this case also. Teachers should motivate students to present their own ideas. Discussion and brainstorming sessions are good techniques to boost confidence.

Conclusion

The toughest job in this process is of the educators. They need to monitor and track the progress and habits of each and every student.

Students should be taught about the importance of thinking by themselves. If they plagiarize now and get away with it, it should be kept in mind it will not happen every time.

They may get good grades by doing this, but they will not have any knowledge. This will get them in trouble in the future. Because it is not numbers that matter in the end, it is experience and knowledge.

The post Top reasons why students present plagiarized assignment appeared first on Education Technology for Digital Assessments, Exams, Admissions and trends.

7 ways to Increase College Admissions with inbound Marketing

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 12:35:40 +0000

The education sector in our country is booming. India has the largest student population in the world, a staggering 315 million students. To put that in perspective India’s student population is nearly the same as the entire population of the United States of America.

The education sector in India is poised to witness major growth in the coming years. Its market value is expected to be around US$ 180 Billion by 2020. Since India is such a huge player in the education sector globally and it is touted to become the talent supplier of the world, global investment in the Indian education sector is increasing. Thus, the education sector in India is poised to witness major growth in the coming years.

Currently, higher education contributes to nearly 60% of the market size. India has managed to enrol nearly 70 million students to higher education in the last two decades and to cater to that population many institutes have mushroomed around the country.

There are more than 10,000 higher educational institutes in India. With this, it has become essential to attract potential students to your institute with new cost-effective avenues.

But all this was before the Covid-19 virus out broke and the lockdown period began in the entire world.

We all are aware that the Covid-19 virus spreads in various different ways. But the main carriers are the humans themselves. Due to this reason, reducing human contact became essential and so were the imposition of social distancing norms.

The pace of the educational activities slowed down for some time. But then the mighty Technology made an appearance in the education sector and the educational activities regained the pace.

Following the social distancing norms was crucial and so was carrying out the educational activities. Thus, all the educational activities started taking place indoors in an online mode. Since then, online classes and online examinations as also online admissions became the new normal.

A potential student truly deserves an institute that can make justice with his/her caliber, and it’s equally important for an institute to reach out to this potential enthusiast with the right approach.

But, doesn’t this technique sound a little out tracked??

In this digital era, when a student can sit in a chair and get to know about each an every little aspect of the institute just by gliding his fingers over his/her phone; how easier has it become to reach these cream wisdom hunters?

This is where Inbound marketing comes into the picture!

What is Inbound Marketing?

Inbound marketing is a marketing technique that is intended to draw visitors and potential customers in, instead of outwardly pushing a brand, product or service onto prospects in the expectation of producing leads or customers.

In terms of Digital Marketing, this means utilizing a mix of marketing channels – most ordinarily Content Marketing, SEO, and Social Media – in imaginative approaches to pull in individuals’ attention.

The point of a fruitful Inbound Marketing effort is to increase reach and drive quality traffic, engagement and changes utilizing ‘earned’ and ‘owned’ media.

It is a marketing technique that utilizes various strategies like Content Marketing, Blogs, Events, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Marketing, etc. to create brand awareness and attract business.

Contrary to outbound marketing, where marketers try to find potential customers, inbound marketing garners the attention of potential customers and creates brand awareness.

This technique creates an online presence of the company, brand, product or service, making it easy to be found.

Why is Inbound Marketing trending these days?

Since the evolution of the internet and consequently social media, we live in a world where information is abundant but internet users do not have the patience to read it.

According to IBM, we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data each day! 90% of the data in the world was created only in the last few years. Thus it is evident that the pace of creating information is increasing and it has already bypassed the consuming potential of the average internet user.

Consumers are empowered by the internet. They have access to information about anything and everything. Similarly, they have a lot of options and choices. They can access the details, specifications, pricing, reviews and alternatives to any product, service or brand around the clock.

As per Hindustan Times survey, the use of internet rose by 13% nationwide especially during the lockdown phase.

To stay relevant you have to adopt various strategies and techniques to attract the attention of your target audience and make your brand more relatable, trustworthy and attractive than your competitors.

Simplification and Automation, these two are the key factors to master the art of Inbound Marketing.

Leveraging the Digital Marketing efforts through right channels and with prominent content simplifies the Marketing Process.

Automation of Admission Process is something that makes it more convenient and user-friendly for the students who are seeking admissions.

Let’s see what Inbound Marketing has into the bucket for us to explore!!

Effective ways to increase to increase college admissions using Inbound Marketing

1. Simplified Admission Process

The admission process of any institute is one of the most important things which creates an impression on students. Having a simple, hassle-free admission process is of great benefit to the institute.

Having a free-flowing admission process means that students enrol for admissions easily and it acts as an added advantage to get more admissions just because of that simple and hassle-free admission process.

The admission process should be designed in such a way that students are updated about any changes in the process and given alerts about admissions, merit lists, cut-offs, entrance exam dates, etc. on a regular basis via SMS or email.

Entire administration activity of the admission process can be managed with technology. There would hardly any manual assistance needed to execute the admission process online. The entire process is carried out in a paperless manner.

Hence, online admissions prove very advantageous to maintain social distancing by diminishing the need for human intervention. As the entire process is carried out in a paperless manner, such as online fee payment or online document upload, there is hardly any human contact involved. It is not just about eliminating the paperwork or maintaining social distancing, but it is also about automating and shortening the tedious process. Such an all-rounder and beneficent platform for online admission is one of the best example to display that today’s

Platforms like ePravesh have been used by hundreds of institutes and universities across India for managing online admission process. The platform includes best practices followed by various reputed universities and institutes across India.

The simplified admission process would save a lot of time for parents and students. Technology-driven admission creates a positive perception and brand image of institute among students and parents community. It can be pivotal for institutes to get started with the online admission process.

This vibe of faith adds up a great value when students walk into the web portal of such an institute. It adds credibility on the account when a student tries to evaluate the managerial discipline that the institution is following.

2. Alumni Testimonials & Alumni Networks

Many institutes fail to develop a strong alumni network. An alumni network works hugely in favour of the institute. It is very useful in networking and making connections across the globe.

This network makes connections across the globe and it refers to the institute to potential admissions. It can function across various platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

Prospective students can connect with this network and ask questions, conduct discussions and clear any doubts or queries. The legacy inherited from these social platforms works as a boomrang to boost the institutions creditbility over a students mind.

These social platforms are nothing but the right pitchers for your educational institues and they deliver their best at every single time. Students source the required information about the institute from generously genuine mediums like Linked in and FaceBook.

Therefore, the presence and testimonials from Alumni’s on such portals add commendable value to the institute.

The alumni network can also organize events and reunions to attract attention and create a presence in the local mass media.

These social gatherings are highly effective and such events reflect the culture and cohesivity that the institute cherishes.

Alumni testimonials, on the other hand, are a great way to build students trust in the institute.Testimonials are natural, relatable and effective mediums to advertise the institute and build trust.

3. Easy & Effective Communication with Students

Effective communication is the key to the smooth functioning of any organisation. This helps in resolving queries in real-time. Mediums like SMS, WhatsApp, Email, Google Hangouts, etc, can be used for this purpose.

This is a practical and efficient way to communicate notices, updates and alerts to all students. No student will thus miss out on any critical attention.

There have been numerous cases, where many students miss out an opportunity of their dream just because of the lack of conveyance. It is of vital importance for both the student and institute to keep up with the updates regarding the admission process.

Automated communication alerts or triggers can be sent to send alerts about admission, merit list publishing or such notifications over email,sms or push notifications. It would help students to be informed about key events related to admission or education institute related courses.

Multiple mediums to avail the updates about the process can definitely cut down the consequences caused by the lack of conveyance.

4. Articles & Blogs

Blogs and articles are an effective way to create brand awareness. This is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to advertise the institute. Institutes can start a new blog section on their website or create a separate blog website about the institute.

These articles and blog sites can be used to create awareness about the institute. Institutes can talk about the facilities they provide, their educational programs, events they conduct and college events.

Great content can take you leaps and bounds in this digital world. Weapons like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are really disastrous to glide around the world of computer networks, known as the World Wide Web.

Blogs being a written piece of content is very vital and highly resourceful when it comes to building a reputation and spreading a word about your product or service.

If you manage to figure out what your target audience is interested in reading, what are they expecting from you; you are halfway there! You just need to produce relevant content and keep on feeding the needs of your audience.

The more quality and informative content, higher the Google Ranking!!

Google Ranking is decided on the basis of things like quality & relevancy of the content as well as search terms used by the user.If your content is the most searched content then you will see that your insittues ranking is climbing higher and higher subject to Google Ranking and Search Results.

With Search Engine Optimization (SEO), your institute’s blog can achieve a good google ranking. This is a great advertising activity which is very effective in creating awareness and advertising at a minimal cost. This can be also done creatively and innovatively to be more attractive.

This platform can be used to talk about the success stories of students. This is a great way to showcase the talented students and their achievements. Prospective students are attracted to success stories and they are a great way to prove your institute better than others.

5. Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is one of the best ways to attract students. Indians on an average spend three hours daily on a smartphone; which is exactly 12.5 % of his/her day!!

This is considerably a great point to do brainstorming about because being a service provider we should always analyze which mediums are actually essential and worth investing to grab the perfect target audience.

Social media is the largest platform where almost 80% of the population gathers and spends a considerable chunk of their 24 hours. What else could be the greatest medium than this to advertise about your institution?

The average internet user will devote 70% of the total time spent on the internet to social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, Snapchat and Twitter. Having an attractive and innovative social media handle is sure to attract student’s attention.

Institutes should really take advantage of this medium. A creative, attractive yet intelligent social media presence works to great advantage in creating a robust social media presence and getting attention.

Institutes can use this platform to create hype about their brand by posting about events, college fests, achievements, field visits, etc.

6. Organize College Fests

Institutes should conduct annual college fests. This will be events of magnificence and grandeur. Various competitions across various fields and interests can be conducted.

These fests are something students wait for a whole year and are excited to organize them. Some institutes conduct college fests which are very famous and students and colleges from across the country participate in them.

These events help not only in boosting the students’ morale but they also create your institute’s presence in newspapers, educational magazines and the greater mass media by extension.

Apart from the mass media, as discussed prior your own social media handles should blossom these events out to the audience. Today’s youth parallelly compares these activities as a considerable choice while choosing an institute for themselves. Give them a reason to choose your institute amongst all the others!

7. Video Marketing

The youth of today prefers video content over written content. Dedicating your energy and intellect towards video marketing, you can easily exploit the potential of video marketing.

Interactive videos, informative videos and other innovative videos are the key to attract the attention of your target audience, the students.

As we have been talking more about the digital era, where we know content is the king, video content ranks itself above the others, being self-sufficient. People tend to interact with and share this type of content over the other types of content.

Video Content is ruling the marketing segment from a year and so and will continue to rule till the next few years. It is essential to take up the advantage of the same and utilize for the better reach of your educational institute, in order to seek more number of admissions.

Being an educational institute, there is immense scope to produce content that will talk about Infrastructure & Amenities, Courses & Curriculum, Events & Happenings, Alumni & Students who can share their experiences about the college, Professors & Managerial Committee who can express a lot about the foundation.

These are just some pieces of themes, which are only the tip of the iceberg. You can come up with innovative concepts to express how your educational program is different than others in the run.

Once you are done with producing creative video content for your educational institute, make sure you channelize it effectively through your social media handles.

YouTube being the contemporary medium for video marketing, hold the highest share for the scope of performing the marketing activities. Having a prominent Youtube SEO in place can be considered as the first move in the era of digital marketing.

You need to have the video content published on you YouTube channel before you channelise and publish it through the other social handles. As YouTube offers the viewers higher credibility towards the brand they are looking at.

After following these seven ways, you can rest assured that your institute has penetrated the social media and reached your target audience. These ways will help you achieve stupendous brand awareness.

The EdTech market in India is expected to grow to 3.5 billion USD by 2022. India’s higher education is estimated to increase to 35.03 billion USD (Rs. 2,44,824 crore) by the end of 2025. This will be possible only through better marketing techniques and adoption of better platforms for education.

Today’s students are techno savvy, you need to share contents using technology to reach out to the students and simplify admission process to attract more number of students for your institute.

Prof. Parag Tamahankar

Asst. Professor at Department of Computer Science, Abasaheb Garware College, Pune

“ We have been using ePravesh services from the last3-4 years. Each time we have received professional assistance and support from ePravesh. Our students are also happy for the simple admission process. Thanks for the help, I would recommend it to others for admission process automation and simplification”

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The Student Perception of Study Abroad and Reality

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 07:45:04 +0000

Do you have friends or relatives who went to study abroad, got an accent and had mind-blowing experiences in a foreign country? Or, have you met a person who graduated from a reputed foreign university and is still looking for a job?

Now, you must be confused about whether you should consider pursuing higher studies from a foreign university or enrol yourself in a national institute. In other words, will study abroad be worth our time and money?

Do not worry! We all have been there. We tend to frame perceptions based on the stories we hear.

Let us see some of the most common myths or perceptions people have about studying abroad versus reality.

Studying Abroad is Expensive

Haven’t we all thought that we need a lot of money in our bank accounts to study at a foreign university? That the scholarships are only granted to a handful of people with a proven academic record?

We often drop our plan to study because we think that we’ll be left with a huge sum of due student loan at the end of our degree. The initial years of our career will be sacrificed in repaying the debt.

Well, we are more than happy to bust this myth.

Studying in an international university is not as expensive as it seems. You must be surprised to know that some countries offer free education to domestic and international students.

In Germany, you do not have to pay tuition fees in the majority of public universities. Some other universities charge a nominal fee for education. You will only be required to pay the administrative costs around €150- €200 every semester.

In other countries, there are plenty of scholarships, grants and allowances available for international students. You can go to the university website and check the details.

Moreover, foreign countries also allow you to work along with your studies. It means that you can cover the majority of expenses on your own.

Do you still think that studying abroad will create a hole in your pocket? We bet not!

Only Grades matter to get admission to a foreign university

How many times have you been told that you should drop the idea of studying abroad because of average marks?

It is another false perception that people tend to believe. A good GPA is the only thing that can get you through the admission process to a foreign university. However, this is not true.

While almost every university demands good grades from candidates, it is not the make it or break it part of your application.

Universities look for a holistic application with good work experience, interpersonal skills, leadership qualities and a lot more. Statement of Purpose, Letters of Recommendation, Essays, and Resume also form a vital part of your application.

The admission department gives weightage to your extra-curricular activities, zeal to learn and grow. They evaluate whether you will add any value to the institute apart from academics, and several other factors are considered.

Even if you scored average grades during school or undergraduate degree, you should not hesitate from applying to a foreign university. Shoot your best shot!

We must choose a beautiful location for studying abroad.

Do you think that the study abroad will be your vacation period? Well, let us burst your bubble. Studying in a foreign university is not all chill and fun. While you must try to choose a country based on the ease of living index, you should not choose a foreign institute entirely based on the country.

It is a misconception that people choose to study in a country where they can have fun and explore.

However, you must select the university based on the course, faculty, ranking, placement opportunities, facilities and other factors.

It will be challenging to manage alone in a different country.

All of us are scared of feeling like a fish out of water in college, especially when we stay in a foreign country where we hardly know people.
Do you think that staying in a foreign country all by yourself will be a complex affair and you will not manage everything by yourself?

Let us get rid of this perception too. As an international student, you can always seek help from the university staff.

A study abroad consultant will take care of your study visa, lodging requirements, and other foreign country arrangements in India.

You will gradually figure out the rest in college.

All you have to do is focus on studying, making friends, networking and making the best use of your tenure.

Online courses at foreign universities are better than studying abroad.

Do you think employers pay more reliance on practical skills than theoretical knowledge? So, should you instead attend an online course from a foreign university and develop skills?

The answer is plain no. Even though online learning has made education accessible, we cannot ignore the perks of physical classes.

When you study abroad, you will meet people from diverse countries, cultures, and qualifications. You will get to learn from their experiences and build your network.

Moreover, in physical classes, you can speak with distinguished professors, participate in debates, group discussions, and many more.

Many times, people think that studying abroad is not as useful as it seems to be. On the contrary, studying abroad from a prestigious institution will increase your chances of getting a job. You can get placed in international companies.

Studying abroad is an exhilarating experience that you must choose over monotonous online courses.

There are always two sides to a coin. Most of the time, we form perceptions or biased opinions on hearing cooked stories. However, you should not let somebody else’s experience dictate your choice.

If you plan to study abroad, you should chase your dream. Consult a person who has graduated from that foreign university. The other good choice would be to talk to a study abroad consultant who will resolve your queries and guide you.

About the Author

K C Raj is a career counselor and recruiter with many years of experience. Interested in topics like human development, education, immigration, inequality, and many other international issues.

K C Raj is a socialist in thinking, and believes in “One Nation, One World” theory.

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