How a school uses technology to bring real life lessons to students.
“My 11 year old son does not know how to use Google!”
My friend, Wei Li, freaked out over a phone call.
She discovered this during our Malaysia’s COVID 19 lockdown period.
Like most businesses, schools had to move classes online.
For the first time, parents get to follow a full-day class with their children at home.
Wei Li is a mother of 3 lively boys. Her eldest son sat and waited for her to help him find answers to his assignments.
“I have been using Google forever. It’s a given. I am shocked that my son does not know. Instead, he chooses to wait for me to search his answers over the internet.”
“And I can’t keep doing it for him,” she said.
Feeling frustrated.
She added “Why can’t the teacher use Google map to teach Geography. Her slides were so boring.”
Today software fixes our spelling and grammar mistakes. A simple spreadsheet formula computes tricky maths equations. Softwares read to us or even convert text for us.
When the internet started, they say the world is in the palm of your hands.
It’s difficult to imagine not using a computer or a mobile phone for work these days.
It is unavoidable.
Technology has changed over the last years. The 4th technology revolution started around 2011.
Today, Google processed 3.5 billion searches a day!
Almost 5 billion videos watched over YouTube per day!
How did Wei Li’s son miss all this?
Granted that schools feel the need to protect children from all the ‘negatives’ of using technology.
The consequences of technology in school can range from over stimulation to delay in child development.
Unfortunately, it’s a double-edged sword.
And like many, there are reservations with children using technology. Especially with social media bullying.
But what if a school could embrace technology to bring lessons to life.
Acton Academy runs a children’s business fair (CBF) once a year. They held this year’s fair on Facebook — A virtual business space.
Children set up their FB business page and learn to sell their food or products online.
The sale took place for a day, and children worked together with the support of guides and parents.
In their closing debrief, children shared the following:
“The physical CBF I feel was harder because I had to make all of the books beforehand, and if I ran out of my products, then I would have to make more if someone requested it. The virtual one I didn’t need to make any books beforehand because I can make them when they order some”, said Jasmine, nine years old.
“We need to know the product, price, bundle, delivery information well before the fair. Being online is good because we have time to find out things we don’t know — we asked parents and google”, explained by Ee Nie, 14 years old & Khye Gene, ten years old.
“As I gave free pick-up as an option, I will need to sift through orders and contact the buyers individually by this week,” said Jared, eight years old.
I was in awe.
Is Jared only eight years old? It felt as if a marketing manager was writing up his sales report!
Jasmine’s reflections on the business project was relevant and precious to this century. No textbooks or teacher’s lectures could have given her that firsthand experience.
And technology made it possible.
Are we then shortchanging our children if we leave technology out of school?
My friend, Wei Li, could have a meaningful time with her son instead of nagging him to complete his homework.
And all it takes is courage to trust our children.
Schools which embrace technology are preparing students for their next journey in life. And technology will be part of that life, whether we like it or not.
Maybe it’s time to err on the side of technology today instead of caution. Trust and allow children to manage technology themselves.
For those who are interested about Acton Academy, Malaysia:
Acton Academy is an innovative learner-driven school, established in 2016. They help 4 to 18 years-old students discover and grow their unique strengths — because the world needs them.
Acton Academy uses the latest technology in a self-paced learning environment designed to foster responsibility, goal-setting, and teamwork.
