BY UCHINO AMATEY
As part of efforts to ensure that the British Canadian Secondary School, Obudu is in line with global best practices, Governor Ben Ayade has set wheels in motion to install interactive white boards in classrooms to enhance effective teaching and learning.
The Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Stephen Odey made this known during the pilot solution presentation of the white Board at the State Universal Basic Education Board, Calabar.
The SUBEB Boss who said procurement process for the Interactive white Boards was on-going, also added that Governor Ben Ayade is passionate about ensuring that Cross River State gets the best in terms of education despite financial implication.
According to him, "We intend to start with the British Canadian Secondary School and then try to replicate same in some of our model schools. You know it involves a lot of finance and a lot of manpower training, but I can assure you that the governor is very poised to ensuring that this Interactive white board is introduced in Cross River State and that is why they have come to do this presentation. As I speak, it's already in governor's office and we are already embarking on the procurement of these."
Dr Odey said the essence of introducing this new innovation is to enhance effective teaching and learning using 21st century teaching and learning tools.
In his words "We want to see how we can make teaching more efficient, how we can avoid situations where teachers will lack instructional materials to teach. We have gone digital and of course Cross River will be the leading State in using 21st century teaching and learning tools. The governor is very passionate about digitalizing education in the State,"he emphasised.
ICT Consultant in Education and Engineer incharge of the installation of the Interactive White Boards, Emmanuel Naiye said the infusion of digital trends in education is key to aid better learning and teaching experience for both students and teachers.
According to him "You can teach whatever you want using the interactive white board, what it does is to automate everything done in the classroom. Digitalising teaching and learning is very key, because if you look at the traditional way of teaching, what is normally done is to teach with marker and white board, or in some schools it is chalk and black board, by so doing you can't convey the message you want to give to your students effectively. For instance, if you were to teach the digestive system using chalk and black board and you are trying to explain where the food goes into the deoxygenated blood, one is blue, the other is red. On a chalkboard it is difficult for them to have a better understanding of what you are saying because your drawing is going to be in black and white."
He continued "Teaching is very key, very important and also delicate, because whatever you teach, your students soak it in and it stays with them for life. Using the right tool to convey the message is very important, hence the reason for the 21st century teaching and learning tool which is the use of interactive white board. With this, teaching will no longer be abstract, because with this board you can teach using descriptive colourful pictures and even videos. That is the beauty of teaching and learning using 21st century tools, "he explained.
He said the interactive Board also helps to efficiently maximise time during lesson delivery in the classroom.
"Another important reason why you should use this tool for teaching is that it helps in time management. Teachers have 40 or 45 minutes to teach a subject, but they spend half of this time writing notes on the board and then explaining in between and anytime they turn to write on the board their backs are turned to the students, this creates a disconnect between them and the students and it doesn't make for effective teaching to take place. But with the interactive board, the teacher already prepares his/her note at home using Microsoft power point and in class it is just straight to delivery, no copying of notes on the board or anything like that.Except for subjects like mathematics, where the students have to see you solving the problem on the board," he said.
Engr. Naiye further stated that anyone can use this tool for teaching if he/she is well trained. He stressed on the importance of undergoing the required training in order to effectively maximise the use of the Board.
He said, with the interactive board teachers can record anything said or written in class, which can aid teachers' evaluation.
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