Technology plus education equals e-Learning.
For students nowadays, when they talk of e-learning, they think of computers and gadgets. Students are highly into technology. With the advent of these technological advances, how do schools cope with it?
As early as 2008, GENYO e-learning was launched to energize regular classroom experience. Powered by the two leading educational providers in Singapore and Philippines namely Marshall Cavendish Online and DIWA Learning Systems, it is focused on the learning of today’s generation and promotes learning beyond the classroom. The internet will no longer be just for surfing, playing games, or watching videos but it will now be used for a more educational and enjoyable learning.Since GENYO e-learning was launched, schools who realized the value of using this technology as a form of learning tool maximized the opportunity to advance this fast-changing era of teaching and learning experience for both and students. Many have adopted the 4Cs integrated e-learning solution of GENYO. Among these are Canossa School of Sta. Rosa, First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, St. Paul College of Makati, Hope Christian High School, Don Bosco Technical Institute of Makati, San Sebastian College-Recoletos and Sienna College of Taytay. Now on its third year of subscription, these schools prove to be a testimonial not only for teachers and students but also for parents who wonder how technology could really help their kids in their education.
So how does GENYO establish its worth?
E-Learning for Fun, Meaningful Experience
At the start of the lesson, students would often wait on the teacher’s introduction of the lesson, accompaniedby writing notes and daydreaming. Their minds would wander off as the lesson gets a little bit complicated, then as the bell would ring, another teacher would enter and the cycle begins day after day.
With GENYO, teachers can access multimedia components like video clips, colorful animations, interactive simulations and challenging quizzes which, in turn, can heighten the interest of the students. Normal daily routine will be combined with technology-enhanced lesson; thus, attracting students from their daydream.
May it be video clip about animals or an animated teacher-prepared game; students can further explore the topic and continue their curiosity. Feed the students with the animated tutorials that they can listen to and surely they’ll ask for more. Teachers can allow them to answer these flash-based games and activities during class hours or give this as an assignment that they can review at home. Since GENYO e-Learning is available 24/7, students can learn at their own pace and at their own time.
Teachers become Facilitators
A classroom without a teacher is not a class. How familiar it may sound, students usually rely on their teacher as they feed on their hunger for knowledge. The teacher directs, guides, and prepares their students into the real world. Without a teacher, everything becomes dull and without direction.
With this in mind, GENYO e-Learning works for the convenience of the teachers. Not only does it help them find hundreds of teaching resources that they can use in classroom discussions, GENYO also allows them to customize their own lessons and tests based on their teaching strategy; thus opening doors for flexibility and creativity. It lets them prepare ahead for their lessons and in much shorter time. When discussion begins, teachers can just project in class what they want their students to copy and take notes instead of writing everything on the board.
How does this affect the teacher anyway?
During class discussions, teachers become facilitators. As according to Wikipedia (2011)1, a facilitator is someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve these objectives without taking a particular position in the discussion. In the classroom setup, the students have their common objective – that is, to understand a certain lesson, may it be simple or complicated. With less time to prepare the materials needed for the discussion and write the notes on the board, teachers as facilitators can fully explain the lesson and start interaction among the students. One hour of lecture can become one hour of sharing ideas among the teacher and the students; hence, making learning much more fun and exciting.
Immediate Feedback boosts Learning
According to Vockell, E. and Schwartz, E. in their book, Computers in Classroom,2 “in order for learners to receive maximum benefit from feedback, it should be supplied as soon as possible after performance of the activity.”
Feedback is very important as is it tells the learners whether they were right or wrong. More often than not, students usually receive feedback delayed by minutes, hours, days or even weeks. As Vockell and Schwartz mentioned, the best time to provide feedback is when they are most interested in the information – usually right after they have given their answer.
With GENYO, immediate feedback is also achieved. As students extend their learning by answering flash-based activities already available in the portal and online tests created by their teachers, scores are automatically monitored after the activity. With this, students can check where they got a mistake, review the questions and converse with the teacher to clear up some misunderstanding. Teachers, on the other hand, can immediately discuss points for improvement as scores give initial response to the lesson taken and note possible topics that need to be thoroughly discussed. Moreover, results are always available for teacher’s review anytime and anywhere. 
Thus, GENYO has proven its worth as it makes e-learning fun and exciting for students, creates interaction for teachers and students and provides immediate feedback for the student’s learning growth. No wonder more and more schools now appreciate the value of e-learning for children.
More schools are Signing Up
Designed to help teachers and students achieve a more engaging student learning experience, GENYO was maximized in different schools nationwide; thus, moving forward with e-Learning. From nine schools in 2008 up to 74 schools in 2010 for both grade school and high school, more and more schools are realizing e-Learning as an effective way to prepare kids in the 21st century workforce. Not only does GENYO allow for a fun-filled, content-rich and meaningful interaction within the classroom, but it also eases the burden of teachers and parents in making sure superior learning experience is achieved by their students. For more information, you can visit http://www.genyo.com.ph.#
References:
1Wikipedia Encyclopedia. (June 30, 2011) Facilitator. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facilitator. (August 15, 2011).
2Vockell, E. and Shwartz, E. (n.d.) Computers in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/cai/cai3/cai3feedback.htm (August 15, 2011).
eLearning in PH 