“Keep it simple and reliable!” That’s the view of leading UK based technology learning specialist, Mr Abdul Chohan on the use of technology for positive gains in teaching and learning.
Mr Chohan, the Director of the Essa Academy, an education institution based in Bolton, England recently addressed MANCOSA and Regent Business School academics on the merits of innovative technology in improving teaching and learning and access to education. The joint initiative was one of a calendar of scholarly events set to take place at the Mancosa Graduate School of Business which aims to enlighten the academic community on pedagogical development.
Mr Chohan, a member of, Think Simple Ltd, related his travel experiences in about 40 countries in 2014 where he promoted the use of simple yet reliable technology in teaching and learning.
He spoke about making education more accessible to students, especially in countries like Greenland, where challenging weather conditions make it impossible for students to attend classes months on end, hence the need to access education through technology.
A change in mind set needs to occur among skeptics who resist using technological innovation for education. People would become more receptive to using technology for teaching and learning if “simple, reliable and accessible” technological devices were used instead of complex ones, he said. Adhering to this will eventually change people’s beliefs and behaviour towards technology.
Technology can redefine education, but currently there’s a tendency to continue to utilise technology and expect a different outcome. People called for students to be given technological devices in the hope that it would improve their learning, but months down the line it’s discovered that providing the devices does not achieve the intended purpose.
Learning models must be analysed critically by educators who need to integrate pedagogy and technology said Mr Chohan. He stated that using this method of teaching and learning at the Essa Academy has resulted in a marked improvement in student pass rates, from 44% in the late 1990s to 98% at present.
