‘Smart classrooms’ in Makati public schools: User-friendly tools for learning

The new face of the learning system has started to appear in the classrooms of Makati public schools.  They call it the “smart classrooms” where learning tools are today’s essential gadgets for information, entertainment and communication. In these smart classrooms, the blackboard is a white interactive board, the books for different subjects are in a notebook tablet, and the internet connects learners and teachers during class.

Tools which operate like familiar gadgets can make the classroom experience more conducive, and even fun, to learning for the child.

As a start, this program of the Makati local government unit (LGU) is for 400 classrooms to have interactive whiteboards, notebook tablets, and unlimited internet access this year.

Makati Mayor Abby Binay announced on Jan. 26 that the city government has already installed 200 Hybrid Interactive Boards (HIB) – 119  in elementary school classrooms and 81 in secondary schools.

The HIB unit – which replaces the traditional blackboard – is equipped with an intelligent operation system and a touchscreen whiteboard with multi-gesture writing features, capable of multiple screening, remote snapshot, and microphones with a 10-meter pickup distance for video conferencing.

In the smart classroom, each student will have a notebook tablet that’s connected to the school’s Learning Management System (LMS) and the interactive boards. Unlimited internet access for all students and teachers will be available inside the smart classrooms. This will also allow the students to submit answers for exercises and tests directly to the LMS.

Since the learning analytics tools are integrated into the LMS, teachers can evaluate the students’ performance through the system and thus reduce administrative classroom work like checking and grading test papers. The assessment scores of students can be accurately reported through a smart classroom’s HIB.

“We aim to incorporate IoT (Internet of Things) devices into 400 smart classrooms and expand this initiative in the near future. Our goal is to continuously provide quality education and modern instructional resources that meet the demands of the 21st century,” Mayor Binay said.

In November last year, 692 public school teachers in Makati were trained for the intensive hybrid interactive smart classroom system.  The training has prepared them for the new setup which started to take form last week in 200 public school classrooms in Makati City.

The smart classrooms program of the Makati LGU shows a good initiative to provide quality education.

“Our public school facilities and equipment are comparable to those in top private schools. We believe our students deserve the best educational services a local government can offer. The dedication of our city’s teachers will lead to improved learning outcomes,” the mayor said.

Initiatives to integrate new technology – like the familiar gadgets –in the classrooms is a plus factor in helping the young – the future generation – absorb new concepts that will build knowledge. It will also develop skills to use new technology to source information and thus continue the learning process throughout their lives.

Today’s generation of young learners are virtually digital natives. They deserve the best learning systems that will enable them to keep apace with their peers in other countries that invest purposively in educating their youth.