The vision of Suman Matcha, CEO of Online Adaptive Knowledge System (OAKS), is to provide a quality education through advanced teaching aids enabled by technology to students worldwide. After spending a considerable time learning about new-age education tools by visiting companies across India and Singapore, he wanted to make a difference in the learning experience for students in India. A graduate from the University of West Virginia, Suman pursued his Masters in Pervasive Computing. While working with “Expeditors”, he found his true calling in education and returned to India to help make education better for young minds.
Why do 136.69 crore Indians have only one Neeraj Chopra? Contributing to nearly 17.7% of the world’s population of 7.9 billion people, India ranks 33 with only 7 medals (gold, silver, and bronze) in the olymipcs-2021 held at Tokyo. If noticed, the proportion of the population to the medals achieved is missing par. Is this the call to check our abilities to discover the hidden talent in children during their tender years? Nourishing their potential helps the young generations grow boundlessly in every aspect. Mastering the arts, sports and various extracurricular activities sharpens the right brain chiseling the cognitive skills.
Emphasizing on extra curriculars in a student’s life plays a very crucial role in defining and shaping their life ahead. The endless growth of the child’s future in the field of their interest is highly important for a successful life in this competitive world. The achievements and the knowledge acquired through the interested field of extracurriculars orient the individuals towards an authentic life.
As the present-day scenario is spreading its wings into the digital world, aiding the child with an out and outgrowth provides a holistic development. Using Technology as a tool to diagnose and analyse the child’s interests, skills and strengths, steps can be taken accordingly to boost the personality of the child. Initially the student takes a diagnostic test. There would be auto generated reports displayed to the students and guardians. Cutting down the chunks of long process, the technology then helps in uncovering the child’s hidden talent. Depending on the information of the student including the skillset they possess, the interests, strengths and weaknesses and physical characteristics for any special field, there would be a set of recommendations from which the child under the concerned supervision can choose the field of interest. Analytical thinking, logical thinking, design thinking, sports are few categories of extra curriculars which can be chosen.
The interests of the students figured out through technology driven learning can be imparted to the Gen X children through digital, conventional, or blended ways. Once the area of interest is figured, the skill which can be a fun to learn which as well can be the pave path for the growth in future can be acquired by the students. The core sills for diverse competitive exams can also be blended as a part of extra curriculars. The age-old technique of doing something from heart leaves you no efforts can be implied here. The students can effortlessly learn the desired set of competencies through a personalised path.
Digital platforms offering blended learning techniques to students help them in achieving their academics. Through a personalised learning path, the academics can be delivered in various ways like videos, gamified concepts, immersed learning, experiential learning and lot more. The timeworn notion “One size fits all” is still practised by our system remaining obnoxious to the students’ interests and fascinations.
Having a peek through the statistics, it is very evident that as a matter of fact, the ratio of teachers to students is 1:120. Bringing in practicality into play, it is to be accepted that the learning curve of every child is different. In such a scenario the possibility of a single teacher to meet the academic needs of all the students is an attribute to be questioned. One such platform which can provide a personalised learning experience to the students can assist them in attaining all the milestones throughout is OAKS
OAKS makes it possible for the students by customising the academics according to their abilities and potentials. AI based assessment to judge the skills of the students through a series of tests and auto generation of reports is the first step. After a thorough analysis of child’s reports, the skillset he can acquire to meet the industrial needs shall be offered to him as a course. The recommended courses not only cover the academics but also dive deep through the students’ interests making them “industry ready” in every aspect.
The reason for structural unemployment prevailing is due to the gap originated in between the skills required and the skills possessed by the students. Appending practical knowledge of the concepts acquired through technological learning techniques, extracurriculars, skills-based courses make the students ever ready to face the world which is progressing every second. The need for 21st century skills is the foremost demand to be met. Embracing the academics, 21st century skills, personalised learning, extracurriculars, overall development under one umbrella can be achieved through blended learning.
Through blended learning, the teachers can bridge the academic gaps by acting as a guide on side rather than as a sage on stage. This transformation through digitised learning helps students participate in the learning process rather than monotonously receive what is delivered by the teacher. This boosts up interpersonal skills of the students which will direct them towards redefining and reshaping their skill sets ruling out the usual rat race. Personalised learning giving a 360˚ nourishment to the students to retain the strengths and brush the skills is the kick start to fuel up the growth in every child.
Winding up, the learning process of students appended with academics, skills of their interest, extracurriculars which can be achieved through multifarious ways can behold our nation on a better pedestal.