Thursday 17 December 2015

Online Examination Helps To Reduce Students Load


Does excessive focus on the exam system really help the students to excel in life? And how does school exam assist the children to learn challenges? Some argue in favor and a few against it. Though, assessment of the students are essential but too much of stress might not serve the real purpose of education. Excess emphasis on the exam can cause anxiety among the students. While institutes increase the burden of the exam, the learner remains to focus on improving the grade. This may develop the habit of memorization instead of understanding the lesson. Moreover, the students tend to develop health related issues beneath severe stress.

Image source : bit.ly/1OandeO


There is little doubt on the effectiveness of the online learning. Being the most flexible platform for learning it offers convenience for selecting the time of learning. Students living in any part of the world can take distance learning via online from top institutes.

Are We Moving In The Right Direction?

Image source : bit.ly/1ZdRg73
Some time it implies that institutes device exam as a tool to engage students to serious learning. But does it really serve the ultimate goal? In the real world, when we grow up, struggle to find a suitable job. Being new at first job the work responsibility seems like bending iron. My question is - Why can't we introduce an assessment system based on similar circumstances faced at profession? Parents educate their children with a purpose of securing their future. But if we consider the modern world job criteria how does passing exam with rote learning help? I think the time has come when parents should step in and ask raise question why institutes stress on taking exam constantly.

Passing The Exam

The word “exam” does not embolden the students. It, indeed, gives them cold. Passing the exam with high score tops priority of the learner. This shifts their focus to quick learning or we better say rote memorization of contents. Now the question arises- How does the c help the students to understand the topic or subject? Do we really remember what we rote? If yes, then for how long such information remains stored in our memory? These questions really required to be answered by the educational institutes, especially the schools.

Exam Stress Harming Health

There are thousands of survey and reports which says how exam stress has affected the mental and
Image source : bit.ly/1MiYQnE
physical balance of the students. A survey conducted with 1300 in the UK by the ChildLine National Exam Stress shows that 96% felt anxious about exams and revision. The stress of exam forced students to take smoking and drugs. Moreover, students harmed themselves to avert exam distress. Due to the anxiety of exam students miss proper intake of food. Besides, during the exam students study till early morning, hence, lack of sleep could have an adverse effect on health.

Reconsider The Old Habit

The online education system has to evolve keeping the reality in consideration. However, lots of  improvement in education but still many practices of education need alteration to spread the benefits of online education. Schools and other educational institutes have to evaluate and reconsider if their exam pattern is putting heavy burden on the learner. I am not saying to abolish exam system. But it's utmost substantial that there is no additional burden of the exam on the students. Let's devise an education system where assessment exists but does not force learners to develop odd habits.

What do you think? Share your own opinions and thoughts with us by commenting below. We would love to hear from you.

Wednesday 9 December 2015

Nigerian Education: Counting On ELearning


The Nigerian school children leave school in the midst of learning process. What makes them to quit school? Poverty is one prime reason in Nigeria pushes children to pull out from schools. Other cause is the inexperience of the parents which resulted children leave school. It is important for the parents to realise the essence of education. It'll allow their children to live a standard life. Moreover, the government has to ensure that children to participate educational learning.

Image source : bit.ly/1TCvs1i
But how ? If we do the reality check we'll find that the educational environment in most the school are not favourable. Most schools do not have sufficient infrastructure to create conducive learning environment. Nigeria can use modern educational technology to ensure that every children receives education. Online and digital learning technology should be adopted to facilitate education to the children.

Online learning has already been added into the learning process of many schools globally. The e-learning is flexible as students can learn at any time and place. Moreover, The audio-video learning adds substance of attraction among the students. Online learning can help to address the issue of school drop-out prevalent in Nigeria and in most of the Sub-Saharan African countries. Read on.

Insufficient Time & Infra

Image source : bit.ly/1OSGJv4
The National Universities Commission (NUC) and American University of Nigeria (AUN) has recently organised conference on the Technology-Assisted Learning in Nigerian Higher Education. IN the the conference experts and educationalists raised the issues related to growing population and education. Nigeria, is said, will the third largest populated country in the word by 2025. Dr. Margee Ensign, President, AUN, has expressed his concern that Nigeria have neither have sufficient time nor the resources to make schools for the foretasted population by 2025.

Using The Tech

Image source : bit.ly/1OjxoaY
In the midst of the growing concern experts opines that technology can help Nigeria to meet the education demand by 2025. Meanwhile, AUN has devised LMS ( Learning Management System) software application to keep tab on the online learning and training course programs. With the LMS it trails, administer, etc. the online course programs. Softwares like Windows, DOS, Mac softwares- Skype, OpenERP, Moodles, Canvas and E-mail are being used between students and the instructor for exchanging informations and ideas. Julius Ayuk-Tabe, Asst. VP, Digital Services and Chief Information Officer, AUN said, “Technology has made the learning environment boundless, slowly displacing teachers. Technology is the pen and paper of our time, and we have a generation growing up in a digital world.”

Focus On Knowledge

In the online learning, the focus lies solely on the education. Instead of relying on the , unlike classroom teaching, concrete erudition of the students are focal point in e-learning. With the digital gadgets like- smart phones and tablet students can attend class. To make sure that all the learning material is available to the student schools and colleges have to bring in the e-library. The online library would be easy to access at convenient time and place.
Image source : bit.ly/1mbZpuE
Amed Demirhan, GM & Director, Barzani National Memorial, Kurdistan and Iraq said, “We are applying information technology both to organisational structure, space and collection.” the Ex-Director, Library Services, AUN said, “That was why AUN was selected as one of the best innovative international projects in library in 2013. We want every school in Nigeria to know they can do what we did regardless of their resources.”The e-library and online learning centre of AUN is operated through web browser and OS system. About this Ayuk-Tabe says, “The difference between KOHA and Google is that KOHA helps to arrange database and filter non-academic materials.”

Following The Popular Trend

Nigeria has to adapt online learning in more wider perspective aiming to develop the economy of the country. The schoolchild need utmost attention so that their education is not compromised. Also, considering the rise population, online learning should be introduced in the schools. Since there is lack of resources in Nigeria to build the educational infrastructure, e-learning can offer great assistance catering education to the schoolchild. Online learning would allow the drop-out students to work and attend learning sessions simultaneously.

What do you think? Share your own opinions and thoughts with us by commenting below. We would love to hear from you.