By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
Rotary Club of Anthony Golden has emphasized the need for secondary schools to focus on how digital technology can enhance training, teaching and learning, to transform Nigeria’s basic education.
The club’s president, Babatunde Olubanjo, disclosed this at the Basic Education, Literacy and Tree Planting project, held in Ajao Estate Junior Secondary School and Anthony Senior Secondary School, Anthony Village, Kosofe Local Government Area, Lagos State.
Olubanjo said, in early childhood education, use of technology is encouraged, as it fosters the development of hand-eye coordination and strong motor skills. The use of online games and apps that improve cognitive skills, most of which rely on the speed of movements of the children encourages their creativity.
He explained computer games also encourage the ability to put together clues and foster problem-solving skills and the skills acquired can help the child as he grows and develop through the academic life course and later in his or her working life.
The club’s service chairman, George Nwibo, delivered a paper on Digital Technology Making Students’ Learning Process and lives better.
Nwibo stressed the use of digital technology to enhance knowledge and learning through available Smartphone technologies, and how they can think differently using technology to create excellence in teaching and learning.
He said kids these days drive on the “superhighway” of the Internet web, and parents and caregivers need to guide the children in the use of digital technology. ‘’Social media, online games, tablets, and mobile phones are common examples of such technologies common to children. No doubt, digital technology affects all aspects of our lives; the way we communicate, learn and think. Just as the physical environment is important in the upbringing of the child, the digital environment needs to be safe and healthy for children to live in and develop.’’
Nwibo added that there are numerous benefits of the use of digital technology in the upbringing of the next generation, stating, ‘’there are lots of educational materials and online libraries that are readily available and accessible to this current generation. Children can explore new knowledge and with proper guidance, they are able to satisfy their curiosity in any aspect of knowledge.
Presently, he said many children are already in possession of devices, instead of allowing the devices to become a distraction to them; teachers could use them as educational tools.
Meanwhile, at Anthony Senior Secondary, where the tree planting project was held, the students were enlightened about the benefits of tree planting, and also a basic education and Literacy talk on erosion control was delivered, due to the gully erosion affecting part of the school environment.
Nwibo, who educated the kids on how they can prevent erosion, said that gullies are scary and create panic because they could collapse easily and wash away large volumes of land.
He cited the instance of the affected area, close to the school fence, which can collapse if measures are not taken to prevent the occurrence from getting worse.
The club adopted three indigent students and pledged to donate printers to enhance exam questions papers production and results.