Olashore upgrades classrooms with e-learning facilities

Olashore International School has upgraded classrooms with e-learning facilities to encourage the four Cs of Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity which are vital for 21^st Century learners.

This followed from the official launch of iPads in the school in the last session, which is intended to be rolled out to students and teachers in the new session. To ensure effectiveness in blending technology with education however, these classrooms were built to accommodate the four Cs of learning.

The Chairman Board of Governors, Olashore International School, Prince Abimbola Olashore, reiterated that the management has trained the teachers for two years and is working on the expansion of its bandwidth and other infrastructures for a successful implementation. His words: “What we have done is to understand that it is not giving the students the iPad that is the key, but how to convert lessons to be delivered through the new technology. The implementation will start with the teachers this September and we have spent about two years training our teachers to understand it.  We are building our infrastructure”.

According to the Principal of the school, Mr Derek Smith, at an interview session, stated that four keys essentials for learning and competence in the 21st century are Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity. He reiterated thus: “Olashore has been developing these skills in their students for a number of years and now feels that the development of these competencies are integrated into our culture. Hence we are looking to move to the next level where we can further develop our use of technology to transform learning”.

Elucidating on the 21st century learning, he highlighted six (6) levels in the cognitive domain of the Taxonomy, to include: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation. His words: “As knowledge becomes freely and easily available through mobile internet access, the value of knowledge retention has decreased. The Challenge for 21st Century schools is to ensure that learners move to the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxanomy of learning, beyond knowledge and comprehension to the levels where they are comfortable analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information.

Summarising key factors that Olashore believes will ensure most effective transformation of learning , the principal pointed them out to include, Effective Research before implementation, investing time and resources, training of all staff ,planning Ahead and pacing one’s self.
Smith pointed out specifically that the school focused more on learning, and that so much can now be done with technology because people can now interact in various ways. However, he shed more light on what the school has put in place to make the project work. He pointed out the support system, guaranteed electricity, Power-point lessons, interactive whiteboards, projectors in classrooms, one to one roll out of iPads, and mobile devices, amongst others, as some things put in place to ensure education and technology.  However, the new classrooms will enhance the usage of iPads.

On resumption in this 2015/2016 session, the principal, Mr Derek Smith, also announced that the staff complement has been enhanced with the employment of new teachers in Mathematics and English to build on the school’s already excellent academic performance; the hostels upgraded with each students having their corners complete in-built wardrobes and sockets for charging laptops or iPads;  Employment of a registrar to ensure smooth the transition from primary to secondary school for both students and parents allowing the children to hit the ground running, all amongst others, all in a bid to ensure the upbringing of disciplined and value added students.