Understanding and catering to the needs and learning styles of students through gamification is key in edutech
I am a firm believer in the power of personalisation in education. Education is not a one size fits all model, and there is extensive evidence to suggest that learning should be tailored to the needs of each individual.
According to a report, “over 80 per cent of teachers, parents, and students want exactly what personalised education – the holy grail of education can offer.” Specifically, this means getting a quality education where students can work at their own pace and be their own benchmark to maximise their potential. What makes this more possible now is technology.
Before 2020, online learning was still considered a niche offering more suited for adults pursuing higher education or professional training. Few parents saw it as a viable option for young children. Suddenly, global school closures at the height of the pandemic accelerated the adoption of edutech across all ages as everyone scrambled to seek solutions to overcome these unprecedented learning disruptions.
Even as pandemic restrictions loosened and students went back to school, the innovations in edutech created numerous opportunities for flexible learning; we observed that many families still want online options for education – especially for enrichment classes.
Expanding access to education
Advances in technology have made it possible to learn anything from anywhere. Language learning has been a game changer for students where world languages are not taught as part of the standard curriculum.
For example, American students typically do not start learning a second language until high school, and they are often only limited to Spanish and French. But now, kids as young as three years old can start learning Mandarin Chinese with a professional teacher in China and take that class anytime, anywhere. They are no longer limited to the resources available to them locally.
Personalising the process
Language learning, in particular, should be tailored to individual learning needs. For beginners, the focus lies in building the foundation of the language. But for younger students, the key is to make learning fun. This is why gamification, animated storytelling, and other interactive multimedia can make lessons so much more engaging and effective.
There are also two different levels of beginners to consider: heritage learners with some exposure to a language through their family and non-heritage learners who are starting as a blank slate. Though both beginners, their starting points are very different. For heritage learners, our programme is designed for kids who can already understand and speak. While we take an immersive approach for non-heritage students, we ease them into the language at a slower pace.
That said, both programmes apply the same principles. Games and animations are used to engage students to learn a rigorous curriculum that’s pegged to globally recognised syllabi. This seamless blend of content and instruction in a virtual classroom is what makes our language learning platform effective.
Flexible solutions with edutech
Similarly, hybrid learning allows students a different kind of flexibility. Students can develop cognitively, socially, and emotionally through in-classroom learning while complementing this with online coursework that’s tailored to suit their individual learning needs.
In Singapore, we offer a hybrid learning programme for learning Chinese called LingoAce Blended Learning. It allows students to learn at their own pace in a manner that best suits their learning style.
From our online interactive platform, they can access learning materials wherever they are and whenever they need them. On the weekend, students can join in-person classes where they can interact with a teacher and classmates in person, which helps reinforce what they’ve learned on their own.
For some students, the accessibility, personalisation, and flexibility of hybrid learning can be a more sustainable and efficient learning experience.
Personalisation is the future
The future is about personalising educational experiences, building instruction from student passions and capacities, helping to personalise their learning and assessment in ways that foster engagement and talents, and ultimately encouraging students to be ingenious.
To date, LingoAce has taught more than 100 countries and regions. Each of our students is on their own unique journey, where learning is tailored to individual learning styles and lifestyles, maximising learning outcomes.
Source: e27
