Gone are the days when the tools used in classrooms were just blackboards and text-books. Whatever teachers taught was the ultimate form of learning and we had little room for two-way interactions. It used to be very difficult to cater to each student's need and if a student missed a single class, he/she missed an entire lesson. The education system has come a long way since then, who would have thought of sharing notes or information with each other using gadgets. Today, with the advancements in technology, this is becoming a common classroom scenario. Students these days are naturally tech advanced. Before they even start schooling, they know how to use smart gadgets. In such a technology-heavy era, where the younger generation understands technology at a much faster pace than us, it is important to equip children with the right tools to strengthen learning.

Here's a list of some of the gadgets that are likely to define the future of education:

· Smart tables: Smart tables helps in enhancing the teacher and student classroom engagement. They are interactive learning devices, with a touch-sensitive surface. Students can interact with digital content on these tables or form small groups around the table to watch a lesson or play educational games. Each of them can also use the table simultaneously for individual research.

· Smart Pens: These are input devices that are used to write on smart objects, like smart tables, smart boards, and interactive projectors. A digital pen captures the handwritten data and once they are digitalized, can be uploaded to a computer and shared among peers.

· Interactive Projectors: An Interactive projector serves the dual purpose of having a projector in the classroom & an interactive touch-screen as well. Interactive projectors not only enhance the way teachers teach but also enhance the way students learn. They provide an enriched learning experience for students by enabling drawing, annotation & ability to share the screens across multiple locations. This not only makes classroom learning interesting but also engaging and fun. With interactive projectors, one can do away with the necessity of having a separate smart board.

· Printers: Ten or fifteen years back, would you have ever imagined that just a simple printing machine will also have internet connectivity and can be connected to other tech gadgets? Well, it is happening now. In a smart classroom, everything is connected to each other. So anytime a student wants to take a printout, he/she can directly take a printout without even using a cable. Printers these days are connected to one common network and many gadgets can be connected to one single printer, making things more efficient.

· Digital textbooks: Not only ecofriendly but digital textbooks also help in learning on-the-go. While reading, students can even highlight a certain section and can instantly search for major terms, adjust font, hear audio translations and many more. They are not only restricted to classroom learning, but a student can access them anytime they want to. Many digital books also provide with online quizzes or practice questions based on the chapters they have just read.

· VR: Early education is all about visual effects. Virtual and augmented reality helps in engaging and inspiring students in a classroom environment. It helps in bringing the curriculum to life just sitting in a room.

All these technologies are not just building the classroom infrastructure, but will also offer outcome-based learning. They are making learning much more interesting for children and the day is not far when our whole education system will be democratized, substantially improving the way we make our children not just educated but 'learned'.

P. Satyanarayana

Completed his education from Bangalore University, P. Satyanarayana is currently holding the position for Director of LFP, Visual Products & Robots, Epson India. He has been associated with Epson India since 2001 and has handled varied responsibilities efficiently.