Modern Teaching Methods

The new teaching method which we called the modern teaching method is more
activity-based and centres the learner’s mind which involves them entirely into
the process of learning. In the modern teaching method, curriculum teaching
and planning are done keeping the learner as the primary target.

Through this way, learners actively participate in the whole process to build their
knowledge and sharpen their skills; this is also termed as a constructivist
approach. On the other hand, the mentor or teacher only leads them and guides
them to focus on the objectives of the subject. This is all done by engaging in
activities and by adopting innovative modern teaching techniques. New demand
of the era or the need of the hour for students is to embrace the contemporary
teaching methods which will also help in reducing the competition among the
students, promote cooperation, and boost the health study environment.

Brief Introduction
Over the years, there have been visible changes in teaching style. Opposite to
the memorization and same old recitation practice to teach the students, now
with modern teaching methods, interactive methods of teaching have been
introduced, and its result can be seen. This is an education reform which
provides an entirely different angle of teaching and learning because modern
teaching methods do not treat all students at the same level of their
understanding ability, unlike the conventional method of teaching. Rather than
the only teacher based, modern teaching methods focus more on questioning,
demonstration, explaining, practical, collaboration methods, and are more
activity-based.

Characteristics of Modern Teaching Methods

The modern teaching methods help to build or develop a productive
understanding of basic science and technology (BST). Hence, the elements of
contemporary teaching methods include:
1. Learner-centered
One of the essential characteristics of the modern teaching methods in basic
science and technology (BST) is it is learner-centred. It focuses on learners
while using or applying during classroom and laboratory lectures. The teacher
acts only as a guide, and all the learning process involves learners. Learners
significantly appear as a dominator in classroom interactions.

2. Task-Based or Activity-based
The teacher or guide of BST organizes activity or task and engages students to
learn through this way. Hence it is an activity-based or commission-based.
Students are offered or asked to take part in classroom interaction through
these interactive activities.

3. Resource-Based
BST teachers should be resourceful. They should collect and distribute all the
required study material to the learners for their learning or to understand the
topic clearly. The resources can be collected from the school environment or any
other place where it is available. Also, a learner can be the source to bring study
material or resources from their end.

4. Interactive in Nature
One characteristic defines the modern teaching method as very interactive. The
teacher asks the students to form small groups or work as individuals to
perform the learning tasks and come up with the desired results. It helps them
to gather knowledge from one another. Students learn to work together and a
sense of cooperation. It also works in their favour when they step out in the
outer world.

5. Integrative in Nature
One of the vital characteristics of modern teaching methods is it is integrative.
Teachers link topics of one subject, e.g., social science topics like drug use,
domestic violence, safety, pollution, food distribution, crime etc. to other issues
and make it integrative. By this, a learner can gain knowledge of more topics
studying one.

6. Peer Collaboration
Modern teaching methods not only encourage students by allowing them to
present their ideas or initiative by noticing their responses, studying their
research, and allowing them to answer during interaction in BST classes but also
selects students based on interest, needs, and feelings. Through Instructional
activities, students learn to work cooperatively, and they appreciate their
competitors’ work as well. In the BST curriculum, learner’s interests are
considered most important, and they are guided towards their goals and
careers.

Modern Teaching Methods

Like other fields, the face of education has also evolved drastically over the
period. Earlier, teachers were the only means to create a bridge between
education and learners. They were using conventional pedagogical methods
to explain the topic or to provide notes. However, modern education sees a vast
scenario which encourages learners to study profoundly and study to satisfy
their curiosity. In recent years, we are getting introduced with different modern
teaching techniques, and the introduction of technology along with innovative
ways to teach has brought a revolution in the education sector. So, let’s discuss
which new teaching methods are.

Following are the modern teaching methods:

Collaborative Learning
Earlier, when students were asked to revise the topic or syllabus during an
examination or regular days, they used to revise the syllabus in isolation or at
home. This practise was widespread in traditional teaching methods. To deal
with this issue or provide a more useful platform for students, schools are
coming up with collaborative learning. In this modern teaching method, teachers
form a group of students where they can solve their problem, debates on topics,
and clear their queries. This helps in developing social skills and allows students
to understand the subject faster.

In this modern teaching method, every student is a part of the success of a

group as they help each other to reach the desired result, and they also learn to
communicate with each other. Learners learn to tolerate others, develop skills to
listen to others and how to work in a team. They will be able to meet different
personalities and can get a genuine review of their work.

Students present their ideas and expect a response when they are in group
learning. It allows them to exchange their creativity and gain more knowledge. In
return, it helps them to learn to face healthy criticism and cross-questions. So,
school management should choose to take up a collaborative method of
teaching to teach their students. They just need to make a few changes in the
layout of the Classroom. Replace desks to whiteboard surfaces. So, the groups
can work together with ease.

Spaced Learning
Spaced learning is one of the modern teaching methods, which is being followed
by teachers. In this method, teachers repeat a lesson multiple times, basically
until the students understand entirely. However, the teacher repeats the course
with two 10-minute spaces (break) in-between the lessons.

The gap is meant to refresh the mind by playing physical activities or

mindfulness techniques which prepares them for the next session of the same
lesson. This method gives the students intervals to inherit the knowledge and
create connections between learnings. Before moving forward to another
chapter, this method prepares the students with basics.

It truly defines a proverb that a healthy mind is in a healthy body. So, the
physical state of students should be sufficient to the growth of mental state
which is crucial to gain knowledge. Spaced learning also has a scope to reduce
obesity in school-going children which can be seen more nowadays. It improves
both mental and physical health of a student.

Flipped Classroom
Flipped Classroom is a well-known term in the pedagogical method. You have
known about this undoubtedly. Its name ‘Flipped Classroom’ makes it unique. It
is one of the very vital modern teaching methods that has been in use these
days. In this method of teaching, the teaching procedure takes place in a flipped
manner.

As unlike traditional ways, students study new material or content at home by

themselves and practice the same at school. The method is the reverse of
providing content at school and asks students to rework on it or practice it at
home. The students practice this method at home by watching a video tutorial,
search online, or work on the content usually shared by the teacher. They do not
need to complete the homework at home. Instead, they end it at school.

Through the practice of flipped Classroom modern teaching methods, students

get enough time to grasp the topic, unlike school where they get only a few
minutes to understand the content. If necessary, they can work more on one
issue.
Students prepare themselves with the content before arriving in school, and if
they face any doubt, they can discuss it in the Classroom or ask the concerned
teacher. They can also suggest their ideas related to the content and share it
with other classmates. Moreover, there is another advantage of this modern
teaching method that students would not have to suffer due to their sickness.
Sick days won’t interrupt their learning.

Self-learning
Curiosity pushes the learner to learn new and more always. It drives the learners
to learn and memorize large spaces of the text that they will either miss
gratefully or forget immediately. Through their curiosity, students get motivated
to explore the subjects they are interested in. Teaching students to operate the
internet and find results themselves helps them to be self-dependent and gives
them a deep understanding of the content.

A teacher should allow the students to bring new ideas and work on it for the
development of their brain and ability to work alone. This modern teaching
method plays a significant role in learners’ period of education.

Gamification
It is a well-known fact that children love games either it is online games or
playing games at the field. Teaching through games is one of the essential
modern teaching methods that has been in use under modern teaching ways.
The significance of Gamification in teaching has mostly been seen in the
elementary and preschool system. Learning through playing games won’t
be even realized by students. It motivated students as well and proved effective
not only to the students of preschool but of any age.

The responsibility of teaching through Gamification is of teachers as they should

plan or design projects that will be suitable for the students of their respective
age. They should incorporate attractive measures to connect the students for a
longer time and keep their interest alive. Teachers can also take help of the
online platform under Gamification. Teachers can organize online quiz, puzzles
or brain games. This modern teaching method is a fun learning method to teach.

VAK teaching
VAK is a modern teaching method whose effects can be seen clearly. We divide
leaner into three categories: Visual, Audio, and kinesthetic (movement). One
needs to recognize to which category they belong to or the teacher must know
to which category her students relate to.
In VAK, V is visual means seeing the data, A is Audio means gathering
information by hearing the data, and K is Kinesthetic means feeling the data. A
teacher should keep the category of students in kind while teaching because
some students catch the information by seeing, by hearing or by feeling. So, they
should present the same material in different ways.

The VAK teaching method was introduced in the 1920s to help children with
dyslexia. However, its impact is more effective in the modern era. In the time of
the internet, watching and learning through videos has become a popular new
medium of teaching. Students grasp fast when they see, hear or feel instead of
reading the material. And also, a learner is not limited to any one of the media
as they can use even all three mediums of instruction.

Crossover Learning
The not-so-common modern teaching method is Crossover learning which uses
both formal and informal teaching and learning environments. It is one of the
perfect ways to give the best education to learners. Crossover learning
effectively engages learners and provides authentic yet innovative results.

A formal setting is a traditional setting, i.e., Classroom to provide education.

While, the informal environment of teaching is museums, seminars, and after-
school places. Schools and colleges teach with content, study material and use
everyday experiences to add knowledge. On the other hand, informal learning
generates curiosity and interest and increases understanding by asking
questions to their teachers.

Teachers should introduce new queries or questions in the formal setting and
answers for which students should try to find in informal settings such as by
exploring that question on their museum visit. The learners can take notes or
collect pictures as their data and produce them as the information once they
backed in the Classroom. They can share collected information with other
classmates and can discuss it for better results.

Advantages of Modern Teaching

Along with the upgrades made to the student educational system, the face of
teaching too is witnessing a transformation in this 21st century. Before you
implement the modern teaching techniques, it is essential to know more about
the advantages and benefits they bring to your system. Therefore it makes the
maximum utilization of the services possible at a minimal cost. We can take a
look at some of these significant advantages of Modern Teaching.
Cognitive Thinking Skills

Bringing Prefrontal Cortex into Life

Exploring Things

Developing Unique Patterns of Learning

Application-based Skills

Learning Relevantly to the Increasing needs

One of the significant purposes of education is to make the individuals

competent enough to face the changing environment, and for that, they need to
be efficient enough. The modern education system highly focuses on this and
makes them efficient enough to tackle the adversities of the increasing needs
which are relevant to the environment.

Difference between Traditional and Modern

Teaching Methods
For centuries, there had only been one method of teaching in practice as a
teacher explains a lesson and students memorize and recite it as their learning.
This is called the traditional way of teaching, which was an obstacle between
students and their innovative thinking. Then they continue lacking in decision
making and problem-solving skills. On the other hand, modern methods of
teaching are student-based and dedicated to more practical approaches.

Society is divided into three groups based on teaching methods. One who still is
in support of traditional methods of teaching. The second group is in favour of
modern teaching methods. At the same time, the third one favours both
conventional and modern teaching methods. The third group believes in the
combination of both the methods of teaching.

A nation’s growth is dependent on sound education and strengthened systems.

Even in modern times, when there are many means available to provide
education, we are still in a phase when we give more weightage to the traditional
method of teaching. But for the best outcome, there is a need for a combination
of both conventional methods of teaching and modern teaching methods.

People who believe that modern teaching methods are better to face criticism of
people who support traditional methods of teaching. However, there must be a
proper balance between the use of traditional and modern teaching methods.
Both ways should be imparted into education.

Outlined below the advantages and disadvantages of traditional and modern

methods of teaching, which help to understand the difference between modern
teaching methods and traditional teaching methods:

Traditional Teaching methods

The traditional methods of teaching are still prevalent in most parts of our
nation. In educational institutions, teachers are the only source to gain
information. Teachers explain the concept to the learners with the use of
blackboard and chalk. They write all the content on the blackboard and ask the
students to note down in their notebooks and memorize and recite the notes. All
the focus of education in these institutions is to pass the semester.

Advantages of Traditional Teaching Methods

Traditional teaching methods have many advantages. However, these
advantages are the disadvantages of modern teaching methods.

 Traditional teaching methods, i.e., classroom-based teaching, is not as

expensive as modern teaching methods. So, the rural areas can practice it
with no stress of finance.

 In traditional methods of teaching, students and teachers form strong bonds,

and they interact more than modern teaching methods.

 Discipline can be maintained better in traditional teaching settings than in

modern ways of teaching.

 There are some subjects such as physics, chemistry, and mathematics that
need a blackboard explanation and can be understood well when
explaining on a blackboard.

 Technical knowledge is not needed in traditional teaching methods like

modern teaching methods require a more specialized approach.

 Unlike modern teaching techniques, traditional teaching techniques do not

harm the eyes of students.

Traditional Methods of Teaching that are Still Followed in Most Schools:

 Classrooms are teacher-centric.

 The chalk-talk method is prevalent.

 Teachers are only knowledge dispensers, still not facilitators.

 Strictly organized and controlled Classroom.

  No group learnings and problem-solving sessions.

 Clearing examinations are more important than grasping knowledge.

 Homework based education.

 Absence of activity to sharpen the minds of students.

In traditional teachings, teachers are all responsible for learning and teaching
environments. They play sole roles in making decisions and instructing students.
For them, the knowledge void of students has to be fulfilled with content which
can be provided only by them. Also, students are not able to interact with more
students in their class as row sitting arrangements are still in use.

Modern Teaching Methods

Over the period, the importance of modern teaching methods and education
equipped with high technology is felt and hence started incorporating the new
techniques into education. New methods and new technology-based gadgets
have been introduced in classrooms.

New gadgets such as:

Computers or Laptops with Wi-Fi Connection

LCD Projector

Interactive Whiteboards

Whiteboards allow both teachers and students to write or draw on it by

providing touch control of the computer. It is an interactive and exciting medium
to use. Not only teachers but also students can explain anything on whiteboards.

Advantages of Modern Teaching Methods

Modern teaching methods have many advantages. However, these advantages
are the disadvantages of traditional teaching methods.

 Unlike traditional teaching methods, modern teaching methods are more

interactive and keep students intact. It maintains the interest of students by
animations and videos.

 The visual medium is way better than any other medium to give instructions.
It helps to memorize the concept fast and for a more extended period than
reading.

 Modern teaching methods are less time-consuming. Teachers take less time
to cover the syllabus. Writing on the blackboard is not required.
  Blackboard explanation of content is less explanatory than a representation
of videos and animations used in the modern teaching techniques.

Modern teaching methods that are being Adopted in Schools:

 Classrooms are being equipped with technology.

 Evaluations are being done at all stages.

 Crossover learning.

 Focus more on an understanding of concepts.

 Skill development and values development are put in the most crucial place.

 Interactive whiteboards.

 Collaborative learning

 Emphasis on practical knowledge more.

 Activity-based and gaming based learning.

 Integrative and research-based learnings.

 Use of the internet and web.

 Collaborative learning

 Flipped Classroom

 Problem-based learning

 Learner-centered.

 VAK learning.

Being in the 21st century, there is an urgent need to introduce technological,

economic, and cultural force in the education system at all levels which alter the
core of the traditional educational system. Educators must figure out the ways
best for learners.

However, both traditional teaching methods and modern teaching methods

have their own importance. Both are good at their period. So, declaring any way
best is not possible. It actually depends on the learner and their interests.
Traditional teaching methods are better for learners who want to learn basics,
religions, and customs. At the same time, modern education is for learners who
have an interest in science or mathematics. Although seeing the contemporary
scenario, modern teaching methods are best suited. It keeps in touch with the
whole world and takes the students at the levels where everyone is equal.
Integration of Modern and Traditional Teaching
Methods
In the above section, we discussed the pros and cons of both modern teaching
techniques and conventional teaching methods. After studying, it is quite clear
that the amalgamation of both forms of teaching will be beneficial for our
education system. With the suggestion of combining both pedagogical
techniques, the main question arises?