Sparking learning through technology infused lessons: Mr Dinesh

As one of the pioneer teachers who adopted the use of Google Classroom to make student thinking visible, Mr Dinesh strongly believes in leveraging on technology in the classroom so that he can hear from all his students at once. He adjusts his approach and lesson strategies to match the students’ learning pace. With the support of technology, students can share their work with everyone in the class in real-time. Through peer learning and with support from Mr Dinesh, students work collaboratively to guide each other on their work.

“I firmly believe in the role of education in shaping students to be critical thinkers and confident persons”, shared Mr Dinesh. With the use of technology, Mr Dinesh is able to provide immediate feedback to the students’ work during the lesson instead of waiting until the assignments are marked. By then, some of the lessons may no longer be fresh in the minds of the students.

Shahan from Primary 4 reflected, “Wow! I did not know that it is so simple for me to share my work with my friends”. One parent also shared, “My daughter tells me that she really enjoys Mr Dinesh’s lessons. She is quite shy and does not like to speak up. But she always enjoys the discussions in Mr Dinesh’s lessons.” In his ICT-infused lessons, students can articulate and comment on each other’s work through the shared screen. This lets every student, even the shy ones, build their confidence to speak up and contribute.

For his effort to solidify student engagement through technology, Mr Dinesh was awarded the ICT STAR Award, which aims to recognize innovative teachers who leverage technology to improve educational outcomes. Mr Dinesh has this to share with all teachers: “Don’t be afraid to try! While it may be a bit difficult at the start, the end results are very satisfying when you see the students enjoy and improve through your lessons!”