JERK TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
All over the globe EDUCATION has been considered as one of the important components of CHANGE, MODERNIZATION and DEVELOPMENT. So countries are trying to make education more effective by introducing and using the latest appropriate technology as per their capacity. It reflects that people are not very happy with type and quality of education. The same is the case in India. It is evident from the fact that different commissions were appointed with the hope to get suggestions for the improvement of education. Not only this, the Indian Government with its limited resources, is trying to make use of the latest technology for the improvement of Education. This is so because the latest technology, like, multimedia, INTERNET, Video Conferencing, etc. is available up to school level but not everywhere. The gap in getting the latest technology is reducing. With all sincere efforts by Central as well as State Governments, it is difficult to provide latest technology to all Schools, Colleges and Universities. It points out that one should think of a technology which can bring improvement in education, cost effective and can be used every where. The JERK TECHNOLOGY has been conceived to have these attributes.
The common observation and experience of majority of teachers, students, administrators, parents, etc. is that the classroom activities are mostly dry. Students are not active. They can be made active by the teachers. Teachers can use latest technology or state of art during their teaching, which has the potentiality to make students active. Probably this may be too much to expect from the teacher as well as the Institute because teachers might not have been exposed to the latest technology and it may not be available everywhere. In India it is difficult to make all Unequal equal. Further, teachers use only lecture method because of large class size, lack of training, lack of facilities, lack of interest in teaching, lack of time for preparation, etc. Teacher makes the classroom activities monotonous. It may not be out of place to compare the present classroom with a bus moving on a smooth road. As per our experience, observation and stretch of imagination, one can say that in all probabilities the people sitting in a bus moving on a smooth road will sleep. It is noticed that the driver of the bus tells to front seat passenger not to sleep or doze. If he wants to sleep, he can change the seat. It can be said that passengers of such a bus are INACTIVE. To make them active, sometime the driver suddenly applies break. Not only this even the government is contributing significantly to this phenomena by not repairing roads, making roads with curves and turns, erecting speed breakers, etc. All these help passengers to be active. They become active because of JERKS. Similarly, through JERKS students can be made active in the classroom. Due to activeness, the receptivity of students is likely to improve. Here various tools of JERKS have been given.
Objectives of Jerk Technology
The JERK TECHNOLOGY(JT) can be used by teachers or trainers to achieve the following objectives:
- To make students active learners.
- To make learning joyful.
- To create a tension free atmosphere in the classroom.
- To help learner in making him aware what does he understand.
- To help learners in increasing the presence of mind in the classroom.
- To establish proper rapport between student and teacher.
- To break the monotony in the classroom.
Difference between Jerk Technology
and Stimulus Variation
Stimulus Variation is one of the teaching skills. Its main purpose is to bring variation in classroom teaching by way of changing the voice, using A-V Aids, invoking gestures, etc. On the other hand JT will require a set of skills. The appropriate set of skills for JT, have to be identified through RESEARCH. Stimulus Variation may be one of the skills required for JT.
Tools of Jerk Technology
There can be different ways of giving JERK. Its selection depends on the target group, purpose, subject matter, context, teacher’s personality, etc. Nevertheless, different TOOLS OF JERK TECHNOLOGY are as follows:
- Mirror Image Writing (MIW)
Normally, it is observed that science teachers make use of blackboard to the maximum extent in comparison to social science teachers. Teachers use blackboard in such a way that students without comprehending, they copy the blackboard content in their copies. Sometime even the students do not know what has he copied? Students keep on talking, exchanging jokes, reading the book of one’s choice, doing homework, etc. as well as copying from the blackboard. It reflects that students remain inactive during the process of copying from the Blackboard. In this only good point is that the speed of writing of teacher and students is almost the same. The student does not miss anything.
In some institutes, teachers prefer to use OHP rather than blackboard. Teachers find it easy because only once the transparencies are to be prepared and can be used for any length of time. These can be borrowed by the other teachers too. The teachers can teach fast by sliding or moving the transparencies over the OHP. In such a situation, students try to copy every thing from the transparencies over the OHP. In such a situation, students try to copy everything from the transparencies due to fast speed of teacher they are unable to do so. Ultimately, it boils down to only listening and reading. Both these make a learner PASSIVE rater than ACTIVE.
Can a learner be made ACTIVE by writing either on blackboard or transparency? YES, it is possible. Try to read the following and feel the difference.
You might have felt that you had to pay more attention in reading MIRROR IMAGE WRITING (MIW). You had to read letter by letter as you did when you were young. The teacher can use MIW only when he wants students to pay more attention to the important points. MIW works in almost all situations and with different learners. It does not require any additional financial support. The teacher can be self-trained. TEACHER WITH SCIENTIFIC TEMPER WILL LIKE TO GIVE IT TRIAL.
- Disproportionate Word Writing (DWW)
You might have seen the advertisements along the roadside, in TV, magazine, etc. There is lots of change in writing. The writing is disproportionate. It is done with the purpose of attracting the attention of common people. This can also be used by the teachers. At present, mostly teachers write on the blackboard uniformly. It does not encourage or motivate students to pay attention to the black board writing. This situation can be reversed, by using DISPROPORTIONATE WORD WRITING Tool. Observe the following and try to use sometime, if you please.
Models O Teaching
- Small Writing (SW)
Teachers take special care of students sitting on last benches by writing with bold letters on the blackboard. It does not seem to help students because they remain passive. They can be made active by writing important words so small that even the students sitting on the front benches cannot see. As soon as you write like this, almost all students will start asking what did you write on blackboard? When students ask, the teacher should not read. Some students might try to read at their own. It is this, which makes them active and receptivity will be better. Try to read the following from a distance:
- Systematic
- Jerk Technology
- Objectives of Jerk Technology
- Double Negative Sentences (DNS)
During teaching teacher speaks some important sentences. Sometime students are cautioned by saying that “please pay attention”; “listen carefully”; “it is important”, etc. As a consequence, some students pay attention, become active, alert, etc. But majority of students remain inactive or not alert. For attracting their attention also, try to speak important sentences by using double negatives and see if it helps students to understand the point by concentrating on it. Examples are as follows:
- He has not been unsuccessful.
- I don’t think that he does not misunderstand.
- This test is not unreliable.
- This topic is not uninteresting.
- Unusual Sentence Construction (USC)
By nature, human beings like change. It is observed strictly in daily life but not during teaching where it is most required. The change can be brought, by constructing sentences differently. To start with it is difficult to practice but with its use and passage of time one can be quite comfortable. By using it in class one may feel the change in level of attentiveness of students. Some examples of UNSUAL SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION are as given below.
- I like you but I do not dislike him.
- Is it clearly unclear?
- Is this test reliably unreliable?
6. Logically Illogic Conclusion (LIC)
Explanation is an important ingredient of teaching. At the end of each explanation, a statement in the form of conclusion is made. Concluding statement is the most important and students are supposed to comprehend and retain it. As per experience, it is observed that students hardly feel the difference in concluding statement(s) and statements of explanation. One of the reasons is that concluding statements are not differentiable. Try to draw ILLOGICAL CONCLUSION on the basis of CORRECT EXPLANATION. To your surprise you may note that those who did not speak, they start speaking. Students might say that the conclusion is not correct. Without missing this opportunity, ask student(s) the correct conclusion. At the end, the correct conclusion should be given. For example:
- The use of Jerk Technology will enhance the attentiveness of students in the classroom. Due to increase attentiveness, the students’ concentration may also improve. Consequently, the understanding will improve. With improved understanding, students may start asking questions. In this process, students may ask a question whose answer teacher may not be able to tell on the spot. Frequent occurrence of this situation may hamper the reputation of the teacher. Therefore, JERK TECHNOLOGY SHOULD NOT BE USED IN THE CLASS.
- Whenever students work hard, and concentrate in the class, their chances of failure will INCREASE.
7. Use Multiple Words (UMW)
It is a common experience that people are unable to understand or comprehend everything that they read or listen. There might be many reasons for it. One of the reasons might be that the reader is unable to understand a WORD. Consequently, the whole paragraph or spoken sentence is not comprehended. This problem can be overcome in the class by replacing the KEY word by MULTIPLE WORDS having same meaning. The MULTIPLE WORDS may be spoken in different languages, like, English, Hindi, Urdu, Gujrati, etc. Of the multiple words spoken in the class, some word will definitely strike the mind of students and comprehension on the part of students might improve. Side by side it also brings variation in the classroom, which improves the classroom climate. No harm in trying it your self, some of the examples are given below:
- It is difficult, ‘Kathin’, ‘Mushkil’, ‘Jatil’, etc.
- Tools used in research must be reliable, ‘Vishveshniye’, ‘Bharosemand’, etc.
8. Give Misfit Example (GME)
Wherever and whenever possible, teacher tries to give examples with the intention to simplify the subject matter so that students of different abilities can understand. It is suggested that teacher should give examples related to daily life of the learners. Further, as far as possible, examples given in books should not be used during teaching. All these may initiate the interest of the learners. Our experience is that still students are not taking interest in the classroom teaching. There might be many reasons but one of the reasons might be the monotonous classroom teaching. Examples given by the teacher are supposed to break the monotony of classroom teaching and facilitate the understanding of subject matter. This purpose has not been served. Does it mean that examples not to be used in the teaching? This is not the intention. In fact, examples are indispensable. There is a need to change examples. Normally, appropriate examples are given. Along with appropriate examples, have you ever given inappropriate examples? If YES, then you must have observed that some students might have pointed out that this example is not appropriate or it is a misfit example. If MISFIT EXAMPLE were not given, then students would not have reacted. The identification of misfit example by students reflects that they understand the subject matter as well as are attentive in the classroom. So it is beneficial to give MISFIT EXAMPLE along with appropriate and correct examples. Use MISFIT EXAMPLES whenever you want them to be attentive or you want to test their understanding.
- Teacher’s Known Mistake (TKM)
Teachers are supposed to be custodian on information, knowledge, etc. They are supposed to know every thing. Teachers are considered to be the storehouse of knowledge. These are some of the notions about a teacher. People must realize that teachers are human beings too. They are born with certain capacities, which get developed to a certain extent through the training they undergo. Each teacher’s development will be different and so also the performance in the classroom. During teaching, teacher tries to give correct information, writes correctly, draws correct diagram, makes correct connections in the laboratory, writes correct formula, etc. Due to this students take it for granted that whatever is done in the classroom by the teacher is correct. There is nothing wrong in it. But this notion is dangerous and sometime may be anti- learning. It is also a fact that students if read a topic before hand, then their level of understanding will be better when the same topic is taught by the teacher. The teacher does not make mistakes, so students are relaxed, inactive, inattentive, etc. This situation can be changed by the teacher for the benefit of students. Teacher can make mistakes knowingly. That is, while teaching computer programming, teacher knowingly can use wrong command. If students are attentive and understanding whatever is being taught, then they will immediately be able to point out the use of wrong command. Otherwise, it will be pointed out because one of the students might be alert and understanding. As soon as it is pointed out, the non-attentive students might also become attentive. At this point teacher can ask why this command cannot be used? This question will provide opportunity to students to participate actively in the classroom teaching. Thus, students will become learner and teacher can also get a feedback about the understanding of students.
Similarly, teacher can also make mistake knowingly while drawing a diagram, making connections in the laboratory, writing formula on blackboard, writing spelling, etc. It is important to note and remember that if students are unable to point out the mistake, then the teacher should ask students by drawing their attention to the mistake as to whether is it correct? If they are unable to point out the mistake, then teacher should point it out and explain why is it wrong? This might help in the development of CRITICAL THINKING apart from making the students ACTIVE LEARNER. Thus, TEACHER’S KNOWN MISTAKE (TKM) can be a good tool to make teaching interesting and useful. If you like give it a trial.
REMARK:
Majority of teachers give up an IDEA without trying it, but some try it before giving it up.
Excess of every thing is bad but judicious, well-calculated and intentional use is very helpful.
PROF. D.N.SANSANWAL
DIRECTOR & DEAN
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION
DEVI AHILYA UNIVERSITY
AGRA – BOMBAY ROAD
INDORE – 452017, INDIA
dnsansanwal@email.com
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