When education meets technology at Collège du Léman
In our ever-changing world, we are faced with new challenges every day. In the field of education, this means constantly evolving and finding the right balance and place for technology. While maintaining the importance of face-to-face teaching, Collège du Léman finds innovative ways to efficiently use technology as a catalyst for learning. Used wisely and in an intelligent way, the school manages to make the most of what technology has to offer. It helps teachers to bring new forms of teaching and allows students to access a wider range of resources.
New technologies impact all aspects of our lives and are also increasingly present in education. According to UNESCO, information and communication technologies have the power to complement, enrich and positively transform education*. Even if going to school and face-to-face teaching are still the preferred way to learn, Collège du Léman, along with the expertise and knowledge of the group Nord Anglia Education, which the school is part of, develops new tools to make the most of what technology has to offer. 2020 was a peculiar year, and when the school had to close, following the Swiss authorities’ decision, teachers and students had to adapt to this challenging situation. They found new ways to attend and learn but this time, virtually. Collège du Léman quickly replaced the face-to-face classes with the Virtual School Experience. This programme is an approach that embraces technology to support both group and individual students’ coaching. It has two aspects, a “connected time” thanks to which students and teachers can talk and keep in touch, and “a guided time” during which students are independent and can learn through personalised tasks set by their teachers. During this “guided time”, teachers can still give immediate feedback. These two types of sessions allow students to find the right balance between online and offline learning, allowing them to make the most of personalised studying from home, regardless of their age.
In addition, Collège du Léman’s students have access to Global Campus. This platform was created by Nord Anglia, bringing students together from its 73 schools located in 30 different countries. All teachers and students have been trained to use this platform. They can have access to lessons and exercises to enhance and diversify their program. Students have a wide range of content at their disposal. These resources are classified by themes, such as performing arts, writing corners, or well-being and health. Students can therefore learn how to create a nutritious dish, participate in a comic book competition, or learn how to reduce single-use plastics in their home. They can also engage in discussions with students from all over the world and discover new learning methods using collective intelligence.
New technologies enabled the school to adapt to the unusual situation but also bring opportunities not previously possible. For instance, Collège du Léman’s students had the opportunity to speak with an astronaut and interview experts from the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) or the Juilliard School, creating online podcasts from these experiences. These innovative formats encourage interdisciplinarity and collaboration. For instance, last year, students had the opportunity to write a book about ecology. Thanks to that experience, they learned about science and sustainable development, but they also improved their writing and creative skills. The school also aims to prepare students for professional life. To do that, a group of students imagined an innovative product and got to develop it from the beginning to the launch.
Collège du Léman has understood the need to move with the times and always thrives for the best by adapting to new developments. Even if face-to-face teaching is irreplaceable, technologies can be a great ally if they are used efficiently. The school will continue to adapt, while creating individual learning paths for each child. This approach is the cornerstone of what Collège du Léman stands for, aiming to prepare its students for our ever-changing society and giving them the means to succeed.
*https://fr.unesco.org/themes/tic-education?fbclid=IwAR3FJFz25aStKyaCL5NlIUceIL_-gUFOV3yZ5rMXn9riX4hNZ7yG64KHT_0
