Student Day brings many reflections to everyone who faces challenges of school and academic life. Old problems still haunt students today, such as precarious public transport, high price of books, among others. However, many changes are on the horizon with the arrival of new technologies.
But are these novelties really capable of to improve the lives of students? How to take advantage of them in an unequal country like Brazil? These and other questions come along with the transformations that are taking place. To find satisfactory answers, it is necessary to listen to people in the field and reflect on what they have to say.
In order to better understand how technology relates to education, we spoke with Camila Cardoso, Vice President of Educational Products and Services at Somos. Also, in order to assimilate the consequences that challenges and solutions have on students' lives, we went to listen to Nayara Sousa, a medical student at the Federal University of São Pualo (UNIFESP).
Students' challenges and paths
First, it is necessary to know which problems affect students. According to Nayara, when she was a public school student, the main difficulties were disorganization, lack of teachers and the team's lack of interest in making a good school year happen.
When situations like this arise in the technological context that the world lives in, we ask ourselves if there is a study method or some tool capable to mitigate the challenges. According to Camila Cardoso, each student has their own way of learning, so the right thing is to develop methodologies capable of adapting to the reality of each one.
For Nayara, the devices that helped her on this path came from the online world, such as information available on the internet and mobile apps.
Good news on Student Day
Talk about the support of technology it can seem kind of vague at times, like it's some kind of magic that will solve all problems. However, there are already several practical and concrete applications of this support. Camila Cardoso comments on schools that already use technology to identify student difficulties and they corroborate in the development of school activities to fill these gaps.
The vice president also highlights the remote access to classes, pedagogical guidelines and books that optimize student time and do not require him to leave your home.
Nayara comments on the difference she felt when she won a scholarship at the private Anglo pre-university course. According to her, the infrastructure, qualified teachers, teaching materials and the availability of a notebook helped her in the process of preparing for the entrance exam.
Do not stop now... There's more after the publicity ;)
Debate on distance learning on Student Day
With the social distancing imposed by the pandemic, the advance in distance learning it was considerable. But, how far it really helps?
According to Camila Cardoso “We know that there is a lot to advance, but we cannot fail to state that technology is a tool that has reduced the boundaries of different sectors of knowledge. In the pandemic, it made the continuity of school education possible, albeit unevenly.”
She also recalls the need to level the playing field: “Brazil has been making progress in relation to the use of technology in schools, but it is still necessary to improve the infrastructure and universalize, for all students, access to digital tools and internet connection.”
For Nayara, who lived far from the course, it was necessary to establish a hybrid study strategy. She says: “I used the notebook of the education system itself to watch the classes, do exercises and ask questions online. Basically, I would wake up in the morning and study all day until I finished everything that was scheduled for the day.”
The future doctor also emphasizes the importance of writing essays and taking them to the teachers to correct, as well as performing simulations and learning from all mistakes. However, she also remembers the importance of relaxing so as not to fall into exhaustion, according to her: “I went out with my friends, at the weekend, when I felt very tired”
Admission preparation tips
Since it's Student Day, here are some preparation tips for the Entrance exam and studies in general from those who have gone through this phase and from those who work in the area.
According to Camila Cardoso, what is essential is for the student to identify the method that most suits your way of being. It is necessary to test the effectiveness of long hours of study, as well as shorter, intermittent hours, in order to discover what is best for you. From there, set up a study plan and check the need to reinforce where you have more difficulty.
Nayara Sousa highlights the importance of persistence “never give up on achieving your academic goals, because entrance exam, nowadays, it is very popular and with that it ends up being normal for people to stay for years trying". Furthermore, she remembers the amount of content on the internet and that, currently, it is easier to access quality study materials.
