Extending ICT to the Unreached: A Spectacular Experience (03.12.2018-04.12.2018)
The visit to four Telangana schools in which a few teachers were trained by CLIx team was an enthralling experience. The ICT know-how about and enthusiasm for CLIx modules among school headmasters, teachers and above all students was truly impressive. Students wanted to learn more through ICT modules and have access to additional educational applications.
The Zilla Parishad High Schools at Thippaipally, Sultanpur, LMD Colony and Jaghiapally-
My team’s visit to four CLIx schools in the interiors of Telangana on 3–4 December 2018 was overwhelming. I had varied experiences with the schools, each one of them worth sharing. The teachers in these schools, those trained and not trained by the CLIx team, showed keen interest and enthusiasm for implementing CLIx modules for teaching and learning. Students showed remarkable readiness and involvement in trying out these modules and learning with joy.
CLIx teachers on the move
A teacher in one school had recently started work and had no CLIx training, but showed keen interest and had rolled out most of the available modules. There was a request from this teacher for more activities, more modules covering other topics of the syllabi and also suggestions for improvement. By contrast, another school had rolled out CLIx but showed some resistance in implementation due to reasons such as lack of modules covering the textbook syllabi, time constraints and complexity in use of technology without the help of a computer expert. Despite this, there was a request for mapping the modules to the curriculum and to integrate the lessons with value based components for inculcating values in students. One of the schools had very enthusiastic English teachers who were keen on implementing CLIx modules, but the school lacked good computer systems. Still, students explored the technology by using the teacher’s laptop and expressed their desire to use more for learning through activities.
Smiles are magic: they motivate us
Overall, the four schools displayed varying levels of interest in implementing CLIx modules and using more technology integrated lessons regardless of constraints. Students in most schools were quite proficient in computer use and learning through the activities. Students demanded more videos, activities and games in the modules. Most teachers expressed the need for evaluation to be included in CLIx modules to facilitate formative assessments.
Monitoring schools’ implementations at regular intervals and being responsive to their suggestions is essential for extending the reach of ICT to those as yet unserved.
– Gomathi Jatin
Associate Professor
Centre for Education, Innovation and Action Research
TISS
