Image used for representation (Express Illustrations)
BENGALURU: A Bengaluru-based foundation found that an alternate between physical and online classes will be efficient in teaching during this pandemic. Pushpa Thantry, Programme Head - Maths Resource Team, Akshara Foundation, Bengaluru said that this model will be effective during normal times as well.
The model was piloted in Karnataka's Nanjangud and Odisha's Barapita between December 2020 and April 2021. "After four months, students showed 90 per cent proficiency in Mathematics," Pushpa added.
Expounding on the learnings of the pilot, Pushpa iterated that one cannot obliterate the role of a teacher. The teacher would meet the student every alternate day and inculcate a habit of learning among them. "Additionally, if the digital content is engaging, then students will definitely be interested," she added.
Akshara localised, curated and gamified content from the government's Diksha portal three years ago and decided to start implementing it during the pandemic.
As training teachers was not possible due to the COVID restrictions, they asked facilitators, who were trained for six days, to help them. They also asked them to watch training videos on the Diksha portal.
For device, internet, content curation, it would cost the government just Rs 175 per student per month to implement it in the state and said that it may also help fill the education gap.
While teachers training is the key in implementing this model, experts have expressed concerns about the poor investment in teachers' training by the state. Prithvi Reddy, state convenor of AAP, said that in 2020-21, Karnataka spent Rs 5 crore to train two lakh teachers, which is Rs 250 per head. At the same time, Delhi government spent Rs 100 crore on training 50,000 teachers.
