VIJAYAWADA: In a first of its kind, officials of the School Education department are bringing in a new technology called Personalised Adaptive Learning (PAL) which assesses the academic standing of the students online. PAL software first assesses a student’s level of comprehension, then provides content that teaches targeted concepts.
Through this, the students will be doing their assessment tests online and based on their reports remedial coaching will be given for their improvement. The PAL initiative is going to be implemented across the State from the coming academic year.
According to the officials of School Education department, the initiative is aimed at solving multiple problems for schools, teachers, and students by meeting students where they are and providing a tailored learning pathway. K Sandhya Rani, Commissioner of School Education department said, “In a classroom, the students’ understanding varies from person to person and they are at different levels. So it is hard for the teachers to identify their exact status and teach accordingly.
In this regard, we have brought PAL, which offers a tested approach that can significantly improve learning outcomes. The software also creates dashboards that teachers can use to better understand student learning levels and gaps. We are first in the country to come up with such an innovative idea.”
The initiative is now being applied to 2,643 schools in AP after a proof-of-concept that tested the solution in 56 schools. In 1,643 schools, classrooms will be fitted with 30 PAL-equipped laptops, while the remaining 1,000 schools will receive tablet solutions. “Implementation of the PAL programme will begin in next academic year 2019-20 and is expected to reach all target schools by the end of the academic year.
The initiative will include training over 5,000 teachers, 2,500 headmasters, 13 district education officers and other people. In the next five years, the initiative will have impact on over 25 lakh students. PAL content will cover Mathematics, English language, and Telugu language,” she said. The programme cost is being shared by the state and the central governments, officials said.