*Ph.D Scholar, Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
**Ph.D Scholar, Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
***Computer Centre, Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.
****National Centre for Innovations, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, India.
Elementary education is undoubtedly the quintessential passport to new opportunities and greater avenues, be they social, economic or higher education. The potential benefits of application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education are well understood by policy makers and the rulers. Even though infrastructure development for e-learning and access of e-resources at higher education level are being built up robustly, a cautious approach is taken in applying ICT for school education services. To effectively develop a school education grid of an underdeveloped region in central India, ICT has been combined with traditional modes of teaching under the Rajiv Gandhi Project for EduSat Supported Elementary Education (RGPEEE). In this study, we analyse the way ICT intervention is contributing significantly towards sensitising students, teachers and parents/guardians who form the essential apparatus of RGPEEE. The project provides opportunities for training and orienting school teachers towards using ICT for education. We find RGPEEE as an example where many good practices are followed. Here, learning at school has been strengthened with technology in an otherwise inaccessible geographical area. There are varieties of audio/visual/technological tools that can be employed in multiple manners to help teachers teach and effective teaching-learning transactions take place in the classrooms. Most common, simple and time tested are the audio and video aids, with which one can present illustrations, photographs, experiments, documentaries, short films, etc. At RGPEEE, we witnessed the fullest use of available video technology which is discussed in the paper. Towards the end of the study, we have established that technology not only breaks the monotony to grab young learners’ attention but also foster inquisitiveness, arouse interest, enhance capacity of comprehension and stimulate retention. This paper presents the results of an impact analysis conducted by the authors. It is as well substantiated that ICT initiatives require reinforcement taking into consideration certain social concepts, behaviours, attitude, etc. and must reflect cultural contexts. The findings lead to the compilation of a set of Good Practices for sensitising the stakeholders.
best practices, blended learning, e-learning, sensitisation, team-learning, tele-learning
