For G. Jayashree, a teacher from a government school in Villupuram, showing videos and songs related to math, science and English has made her classes more lively.
“I’ve been using the school’s computer, as well as my personal laptop, to show videos and songs to students of Classes I and II. I’m keen to listen to how other teachers make use of technology to make their classes more interesting,” she said.
Over 800 teachers and resource persons engaged in discussion and attended various sessions with regard to developing a new curriculum for State board schools at Anna University on Friday. At the sessions organised on ICT, teachers like Ms. Jayashree sat through sessions on how to better learning through ICT.
“We want the teachers to have an exposure to the various aspects of the subject and possibilities of making it more enjoyable, as well as application-oriented, for the students. Many teachers have pointed out how the students have been expecting known questions from either textbooks or guidebooks and we have been brainstorming with them about how they can ensure better learning,” explained R. Ramanujam from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, who is also a member of the TN Curriculum Framework committee, speaking about the sessions for math teachers.
“Instead of blindly using tools, we want them to be seamlessly integrated into the curriculum,” he said.
Improving evaluation
At another venue, teachers were in a discussion about how to develop an evaluation framework for improving the method of assessment. “Teachers often cease to be researchers as far as their students are concerned. They should keep penning down their reflections and track and analyse the performance of their students,” noted Dr. Jahidha from the Gandhigram Rural Institute, Dindigul.
As a part of the curriculum revamp, special emphasis is also being given to studying the evaluation methods in place.
While concurrent sessions on various subjects — ICT, evaluation methods and teacher education and capacity building — will continue on Saturday, M. Anandakrishnan, chairman of the TN Curriculum Framework Committee, said that he hoped teachers, who are enriched from the various seminars and sessions, would play an active role in the textbook writing process that will commence soon.
