Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-enabled learning will be implemented in all classes from 1 to 10 in the State this year.
Announcing this here on Friday, Minister for Education C. Raveendranath said ICT-enabled learning will be implemented in lower primary (LP) and upper primary (UP) classes on the lines of that under way in high schools. The initiative, under the aegis of IT@School , is aimed at converting LP and UP schools into high-tech institutions under the General Education Protection Mission.
Surveys for this would begin soon, to be followed by preparation of detailed project reports for submission to the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), the Minister said.
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Training had been given to 32,100 LP and 38,502 UP teachers on how to teach the textbooks using ICT, Mr. Raveendranath said, prior to releasing e@vidya textbooks that would enable ICT learning in classes 5 to 7.
Kalipetti, the ICT textbooks for classes 1 to 4 that focus on 'edutainment,' had been made available to students towards the end of last year itself.
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The textbooks, prepared by IT@School, would be available to all primary and upper primary students and teachers, facilitating three-dimenstional learning in all subjects and marking a shift from rote learning, the Minister pointed out.
Software
An operating system and education resource software for primary classes were also released. IT@School executive director K. Anvar Sadath said the 60-odd software would help meet different learning objectives for different classes. These could be used offline, and being free software, could be copied and used by children and teachers even at their homes.
Survey for providing laptop, desktop, and multimedia projector in each school would kick off soon.
The Minister announced that broadband Internet connections by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for making the schools hi-tech had been provided to nearly 97% of the institutions. Only schools in remote areas where connectivity was slow remained. Efforts were on to establish connectivity there too. A certificate for completing broadbrand connectivity to schools was handed over by BSNL chief general manager R. Mani to the Minister.
Learning portal
General Education Secretary Usha Titus said a learning portal would be unveiled by the government soon in which not only textbooks but also resource materials for teachers and students would be available.
Pravesanotsavam song
A song written by poet and teacher Murugan Kattakada for Pravesanotsavam on June 1 was released on the occasion.