Government school kids get smart

With private schools re-inventing themselves by implementing smart-class rooms and promoting digital educational content, the government schools are also picking up pace with schools utilising the IRAT (Image Recognition Application Technology), commonly called as TN Schools Live, an application technology for Class 10 and 12 students which can be used in Windows PC, Android phones, both-offline and online. 

The programme was launched in August 2016 and is still being modified and upgraded. Over the past few months’ teachers have been trained in batches to use the technology. The digital content created by SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training) has digital content only for Mathematics and Science and is given for students in government, government aided and matriculation schools. 

Students can access 141 select content of their lessons in 3D virtual objects, 2D animated content, recorded sound and video teaching sessions of teachers relevant to the picture of their existing school text books. 

“IRAT mobile technology is an emerging field where teaching and learning can be made more appealing and real”, says Director of SCERT Rameshwara Murugan. He said: “Students get a 360-degree view of images on Windows PC, mobile phone or tablet. On the screen they can press the ‘Play’ option and get more inputs of the topic. 

For example, if it is the picture of a heart, they can view its cross section of it, get a closer glimpse of a right ventricular and left ventricular along with text. Content can be seamlessly integrated with the existing textbooks, without disturbing the existing process. 

The digital content can also be updated”. Rameshwara Murugan added, “Tamil Nadu is the pioneer in India to introduce this technology. We wanted students to have access to quality learning even when they are at home. This would benefit 12,299 students across all schools.” 

Secretary of School Education D Sabitha said, “The teachers and students are finding it very useful now that the printed matter is available virtually and can hear audios of lectures. We have decided to include more subjects to the programme”. 

She mentioned that, the government was taking forward the vision of using technology in learning. “We are in the first phase of setting up smart classrooms we have implemented 770 virtual class rooms. Next year we will be including more”. Director of School Education S Kannappan said, “We took this step to provide App-based learning facility as other private schools were moving ahead with latest technology and smart classrooms, we did not want our students to lag behind. The content is provided by the school teachers, while it is augmented by a technical team.” 

However, a section feels the facility must be made more accessible to students. City based educationist, P Nararajan said, “There is no second thought if such Apps would help students, it is preparing them for an internet era. However, there is no benefit to students if such facilities are available only in schools. It won’t make any difference. The students must have individual access to it. Such facilities will be useful in case students don’t attend school for few days and help them revise before an examination.”  

President of Tamil Nadu Teachers Association P K Ilamaran said, “Though the schools have got the DVD’s and teachers have it on their smart phones, it is useful only if the institution has a smart classroom. The teachers need it to show the 3D images and animation on a bigger screen. On such small screens like a phone or a tablet it cannot work. To make utitlisation of the technology, the schools must have more number of smart classrooms.”  

The programme is funded by Tamil Nadu Text books and Education Services Corporation (TNTB&ESC). The DVD of ‘TN Schools Live’ is given to schools across the State and it can be accessed Offline using ‘Share it’ and can be downloaded online through Google store. The App provides content of Class 10 Science and Math and Class 12 Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Zoology, Computer Science and Math.