Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Village school children go online

Staff Reporter

Computer-aided learning programme launched for 82,400 rural children in 30 districts

WONDERS OF THE DIGITAL WORLD: Children from village schools take online tests on Tuesday at the Anna Institute of Management Studies in Chennai. — Photo: R. RAGU

CHENNAI: Arul Mozhi, D. Deepa and K. Maunika are first generation learners from hamlets with about 1,000 families in interior Tamil Nadu but they are among the thousands of primary and elementary school children who use computers as a learning tool.

Under a computer aided learning programme launched in September, 82,400 rural children in 412 centres in 30 districts are using software packages produced jointly by the State and the Bangalore-based Azim Premji Foundation. Children answer questions in subjects such as Tamil, English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science on computer.

Some 200 children from class I to VII took online tests for proficiency in using computers here on Tuesday at the Anna Institute of Management Studies. The children were winners at the block and district level online tests held earlier in February.

"A child exposed to computers will be able to answer some 80 questions in five minutes. Every question [that is] answered is tracked. Each class gets 150 questions. At the end of the tests the scores come up on the screen," explained J. Shankar, head of academics, pedagogy and technology initiatives at the Foundation. "We have three objectives. Learning play, assessment and equal knowledge for all."

The aim is to make learning fun, assess the child's ability and assess if girls get as much time on the computer as the boys. The Foundation began its project in Karnataka in 2001 and has conducted such programmes in 14 States so far. But, Tamil Nadu is the first to take up statewide assessment, Mr. Shankar said.

Outside the room, where the students took tests under the supervision of the Foundation members, teachers from panchayat and block schools waited for their wards. C. Shobana, block resource teacher educator in Kancheepuram district under whom nearly 70 schools fall, said: "Most of the children are from villages and are first generation school goers."

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