The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Using technology to create awareness among students

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Thursday, Dec 04, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Using technology to create awareness among students

Staff Reporter

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Achievers: Students display their Technology in Education Awards at a function in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Bangalore: Swarnakanthi, Kasthuri Prabhu and Ramyashree B. are 10th standard students who are aware about the reasons for the spread of AIDS. These students of Dr. K. Shivaram Karanth Government High School in Dakshina Kannada district are trying to create awareness and dispel misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. They worked on a project and effectively used ICT to help them in this regard. Their project is just one of the 14 selected for the fifth Technology in Education Award instituted by Intel and the Department of State Education Research and Training (DSERT).

Intel and DSERT on Wednesday gave away the award to seven schools, 14 teachers and 14 student groups for effective integration of technology in teaching-learning process. They were chosen from over 350 entries received for the State-level competition.

Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri said that it was heartening to note that technology had percolated to the remote rural areas in the State. He said that the Government was working on improving the quality of education in government schools. “I am confident that government schools will become better than private institutions. We have initiated several measures and are seeking support of various corporates to improve quality of our institutions,” he said.

The Minister said that the topics chosen by the students for the projects were relevant. “We need to turn the students into socially responsible citizens of the future. We must teach them the importance of values and morals that will take them a long way,” he added.

Vandita Sharma, Secretary, Primary and Secondary Education, said that Karnataka was a pioneer in the use of technology as a tool for teaching and learning.

“We have been very proactive in this area. We need to look at other technologies, such as radio and television, that have a wider reach,” she said.

G. Kumar Naik, Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction; M.N. Baig, Chairman, DSERT; Rahul Bedi, Director Corporate Affairs, Intel South Asia, were present.

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