Remote Learning Initiatives in Uttar Pradesh

Under Mission Prerna ki e-Pathshala, Department of Education, Uttar Pradesh, has taken a multi-modal approach to ensure that student learning and teacher professional development continues through digital means.

Through WhatsApp

As part of Mission Prerna ki e-Pathshala, teacher-to-student WhatsApp groups have been formed in 90%+ schools (i.e. ~1.4L groups) across the state. Average number of students added to each group is 15, thus ensuring that ~25L students are connected to their teachers through WhatsApp on their parents’ Smartphone’s. The department is using its existing network of more than 1,000 WhatsApp groups with Basic Shiksha Adhikaris (BSAs), Block Education Officers (BEOs) and Head Teachers, and more than 9,000 groups with teachers to enable the reach of educational content to all teachers, who can then forward it to students’ groups. Daily grade and subject wise messages are being sent out by the directorate at Lucknow and reaches lakhs of parents in no time.

Through DIKSHA

4000+ direct-to-student videos (a mix of curation from expert organizations and crowdsourcing from teachers) have been uploaded and tagged to QR codes printed in textbooks prepared by UP SCERT. Additionally, various other types of available content - Explanation Videos, Practice Questions, Assessments, eTextbook PDFs, Lesson Plans, Slides, Recorded Classrooms on Internet, Recorded Classrooms on TV, e-books etc. have also been made available. These videos have also been made available on the department’s YouTube channel to ensure that those students who do have Diksha app downloaded can also benefit.

Through other digital resources

• The department’s website Prerna has dedicated teacher resources and student resources, where a large number of e-resources (textbooks, activity charts, posters, audio content etc.) is made available for easy reference and availability to both teachers and students.
• e-Pothi / e-Books - Additionally, all textbooks have been made available on the UP SCERT website, in a subject wise and grade wise manner - SCERT Uttar Pradesh

TV Channel & Radio Initiatives

• Doordarshan - For those parents and students who do not own a smartphone, the department has made a facility to make high quality educational content available through far-reaching Doordarshan Uttar Pradesh channel. From end-April to mid-June, a 1.5 hour slot on Doordarshan UP has been dedicated to provide self-learning content to children customized in the forms of structured episodes. As per independent reports, 18-20% students across the state are benefitting from this content. Therefore, beginning mid-June, the department is purchasing a 4 hour slot on DD UP to increase learning through this channel.
• Radio – The reach of Radio is expected to be even more than television, hence radio channels have been engaged to help students in areas and communities where TV coverage is limited. 15-30 minute slots on AIR and other radio channels are being fixed to provide audio-based learning to children at home. Audio content of UNICEF and Gali Gali Sim Sim and other curated sources will be played on Aakashwani.

Partnership with Civil Society

School department has pooled in resources and services from a strong network of national and global organisations like Central Square Foundation, Sesame Workshop India, Pratham, Khan Academy, Google, WhatsApp, the TeacherApp, UNICEF. Efforts to intensify the usage of the content uploaded on ‘DIKSHA’ — the national e-learning platform launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development that hosts video content for children in all age groups. Khan Academy, a leading international not-for-profit educational organisation, which has more than 1,000 self-learning videos available for children to learn mathematics from class 1-8 in Hindi. Pratham Education Foundation, an Indian not-for-profit organisation, which has extremely good video-based learning of foundation literacy and numeracy concepts.

Turning parents into teachers

The launch of Top Parent, a first-of-its-kind free-of-cost mobile application that provides parents of 3-8-year olds with language, strategies, and resources to actively participate in their children’s learning. The application currently houses three high-quality EdTech apps for children – Chimple, Maths Masti and Google Bolo.

Massive outreach campaign

Massive outreach campaign to make all stakeholders (parents, students, teachers, officers etc.) aware of the above mentioned digital initiatives has been undertaken.

Focusing on Teacher Professional Development

There has been a greater focus on TPD. 100+ standalone concepts and pedagogy based videos and 75+ micro-courses (45-60 mins each) have been uploaded on DIKSHA and teachers encouraged to learn through these videos and courses. 

Source : Remote Learning Initiatives Across India