Joyojeet Pal1 Computer Aided Education in India: A survey of the Azim Premji Foundations junior...
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Transcript of Joyojeet Pal1 Computer Aided Education in India: A survey of the Azim Premji Foundations junior...
Joyojeet Pal 1
Computer Aided Education in India:A survey of the Azim Premji
Foundation’s junior school initiatives
Joyojeet Pal
Joyojeet Pal 2
Project Goal and Objective
Preliminary study of APF’ s Computer Aided Learning Centers (CALCs) program to identify factors influencing computer usage Social issues Operational issues Cognitive issues Children in Cuttack running an
OPEPA CD with a tracing game
Joyojeet Pal 3
MSR and TIER’s Interest in CALC
Research arm that does not have to have product-orientation
Has a section looking at Technology for Emerging Markets
TIER working on several levels of ICT for development research
And my own interest…
Joyojeet Pal 4
Research Methodology
Short field visits, interview and observation based
Locations selected from three states on basis of: Language – variations within Karnataka Condition of local economy Stage of the program Feasibility of research
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Locations
Orissa – 4 locations Karnataka – 6 locations Pondicherry – 1 location Mumbai – 1 location
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Locations
Language Landscape Child Labour Poverty APF involvement CALC Occupation
Kogadu Multilingual Hilly Minimal Moderate I & C Developed Estates
Dakshin K. Multilingual Coastal Minor Moderate I & C Developed SF, AL
Udupi Multilingual Coastal Moderate Moderate I & C Developed AL, Fishing
Bellary Monolingual Arid plains Moderate Dire I & C Developed AL, Livestock, Mines
Raichur Multilingual Arid plains Serious Dire I & C Developed AL
Gadag Monolingual Agricultural Moderate Dire I & C Developed Handlooms, AL
Pondi Monolingual Coastal Minimal Moderate I & C Nascent AL
Mumbai Monolingual Urban Minimal Minimal None Developed CL
Cuttack Monolingual Urban Minimal Moderate Content Nascent CL
Mayurbhanj Monolingual Forest Minor Dire Content Nascent Tribal, AL
Puri Monolingual Coastal Minimal Moderate Content Nascent AL, SF
Ganjam Multilingual Coastal Moderate Dire Content Nascent AL
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Scope
9 observations – most Orissa 130 interviews – range 3 min – 180 min
18 schools 15 HTs / HMs 28 subject teachers 7 computer teachers 27 students 15 parents 4 VEC/Panchayat 21 community 5 government 8 administrators/agency
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Research Approach
DRIVERS / ASSISTANTS
VEC / PANCHAYAT
OTHER TEACHERS
HEAD TEACHER
STUDENTS
PARENTS
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
OBSERVATIONS
INTERVEWS
GOVT. OFFICIALS
JOYOJEET / APF CO-ORD.
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A Computer Center
This is a computer center from Abishekapakkam in Pondicherry – these typically seat between 3-6 children per PC – notice that the teacher has little involvement in the actual class functioning. The aggressive users (often standing) in this case are students from senior classes sneaking in for extra time
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Resource-strapped
In Baripada, Mayurbhanj district in Orissa, the local school has three computers, to be spread over 500 students – this numerical equation is not uncommon, consequently, as many as 10 students can be using one computer simultaneously – notice the interactive work here
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Observations: Social Issues
Clear enthusiasm, despite lack of understanding of computing VEC/SDMC plagued by political issues Parents do not question school – no PTA involvement Children seem to be doing better in areas with higher female parent
involvement in PTA, though causality not clear here Child labour a comparatively minor issue, perceived value from
schooling more serious issue Class retention follows a threshold pattern – to lesser extent among
DL families More homogenous or older communities tend to have comparatively
successful CALC programs
KEY TAKEAWAY: Village community endorsement of a project is not a stable indicator of the sustainability of a project
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Parent Profile
Except in the most remote areas – only poorest send kids to govt. schools
Majority are DLs Females more active in
schools (often breadwinners) along the more developed areas
Will question private schools, not govt.
Parents in Pondi, peeved when midday meal contained copper wire
Farmer affords one child in private school, other in govt. school –
works in local VEC
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Dropout profile Daily wager parents –
extreme poverty (Rs. 20 daily)
Generally construction, household help – in rural livestock, cottage
Seasonal absenteeism highly prevalent
Urban rim more prone to child labour, though inland dropout rate higher
Poor school infrastructure Abuse
Child labourer from Raichur
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Observations: Operational Issues
Timetables highly improvisational Head Teacher critical – interest in CALC highly varied In resource strapped areas (infrastructure and teacher time), junior
classes tend to be excluded Implementing agency (APF, Aptech. Etc.) usually seen as the owner
of the project – thus operational role critical Teachers training for CALC very likely to have different expectations
from trainers’ motivations No effective student testing mechanism currently Financing patterns ad-hoc for CALC services Equipment maintenance still an issue
KEY TAKEAWAY: Most rural schools are not prepared to function without significant handholding
Joyojeet Pal 15
Head Teacher profile Usually not locals Generally near retirement Usually lower academic
qual., longer experience Often face social issues
in taking up appointments Play link role with the
government machinery Tend to multi-task
classroomsA Maharastrian head teacher
in Raichur, Karnataka
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CC Instructor profile From local families
(teachers often not) Reasonable to expect Rs.
1500 pm as saleable wage - BUT Salaries in risk most
places Use of CCs for additional
rev. generation not ensured
Empowerment, respect, openness to work away
Play a tenuous role with the rest of the institution
A successful CC Instructor from Udupi Dist.
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Observations: Curricular / Cognitive
Teacher Difficulties (and student difficulties, largely): English (Pondi, Karnataka) Geometry (Orissa, Karnataka) Labs, Geography (Orissa + Encylopedia demands)
Student Benefits Match concepts fractions / LCM Geography (Pondicherry CD popular even in Orissa)
CALC teaching generally adaptive – children positioning, time-sharing Teachers reinforce classroom standings in CCs High variance in terms of learning / computing ability Children easily tire of the repetitive content and want to move to games Picking up Linux OS quite painless for younger children
KEY TAKEAWAY: Actual computer time for children is very low, but learning within the limited access time fairly good – optimization an issue.
Joyojeet Pal 18
Seating patterns
No conclusive evidence, but enough to merit further investigation Using the ANOVA test for Statistical Significance we find:
The correlation between the position occupied by the student during the computer class and
the student’s family’s economic position is statistically significant to over 95.1%
and to a student’s performance in class is statistically significant to over 99.8%
Seating Position
L2 L1 T R1 R2
Class Performance 1.50 2.00 2.68 1.95 1.50
Economic Affluence 2.00 2.36 2.68 2.24 1.00
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Position and Family Affluence
LEFTSD=0.66
CENTERSD=0.48
RIGHTSD=0.83
Rich46%
Average45%
Poorest9%
Rich
Average
Poorest
Rich68%
Average32%
Poorest0%
Rich
Average
Poorest
Rich47%
Average29%
Poorest24%
Rich
Average
Poorest
Class Size: 21
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Position and Classroom Performance
Good32%
Average36%
Poor32%
Good
Average
Poor
Good73%
Average27%
Poor0%
Good
Average
Poor
Good33%
Average29%
Poor38%
Good
Average
Poor
LEFTSD=0.82
CENTERSD=0.48
RIGHTSD=0.86
Class Size: 21
Joyojeet Pal 21
Shuffling seating
Children in positions R2 is the smart kid in class, R1 is average, and C and L1 were among the poorer performers – C being the poorest according to the teacher. Before the seating intervention, R2 was the most active, controlling the mouse and running ahead with the game – all the three remaining were inattentive. There was no dialogue.
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Recommendations
QUICK FIX
Shuffling students on an experimental basis Single set of instructions per active class, streamlined instead of self-paced
CURRICULAR Quick modules that deal with one specific problem Adapting to number of users at start-up stage Use of icons as characters in CD content Games (incremental scope)
ORGANIZATIONAL Headmaster training – preferably on-site Door-to-door campaigns on computer proficiency Coordinators and Computer instructor essential in short term (see Pratham model)
LONG TERM Test CALC using current SSA student evaluation metrics Increase amount of offline teaching – CALC dependable for fraction of time Support policy level initiatives – Childcare, English earlier
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ThanksFor Questions: [email protected]
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Thanks
Sukumar AnikarKentaro ToyamaSanthosh R.Lopamudra JenaRajashekhar PandiPremaShankar