A study on the permeation and scope of ICT intervention at the Indian rural primary school level

Abstract

The provision of education for all in India remains a distant dream, despite substantial amounts of government and state investment going into it. The objective of this study is to highlight an alternative learning model that makes use of the e-revolution that has proliferated into every aspect of our lives. Although there have been attempts to incorporate ICT into rural classrooms, most of the focus has been on video-based digitized learning and has not efficiently addressed the best ways in which learning can be achieved. Our aim is thus to design a model that not only makes e-learning effective, but replaces the underqualified teachers in remote areas and allows for the free permeation of education in ways that might bridge the digital divide amongst students of various socio economic backgrounds. In this context our intervention focuses on a class of 16 students, 10 to 11 years of age (class 5) at Ma Sarada Shishu Tirtha, a school for tribal girls, located in Krishnanagar, West Bengal, India. The intervention involved a remote teacher delivering Math and English lessons in a class-room setting, (via the video conferencing software Skype, and PowerPoint Presentations) while also making the session interactive.