Intel, K'taka govt tie up for e-learning program

BANGALORE, INDIA: Intel India and the Government of Karnataka’s Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) on Monday announced the launch of Computers On Wheels, an e-learning pilot program, in five districts across Karnataka.

The pilot will include digital instruction materials from Educomp. A total of five Government Higher Primary Schools in Karwar, Mysore, Davanagere, Yadgir and Bangalore Rural districts will be covered by this pilot, said a press release.

The program enables teachers to utilize a variety of learning strategies and tools to cater to the diverse learning styles and abilities of students, making education more engaging and inclusive for all.

The initiative is based on the Intel Learning Series, an education solution, including infrastructure, hardware, software, content, training and support, designed to deliver one-on-one e-learning in classrooms that is matched to local needs.

Intel and Educomp plan to support a repository of digital instruction materials, consisting of animated, lesson-specific multimedia modules, mapped to meet the specific objectives laid out by different state learning standards.

The curriculum provided for this project will cover key concepts in mathematics, science and English. One-on-one teaching and learning tools will be provided in the Kannada language.

Under the Computers On Wheels approach, netbooks are housed in a cart that can be moved between classrooms as needed. The cart is used to both store and charge the netbooks, and provides a wireless access point.

Computers On Wheels brings technology into classrooms where it can be utilized to teach students core subjects and provide teachers with access to laptops to develop and deliver lesson plans.

The program utilises technology as a tool to transform teaching and learning through teacher professional development and creating a localized digital curriculum, laying the foundation for twenty-first century skills.

“Advances in technology continue to transform how we live, work, play, and learn. Intel is committed to making education accessible and engaging for all students,” said R. Ravichandran, director-Sales, Intel South Asia.

He added that computers on Wheels offers a highly effective one-to-one e-learning environment, enabling teachers to impart twenty-first century skills, such as critical thinking, analytical skills, problem solving and communication and collaboration skills, in an engaging manner, motivating students to attend classes and thus improve student retention.

“This is a very useful mechanism to enhance student learning by integrating innovative teaching methods in the schools of Karnataka,” said Shri Visvesvara Hegde Kageri, minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Government of Karnataka. “The Government of Karnataka along with Intel is enabling a learning system that provides a more engaging, interesting and experiential form of teaching and learning through smart use of technology.”