School textbooks set to get smarter with QR codes

NEWDELHI: ACCORDING TO A SENIOR HRD MINISTRY OFFICIAL, MORE THAN 20 MN ENERGIZED TEXTBOOKS WILL BE PUBLISHED THIS YEAR FOR 5 STATES

Starting June, teachers and students in a number of states will be using “energised textbooks” that will provide them more information and contextualised content in the form of video films and audios accessible through quick response (QR) codes, in addition to traditional textbooks .

A QR code is a type of two-dimensional barcode used for providing easy access to information through a smartphone. According to a senior Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry official who requested anonymity, more than 20 millions energized textbooks will be published this year for five states.

The five states — Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan — will be using the books starting this academic year. Other states will also be able to use the content by simply getting their QR codes. Teachers and students will have to download the DIKSHA app for this purpose.

The work on preparing the QR codes has been undertaken by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) which has put in place the DIKSHA platform that serves as the national digital infrastructure for teachers; teachers across the country will be able to access the advanced digital technology.

For instance, QR codes will be printed at the hard-spots identified by teachers/subject matter experts in the physical textbooks. These QR codes can be linked to engaging videos and interactive content to better equip teachers and at the same time provide students with the same content. Students will be able to use the information while studying from home. Students who generally have to search for additional information on their own will be able to get more information by using the app.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has also started work on preparing the QR codes, but they are likely to be available only from the next academic year in the books that will be published by the end of the year.

In Andhra Pradesh, energized textbooks will be used for grades 6 to 10 in English and Telugu and more than seven million books are being published, Maharashtra is implementing it for class 1 to 10 in the upcoming academic year for all subjects, Uttar Pradesh is implementing it for classes 1 to 8 in all subjects. Tamil Nadu is also planning to link the QR codes with relevant assessments to evaluate subject-wise understanding of the students and propose specific remedial plans. The five pilot states have identified more than 15,000 pieces of content.