ZP teachers turn tech-savvy to help students

THANE: Nine-year-old Saani Jadhav is glued to her father’s smartphone after she is home from school. No, she is not playing games or watching cartoons.

Saani, a resident of Desalepada, Shahpur, instead browses educational applications recommended by her teachers, which help her understand her syllabus and make revisions easy. Saani is a Class 3 student of zilla parishad school in Shahpur, 50 kmfromThane,wheresuchdigital learning platforms are gaining popularity.

The idea to make learning simple for school students by using digital platform is the brainchild of ZP teachers of Thane district. The teachers upload videos of poems, stories, science practical, history lessons or mathematical equations online in a simple format.

They make use of applications, social networking sites or blogs among others to reach out to students. The digital platformshavehelpedstudentsofZP schools to understand the concepts better, as most of their parents aren’t educated enough to help them with studies nor can they afford private coaching.

Saani said, “It is important to get the pronunciation right while reciting poems. However, my parents are not well-educated to guide me so I rely on videos posted online by other teachers. This helps me understand better and solves my doubts.”

The teachers from ZP schools across the district have connectedthroughcommongroups. Each teacher uploads information according to the subject expertise, which is then circulated to all the schools.

Teachers are uploading poems, stories, detailed science experiments, additional questionsandanswersforstudentsto learn and understand better. “Initially, we started off with audio recording on WhatsApp. We would upload stories and poemsthatwouldbesharedwith teachers across the district.

Teachers would also share it with students and as we started getting a good response, more teachers joined with different topics from the syllabus,” said Alankar Warghade, teacher at the zilla parishad school.

Another teacher, Pandurang Bhoir, has been giving detailed instructions about science experiments in video format. “Children find science interesting and they develop a curiosity related to all the different formulas and theories which is great for young minds.”

In most ZP schools, only one teacher is allocated to one class and might not be an expert in all the subjects. Thus, teachers also use these applications to explain the concept to the students by playing the videos in the digital classrooms.

“Not all teachers can explain both science and languages well. Not all schools have equipment to make learning fun. However, every school has a provision for a digital classroomwhich can be used to show videos and make it easier for children to learn and understand,” added Bhoir.

Teachers have helped each other to learn to operate the applications and also provide details related to the videos or audio explanation.

“We not only show the videos in classrooms but they are also helpful in some remote areas where it becomes difficult for children to reach school during monsoon. They can revise or learning process through the videos. When uploaded on websites or applications, even old videos can be viewed making it an archive of the entire syllabus for students,” said Mangla Doiphode, teacher from zilla parishad school in Shahapur.

Students are excited to use phone app. “The videos help me understand better and clear my doubts. Some of them also have additional questions which are helpful,” said Vansh Naik, Class 6 student of zilla parishad school near Titwala.

GOVTCREATESOWN APPLICATION

Inspired by the efforts taken by teachers toreach outto students, the Maharashtra government launched an application called Diksha. It has all details and additionalinformationrelatedto the syllabus of each class. On the last page of every chapter, a QR code is published which if scanned will lead to a detailed and informative page on that chapter. This was initiated on a trial basis in schools however it will be implemented from the next academic year.

“We have got a good response from students and teachers and we will continue it for the upcoming academic year. We will rope in some teachers who have worked to build the app to guide us,” said an officer from the state government’s education department.

NAVIMUMBAI: A fire broke out in an under-construction site in Nerul near DY Patil Hospital on Wednesday. No casualties were reported as the building was empty.“Thefirewasatanempty under-construction site and no worker was present inside when thefirebrokeout. Thethermocol flooring caught fire which led to clouds of smoke making it look like it was a major fire. The fire was brought under control within 15 to 20 minutes,” said Arun Bhoir, fire officer at Nerul fire brigade.

The fire department will file a report ascertaining the cause of fire.

NAVIMUMBAI: The sister of a murder accused, arrested in the 2014 murder of former state child rights commission chairperson, went on the rampage and attacked women constables guarding the prison, when she was asked to wait for the jail official.

Varinder Kaur Athwal, 34, arrived at Taloja jail to submit a letter to the jail officials on Monday.

As Athwal was waiting outside the prison, the staff took the letter and sent it to the official. However, when Athwal insisted that she wanted to meet the officer, thestaffaskedhertowait. As she was waiting around 11.45am, some people — with prior permissions — went inside the gate which irked her as she was waiting before them.

Blaming the policewomen of allowing others to go inside, Athwal started arguing with the prison guards.

“Whenaconstablewasescorting others out, she pushed the metal gate and entered the premises. Constable Rajni Vanve, 27, was injured on her head. Since undertrials in the jail were being readied to be taken to court and were waiting near the gate, the woman was asked to wait for her safety,” said an officer from Kharghar police station.

When other constables intervened, Athwal hit them too and tore one of the constables’ uniform in the attack.

› She pushed the metal gate and entered the premises, injuring a constable on her head. As undertrials were being readied to be taken to court and were waiting near the gate, the woman was asked to wait. OFFICER, Kharghar police station

THANE : A 25-year-old man allegedly strangled his wife following a dispute at their home in Naya Nagar locality of Maharashtra’s Thane city, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday when accused Naseer Rais Khan allegedly strangled his wife Samim following an argument, an official said. A manhunt has been launched for Khan, who fled the scene after killing the victim, he added.

The accused, who owned a mobile phone shop, reportedly called hissisterafter committing the crime and the police were

Athwal’s brother Zorawar is undertrial for allegedly killing Meenakshi Jaiswal, 46, the former chairperson of Maharashtra State Child Commission for Protection of Child Rights, at Kharghar apartment. Jaiswal was the wife of a sessions court judge Santosh Jaiswal.

Zorawar, with the help of Jaiswal’s domestic help and another person, allegedly entered her apartment in December 2014. He allegedly slit her throat and fled with valuables worth ₹2.5 lakh.

“We have learnt that he was also awarded a life sentence in a different murder case in Gurgaon. We have written a letter to the jail authorities for the details of the murder cases against Zorawar,” the officer added.

Athwal was arrested on charges of assaulting an on-duty public servant on Monday. She was produced before a local court and remanded in judicial custody at women’s jail in Kalyan.

MARRIED IN 2016 AND HAD A THREE-YEAR- OLD DAUGHTER, WHO WASN’T PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

subsequently informed, he said.

The couple were married in 2016 and had a three-year- old daughter, who wasn’t present at the time of the incident, the official said.

An offence under section 302 (murder) has been registered against the absconding accused and further probe is underway, he said.