Delhi schools turn to technology for studies
In view of the recent outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic across the globe, leading to a 21-day lockdown in India, many schools in Delhi have started taking the help of technology to teach students while they stay at their homes.
Schools in Delhi have taken the help of internet-based messaging application Whatsapp and video streaming application Youtube to impart lessons to students, especially students from class IX, X, XI and XII. Some schools in Delhi that have taken such initiatives includes Queen Mary’s Tis Hazari, Springdales School Pusa Road, Montford Senior Secondary school Ashok Vihar, Delhi Public School (DPS) Mathura Road, Convent of Jesus and Mary’s, St. Columbus, among many others.
These schools are reaching out to their students regularly on Whatsapp where the respective teachers have created a class group on the internetbased messaging application. The respective subject teachers have been tasked to regularly upload course materials, PDF files of some of the chapters or lessons from respective subjects, including explanations and notes.
Teachers are also recording videos of the coursework in a simulated classroom from their homes and uploading them on Youtube for students to watch them and have a better understanding of the subjects.
Some schools have also developed an interactive application for students and teachers’ interaction which works like a simulated classroom. Some other schools have created websites and video links for students to explain more technical subjects like Physics and Chemistry for senior school students.
According to the schools, teachers are also taking care of the fact that many would not be having high speed internet for which separate voice notes with explanations of the subject and course works are being regularly uploaded and sent to students on Whatsapp.
The schools say that they have started with the course of the senior classes as of now owing to the fact that their syllabus are lengthy and that, particularly, the board appearing classes of X and XII .
The principal of a school in north Delhi, who did not wish to be named, told The Sunday Guardian, “We have started with the coursework for our senior classes through the online medium because as you know, Classes 10 and 12 will be appearing for board examinations and the total teaching time period is short for these classes and this crucial time cannot be wasted by these students sitting at home idle. ” The schools are also taking this time of the students to assign them with practical and project work, which was otherwise assigned to them during the summer breaks.
Dr Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Principal of Springdales School Pusa Road, told The Sunday Guardian, “We have used audio recording features, arranged discussions in small groups and recorded lectures, podcasts, and generated video links. We are using Whatsapp as a teachinglearning tool.”