How technology can create synergy in classrooms
It was early morning, after a cup of refreshing tea at a roadside tea shop, my colleague and I walked upto Jorhat Boys’ H.S School in Jorhat (Assam). This school was established in 1883 during British era. At the entrance, as you can see in the picture, it has a signage along with a historic year of establishment. I was instantly attracted by the look and feel of the entire school building. Spread across acres of land and prominently located in small town of Jorhat. I was on a visit to this school to partner with them for next three years to support them in teaching and learning specifically in Grade Vth and VIth (Maths and Science). Our commitment was to provide technology (includes hardware, digital content, and data) and training support to teachers.

After two years of immersive Masters course at Azim Premji University, I had then just joined Pratham Education Foundation as a training lead for their education technology project across ten districts of Assam covering both government and affordable private schools.
During one year of my tenure in Assam it wasn’t what I had earlier expected or imagined. Being an educator I was aware that there were challenges in the field as well as chronic low performance of public school system. Despite burgeoning business of affordable private schools, their performance in terms of academic performance wasn’t as beautiful as they were being perceived by communities.
As we met the principal of the school, it was a conversation filled with optimism and a new hope. It was indeed a great feeling being in the century old school with a new mindset and attitude to uplift teaching-learning practice at the school. Our intervention was though limited to Vth and VIth grade Science and Mathematics.

In few weeks our project was launched and it was interesting to see how the teacher adopted the technology device. Our curriculum framework required the teacher to actively plan his lesson to cater to different learning styles viz., auditory, kinesthetics and visual. The teachers were adequately supported with technology and pedagogy through training and on need basis apart from regular support and classroom observation by our programme associate at district level.
It was evident through our observations that introduction of technology enriched classroom teaching-learning experiences for both teachers and students, it was also witnessed that attendance at many schools improved and also learning outcomes. The engagement of students during class was commendable. What got transformed through our engagement was ‘how education was imparted’. Students became more active learners rather than sitting passive, teacher was enabled to amplify her capacity and provide adequate learning opportunities to all students through her planned pedagogy for each of her lessons. Each new day, she became more confident about using technology in class and how she can create maximum impact.
Originally published at community.yourstory.com on July 28, 2017.
