While the ongoing curriculum revamp for the State board syllabus promises to usher in a host of different technological advancements into classrooms, the training for teachers, which is to follow, too will focus on the domain with teachers expected to be resourceful with ICT tools.
Over the last few years, in-service training programmes developed by the Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan (SSA) and the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) have had several elements on using technology in classrooms. The SCERT, in particular, has been identifying innovative teaching-learning strategies of teachers and has been motivating them to use the internet.
The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan too has been implementing its English Language Communication (ELCOM) project in rural and urban schools, where teachers are being taught to effectively use electronic resourcesin classrooms.
A study carried out by CENTA on the basis of the performance trends in their Teaching Professionals’ Olympiad suggests there needs to also be a focus on a set of the most common technology tools, which every teacher should be familiar with. Ramya Venkataraman of CENTA said that it was important for teachers to know whether to use technology effectively for managing work or as a teaching resource — starting from the objective rather than the tool.