City schools making students tech savvy

PUNE: Giving students an opportunity to be on par with the changing education system, city-based schools are now pairing the traditional way of teaching-learning with a more hands-on and up-to-date approach. 

While the Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) are giving students an opportunity to work with tools and technology to innovate, many schools are introducing courses that will help students incline towards science and technology.

Paresh Shinde, an ATL Coordinator at Jnana Prabodhini Prashala, said the hands-on training the students get at such a young age helps them make informed career choices. 

“Introduction to new technology and courses helps the students in improving their reasoning power as well as ability to design and innovate. They get to use all tools and machines from the lower to the higher end. It helps them in higher education as well. A student taking admission to an engineering course would not be totally clueless about the use of machines as he/she used to be earlier,” he said. 

He said that since they try their hand at research and innovation at an early stage, they know what their interests and strengths are, and thus, can determine what they want to do in future. The State Government has been promoting a more practical-based approach towards learning through its programme ‘Progressive Education Maharashtra’ (PSM). Under this, the State has approved allocation of Rs 10.16 crore to Maharashtra Prathamik Shikshan Parishad to build innovative science centres at selected schools run by the local governing bodies.

Recently, the CP Goenka International School in Pune decided to introduce 3D Printing and Robotics, that will be primarily introduced and focuses on subjects like science and mathematics. The concept will be introduced for the secondary and primary classes first. 

Speaking about making science and mathematics fun and easier, Sujata Naidu, Principal, DES English Secondary School on Tilak Road, said, “We have mathematics laboratories in our schools. Through simple aids and tools, we have changed the teaching approach and it is showing fantastic results.” 

DES Secondary School will be building a space laboratory in its premises soon to attract more students towards career opportunities available in space research.