Changes

==== Educating about the pandemic ====

==== Educating about the pandemic ====

The first focus of the program should be on building a greater and firmer understanding of the pandemic and educating parents and communities through the students. Simple audiovisual and print materials, some available and some developed can be shared with students through online as well as shared in community    

The first focus of the program should be on building a greater and firmer understanding of the pandemic and educating parents and communities through the students. Simple audiovisual and print materials, some available and some developed can be shared with students through online as well as shared in community. This is also required to bring learning into connect with the biggest crisis (not merely a health crisis, but a social, cultural, economic and political crisis) and help the learners reflect on the nature of the world they should be building. Ignoring the pandemic and focusing solely on textbooks would not be useful or meaningful.     

==== Subject-specific content and pedagogy models for teaching ====

==== Subject-specific content and pedagogy models for teaching ====

The TPCK (Technological-Pedagogical-Content Knowledge) framework can be used to support the planning of lessons that are engaging and facilitate student learning.             

The TPCK (Technological-Pedagogical-Content Knowledge) framework can be used to support the planning of lessons that are engaging and facilitate student learning.             

The approaches would need to have a subject-specialization, even as disciplinary boundaries will need to be transcended during this period. Hence these are discussed by subject - Mathematics, Kannada, English, and Science.                

Re-looking at the curriculum is an inevitable starting point; this is not the time to substitute the classroom lectures with video lectures. The schools and teachers must be allowed to interpret the textbook in meaningful ways combining lectures and hands-on activities. The approaches would need to have a subject-specialization, even as disciplinary boundaries will need to be transcended during this period. Hence these are discussed by subject - Mathematics, Kannada, English, and Science.                  

==== Familiarity and comfort with online learning platform (connecting and teaching) ====

==== Familiarity and comfort with online learning platform (connecting and teaching) ====

Many teachers are sharing resources, worksheets, quizzes with students over mobile phone platforms. These allow asynchronous interactions, which are useful, and can be complemented by synchronous interactions through a online platform. The online platform can be used to teach as well as to clarify questions and doubts over content shared asynchronously.   

Many teachers are sharing resources, worksheets, quizzes with students over mobile phone platforms. These allow asynchronous interactions, which are useful, and can be complemented by synchronous interactions through an online platform. The online platform can be used to teach as well as to clarify questions and doubts over content shared asynchronously.   

Online learning platforms have some features to support online teaching including - video conferencing, sharing screen (which has a presentation or a video or even a web page), digital white/blackboard, online chatting, etc. Student management functions like muting participants, locking participants, sharing presentation rights, etc are also useful to learn.   

Online learning platforms have some features to support online teaching including - video conferencing, sharing screen (which has a presentation or a video or even a web page), digital white/blackboard, online chatting, etc. Student management functions like muting participants, locking participants, sharing presentation rights, etc are also useful to learn.   

[https://teacher-network.in/OER/index.php/Learn_BigBlueButton BigBlueButton] is a free and open-source online teaching platform. It can be used as a standalone platform to teach or can be integrated with the Moodle Learning Management System. The latter option is suitable for teacher training programs while the former is simpler and hence suitable for student teaching. [https://teacher-network.in/OER/index.php/Learn_BigBlueButton BigBlueButton] has the advantage that it does not require an app installation to use on the phone, a web address (URL) is sufficient.  

[https://teacher-network.in/OER/index.php/Learn_BigBlueButton BigBlueButton] is a free and open-source online teaching platform. It can be used as a standalone platform to teach or can be integrated with the Moodle Learning Management System. The latter option is suitable for teacher training programs while the former is simpler and hence suitable for student teaching. [https://teacher-network.in/OER/index.php/Learn_BigBlueButton BigBlueButton] has the advantage that it does not require an app installation to use on the phone, a web address (URL) is sufficient. (It is essential to avoid using proprietary digital platforms that collect data about students and teachers, making them vulnerable to commercial exploitation and privacy losses, hence free and open-source platforms such as BBB should be preferred, they can be freely installed in a common public data infrastructure such as the state government's data center).  

Familiarity with [https://teacher-network.in/OER/index.php/Learn_BigBlueButton BigBlueButton] will require two sessions of a few hours each, the second to refresh learning and solve any doubts or issues. See the [[BigBlueButton Workshop|BigBlueButtonWorkshop]] page for a workshop to learn BigBlueButton.  

Familiarity with [https://teacher-network.in/OER/index.php/Learn_BigBlueButton BigBlueButton] will require two sessions of a few hours each, the second to refresh learning and solve any doubts or issues. See the [[BigBlueButton Workshop|BigBlueButtonWorkshop]] page for a workshop to learn BigBlueButton.  

==== Visits to community spaces for interactions with students ====

==== Visits to community spaces for interactions with students ====

Vidyagama suggests teachers can, with help of parents and community members, identify community spaces in habitations where many students may be staying, and organize interactions on a periodic/regular basis to support learning. Face to face interactions will be invaluable for supporting learning. Such visits are also especially useful for students who may not be part of digital and online learning possibilities.  

Vidyagama suggests teachers can, with the help of parents and community members, identify community spaces in habitations where many students may be staying, and organize interactions on a periodic/regular basis to support learning. Face to face interactions will be invaluable for supporting learning. Such visits are also especially useful for students who may not be part of digital and online learning possibilities.  

While community spaces will need to be identified, the school itself is the first choice for such a community space - as it would score high on student safety as well as hygiene. Limited school opening with adequate safeguards is an option to be explored, considering factors such as

While community spaces will need to be identified, the school itself is the first choice for such a community space - as it would score high on student safety as well as hygiene. Limited school opening with adequate safeguards is an option to be explored, considering multile factors to ensure safety and learning. Staggering classes, regrouping classes into smaller cohorts, combining in-school and out-of-school activities, with support from community facilitators are some strategies to start out with.

 

 

Project-based learning will allow the students to work individually, with people who they have access to as well as with the teachers. Teacher interaction can be in the form of videos as well as small group interactions through online forums. This can be continued in a modified manner when schools reopen in a staggered phased manner and in combination with digital methods. Teacher agency and autonomy are essential for this. Reinforcing foundational literacy and numeracy will be essential, especially in cases where students have migrated and hence facing discontinuities in language and manner of instruction.

=== School support system ===

=== School support system ===