Telangana ICT implementation approach

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Background

The objective of the Telangana state education department (DSE) is to integrate technology into teaching and learning in sustained and meaningful ways. The department is upgrading the school labs in 3,000 schools by building a digital lab and through equipping the classrooms with digital resources. IT for Change (ITfC) has been working with the Telangana education department to build ‘communities of practice’ amongst mathematics, science and social science teachers in the state.

DSE has decided to develop ICT student text books and teacher hand books which will be used by the school teachers for transacting the ICT curriculum in classes 6 to 10. The text book that is currently available has very limited focus on a few proprietary software applications, not directly connected to school subjects. DSE has decided to adopt the NCERT ICT curriculum, as the basis for the text book, which leverages the possibilities of ICTs for connecting and learning and creating and learning.

In a consultative workshop, conducted in February with NCERT-CIET, HBSCE, ITfC, SCERT members and a core group of teachers, a plan was developed for the creation of student textbook and teacher handbook, based on the NCERT ICT curriculum. Subsequently, Telangana also participated in a consultative meeting held in RIE Mysuru, by CEMCA, for collaboration on programs on ICT in Education, specifically OER creation. Pursuant to this meeting, in view of CEMCA's experience in the area of OER creation, DSE invited CEMCA to support the creation of ICT textbook and handbook, as outlined above, with ITfC as an implementation partner.

Scope of the ICT textbook and handbook

It is proposed to develop the ICT syllabus with the following components:

1. A textbook for students, that introduces ICT skills and applications in a project based way, integrated with the different school subjects. The core competencies and skills to be covered in the text book will be determined based on the National ICT curriculum and the Telangana state subject text books and academic standards. The text book will take a project based approach to the attainment of these learning competencies.
2. A handbook for teachers and teacher educators to help them implement the syllabus as well as support their own knowledge and learning of the ICT applications based on the NCERT ICT curriculum. This accompanying handbook will facilitate the transaction of the ICT syllabus and also provide meaningful linkages to curricular and co-­curricular areas.
3. The text book will need to be planned keeping in mind the existing timetable and syllabus requirements and will also make recommendations on guidelines for school level implementation.

Key principles of development of the textbook and handbook

1. The ICT text book development will be done in a collaborative manner, with the resource group set up by DSE.
2. This will be developed and shared on a portal called the Telangana State Repository of Open Educational Resources (TSROER) which can form the basis for further OER development by teachers and teacher educators in the state. This portal will be using the Media­ wiki platform, which is used by the Wikipedia digital encyclopedia.
3. Teachers and teacher educators will get familiar with the OER principles while using and developing curricular resources – re­use, revise, remix, retain and re­distribute.
4. Through participating in processes of resource creation, capacities of SCERT, teachers and teacher educators will be developed in adopt OER.
5. The ICT text book will be based on the NCERT ICT curriculum, hence it has reasonable chances of being re­used / adapted in other states in India. Telangana could be undertaking a pioneering effort in the creation of curricular materials that can be adopted across the country.
6. This will be developed in a phased manner, with focus on completion of materials for 1 year at a time, this has been mapped to Class 8 of the Telangana state syllabus. After class 8 text book is completed and reviewed, a similar approach may be taken fir classes 9 and 10. If all three classes ICT texts are produced as OER, it will help state governments across the country to adapt the same for their ICT@Schools high school program, which is a MHRD program, being implemented across the country.

Proposed activities

Area of work	Activities	Type of effort	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan
Planning and designing the work	Initial consultative workshop with SCERT To review the ICT syllabus and textbook for Year 1 and approach for Year 2 and 3 To develop criteria and framework for review of resources for OER adoption in the state Initial mapping of the curriculum in line with the syllabus and identification of linkages between student textbook and teacher handbook Approval from SCERT for this mapping Identification of team of teachers and teacher educators who will collaborate on the creation of resource units and workshop planning Approval for initial design of web pages for the textbook	Consultation with SCERT, teachers, teacher educators	x
Collaborative resource creation	Design of a web portal for collaboration as Telangana Open Educational Resources Workshops for resource creation – from mathematics and science teachers and teacher educators (5 days) Online and virtual facilitation of teachers' created content which will be compiled for the textbook activities)	Workshop Online interactions and offline work, facilitated by ITfC	x	x
Review of work	Internal review by IT for Change of compiled, contributed materials from teachers Preparation of a review checklist and an internal review completion document Scoping out areas for the inputs/ review from expert workshop and facilitation of review workshop	Internal desk work by ITfC Workshop		x	x	x
Publishing and training	Compiling feedback, editing, publishing Dissemination and training workshops for teachers and teacher educators on orienting on the student curriculum and how to implement in schools Distribution and dissemination – putting on school server, etc	Internal desk work by ITfC Workshop				x	x

Approach and intent of the NCERT ICT curriculum

1. The curriculum has been based on the aspirations and guidelines set in the National ICT Policy which focuses on building the skills of computing, creating and collaborating through safe, ethical, legal means of using ICT.
2. Ability to handle ICT environment, creating original content, sharing and learning and focusing on educational and learning processes rather than on specific applications are the key principles of this curriculum.
3. The curriculum has been designed keeping in mind the various possibilities of creative expression possible through ICT applications and platforms available today and also seeks to build a mindset that will explore and such applications on an ongoing basis.
4. The curriculum does not take a conventional approach to building digital literacy on specific applications but rather emphasizes a thematic, project based approach to ICT learning. Such an approach will also enable integration of ICT with multiple school subjects.
5. There is a curriculum for teachers to develop their ICT skills as well as for students. The scope is discussed below.

While the student curriculum focuses on how various ICT competencies can be bu The overall principles of the student and teacher curriculum remain the same though specific areas of content focus may differ.

The themes of The National ICT curriculum

1. Connecting with the world: Technology is providing new ways for us to access information and learn. Along with this, evaluating information and using it appropriately become skills to be developed. This theme will focus on accessing the internet, evaluating resources available and creating meaningful personal digital libraries for self learning. This will also include an introduction to
2. Connecting with each other: A related dimension of connecting through ICT is in possibilities for learning in communities from each other. The focus of this theme will be on how to interact and learn in peer learning settings and through online, virtual forums. Collaborating an learning is a key learning expectation from this curriculum.
3. Interacting with ICT: Building skills and aptitudes in a technology environment is an important expectation of this curriculum. The theme will focus on building a more proactive approach to engaging with technology, evaluating appropriate technology choices, maintaining ICT infrastructure and becoming critical users of technology, being aware of the social and economic implications of technology.
4. Creating with ICT: This is a theme that focuses on building computing and creating skills in students and teachers using various ICT applications. These include data analysis and processing, creating graphics, creating audio visual communications, working with mapping applications, creating resources with specific school subject related applications and programming.
5. Possibilities in education: ICTs have changed how we learn, the processes of learning and even places for learning. Numerous applications have also been developed for subject learning. Along with this, it has become necessary to develop a critical perspective on technology in education, an understanding of how technology will alter learning processes, making appropriate choices of technology, media and content and evaluation of technology for various learning processes.
6. Bridging digital divides: Technology holds a lot of promise for development. Technology can also lead to exclusions and marginalizations. Understanding the social, economic and political impacts of technology as well as an understanding the various possibilities of platforms can help in making sure technology can be used for equitable opportunities. Another area of focus in the curriculum is in the use of technology for exploring inclusive education possibilites.

Teacher and Student curriculum

1. The teacher curriculum is expected to be completed over a 2 year time frame, resulting in a certification. While the 2 year time frame is for a comprehensive program, the curriculum has been designed in a modular manner to allow for need based learning. All the themes listed above will be covered in the student curriculum. This can be structured as a course for both pre-service and in-service training, and specific subjects can be differentiated.
2. In the student curriculum, the focus is on bringing digital literacy for students as well as introducing the digital methods as a method of subject learning. Themes 1-4 will be a part of the student curriculum. The digital literacy will focus on building computing and creating skills and not merely office applications. Logical,this has been developed as a 3 year curriculum (from Classes 6-10) though individual states can structure it based on their requirements and constraints. The expectation is that this can be tested as a core subject area at the end of Class 10.

Year 1

Overall plan for Year 1

1. The logical basis of the curriculum
2. What has been chosen in Year 1 and why
3. How the linkages are made with the Class 8
4. Subjects of focus will be maths and science (because teachers are trained)
5. 30 weeks of instruction time - focusing on data analysis and representation (text, numeric), graphics and communication and working with Geogebra - each will be 10 weeks. Of which incidental learning, familiarity with ICT environment will be 2 weeks

Teacher handbook

1. Teacher Basic Induction material - 10 day program
2. In three parts - ICT for Connecting (Internet as a learning resource, Email, PDL, PLC, FOSS, Internet governance), ICT for Creating (Spreadsheet,Text, Graphics, Geogebra, ICT for interating), ICT for teaching learning (pedagogic possibilities of various tools and sample lessons)
3. By theme,explanatory notes for each project idea