Treading the untrodden path: Education Department’s clarion call for innovation
A teacher’s journey from physical to virtual
JAMMU, MAY 20: As India has imposed lockdown to combat spread of novel corona virus in the country. School colleges and all other educational institutions were closed as preventive measures. With closure of schools, educational institutions a new window for learning/ teaching process i.e. Digital platforms opened.
Many educational institutions are now using digital platforms to educate students. Earlier, although the digital platforms were there but no one was depend upon these platforms but in current circumstances it is necessity to use digital platforms/ online learning. The teachers/ students were not even habitual of online teaching learning process. This was a challenge before teachers as how to educate students in this situation.
Arun Dutta, Lecturer in Mathematics, posted at Hr. Sec. School Judda ,Zone Arnas, District- Reasi, earned his Graduation Degree from Prestigious GGM Science College Jammu (in 2013) and thereafter Master’s Degree in Mathematics from University Of Jammu(In 2015). He has since then qualified GATE 2016 in Mathematics with AIR 46, conducted jointly by IITS and IISC Bangalore. Arun has successfully cleared CSIR-NET in Mathematics with AIR 23 in 2016, besides also qualifying JKSET.
His Research Paper in the field of Algebra was Published in the International Journal namely Buletinul Academiei de Ştiinţe a Republicii Moldova Mathematician’.
He has joined the department as Lecturer in Mathematics on July 5, 2017 and has been posted in HSS Judda.
While narrating his experience he informed that Department of school education has announced home classes and home assignments vide a circular in beginning of the April in the form of What’sapp Groups to be created by the Teachers for each of their classes.
He said “In view of the directions, I also created groups for imparting education. But within days, I realized that this group based learning may be a temporary source of information for students that may not last long. I aimed at making learning material available on such platform that will exist for long and may act as a directory. This made me to create A YouTube Channel “Maths Nidus” for video Lecturers on Mathematics for Class -11th(HSP-I) and 12th(HSP-II). In just few days, I found many other benefits of this initiative. Students of other schools and some heads of the institutions where there were no Mathematics Lecturer asked me to share my video Lectures and this was fairly easy for me just by sharing my channel name. This channel I believe will also help in future if, God forbid, such similar pandemic happens in future”. The E-content will be also a boon for private students. “Being posted in a hilly area, I very much acknowledge the reasons of low attendance of students in schools in rainy seasons or while helping their parents in agricultural activities. This E-content will also help them during these times. We cannot put the studies of our students at stake due to such situations,” he added.
Moreover Department of School education has also taken initiatives in Digital Learning in the form of SWAYAM, DIKSHA, e- Pathshala and so on. One Important among this is JKKN- Jammu and Kashmir Knowledge Network, that is a platform which provides many teaching learning resources for students and technical assistance to teachers. Almost all Lectures being recorded by teachers are being shared on E-content section of this platform on daily basis that helps to create a virtual directory of Study material.
Rajesh Kumar another government teacher in conversation informed that “Online education is a unique experience for teachers in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, we teach only to a selective number of students in the class at one time but in online teaching process we delivers lectures to thousands of students who can access delivered lectures at any time. It also broke the distance barriers time/place barriers as online mode of learning is available to all internet users everywhere”.
He also informed that Directorate of School Education has also organized Webinars on various themes and orientation classes for teachers.
The facilities like zoom, google meet etc are very useful tools to be used in current circumstances for education.
Nowadays, almost all the educational institution are using online mode for educating their students. Government Polytechnic Jammu has organized various online competitions, orientation classes by using digital platforms.
Pertinent to mention, Directorate of School Education has organized 15 days online orientation workshop for 60 Pre Primary teachers from different districts of the division. The programme started on May 4 and culminated on May 18, 2020. Expert Resource persons from NCERT and J & K State Resource group on Pre Primary have delivered lecturers to the participants.
Moreover, DSEJ also number of training programmes on various themes, Study skills workshops for teachers (Stress management, Goal setting, Time management) in collaboration with Bharti Foundation. JK Career Portal in collaboration with I dream careers and Unicef. Mental Health issues in students parents with technical support from Bharti Counselling Psychology Association (BCPA). Child abuse/protection by National commission for protection of child rights (NCPCR). National consultation meets with Psychologists from all over India. Career counselling by Institute of career studies Lucknow. Tele-counselling skills by NIMHANS Bangalore. COVID-19 related Mental health advisories issued in all three languages Hindi, English Urdu in newspapers radio and T.V. Regular talks on Radio T.V for coping with stress during lockdown.
DSEJ has also organised online quiz on May 3, 2020 in which over 10196 students participated.
On April 18, during the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic crises SEQM cell (School Education Quality Monitoring) of Directorate of School Education Jammu celebrated world heritage day by organising a webinar under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme, wherein Teachers from Tamil Nadu and Jammu and Kashmir participated. Under BSB Programme every state and union territory in the country is paired with another state or union territory and the partner states have to carry out a structured engagement with one another in different spheres like language, literature, cultural events and tourism. The paired states and union territories have signed MoUs with each other, delineating a set of activities that would have to be carried out over a period of time.
In order to celebrate India’s ethnic and linguistic diversity, Directorate has planned to celebrate these unique features of our country, The Bhasha Sangam initiative under the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat is to provide multilingual exposure to students in Indian languages.
The program is aimed at to create interest in different languages and a curiosity to learn more and to enhance linguistic tolerance and respect, and promote national integration. The program will be held through online mode.
Around, 1416138 numbers of online classes held 39370 number of teachers and 262295 number of students linked.
34 number of lecturers telecast on Take one channel on complimentary basis and 30 numbers of lecturers broadcast on Radio Mirchi on complimentary basis while Schedule for tele-classes on DD and Broadcast on AIR being finalized.
Over, 1220 number of queries answered on tele-counselling helpline and issues resolved including Stress, Academics, Career, Online resources, Quiz, JK Career Portal, People stranded outside, Fees issues, domestic violence, drug abuse, Teacher salary issues, Academic mentoring, Tele-Classes etc.
As informed by DSEJ around 9856 schools including Higher Secondary, High, Middle and Primary Schools of Jammu division have been linked with online classes and 2.62 lakh students are getting education while 39370 teachers have been linked for educating students in the division.
