ravichaudhary
February 21st, 2003, 10:55 PM
Education
we have many great educators on the list – I have had the pleasure of interacting with two Dudhee ji and Birbal ji/
Allow me share some thoughts that have been in my mind for a few years.
A problem of rural education is delivery and consistency or delivery.
It is not that the infrastructure is not there. There exist, schools, physical schools. The problem becomes the quality of teachers available, and resources material books.
One of my uncles had started a school in District Muzzafarnagar, same idea to educate the children. He had a problem finding teachers, and none were willing to live/work I rural areas. The other problem was, succession, as he aged, no one in his family was interested in carrying it on.
My wife Jaya taught in a rural school, outside her village, near Bulandshahr, and the problem was the same, no material, and no qualified teachers.
The only science equipment was one microscope and one scale, which were stolen.
I found the same problem when I would visit, other rural centers.
People who are educated wish to live in the city, where all the amenities are.
How do you combine the two?
One thought I had been to use modern technology, and the Internet.
Australia for example has a long history of providing remote education; Previously lessons were delivered by radio, in the pre TV days. How it ha s evolved since then I do not know.
My suggestion was:
Use interactive television.
The school building is the physical location.
The lessons could be beamed out via Satellite to the schools form a central location: Pick Delhi
The children would study the lessons, and the teacher could teach them sitting in Delhi. Being interactive, questions could be taken and answered.
The lessons, and quality would be consistent.
The role of the local teacher would be reduced. He/ she would be responsible primarily for class discipline, and tutoring the students.
This would open up the local classroom to the great centers of education. There is then no reason why the resources of say Toronto or Lake head Universities could not be brought into play.
In Australia, I read that they were proving laptop computers to school going children, kindergarten and up.
If this was implemented uniformly, 20 years, the first such literate graduates would be finishing University, and India will become a powerhouse.
Just some rough thoughts for consideration.
Ravi
Equipment needed:
TV Monitor, power pack- battery/ solar, for power is a problem. With the usual ingenuity I was surprised to see one of my uncles watching a cricket match, and the TV was run on a car battery, which he would get recharged when the power ran out.
Central facility- studio, broadcast,
Wireless internet- satellite delivery.
I am sure that with this kind of setup, funds would be available from Government agencies like CIDA in Canada. Canadian educators / teachers would also participate.
and of course who ever is involved will receive the undying gratitude of our Jat and other rural families who are getting marginalized with no access to eduaction
we have many great educators on the list – I have had the pleasure of interacting with two Dudhee ji and Birbal ji/
Allow me share some thoughts that have been in my mind for a few years.
A problem of rural education is delivery and consistency or delivery.
It is not that the infrastructure is not there. There exist, schools, physical schools. The problem becomes the quality of teachers available, and resources material books.
One of my uncles had started a school in District Muzzafarnagar, same idea to educate the children. He had a problem finding teachers, and none were willing to live/work I rural areas. The other problem was, succession, as he aged, no one in his family was interested in carrying it on.
My wife Jaya taught in a rural school, outside her village, near Bulandshahr, and the problem was the same, no material, and no qualified teachers.
The only science equipment was one microscope and one scale, which were stolen.
I found the same problem when I would visit, other rural centers.
People who are educated wish to live in the city, where all the amenities are.
How do you combine the two?
One thought I had been to use modern technology, and the Internet.
Australia for example has a long history of providing remote education; Previously lessons were delivered by radio, in the pre TV days. How it ha s evolved since then I do not know.
My suggestion was:
Use interactive television.
The school building is the physical location.
The lessons could be beamed out via Satellite to the schools form a central location: Pick Delhi
The children would study the lessons, and the teacher could teach them sitting in Delhi. Being interactive, questions could be taken and answered.
The lessons, and quality would be consistent.
The role of the local teacher would be reduced. He/ she would be responsible primarily for class discipline, and tutoring the students.
This would open up the local classroom to the great centers of education. There is then no reason why the resources of say Toronto or Lake head Universities could not be brought into play.
In Australia, I read that they were proving laptop computers to school going children, kindergarten and up.
If this was implemented uniformly, 20 years, the first such literate graduates would be finishing University, and India will become a powerhouse.
Just some rough thoughts for consideration.
Ravi
Equipment needed:
TV Monitor, power pack- battery/ solar, for power is a problem. With the usual ingenuity I was surprised to see one of my uncles watching a cricket match, and the TV was run on a car battery, which he would get recharged when the power ran out.
Central facility- studio, broadcast,
Wireless internet- satellite delivery.
I am sure that with this kind of setup, funds would be available from Government agencies like CIDA in Canada. Canadian educators / teachers would also participate.
and of course who ever is involved will receive the undying gratitude of our Jat and other rural families who are getting marginalized with no access to eduaction