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Computer Aided Education in India:A survey of the Azim Premji

Foundation’s junior school initiatives

Joyojeet Pal

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Project Goal and Objective

Preliminary study of APF’ s Computer Aided Learning Centers (CALCs) program to identify factors influencing computer usage Social issues Operational issues Cognitive issues Children in Cuttack running an

OPEPA CD with a tracing game

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MSR and TIER’s Interest in CALC

Research arm that does not have to have product-orientation

Has a section looking at Technology for Emerging Markets

TIER working on several levels of ICT for development research

And my own interest…

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Research Methodology

Short field visits, interview and observation based

Locations selected from three states on basis of: Language – variations within Karnataka Condition of local economy Stage of the program Feasibility of research

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Locations

Orissa – 4 locations Karnataka – 6 locations Pondicherry – 1 location Mumbai – 1 location

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Locations

  Language Landscape Child Labour Poverty APF involvement CALC Occupation

Kogadu Multilingual Hilly Minimal Moderate I & C Developed Estates

Dakshin K. Multilingual Coastal Minor Moderate I & C Developed SF, AL

Udupi Multilingual Coastal Moderate Moderate I & C Developed AL, Fishing

Bellary Monolingual Arid plains Moderate Dire I & C Developed AL, Livestock, Mines

Raichur Multilingual Arid plains Serious Dire I & C Developed AL

Gadag Monolingual Agricultural Moderate Dire I & C Developed Handlooms, AL

Pondi Monolingual Coastal Minimal Moderate I & C Nascent AL

Mumbai Monolingual Urban Minimal Minimal None Developed CL

Cuttack Monolingual Urban Minimal Moderate Content Nascent CL

Mayurbhanj Monolingual Forest Minor Dire Content Nascent Tribal, AL

Puri Monolingual Coastal Minimal Moderate Content Nascent AL, SF

Ganjam Multilingual Coastal Moderate Dire Content Nascent AL

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Scope

9 observations – most Orissa 130 interviews – range 3 min – 180 min

18 schools 15 HTs / HMs 28 subject teachers 7 computer teachers 27 students 15 parents 4 VEC/Panchayat 21 community 5 government 8 administrators/agency

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Research Approach

DRIVERS / ASSISTANTS

VEC / PANCHAYAT

OTHER TEACHERS

HEAD TEACHER

STUDENTS

PARENTS

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

OBSERVATIONS

INTERVEWS

GOVT. OFFICIALS

JOYOJEET / APF CO-ORD.

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A Computer Center

This is a computer center from Abishekapakkam in Pondicherry – these typically seat between 3-6 children per PC – notice that the teacher has little involvement in the actual class functioning. The aggressive users (often standing) in this case are students from senior classes sneaking in for extra time

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Resource-strapped

In Baripada, Mayurbhanj district in Orissa, the local school has three computers, to be spread over 500 students – this numerical equation is not uncommon, consequently, as many as 10 students can be using one computer simultaneously – notice the interactive work here

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Observations: Social Issues

Clear enthusiasm, despite lack of understanding of computing VEC/SDMC plagued by political issues Parents do not question school – no PTA involvement Children seem to be doing better in areas with higher female parent

involvement in PTA, though causality not clear here Child labour a comparatively minor issue, perceived value from

schooling more serious issue Class retention follows a threshold pattern – to lesser extent among

DL families More homogenous or older communities tend to have comparatively

successful CALC programs

KEY TAKEAWAY: Village community endorsement of a project is not a stable indicator of the sustainability of a project

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Parent Profile

Except in the most remote areas – only poorest send kids to govt. schools

Majority are DLs Females more active in

schools (often breadwinners) along the more developed areas

Will question private schools, not govt.

Parents in Pondi, peeved when midday meal contained copper wire

Farmer affords one child in private school, other in govt. school –

works in local VEC

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Dropout profile Daily wager parents –

extreme poverty (Rs. 20 daily)

Generally construction, household help – in rural livestock, cottage

Seasonal absenteeism highly prevalent

Urban rim more prone to child labour, though inland dropout rate higher

Poor school infrastructure Abuse

Child labourer from Raichur

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Observations: Operational Issues

Timetables highly improvisational Head Teacher critical – interest in CALC highly varied In resource strapped areas (infrastructure and teacher time), junior

classes tend to be excluded Implementing agency (APF, Aptech. Etc.) usually seen as the owner

of the project – thus operational role critical Teachers training for CALC very likely to have different expectations

from trainers’ motivations No effective student testing mechanism currently Financing patterns ad-hoc for CALC services Equipment maintenance still an issue

KEY TAKEAWAY: Most rural schools are not prepared to function without significant handholding

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Head Teacher profile Usually not locals Generally near retirement Usually lower academic

qual., longer experience Often face social issues

in taking up appointments Play link role with the

government machinery Tend to multi-task

classroomsA Maharastrian head teacher

in Raichur, Karnataka

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CC Instructor profile From local families

(teachers often not) Reasonable to expect Rs.

1500 pm as saleable wage - BUT Salaries in risk most

places Use of CCs for additional

rev. generation not ensured

Empowerment, respect, openness to work away

Play a tenuous role with the rest of the institution

A successful CC Instructor from Udupi Dist.

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Observations: Curricular / Cognitive

Teacher Difficulties (and student difficulties, largely): English (Pondi, Karnataka) Geometry (Orissa, Karnataka) Labs, Geography (Orissa + Encylopedia demands)

Student Benefits Match concepts fractions / LCM Geography (Pondicherry CD popular even in Orissa)

CALC teaching generally adaptive – children positioning, time-sharing Teachers reinforce classroom standings in CCs High variance in terms of learning / computing ability Children easily tire of the repetitive content and want to move to games Picking up Linux OS quite painless for younger children

KEY TAKEAWAY: Actual computer time for children is very low, but learning within the limited access time fairly good – optimization an issue.

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Seating patterns

No conclusive evidence, but enough to merit further investigation Using the ANOVA test for Statistical Significance we find:

The correlation between the position occupied by the student during the computer class and

the student’s family’s economic position is statistically significant to over 95.1%

and to a student’s performance in class is statistically significant to over 99.8%

Seating Position

L2 L1 T R1 R2

Class Performance 1.50 2.00 2.68 1.95 1.50

Economic Affluence 2.00 2.36 2.68 2.24 1.00

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Position and Family Affluence

LEFTSD=0.66

CENTERSD=0.48

RIGHTSD=0.83

Rich46%

Average45%

Poorest9%

Rich

Average

Poorest

Rich68%

Average32%

Poorest0%

Rich

Average

Poorest

Rich47%

Average29%

Poorest24%

Rich

Average

Poorest

Class Size: 21

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Position and Classroom Performance

Good32%

Average36%

Poor32%

Good

Average

Poor

Good73%

Average27%

Poor0%

Good

Average

Poor

Good33%

Average29%

Poor38%

Good

Average

Poor

LEFTSD=0.82

CENTERSD=0.48

RIGHTSD=0.86

Class Size: 21

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Shuffling seating

Children in positions R2 is the smart kid in class, R1 is average, and C and L1 were among the poorer performers – C being the poorest according to the teacher. Before the seating intervention, R2 was the most active, controlling the mouse and running ahead with the game – all the three remaining were inattentive. There was no dialogue.

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Recommendations

QUICK FIX

Shuffling students on an experimental basis Single set of instructions per active class, streamlined instead of self-paced

CURRICULAR Quick modules that deal with one specific problem Adapting to number of users at start-up stage Use of icons as characters in CD content Games (incremental scope)

ORGANIZATIONAL Headmaster training – preferably on-site Door-to-door campaigns on computer proficiency Coordinators and Computer instructor essential in short term (see Pratham model)

LONG TERM Test CALC using current SSA student evaluation metrics Increase amount of offline teaching – CALC dependable for fraction of time Support policy level initiatives – Childcare, English earlier

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ThanksFor Questions: joyojeet@berkeley.edu

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Thanks

Sukumar AnikarKentaro ToyamaSanthosh R.Lopamudra JenaRajashekhar PandiPremaShankar