New Delhi: An augmented reality tool that provides a close-up view of parts of a plant through a virtual dissection in 3D, the interactive science experiment pops up on a computer screen upon scanning of a QR code. , These are some of the latest digitized learning methods being developed by the National Council for Research and Training (NCERT) in its ‘Virtual Lab’.
With the central government’s thrust on digital education, the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) – a constituent unit of NCERT under the Ministry of Education – has come up with the concept of ‘Virtual Labs for Teaching, Learning and Assessment’. These are to be equipped with state-of-the-art augmented reality and virtual reality devices that can be used in classrooms across the country.
At present, there is only one such laboratory in the NCERT campus in the national capital.
According to NCERT officials, government representatives from Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have visited the virtual lab so far. This feature can be set up in all schools – government and private – and the content once created will be accessible to all on digital apps.
NCERT in collaboration with Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Mumbai and Amrita University, Coimbatore has developed content for different grades like DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) and mobile phone app. PM e-Vidya.
C-DAC is a leading R&D organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, involved in design, development and deployment of advanced IT-based solutions.
Nidhi Adlakha, a senior academic advisor at NCERT, who manages the lab with a team of four, told ThePrint that they are working with a focus on developing materials for science.
“Our primary focus is to develop virtual learning material for the subject of Science. Because it is a subject that has abstract learning concepts that can be easily visualized, content has been successfully created for multiple grades,” she said.
Not just that, the lab is also equipped with a Smart Speak device – a pen-like device that can scan embossed logos on textbooks and read out learning materials for visually impaired students.
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focus on science
Launched in 2022, the virtual lab implements the vision of the National Education Policy, 2020, which recommends creation of such labs so that all students have equitable access to quality hands-on and hands-on experiment-based learning experiences.
CIET has so far prepared science content for classes 9 and 10 through augmented reality, which can be accessed using the PM e-Vidya AR app. Meanwhile, virtual reality learning content has been developed for the subjects of Mathematics, Science, Hindi, English and Environmental Science up to class 5. The content has been developed only for Science for classes 6 to 10.
Students can also access virtual labs created and accessible on the DIKSHA portal – now a repository of over 200 science experiments for students between classes 6 and 12. They can not only scan and view experiments on their devices, but also perform experiments. Guided Fashion Literally.
Implementation and Challenges
According to NCERT officials, in line with the objectives of NEP 2020, while the development of modern technology to aid learning is a step in the right direction, not all learning material has been digitized yet. Another challenge that many states are facing is the additional cost of bringing such devices into classrooms.
State government officials ThePrint spoke to said they are still working to bring the technology to their states.
Vijay Kiran Anand, director general of school education in Uttar Pradesh, said the state is currently in the process of setting up a “state-of-the-art studio” in Lucknow, which will be tasked with disseminating technologies that aid digital learning.
“A team has been assigned which is in charge of managing and creating the content for the DIKSHA portal. We are planning to come up with a modern, state-of-the-art learning center in Lucknow very soon.
While in Haryana, an official in the state education department, who did not wish to be named, told ThePrint that the state may seek partners to help set up labs in schools.
“After equipping students with tablets in higher education, we now want to bring the technology to the primary class classrooms. We are looking forward to using the Samagra Shiksha Fund and PMShri School Fund to set up the labs [in schools] In collaboration with private players,” the state government official said.
While Samagra Shiksha is an integrated scheme for school education, providing support to states from pre-school to senior secondary level, PMShri Schools is also a central government scheme, launched last year, aimed at NEP- The implementation of 2020 is to demonstrate and emerge. As exemplary schools over time, and provide leadership to other schools.
Last year, the Haryana government reportedly distributed 5 lakh tablets to government school students of classes 10 to 12.
(Editing by Anumeha Saxena)