1. Minutes of the Meeting | Debriefing session
Field Visit to GHPS in Bangalore and Ramnagaram district
11th & 12th March 2010
Convener: Maria Athaide and Nirag Dave
Participants: Sriparna, Bindhu, Ritu, Santosh, Pallavi,
Maria, Nirag, Mangala
Location: Conference hall, APF
Minute taker: Pallavi M
Duration: 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, March 15, 2010

2. Field visit schedule covered:
Day 01: 11th March 2010
Group 01:
GHPS, Sheegehalli, Bangalore (tech school)
GHPS, K S Halli, Bangalore (Non tech school)
Binnur, Bangalore (single teacher school)
Group 02:
GHPS, Mundur, Bangalore (tech school)
Tirumenahalli, Bangalore (single teacher school)
Day 02: 12th March 2010
Group 01:
GHPS, Nagavara, Channapatna (tech school)
Abbur, channapatna (non tech school)
Kommmanahalli (single teacher school)
Group 02:
GHPS, Tagachagere, Channapatna (tech school)
Munniyappan doddi, Channapatna (non tech school)

3. Day 01 Problems faced by teachers/technician/students
Power failure, Theft
Group 1: Rajesh Utsahi, Ritu, Bindhu and Sriparna
accompanied by Prasad Teacher training and support:
1: GHPS, Sheegehalli, Bangalore (tech school): • Computer training for teachers and students (2
weeks beginning of academic year)
More about the school: • Support for computer maintenance -paid by
• Students – 238 Panchayat
• Std – 1-7
• Teachers – 6(5+1 trainer) School environment:
• Started in 1946 • Teacher – student interaction – open and friendly.
• 2008 – 95.53% (5th)KSQ Board exam, 2008 – • Students spontaneous
91.68% (7th)KSQ Board exam • School system organized
• No drop out • School schedule organized – timetable designed to
allow each teacher to use the computer lab.
Equipment available in the school: • Well managed
Projector, Laptop (stolen), 9 Computers, Printer, Classroom Interaction:
Scanner, TV, APF CDs, 8 Bharati Vidya Capsules, • Useful replication of the video capsule resource as
Speakers, Stereo system, Library (accessed by a classroom activity.
teachers), 207 books from Akshara Foundation and • Standard 3 and 4 had their sitting arrangement in a
1400 books others, well equipped Nali Kali semi circle.
• Teacher needs to be better informed about
Technologies being implemented: technology.
Bharati Vidya Capsules, APF CDs ( not popular) • Better integration of technology and teaching
resources is needed.

4. Day 01
Teachers: Students:
How enthusiastic are the teachers about using What is their familiarity with technology?
technology? Only CDS by APF or BV
• Overall enthusiastic especially Ms Rupa and Mr.
Devendrappa. What access to technology do they have?
• Teachers made suggestions about having DLR • Television
on algebra -bodomass, directions – longitude and • Mobile
latitude, time, calculation, language. • Computer - Limited in school, teacher driven
What are the learning gains according to them?
What are their aspirations?
BV Capsules popular – children remember the CDs
Doctor, Teacher
well.
What is their overall attitude to technology?
Can this be further enhanced?
Enthusiastic
Yes, integrate technology in teaching.
What are the problems in the classroom?
• Language – English transaction
• Children are not motivated by parents.
• Children do not do their given home works.
How is their overall attitude?
Confident, Positive, Keen

5. Day 01 Group 2: Maria, Mangala, Nirag, Neha and Pallavi
accompanied by Santosh
Group 1: Rajesh Utsahi, Ritu, Bindhu and Sriparna 3: GHPS, Mundur, Bangalore (tech school):
accompanied by Prasad
2: GHPS, K S Halli, Bangalore (Non tech school More about the school:
• Students – 150 approx.
More about the school: • Std – 1-7
• Students – 108 • Teachers – 5
• Std – 1-7 • 35 students to 1 teacher ratio
• Teachers – 4 • Dropout rate is very low, mainly with children from
• 2006 other states or migrant labourers.
• No drop out
Equipment available in the school:
Resources: 9 computers, webcam, 70 CDs etc, printer, scanner,
Surya foundation book for Hindi language is being LED projector, speakers etc each class had 2 classes
well used. per week scheduled in computer room
School environment: Technologies being implemented:
• Lack of enthusiasm Bharati Vidya Capsules, APF CDs ( not popular)
• Hesitant to speak
• No sign of alternative resources being used Problems faced by teachers/technician/students:
• 2 people needed to operate the LCD – lack of flow
Classroom Interaction: (can teacher operate this remotely?)
Chalk and talk being used which wasn’t proving to • Power supply, connectivity issue
be effective enough (tested for Hindi language). They • Long time to prepare these lessons – time
could not understand English. consuming (video clips)

6. Day 01
were taken from a local context which the students
Teacher training and support: could relate to.
There is no specific class allotted the subjects for • The teaching was more of a “repeat and emphasis”
use of computers. Just a general computer class. No method rather than allowing children to generate
such schedules otherwise. their own answers
School environment: Teachers:
• Teacher – student interaction – open and friendly. • Indumati, Lakshmi, kamala – all seemingly
• Very free atmosphere in the school with no enthusiastic, one is more competent operating laptop
imposing of discipline. Students treated the school (she is the only one who was trained)
premises like their own home. • Teacher dependent on technician
• Well managed • Not comfortable with internet
• Technology not used to aid admin work
Classroom Interaction: • Headteacher – raised concerns about the other
• Teacher dominant classes duties that took away time from classroom teaching
• Group work was just a mere way of dividing the • Teachers found math particularly difficult to use –
class. No real discussion and thought provoking decimals/ fractions
questions asked. • Some teachers creating their own teaching aids.
• Good use of experiments, integration of both digital • Teachers are open to using technology, but not
and physical teaching aids. Although, one is not sure necessarily have the patience to sit through a lot of
how often this is used. training hours for it.
• The video capsules were constantly paused to
explain, which was done by a technician.
• It was nice that examples used to explain the lesson

7. Day 01
Students: Group 2: Maria, Mangala, Nirag, Neha and Pallavi
accompanied by Santosh
What is their familiarity with technology? 4: Tirumenahalli, Bangalore (single teacher school):
The students are very familiar and quite proud of
knowing how to operate the laptop. General observation:
What access to technology do they have? • School is connected with an anganwadi and has 14
• Television: they watch a lot of cartoons on it. Their children
favorite is chota bheem. • Multi age, multi grade with Nali Kali system followed.
• Mobile phone is also very popular • No use of technology at any point in time
• Computer - Limited in school, teacher driven • The teacher finds problems of managing all 14
students at one time, with pressure to cover all lessons
What are their aspirations? for each grade
Doctor, Teacher, Police officer, bus conductor etc. • Travelling and leave becomes huge problems for the
teacher. No assistant teacher also to help her out
What is their overall attitude to technology? • With a single classroom for 14, the atmosphere
Enthusiastic and willing to learn, the students find remains dull and students don’t seem enthusiastic.
that the digital educational resources helps them • Teacher is not imposing or dominating in nature, but
understand and remember their subject matter students are generally not very expressive or free
better. around her.

8. Day 02 Resources:
Alternative teaching resources – Math – Math board (70
competencies), Geoboard, Table board, Napier’s table,
Group 1: Rajesh Utsahi, Ritu, Bindhu and Maria
Pythagoras theorem, English Grammar, Steam Engine,
accompanied by Prasad
Internet download – pictures for social science
5: GHPS, Nagavara, Ramnagaram district (tech
school):
Teacher training and support:
District Award for 3 teachers
More about the school:
• Students – 183
School environment:
• Std – 1-7
• A Strong hierarchy between Principal, teacher and
• Teachers – 7
students exist.
• 1915 (1000 students once)
• Good attendance
• High attendance rate
• Good at marketing their school (like on Annual day invited
• No drop out
RBI people who donated books and other resources)
• Well managed
Equipment available in the school:
Projector, Laptop, 9 Computers, Printer, Scanner, TV,
Classroom Interaction:
300 APF CDs (overall CDs), 8 Bharati Vidya Capsules,
There was an effective integration of video capsules into
Speakers, Stereo system, 5000 book in the Library
the lesson, also good integration of technology and other
(provided by others), well equipped Nali Kali system,
resources. It is clear that it did help in learning process of
Internet access
students.
Technologies being implemented:
Teachers:
Bharati Vidya Capsules, APF CDs (not popular)
The teachers were very interested and enthusiastic. They
were proud of their school and the infrastructure available.
Only the principal stood out.

9. Day 02
Group 1: Rajesh Utsahi, Ritu, Bindhu and Maria Group 2: Sriparna, Mangala, Nirag, Neha and Pallavi
accompanied by Prasad accompanied by Santosh
6: GHPS, Abbur, Kammanahalli (non-tech school): 7: GHPS,Tagachagere, Ramnagaram district (tech
school):
More about the school:
• Students – 89 More about the school:
• Std – 1-7 • Students – 250 approx.
• Teachers – 4 • Std – 1-7
• 1927 • Dropout rate is very low, mainly with children from
• No drop out other states or migrant laborers.
Classroom Interaction: Equipment available in the school:
A lot of activity based learning occurred, with use of 9 computers, webcam, 70 CDs etc (see Appendix
dance and music. Everyone was very enthusiastic. 1 for details), each class had 2 classes per week
They need to be better prepared for technology and scheduled in computer room
become more receptive to it.
(Maybe more details on interaction with teachers and Technologies being implemented:
students can be given) Bharati Vidya Capsules, APF CDs ( not popular),
EduSat program, internet access
Problems faced by teachers/technician/students:
• 2 people needed to operate the LCD – lack of flow.
• Power supply, connectivity issue

10. Day 02
Teacher training and support: on field visits and having live demonstrations on the
• Some teachers have got training. school campus. For example, the school follows waste
• Hindi teacher was asked to teach higher classes segregation, however the biodegradable wastes like
social studies, and hence sit in other teachers paper is burnt because of irritation of flying papers
capsules and learn from them. Hence not too much from the pit. Teachers should be made aware of best
support for this group. practices that the children can emulate.
School environment: Teachers:
• Teacher – student interaction is more formal. There • Some teachers have got training for use of
is a clear sense of discipline in the school. technology. However, only 1 teacher in the school
knows how to use internet.
• Hindi teacher was asked to teach higher classes
Classroom Interaction: social studies, and hence sit in other teachers
• Teacher dominant classes capsules and learn from them. Hence not too much
• Group work was just a mere way of dividing the support for this group
class. No real discussion and thought provoking
questions asked. Students:
• Some of the teaching aids that were used were Students are enthusiastic, but not independent in
song and dance methods, internet images and self their thinking. They were uncomfortable when asked
made charts. The charts were just textbook content questions outside of their curriculum or textbook
repeated. content.
• The school does take interest in taking the children

11. Day 02
Group 2: Mangala, Nirag, Neha and Pallavi
accompanied by Santosh
8: Munniyappan doddi, Ramnagaram district (non
tech school)
School environment:
• Seemed friendly.
• Facilities at this school is lesser in terms of
playground area, library resources etc.
Classroom Interaction:
• Teacher dominant classes
• The teaching aids used are mainly charts which are
made by the teacher itself.

12. Key Insights
As part of the debriefing session, Santosh S came Educational CDs:
in to talk to the ETD team briefly about the CAL The educational CDs given are not based on state
program and its history. The session, along with the syllabus hence creating a slight disinterest among
field visits helped gather the following key insights: the teachers to use it.
There are navigation and interaction problems.
Teachers & Technology:
There has been a lot done in trying to implement new Teaching Methodology:
ideas and experiments. However there has been no There is little innovation in trying to teach concepts
regular monitoring or follow ups with experiments that allow for independant thinking and reasoning.
and training.
The Teacher Motivation to use ICT is very low as their In most cases, it is the black board that comes alive,
focus is on their own academic curriculum. There and text book and teachers are still highly dominant.
is also a general complaint of too many meetings, The video capsules provided do not allow for thinking
trainings etc. and application
Cluster meetings: Admin work:
Cluster meetings are not entirely beneficial as there Only few schools using computerized processes for
are a huge number (20 t 40 schools) gathered for admin work and the register is just a mandatory
it and hence there is little personal attention to process that the CRP finally checks, and hence is
problems of teaching methodology and likewise. maintained regularly.
CRPS are not being able to bring good resources So far only CAL has been the focus, and help is
Only admin issues discussed not academic issues. needed desperately in the academic and pedagogy
Everyone is after spending the abundant SSF funds side.

13. Needs/ Directions Questions
There is a general need for an organized system that
Do teachers know that exploring and thought
covers all aspects: teacher trainings, planning, follow
provocation activities are important?
ups, cluster meetings etc (teacher focus)
Who are the teacher trainers? Do the teachers have
The CDs can be designed to be integrated with the
their own fundamental concepts in place?
syllabus from the beginning, while planning the
schedules for the year.
Do teachers believe that building imagination is
beneficial to a child?
Teaching can also occur through playing, socially
interactive classes. Can materials/ worksheets etc
Do teachers undergo training with computers and
be designed to let children explore through a more
technology? What resources do they have to do so?
creative and collaborative process?
Teachers itself need to go through some process of
learning and unlearning before understanding and
applying concepts to their classroom teaching.
Technology should be integrated better, and shouldnt
be put in front of the class, but should enable and
trigger classroom discussion.