Innovative use of ICT for educational and community development

In 2005, the Government of Tamil Nadu collaborated with Intel Educational Initiatives, to provide 21st century global skills to the teachers of the state. This initiative aimed to bring about an enhancement in education along with community development. This study was conducted in two schools serving the underserved children with a similar socio economic status - one in Karaikottai Needamangalam block of Thiruvarur District and one of the Toda tribal in the Udhagamandalam Block of the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. A group of teachers from the government aided Panchayat Union Middle School of both the areas were trained to incorporate global skills like collaboration, critical thinking and technological literacy to enhance education especially through Project Based Approaches. The objective of the initiative being to examine if ICT integrated innovative teaching and learning methodologies in education can help eradicate some social evils and bring about community development. With an illiteracy rate of over 90%, social evils like illiteracy and child marriage (in Toda) and child labor(in Karaikottai) were rampant. The tribal people of Toda who are deeply traditional, depend on the ecosystem for their survival and live much below the poverty line. In Karaikottai poverty and lack of education had resulted in the practice of child labor. The teachers of these schools were empowered to incorporate 21st century skills into the classroom teaching and impart the same skills to the students. A technology infrastructure was also provided to the school thereby integrating technology in classroom practices. A computer with an internet connection was provided to the schools after the training and classes were assigned time to work on the computer. The students were encouraged to work collaboratively on projects concerning issues facing their community and it was seen that they were able to develop the skills of research, critical thinking and communication. They were also able to work with different kinds of media and put together a presentation to convince the community about the evils of child marriage and child labor.