Technology

Effective use of technology:

Classmate PCs make education a pleasure

by Surekha GALABODA

Information and Communication Technology(ICT) can do wonders, this was the first thought that came to my mind when I saw children of Grade 6 seated in front of their classmate PCs (CMPC) listening to their teacher explaining a maths lesson. As soon as the teacher asked a question children like little parrots answers together. I was amazed and quickly my mind went to my school days where the maths lesson was taught by a teacher explaining on the blackboard and how our minds went places.

Country Manager Indika De Soyza in conversation With Education Minister Susil Premjayanth.

As everything can be seen on their computers and as the teacher asks questions frequently their attention is always at the lesson, thanks to ICT and the generous support of Intels Education initiative. It is Intels sustained philanthropic commitment aimed at building and enhancing local competencies and addressing needs specific to each country and community. Through collaboration with educators and governments in over 50 countries Intel works to improve teaching and learning through effective use of technology , encourage excellence in science, technology, engineering and maths and enable cutting edge research. Intel education programs help teachers and students develop the skills needed to thrive in today's global economy, said Country Manager of Intel Indika De Soysa.

He said that Intel's corporate social responsibility programs represent an investment of more than USD one billion over the past decade in 50 countries. These programs are recognised by governments and international organisations for their positive impacts on education. Today Intel invests more than US$100 million annually to promote education and technological literacy around the world, said De Soysa.

Master training

Principal W.A.S.P Jayarathna of Rahula Balika Vidyalaya, Malabe said that initially two teachers from their school were selected to learn IT under the Intel Teach program. Once the master trainers came they in turn taught 46 teachers in several batches.

The teachers had to stay after school or come during holidays; they never complained or asked for additional payments but were very keen to aquire the new knowldge to help integrate themselves and the students to the global village." even I learnt it and I am so happy and proud to say that my life has become easier thanks to this knowledge, said Ms Jayarathna.

Model schools

She said that upon the successful training programs her school was selected as a model school to implement the CMPC program.This was a great achievement and it was due to the dedication and hard work of the teachers that they were selected as a model school.

The English Medium Maths Teacher of Grade 6 Ms Kisanthi Perera said that she together with Ruwini Weeramuni were trained at St Joseph's College, Nugegoda.

Subsequently we both trained 46 teachers for three months and today we are teaching Maths and Science with the aid of a computer. When I explain they can see it on their screens and it is more or less a text book but it can even show 3D graphics.

Science Teacher Sandamali Wijekulasuriya said that the students are attracted and active and we can explain the diagrams while it is easy for evaluation and assesment which can be done online. The students get the IT knowledge in addition to the subject knowledge which is very beneficial. Jayamali Sathsarani, Chamodhi Dilshani monitors of the class PC project said that they are happy to learn using computers and it helps us to be attentive. Mostly if we are tired to be in the class we can go out and sit under the shade of a tree and do our lesson without any hassle as each one of us have a CMPC.

Rimaza Sinne the student who obtained the highest marks said that her parents too help her but this method of teaching keeps me glued.

De Soysa said that they have donated 22 labs, 2 per each province except for the North and the East.

The enthusiasm and willingness of the principal was one reason for the program to be so successful at Rahula Balika vidyalaya Malabe, said De Soysa.

Intel Teach Program

The Intel Teach Program offers proven professional teacher development for 21st century skills. Intel Teach promotes standards-aligned, problem-and project-based approaches to learning. Courses help teachers transform instruction to engage students in deeply relevant ways, including appropriate use of technology, creativity, and communication.

Intel Teach is the largest, most successful program of its kind. Developed in public-private partnership with educators and governments is flexible enough to adapt to country's evolving circumstances and address the readiness of individual teachers.

Intel Teach has trained more than 5.5 million teachers in over 40 countries, and mat will train 8 million more by 2011. In an independent evaluaiton of the Intel Teach Program, 91 per cent of teachers said students were "motivated and involved in the lesson" and 81 per cent said "student projects showed more in-depth understanding" than in other, comparable work.

In Sri Lanka:

*Memorandum of Understanding for Intel Teach program was signed with the Ministry of Education in October 2006.

*Secondary Education Modernization Project (SEMP) of Ministry of Education is the primary implementation organization from the government of Sri Lanka.

*Over 7,000 teachers across 400 government schools of Western, Central and Uva Provinces completed their training to date.

*Intel Teach course manual was translated to Sinhala language and now available in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages.

*Dedicated Intel Education Web site for Sri Lanka was launched in 2007.

*Local Web site with valuable teaching and learning resources was launched in 2007.

*Hosted the first ever South Asia Intel Teach Pre-service Forum with the participation of high level government delegates from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2007.

Education

A teacher conducting a class

skoool Learning and Teaching Technology Program

A learning and teaching program that provides teachers and students online access to science and maths resources and tools set in an engaging, multimedia environment, skoool delivers relevant, localized content to students worldwide.

The skoool Interactive Learning and Teaching Technology program is designed to exemplify the benefits of high-quality multimedia technology and to stimulate wider use of these technologies to advance student education around the world. skoool is available in 17 countries and 7 languages. The program has reached more than 3 million students and teachers who use this Web resource to explore key maths and science concepts.

Skoool Sri Lanka

skoool Sri Lanka Web site was launched on Universal Children's Day the 20th of November 2007 by the Secretary Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka after signing a Memorandum of Understanding.

skoool Sri Lanka became the first in South Asia, joint second in Asia Pacific, and among the first ten in the world to launch a skool Web site and is hosted on the SchoolNet of Sri Lanka.