EDUCATION SPECIAL... IIT students draft new lesson plans for rote-less learning

 IIT students draft new lesson plans for rote-less learning

Their drive against rote learning stresses on kindling curiosity in science

MUMBAI: Imagine learning chemistry through a rap battle or understanding physics through a Roadies-styled game or deciphering biology through an Xfiles like mystery.

Wanting to do away with rote learning that has crept into classrooms, a team of students from country's premier institutes is designing lesson plans for school teachers so that they can hold the interest of the students.

The first-of-its-kind project has started at RN Podar School, Santacruz, affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, where an expert team of 20 students from Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi and Kanpur, Bits Pilani Hyderabad and Goa, including eight students from Class 11Class 12 from the school, will work on the content for two months.

Once the content is developed, it will be shared with other metro schools.

“Students were asked to design the content because we felt that they would know best how they want to be taught, rather than academicians holding PhDs deciding how they should teach,” said Lohit Sahu, director of Phyzok Learning Solutions, which is incubated at Bits Pilani and is working with the schools.

Students are exploring various teaching styles and designing lesson plans giving more space for practical teaching and problem solving.

"When I was in school, I was never able to visualise concepts in Physics. My teachers spent too much time on theory and I would end up mugging up concepts,'' said Apeksha Sanganeriam, studying in Bits Pilani, Hyderabad.

Teachers can make teaching less monotonous by presenting new and amazing facts before the students, said Shubham Saraff, Class 11, RN Podar School.

"I want teaching to be more 'happening'. There is scope for teachers to intrigue the students by telling them new discoveries and facts about any subject,'' he said.

"Many teachers feel that problem solving means numericals. We are also trying to research content in the textbooks to clear misconceptions,'' said Abhishek Sanghavi, 20, from Bits Pilani Goa.

"We are getting insightful inputs and feedback about what students feel is the best way to learn with regard to ways in which the level of intrigue and curiosity among students can be increased, misconceptions students have when learning various concepts and how to deal with those and application of concepts to real life problems,'' said Avnita Bir, principal of RN Podar Santracruz.

• Puja Pednekar HT130526