Learning how to use computers is going to be a lot of fun for school students, thanks to an innovative curriculum developed at IIT-Bombay. An extensive 4-year research by IIT professor Sridhar Iyer and his team from the department of Computer Science & Engineering has revealed that the best way to teach computers is through fun-filled activities.
Accordingly, IIT-Bombay, in collaboration with InOpen Technologies, a software development firm, has put together a unique learning initiative, called “Computer Masti”, for teaching computers in schools. The start-up was recently incubated at IIT-Bombay’s Society of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Sine). The aim is to equip students to be self-learners.
“None of the books or the curricula we looked at during our research focused on long-term learning skills of the children, nor on building their thinking capabilities. Computers are a good tool for improving logical thinking abilities of the children, and that can help in other areas like science and maths. So, it’s a life-skill, which is also required at higher engineering levels,” said Iyer.
The course consists of a series of books which deviate from rote learning and instead focus on teaching concepts through interactive (indoor and outdoor) activities and games.
“It’s in the form of a story woven around three characters (Tejas, Jyoti and Moz). There are worksheets based on each chapter, followed by an activity. Each chapter has a ‘teachers’ corner’ which tells them how to go about it through activities and hands-on sessions that engage students and capture their interest automatically,” said Rupesh Shah, founding director of InOpen Technologies.
So far, content has been created for Std I-IV. For each standard, there are specific topics focused on certain concepts, skills and values reinforced and can be covered in a year.
Around 25 schools spread across Mumbai, Pune, Latur, Osmanabad and Bangalore are currently using the innovative curriculum.
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