Blended learning strategies on teaching light concepts for underprivileged school students

Abstract

Despite the growth in ICT applications in education, inequalities continue to exist. Students and teachers inadvertently suffer in underprivileged schools - facing isolation, neglect, coupled with inadequate pedagogic attention, poor infrastructure and insufficient resources. Science needs to be taught in the class room in a way that it stimulates the mind of the children to inquire and execute scientifically. A blended learning technique is employed for capacity building on light-based technologies. We have developed an innovative methodology of interlinking the concepts and activities prescribed in the science text books using hands-on minds-on intra-curricular experimental kits. The kits serve as essential alternative to the lack of any equipment in most of the schools and can be used in conjunction with textbooks. This new teaching-learning environment has been successfully tried and tested in different schools. All the stakeholders involved have responded positively and have expressed satisfaction of having understood the latent principles more clearly than when taught only through the traditional method of teaching.