Background
Anand Convent School in Uttar Pradesh operates as an English-medium school for classes K-8, with 1,200 students and over 30 teachers. The school provides most essential services to its students and efficiently utilizes its large area. The school values the support a school management system provides in the efficient running of the school. Last year, they integrated a Learning Management System (LMS) into their operations but were disappointed by the frequent technical glitches in the video content and the lack of support services to address these issues. This year, the school chose AASOKA for learning and management services for classes K-5, and their feedback has been very positive.
Aim
To provide diverse learning resources and teacher training to implement on them.
Solution
AASOKA curriculum solution, AASOKA teacher trainings (CPD Programmes).
Impact
Effective Teaching and Learning.
Challenges
The challenge for Anand Convent School has been the unavailability of teaching resources other than the textbooks, which did not cater to the diverse learning styles. Based on those limited books, planning the lessons was becoming difficult and time-consuming for teachers (as shared by teachers to be 8-9 hours). Teachers also had to spend a significant amount of time creating class tests. Notably, 3-4 periods were devoted to selecting questions and editing them for printing. The lack of training for teachers was a hurdle in addressing the issues they faced in everyday teaching processes.
Transition to AASOKA
As AASOKA has become its learning partner, Anand Convent School is no longer facing any of these challenges. The multitude of resources, including workbooks, multimedia content, collaborative teaching-learning materials, and experiential learning videos that come with the AASOKA curriculum solution, caters to the different learning patterns of various students.
In all classes, teachers now utilize the Teacher Manual provided by AASOKA. These manuals, with structured lesson plans, serve as guides for teachers in conducting classes creatively. With the burden of creating lesson plans lifted and time being saved, teachers are effectively using class time. The pool of reasoning-based questions and various question types within the books and online practice tests have been very helpful for teachers to ensure that the student learning outcomes are achieved.
The assessment tool in AASOKA quickly creates tests, which teachers are effectively using for every kind of exam, including class tests.
To address the challenges teachers face and upskill them in effectively utilizing digital tools, AASOKA conducts timely face-to-face continuous development programmes for teachers. AASOKA Trainers ensure that both the school and faculty are kept informed and equipped with the latest educational policies and updates introduced by the government. During the initial phase, whenever the school faced an issue, support team was easily reachable and quick to resolve it.
Innovative Approaches
NEP-aligned approach: AASOKA trainers emphasized the latest NEP-suggested learning approach to the school, connecting it to the AASOKA curriculum books, which follow NEP 2020, NCF-FS and NCF-SE. In smart classrooms, students now learn collaboratively with AASOKA videos. Students together revise, deepen their concepts, and participate in Q&A sessions that develop 21st-century skills.
Skill-based learning: Understanding the importance of learning competencies, the school is dedicated to a skill-based approach to learning. Teachers conduct activities outlined in the Teacher Manual, ensuring educational goals are fulfilled at every step. As a result, students are enjoying the process and becoming sharper than ever before.
Impact
It is observed that teachers are implementing the knowledge imparted to them in faculty development sessions by AASOKA. As they no longer have to give their time to paperwork, they are able to use that time working on classroom activities and providing in-person assistance. Teachers are suggesting their own ways to move away from rote learning and bring dynamic learning into their classrooms.
"One of the best supports we received in this blended model was in test paper creation. Even for the revision tests, teachers are utilizing the AASOKA Assessment tool. This saves a lot of time for all the teachers, that is now being utilized in conducting various activities outlined in the Teacher Manual provided."
Piyush Prakash Saxena
Director,
Anand Convent School