IIT Madras and Vidya Shakti to deliver education to 100 villages in Varanasi through online classrooms and virtual reality

IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation has partnered with ‘Vidya Shakti’ to provide education in distant parts of Uttar Pradesh through innovative Online Classes and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. The idea has been successfully implemented in 100 villages in the Varanasi District, and kids in grades six through eight are now taking advantage of interactive sessions held in Hindi.

The initiative’s goal

This initiative’s main goal is to close the knowledge gap between urban and rural students, which has been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. The provided lessons concentrate on the fundamentals of language, maths, and science, giving pupils a solid foundation in these important fields.

Improving Learning through the Integration of Technology

Utilising multiple technologies has dramatically improved student retention rates. Students can “experience” instructional content and become fully immersed in sensor-activated environments thanks to the use of VR headsets by STEM teachers. For scientific and maths ideas, brief 3D films are used, making visualisation sessions interesting and participatory. Student participation is further increased with question-and-answer sessions, which produces a memorable educational experience.

Education Partners

IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, a Section 8 not-for-profit organisation supported by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, functions as IIT Madras’ Technology Innovation Hub. Since 2009, the OpenMentor project “Vidya Shakti” has been committed to providing students with online training and education. It provides recorded classes, online training in industry-relevant software skills, and online exams for self-evaluation.

Features That Make the Vidya Shakti Initiative Special

1. Native Language Instruction in Live Online Classes: This programme makes sure that students are taught in their own language, which fosters better comprehension and participation.

2. Teaching at a Deliberate Pace: The classes go at a slower tempo, which allows students to fully understand subjects without feeling hurried and promotes efficient learning.

3. Experimentation using Simulation Software: Simulation software is used to demonstrate scientific experiments, allowing students to more easily visualise and understand complicated concepts.

4. Daily Aptitude Test Questions for Future Readiness: The integration of aptitude tests in regular lessons gives pupils the tools they need to succeed in their academic and professional ambitions in the future.

Impact and Advantages

The Vidya Shakti initiative could have a huge impact on rural education. It bridges the divide between urban and rural education, giving students equal opportunity, by utilising VR technology and online lessons. Students are more likely to pursue higher education and realise their full potential because of the interactive and immersive learning environment, which promotes better understanding and retention of subject matter.

Moving forward

The spread of this effort to other states was motivated by the success of it in Tamil Nadu. In order to promote the crucial societal objective of expanding access to education, IIT Madras and its partner organisations hope to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio throughout the nation by building rural interaction centres (RIC) as part of the Vidya Shakti project.