Two teachers from Jharkhand have been selected for national awards given by the Union ministry of education for their innovative teaching methods using technology.
Shweta Sharma, 44, an assistant teacher with Vivekanand Middle School in Deoghar district, and Nirupama Kumari, 40, a teacher at Ram Rudra Plus Two High School at Chas in Bokaro, are among the 24 teachers selected from across the country for the National ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Awards for 2019.
The award comprising an ICT kit, a laptop and a commendation certificate would be given to the 24 teachers. No teacher from Jharkhand had been selected for the award since 2010.
The selection was done by a jury set up by the Central Institute of Educational Technology under the guidelines of the Union education ministry. The jury considered 205 entries (both for 2018 and 2019) received from 28 states/Union Territories and five autonomous bodies. After evaluating the presentations done through online mode between February 5 and 11 this year, the jury recommended the names which were later approved by the ministry.
Nirupama Kumari Bhola Prasad
“It (the award) would certainly motivate us more in using ICT tools. I had set up a digiclass in elementary schools of Deoghar on my own and used ICT tools for blended teaching and created state-specific subject-based content. I also took training and orientation of teachers through the ‘Deoghar Quizathon’ and also at state-level for online classes with the latest ICT apps and tools. I converted textbook lessons into comics to make the content more attractive. I am planning to create an English speaking course app for government school students,” said Shweta.
She has also created video content for elementary and secondary students on a YouTube channel which has over 6,000 and 5,000 subscribers respectively and extensively used special animations and live tools for education videos.
Bokaro-based Nirupama, an assistant Hindi teacher, made videos using former students for teachers in the Digisath programme (digital content through WhatsApp).
“In order to have community participation in the Digisath program, I created video content using former students for teachers. I also developed content on a YouTube channel for digital education which had nearly 3,800 subscribers, 3.5 lakh viewers and 12,000 hours of watch time. I also made my own website (www.econtenthindi.org). I helped students learn about the usage of ICT in small groups,” said Nirupama, who has also won the National Teachers Award 2020.
Two other teachers selected from eastern India include Kangkan Kishor Dutta from a government school in Assam and Sukanya De, who teaches in an ICSE affiliated school in Bengal. “We disclose the state of the selected teachers from the state quota but we do not disclose the states of the teachers from the autonomous boards like CBSE and ICSE,” said CIET joint director Amarendra P. Behera.
However, a source in the CIET said the only teacher selected from the ICSE quota for 2019 is from Bengal while none of the teachers from CBSE, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samity (NVS) and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) are from eastern states.
Three teachers from CBSE, two teachers from NVS and one teacher from KVS have been selected for the award.
