It has become increasingly evident that there needs to be a shift from the traditional teacher-centered pedagogy to more learner-centered methods to ensure quality education. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools enable active and collaborative learning environments. ICT tools improve the teaching and learning process through the provision of interactive educational materials that increase learner motivation and facilitate the acquisition of basic skills. It is in this context that CF has continued to support the following programs in 2015-16 in their ICT initiatives.

• Digital Equalizer program in 30 Government Schools in Karnataka in partnership with the American India Foundation
• ICT tools and Computer Masti program for 7 Muktangan Schools under the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai in partnership with Paragon Charitable Trust
• Teacher Training in ICT educational tools in 16 Government High Schools in Bengaluru in partnership with IT for Change

CF has also supported some new schools in 2015-16 with the provision of ICT tools. The related details are:

• Smart Classrooms in 5 Government Schools located in the States of Karnataka and West Bengal in partnership with Round Table India Trust
• Computer Laboratory for the students of Swami Shivananda Higher Secondary English Medium School, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu in partnership with Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya
• Computer Laboratory for the students of Sivasaraswathy Vidhyalaya, Ayikudy, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu in partnership with Amar Seva Sangam
• Digital Classroom facilities for the students of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Educare, Chennai in partnership with Sai Educare Trust

Beneficiary Story :

Rekha is a Mathematics and Science teacher in a Government High School in Bengaluru. Rekha is passionate about Mathematics and Science and longed to transfer her love for the subjects to her students. It proved to be a Himalayan task as her students found it a challenge to comprehend the underlying concepts. All of Rekha's efforts to teach the students these concepts proved futile. She had heard of the rapid changes in the education field through the use of ICT and longed to use it in her classroom but didn't know how to. Then one fine day she got trained in the Teachers Community of Learning (TCOL) program of IT for Change funded by Cognizant Foundation. Thanks to this training, she changed her method of teaching this year to use various free educational apps and included demonstration of experiments, both in the science lab (physical) and the computer lab (virtual). She was overjoyed when she saw her students transform themselves from passive recipients of information to curious and critically reflective learners. These days both Rekha and her wards eagerly look forward to each and every day of their explorations into the worlds of Mathematics and Science.