Teachers learning IT skills to tackle gizmo-freak students

New Delhi: Gone are the days when students used to solely rely on their teachers for information. Now, teachers are working hard to brush their information and communication skills to address queries of students who are gizmo-freaks.

Teachers in both public and private schools are learning to use information technology tools in education. According to teachers, the IT skills have helped them in making their subjects, especially mathematics and science, easier to understand for their students. Besides, it also helps them in keeping an eye on the content accessed by students on the internet.

"We have to keep ourselves updated in information technology to handle children who are gizmo freaks," Bijal Damani, a school teacher from Gujarat, told IANS. Damani, who received the National Teachers' Award from President Pranab Mukherjee Thursday, says all teachers must be given IT training. "Most private schools and some government schools have smart classes and they use IT tools for imparting education.

If teachers are not updatted with the latest technology, they won't have any control over their students," said Damani. Himani Asija, Principal, Delhi Public School, Karnal, feels teachers can help in guiding the students on content to access on internet. "We have blocked unwanted sites and usually tell parents to keep an eye on the children when they are using internet," said Asija, another recipient of the National Teachers' Award.

"Everything is available on the internet today, so you have to ensure that students access right information and for that teacher should also have technical skills," she added. In rural areas, information technology has totally revolutionised the education system. "Through ICT (Information, Communication and Technology) we have been able to reach to tribal children in distant areas of the country,"

I. Glory Rosaline, a teacher from Tamil Nadu, toldIANS. "Many children from poor families and children with special needs have now access to education in villages," said Rosaline, twice a recipient of the National Teachers' Award. Some teachers have dubbed the ICT tools in regional languages to reach out to a larger number of students.

"The ICT and other web-based applications have helped in enhancing the quality of education among students. It has made a big difference in the learning of concepts by students," said Radha N.A., a teacher from Karnataka.

IANS.