‘Maths lab at home’ shows the way in the new normal

Students to do experiments at home to make up for loss of practical sessions

The pandemic crisis has prompted the Education Department to come up with the ‘Maths lab at home’ initiative to encourage students to perform simple experiments using materials available at homes.

The move is expected to make up for the loss of practical sessions in classrooms and labs. Students of classes 1 to 7 will be part of the Maths lab at home project. “We have started training sessions for teachers. Block resource centres under the Samagra Shiksha Kerala [SSK] will coordinate the implementation,” said Usha Manatt, District Project Coordinator, SSK.

Besides using materials and tools available at home to conduct experiments, the SSK district unit will procure cost-effective learning models and distribute them among students. The department has earmarked ₹30 for each student as aid to meet the requirements. “The resource persons in association with Maths teachers will finalise the experiments to be done by children. Teachers will share videos of experiments through WhatsApp and other platforms with students,” said Ms. Manatt.

In addition, learners will be encouraged to shoot videos of their experiments. They will be documented by block resource centres and shared through YouTube. The objective of the initiative is to kindle interest in Maths among students. It also aims at encouraging parents to join hands with their wards in making Maths learning an interesting and innovative experience.

Teachers handling work experience modules will be roped in for the project. The Education Department hopes that the Maths lab at home project will help in realising that simple learning models can be made at home at reasonable expense.

Social Science lab

Making a model of the solar system or a pictorial representation of life in the pandemic times will now be part of the ‘Social Science lab at home’ project of the Education Department.

Similar to the Maths lab at home initiative, the Social Science lab at home programme is meant for students of classes 5, 6 and 7. According to officials, both the projects were conceived based on the inference that students were missing the feel and fun of doing experiments while confined to their homes in the pandemic times. “There were some gaps in the online learning process, and the absence of practical sessions figured top among them. Students used to have experimental sessions in the lab in the regular classroom learning mode,” they said.

For the Social Science lab at home project, the department has devised simple experiments for each class. Accordingly, learners can use chart paper or similar material for making models. SSK block resource centres will support them by providing additional materials. Teachers will guide students and encourage parents to join in assisting their children in creating models.

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