“Education helps to connect, be it a real class-room or a virtual one. The untimely disruption in learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic has undeniably enabled us to put on our thinking caps and look for solutions to reach out to students and yet, ensure that they are safe within the confines of their homes. Desperate times call for desperate measures. By leveraging technology, strong parental partnership, all-inclusive strategies and progressive online pedagogies, we have been able to ensure that seamless learning is taking place without any hindrances for students during these testing times. In order to achieve this, we have adopted a multi-pronged approach to reach out to students.”
With campuses in Attapur, Banjara Hills and Manikonda in Hyderabad, the DSE (Delhi School of Excellence) Group of Institutions is a well reputed chain of CBSE affiliated K-12 institutions promoted with the mission to deliver holistic 21st century education that helps students “evolve into responsible adults who are sensitive to global issues”. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, DSE has been drawing upon the expertise of its faculty in curating progressive online pedagogies to design an innovative and engaging virtual learning programme for students. Amid the ongoing emergency lockdown, DSE has been ensuring continuity in teaching-learning through a comprehensive strategy outlined below.
Online teacher training: Teachers hone their creative and ICT skills — screen-sharing, video-recording, replying to student queries — by leveraging several digital learning tools and platforms such as GoToMeeting, Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, etc., in order to make their classes interesting.
Curating digital content: The schools’ tech-savvy faculty started putting available resources to the best use to curate virtual learning content. Digital content of Extramarks and CBSE’s NISHTHA and E-Pathshala programmes were extensively used for creating presentations and interactive sessions. Relevant videos pertaining to concepts being taught are also being used.
Virtual classroom: With students, parents, and faculty already familiar with the latest digital trends and adept at using technology, Delhi School of Excellence was able to swiftly go live with an innovative virtual classroom offering an engaging learning experience. Virtual classes are being conducted from 9 am to 12 noon, through Monday to Saturday, with carefully prepared timetables, catering primarily to the core subjects and secondarily to the languages. The weekly schedules are shared with students and parents and daily attendance is being tracked.
Cloud-based learning: Teachers continuously record their teaching sessions along with the identified assignments, bridge-courses, practice-papers, activity-based worksheets, links for enhancing reading skills and conducting online assignments and share them through the DSE website (www.dsehyd.com) and Parentapp, thereby creating a repository of lessons, as a fall-back option. These were found to be highly effective for high school students.
In-house coordinator meetings: The virtual learning coordinators have been planning and strategising the online classes though interactive meetings/video conferences.
Fun activities: Fun-filled activities including art, music, dance and just-a-minute talk, etc. for preschool and primary school students are conducted every week to infuse a spirit of fun and creativity.
“The efforts of the school to ensure continuity in learning are being highly appreciated by the students and their parents. Parents have conveyed their gratitude and appreciation to the management and teachers for reaching out to the students, during these difficult times and keeping the zest of learning alive,” says Shashikala.
Students feedback on online classes link:
Parent voices:
Thanks to the school and teachers for all the efforts taken to make students utilise their time during lockdown. The idea of starting online classes being carried out without any interruption is commendable. Teachers in particular must be applauded for taking classes at the right time despite their own commitments at home. Always happy and proud to be a part of a Desians family
– Shikha Goyal
Congratulations to all the teachers who are taking all the efforts to make virtual classes operate like real class by explaining the concepts till they get a ‘yes’ from all students, clearing doubts and making the sessions interactive inspite of the few technical challenges. I personally think 8 am is a decent start time because children stick to a self disciplined routine which they follow during their regular school days. Way to go teachers…..thanking you all.
–Ridhi’s Mom
Teachers are probably the most underrated yet the most powerful professionals in the whole world. Their work has a long-term impact on not just the lives of the children they teach but on society as a whole. They have the power to shape generations, impact minds and make the world a better place. We the parents of Abhinav of Grade XB appreciate and thank the efforts of the teachers and the management to keep our child updated with academics through the online classes during this lockdown period. We also appreciate the way the management has also considered all the security issues related to online classes. Hats off to the teachers and Management of DSE Attapur.
Thakur Purushottam Singh
Add comment