Study material in digital form being provided online
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Mar 24: In the wake of complete lockdown due to Coronavirus threat, the Department of Education in Jammu and Kashmir has geared itself to ensure that studies may continue to get learning material through virtual classrooms and their studies may not suffer.
While the Department of Higher Education has launched online classes for the students by using Google Classroom and TCS iON digital learning platforms, the Department of School Education is all set to start similar facility in the next two-three days, for which the process has already been initiated.
“A number of colleges across Jammu and Kashmir have started online classes by uploading the digital content and electronic form of text books on the learning platforms besides creating Whatsapp groups to circulate the study material,” said Talat Parvez Rohilla, Secretary Higher Education Department , and added that efforts were on to start the facility of online Science Practical also in the next two weeks by using Swayam platform and NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning) of MHRD.
Both teachers and the students are registering themselves on these learning platforms for virtual classrooms with uploaded digital content while Whatsapp groups are further helping the students in getting easy access to the study material.
While the maximum colleges are using Google Classroom and TCS iON learning platforms for online classes, the Government Degree College Udhampur has developed its own mobile app, codenamed “Devika Virtual” and a new server in the college codenamed “Arjun”.
The School Education Department has also geared up for launching the online classes and process in this regard has been initiated by both the Directorates, which have already started collecting lectures and the study material in digital form.
“Our both the Directorates are on the job for developing some learning platforms with audio and visual lessons and we will follow the Government of India’s guidelines for taking care of students, whose safety and health are most important for us,” said Asgar Samoon, Commissioner Secretary School Education Department.
According to Director School Education Jammu, Anuradha Gupta, efforts were being made to rope in Doordarshan (DD) and some private cable networks to telecast the recorded lecturers, which shall also be made available on official website link of the Directorate and Whatsapp groups.
“The process of recording lecturers is almost nearing completion and we are hopeful to start online classes in next two-three days for 10th and 12th standard students in first stage and then for all the classes,” she told the Excelsior and added that a similar initiative in this regard was already taken in collaboration with Radio Mirchi.
Meanwhile, in view of the prevailing situation due to Coronavirus threat, Directorate of School Education Jammu has also decided to extend the services of its Tele Counselling helping beyond the basic functions and thus making an effort to resolve the problems currently being faced by the students, parents and teachers.
For this purpose, the Directorate has collaborated with the Brainpreneurs-Child Development Centre (CDC) Jammu, an organization dedicated to the cause of Child Mental Health. The trained Clinical Psychologists of Brainpreneurs-CDC along with Teacher Counsellors/Counselling Psychologists shall be available for counseling to guide students, parents and teachers on the helpline number 600680068.
According to DSEJ, Anuradha Gupta, all the students, parents and teachers feeling any anxiety or other issues arising due to COVID-19 pandemic, can call on the helpline number from 10 AM to 7 PM and get their queries solved. Through the Tele counselling helpline ‘Aao Baat Karein’, trained Counsellors, Clinical Psychologists and Teacher Counsellors will be available to handle queries and guide to plan study schedules, which can be followed by students and parents at home, she added.
The helpline shall also provide guidance about use of digital study tool like television, radio and virtual/e-resources so as to have optimum utilization of precious time. The Tele-counselling helpline number shall continue to receive calls related to routine academic career and psychological issues faced by students and teachers.
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