My grandmother and I were good friends. My parents left me with her when they went to live in the city, and we were constantly together. She used to wake me up in the morning and get me ready for school. She said her morning prayer in a monotonous singsong while she bathed and dressed me, in the hope that I would listen and get to know it by heart; I listened because I loved her voice but never bothered to learn it. Then she would fetch my wooden slate, which she had already washed. After a breakfast of a thick, stale chapati with a little butter and sugar spread on it, we went to school. She carried several stale chapatis with her for the village dogs.
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1. Five enterprises received approval and grants for prototype development of sustainable educational toys.
2. The government authorities, educational institutions, and EdTech start-ups are planning to introduce state-of-the-art, made-in-India educational toys that not only throw light on Indian values and civilizations but also help in developing children’s critical thinking and decision-making skills.
3. One such enterprise is working on different types of projects that can teach children how electromagnets and magnetic fields work. These projects can resolve a lot of issues in many schools in tier two and three cities that don't have proper infrastructure. Another is working on an excavation site to teach children about ancient Indian civilizations. It has implanted a few artifacts at the site, which the children will have to find so that they learn how to preserve and label artifacts. Another start-up has proposed to create miniaturized labs for schools in tier two and three cities where children can learn concepts of Physics. "We will ensure that these prototypes are developed within a year and then the production can be scaled up," says the senior manager of the project, talking about the importance of indigenously-built educational toys.
4. Playtime is vital for the cognitive development of children, and toys are an essential component that helps enhance specific cognitive abilities and skill sets. "Well-designed toys ignite students’ curiosity, increase focus, and can be very beneficial in helping them master a skill and enhance understanding. These can be in the form of visuals, auditory aids, kinesthetic, or a mixture of all three," says the HOD of Early Childhood Education.
5. Toys offer an engaging avenue to teach mathematical, verbal, and problem-solving skills. "Toys that engage students in experiential learning enhance their spatial awareness and fine motor skills. Those designed for two or more players help students develop better social skills as they learn to negotiate, settle differences, etc., with their peers."
6. Experiential gadgets and toys enable students to learn faster and retain lessons longer. "A child's interest is piqued when taught in a contextual framework as opposed to rote learning. The Indian education system has been witnessing several innovations with the development of toys and gadgets that can be used and felt in person or through VR platforms across subjects, be it Science, Technology, Math, or Engineering."
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1. People below the age of 20 and above the age of 50 are more likely to believe fake news. Those relatively new to the use of the internet still do not grasp the concept of fake information over these platforms, reveals a new survey "Countering Misinformation in India." This survey has been conducted jointly by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).
2. At least 40% of the respondents believed in "misinformation" received over social media if it came with leading backgrounds and evidence, while 34% of them believe the information when it is shared by a trustworthy organization.
3. The dominant factor that drives people to forward such information is their belief that it might benefit others and help in their safety. In fact, that was the response of almost 50% of the respondents. This was compounded by the fact that at least 20% of the respondents expressed their lack of trust in conventional media, thus placing their faith in content shared by common people over social media.
4. But even then, newspapers still remain the top source of information for most. At least 53% of the respondents trust what is generally perceived as neutral media, and only 29% trust technology and social media platforms.
5. However, what was surprising was that almost 45% of the respondents did not even know about the existence of fact-checking organizations, and most did not even know that journalists had to verify data before they let it out. Only 26% of the respondents believe that it is the responsibility of the media to curb or identify fake news. Many respondents also put the responsibility of identifying such fake news on individuals.
6. The survey has found that first-time or early users of internet platforms are more susceptible to fake news than others. There is a need for building capacities and creating a National Civic Digital Literacy Strategic Plan.