Submissions/Project Aryabhatta

This is a rejected submission for Wikimania 2012.

Submission no.: 153

Title of the submission: Project Aryabhatta

Type of submission (workshop, tutorial, panel, presentation): Presentation

Author of the submission: Aadish Rakhecha, Bhupinder Singh, Arastu Chopra

E-mail address: infinitebounce@gmail.com

Username: infinitebounce

Country of origin: India

Affiliation, if any (organization, company etc.)

Personal homepage or blog

Abstract (at least 300 words to describe your proposal)

-Brief pitch – Project Aryabhatta Utilizing the Wiki knowledge pool in education at secondary and higher school levels primarily through an innovative model of technology integration, Project Aryabhatta stands to let Wiki play a very important role of facilitator and innovator in the Indian education system. -Tracks touched •The project employing wiki's vast pool of knowledge resources as an education tool falls under the technology and education tracks. •For the architectural model of the project four areas/stages need to be considered- Collaboration with the external organizations/projects already involved in the education sector in India, technology to support the project, Wiki’s vast knowledge pool and resources worldwide through its other relevant projects, and the execution part of the project model that could involve universities worldwide involved in Wiki’s Education projects and university ambassadors program recently launched in India. -Model design & Execution structure •Beginning with a micro project to be implemented at the district level in India, as an extension of the existent Wiki Schools and University Education project perhaps, if not an autonomous project, it would be further expanded after due improvisations and iterations. •The project design would encompass the following:

->Augmenting classroom learning making it more enjoyable with much profound impact, touching science/technology, social sciences, business & entrepreneurship, and practical knowledge on issues country faces, example agricultural knowledge, etc.
->Tools like quizzing could be used to reinforce the methods employed for a more competitive and zealous learning.
->Collaboration with organizations like Rotary, Azim Premji Foundation, Teach for India to name a few would be built to support an effective outreach and a teachers’ programme to train them to become Wiki ambassadors at school level. This would ensure a collaborative approach for teachers at different schools to improve upon the teaching methodology and also create and nurture projects on Wiki – adding to the Wiki pool. Additionally this would enable Wiki to strengthen the recently established Wiki University Student ambassadors’ programme.
->To further emphasize on potential strength of the project we also seek further collaboration with Government of India’s District Primary Education Programme (under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan), thus ensuring governmental support and resources while enabling a wider scope of expanding the model across different districts in the long term.
->Creation of Wiki – resourced digital libraries wherein students as well the teachers are able to learn more from.
->Another feature is to work jointly with the Government of India to involve Gyan Darshan (an excellent initiative to expand scientific and technical learning) as part of this Wiki project design. Gyan Darshan which is an under-utilized open education program holds tremendous scope in providing a tremendous knowledge resource in esp. science. It would amplify the projects resources and purpose. Such an initiation would also act as an incentive for the government to increase Gyan Darshan’s intended outreach and purpose execution considering Wiki’s credibility and the model’s innovative design impacting the lives of millions.
->Increasing number of Indian schools are embracing technology in education environment and opening ‘smart classrooms’. This provides an apt opportunity for Wiki to help make this design more effective through the proposed Project Aryabhatta.
->Innovations like Aakash tablet is India’s programme comparable to OLPC. A low cost peripheral it could be very effectively employed to meet the ends of Project Aryabhatta in enabling learning through Wiki resources and technology integration. Development of application for the platform would hugely enable proliferation through Wiki – digital libraries and Gyan Darshan inclusion into the education system at different levels.
->A well penetrated and stable telecommunication network in India shall provide robust infrastructure to ensure outreach in even remote areas.

-Benefits •Project would help raise and bring parity to the quality standards across regions in India, public and private schools. •Project Aryabhatta could help bridge the gap in female education in India with its potential technologically powered outreach. •Existent Wiki technology to make the education imparted in the classroom more comprehensive alongside innovations like enabling technology aide for disabled students (visual impairment or hearing problem), and resourcing other creative methods wisely suiting local requirements is the key to implementing the program effectively with high success rate. •The project also holds the potential to empower students in different schools to collaborate with their peers in creating new classroom projects strengthening science and even cultural ties.

Track

Technology and education

Length of presentation/talk: 25 Minutes

Will you attend Wikimania if your submission is not accepted?: May be

Slides or further information (optional)

Special request as to time of presentations: none

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