That computers are here to stay is an understatement. Emerging economies like India are, at present, carving inroads in the movement from computer literacy towards information and communication technology (ICT)-integrated learning. The former relates to ICT as being the core area of knowledge, vis-à-vis the latter presents ICT as a framework on which other areas of knowledge are explored and learnt. The necessity for this move is the existence of quality digital instructional material, of which there is a dearth, let alone individuals who are adequately trained to incorporate technology in the teaching learning process. To expand the body of materials available today to a breadth of consequence will require a sizable army of contributors who will be able to research and create meaningfully.
The pre-requisite in the march towards computer enabled learning is thus a focus on getting digital infrastructure in place, and to establish digital fluency. It is not uncommon across the globe to encounter the buzzwords in the education sector. Favourites have related to the development of 21st century skills; critical thinking skills, communication, collaboration and creativity. These are life skills that equip students with the agency to tackle a variety of scenarios. In the process of garnering the basic functions of application software and tools (computer literacy), the life skills in question allow the student to transcend into a realm of computer fluency: an ability to analyse, apply and rework their knowledge of the tools to suit the needs of a solution. Yet, most school subjects remain marks-oriented, often leaving little to no room for the development of this skill set.
As a subject and discipline, computer science represents an opportunity to incorporate the nurturing of these skills. Critical thinking can be primed through an enactment of choices inherent in step wise thinking, problem solving skills, and multiple representations of data. Collaboration and communication skills, through group activities that facilitate knowledge sharing, coupled with ICT tools such as multimedia presentation, online content sharing and real time interaction with others across locations. Creativity is visited at every stage through activities that necessitate original thought, using the tools of digital story-telling and multimedia-based programming to express said originality. Questions to ask are: Are students engaged in actions that go beyond given textsIJ Are they given opportunities to practice these thinking skillsIJ
Imparting life skills through computer science is appealing. However, in practice, if efforts and effectiveness are to remain sustained, there is a need for the introduction of relevant policies that endorse and enforce such standards at the school level. Often in the absence of policies, individuals and entities take it upon themselves to fill the gaps.
The development of the computer masti exemplifies this spirit of “be the change you wish to see in the world!” It is an effort to impart life skills at school level. It is unique in its open commitment to facilitating an educational trajectory that truly results in more.
The writer is Rupesh Saha CEO and co-Founder InOpen Technologies