Impact of EDUSAT on School Students and Teachers

Impact of EDUSAT on School Students and Teachers

Phalachandra Bhandigadi, NCERT,

Abstract
In the year 2004 the Govt. of India launched a dedicated Satellite called EDUSAT (Educational Satellite) to serve the educational sectors offering an interactive satellite based distance education system for the country. It is to provide connectivity to schools, colleges, and other similar institutions. Initially it is proposed to use the facilities in four different states for reaching different target groups. In Karnataka State the Edusat is being used to supplement classroom teaching in all the elementary schools (850 Schools) of one district.

The schools are provided with receiving solar backed system to receive signals (programmes) in all the 850 schools. On each day two programmes of 30 minutes were broadcast for the benefit of students of Grade III to VIII. The contents covered almost all subject areas of all the grades. In the academic year 2005-06 almost 200 video programmes were broadcast. The teachers were given training with respect to the use of television as medium of instruction and also to conduct Pre and post broadcast activities.

As part of evaluation of Edusat Project in Karnataka a comprehensive research study has been initiated to find out the impact on the attendance, and academic achievement of students by following experimental and control design. The content achievement (one test of about 20 items for each grade) and visual achievement (one test of 10 items for each grade) tests have been administered on students of different grades to ascertain the learning gains. The feedback from teachers have been obtained.

This paper will high light the implementation of the EDUSAT project and analysis the impact on students attendance, learning gains and attitude and opinion of teachers based on the data collected from about 2000 students and 200 teachers.

Structure for EDUSAT Report

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Government of India launched the Educational Satellite (EDUSAT) in September 2004, which is expected to revolutionise the Distance Education Programmes in the country. Different Pilot Projects under EDUSAT are proposed on experimental basis in four States the country for understanding the process and implication of Satellite based Education Programme in different sectors. Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra are the four States where EDUSAT programme are implemented in the current year. In each of these States a particular target and area has been identified for utilization of EDUSAT .In Karnataka the focus and the target group includes Students and Teachers of Elementary and Secondary Education. Also included in the target group are Teacher Educators and supervisory personnel

2.0 IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES

Different agencies have been identified in Karnataka for implementing the EDUSAT Project. The State council of Educational Research and Training is entrusted with the responsibility for the development of Software, Teacher Training, Monitoring & Evaluation and overall implementation of the project. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Serva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) are also involved in the implementation the Programme. Each of these agencies was entrusted with certain tasks for facilitating the implementation.

3.0 EDUSAT PROJECT IN KARNATAKA

In Karnataka it was proposed to utilize the Technology to improve the quality of Education at the Elementary and Secondary Schools .In the first Phase all the Primary Schools of Chamarajanagar, District and Kenchanahalli Hobli of HD Kote Block (Mysore District),

In all, about 840 Primary Schools had the facilities to receive the quality Video Programmes through the Direct Reception Systems (DRS), and a Television Set

By implementation of EDUSAT in Primary Schools it was proposed:

To develop quality broadcast video materials in Language and Core Subjects (Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Languages)

To develop the required competencies in Language and Core subjects in children
To provide academic support (by way of video Programmes) to Teachers working

working in Multi-level and Multi grade Context

4.0 INSTALLATION OF HARDWARE.

The UPLINK facility was established in DSERT, Bangalore (the capital city of the State) and down link facility in all the Primary Schools of Chamarajanagar district The downlink facility provided in schools are provided with solar power facility, which takes care of the frequent power problems

5.0 INPUTS

5.1 Production of Software or Content

The DSERT had the system developed for preparing the scripts for Radio Programme) “KELI-KALI., (Listen and Learn which was started in 2000-01 in two Karnataka Districts later on expanded to cover about 50,000 Schools of the State in 2003-04 . In this scheme a group of teachers in association with Teacher educators had identified difficult areas in different subjects of grades III to VII, which was the basis for development of audio scripts. Based on this experience the State constituted a group of experts for identifying areas in indifferent subjects, which has the potential for video programmes.

The State advertised in the Local News Papers calling tenders from different agencies /institutions, who had the experiences of producing video programmes. From among the tenders submitted by different agencies an expert committee short-listed about 20 agencies. These 20 agencies were invited for one-day discussion along with some selected scriptwriters. In the discussion the expert committee explained the objectives of the EDUSAT project, highlighted the type and nature of video programmes, the duration and also the rules being followed for the final selection of the programme. It was also informed that $ 150 would be paid if the programmes finally approved by the committee. Each programme was reviewed at two levels once at the script level and secondly after the production. In the beginning the expert committee met on almost every week for reviewing the script and the video films. After discussion among the committee members, each producer was called for the discussion where in the members gave their feedback and suggested modifications, where ever required.. . After modifications the agencies were asked to resubmit the video films for final approval.

The details of grade- subject wise videos produced and broadcast during the Academic year 2005-06 are given in the following table.

Table.1

Number of films produced, approved and included for broadcast during the Three Semester Period (2005-06)

Grade/Subjects	Kannada	English	Science	Social Studies	Environment Studies	Mathematics	General
III	3	-	-	-	2	8
IV	5	-	-	-	11	5
V	7	-	15	13	1
VI	5		6	6		1
V, VIII
VII	4	2	7	8	-	1	2
VIII	2	18	3	1	-	1	2
III, IV,V							8
IV, V			2	3		1
V,VIII			1
V,VI,VII							5
VII,VIII		8	2			2	1
Total	26	28	36	31	14	19	18

A total 172 Video films were broadcast during the year beginning from 13^th June 2005 to 13 March 2006 in three semesters of the academic year. As could be seen certain integrated programmes were developed and broadcast for combination of grades.

5.2 Development of Teachers Handbook

To facilitate the effective use of EDUSAT programme by teachers, a handbook for each of the semester was brought out and distributed to all the schools. The handbook highlighted/covered issues such as schedule of broadcast (date/time/grade wise topics), the objectives of each film, content/issues covered, the pre and post broadcast activities to be carried out etc. Also included is the person to be contacted in case of system (receiving system), contact numbers all the district, and block and cluster officials

5.3 Orientation of Teachers

Teacher Educators and supervisory staff at the sub district levels were given orientation about the EDUSAT. They in turn provided training/orientation to teachers of all the Schools of District.

6.0 IMPACT OF THE PROJECT

In view of the efforts made by the State in the implementation of the Programme an attempt was made to assess the effectiveness and impact made on students and teachers. Based on the objectives of the Project

6.1 Objectives

To assess the impact of the broadcast of the Video Programme on students with respect the gain in the knowledge
To assess the impact of the broadcast on students attendance
To get the feedback from the teachers on the quality of the programme and is impact on teachers

7.0 EVALUATION STRATEGIES

7.1 Evaluation Design

The evaluation of the EDUSAT project was envisaged at different levels/dimensions

At the first level getting the feedback of students and teachers on the films, secondly the impact the films made on students at the knowledge and understanding of content transacted and thirdly how the programmes influences the attendance pattern.

7.2 Impact on Students

7.2.1 Field Testing of Few selected Video Films

Four video films were field tested to find the effectiveness of the programme on their performance and also to get the reactions. While students were seeing the films their viewing behavior was observed. 41 students of III to VI Standards drawn from different schools of Chamarajanagar town participated in viewing the films.

The following FOUR Video films were identified for field-testing

Measurement of length
First Aid
Natural resources:
1857 -The first war of Indian Independence

Arrangements for screening the films in two separate rooms were made. The students of VII & VIII were combined and the remaining students were made to sit in the other room. The pre-test and post- test scores (maximum possible score of 10 for each test) for each of the film was collected separately and analyzed to find the difference in the mean scores and its significance

Table 2

Table showing the Mean Scores obtained in Pre- Post and it's significance

Prog. No

Programme.

Title

Grade

No. of

Students (Sample)

Mean percentage Score

Mean Percentage gain

t- Value.

Level of Signific

ance

Pre Test

Post Test

First Aid

3.312

.003

1857 -The first war of Indian Independence

50.7

65.7

4.174

.001

Natural resources:

5.785

.000

Measurement of length

55.7

62.9

7.2

1.632

.127

a) Findings

From the table above one could see

Though the topics have been taught in the school, the initial level of performance has been low.
The increase in the mean achievement is statically significant

With respect two films of grade V and one film of grade IV

The achievement difference in mathematics is not significant. This could probably indicate that the films in mathematics should be handled with care to see that it reinforces the content with few alternative examples and must involve activities for students. This highlights the importance of conducting the pre and post Broadcast activities

b) Observation and Oral Feedback from the Students

The students could narrate some of the sequences and also dialogue (First Aid and 1857 -The first war of Indian Independence) so vividly that shows the students have watched the video films with attention and interest. This is corroborated from the observation notes prepared by the investigators
The films have definitely have made impact on the students understanding of the content clearly, as the students were reporting that though they have studied content the films have given better clarity like steps involved in providing first aid

7.2.2 Response to Questions Based on Films

A group of investigators were given training in collecting feedback from the students on the video films they will be watching during EDUSAT broadcast.

About 30 films were broadcast between 7-21 Jan 2005. During this period the investigators visited schools and took feedback from the students. At the end of the transmission film the investigators asked a set of questions framed on the basis of films viewed. Most of the students were able to answer most of the questions asked.

Sl.No.	No. of Questions asked to the Whole Class	No. of Questions answered correctly by the students	Classes
7.1.2005	13	11	4, 7
8.1.2005	7	4	7
10.1.2005	13	11	3,4
11.1.2005	8	6	5
12.1.2005	11	8	6
13.1.2005	12	10	3,4
15.1.2005	15	14	4,5
17.1.2005	18	17	7
18.1.2005	13	8	7
19.1.2005	11	09	5,6,7

7.2.3 Impact on Achievement

A set of achievement tests were developed keeping in view the films being broadcast during the period. Twenty-two films in all were viewed ffor developing the achievement test. The number of films viewed were 8 in Mathematics, 5 in Science, 5 in Social science and 4 in General category.

About 10 multiple- choice items were developed for each film keeping in view the content covered and objectives envisaged to be achieved by the films. The finalizations of items were done after thorough discussion among 3 members of the team. . From among the items developed a set of items were selected for inclusion in the achievement Test. Care was taken not include more than 4 to 5 item per films, though about 10 items were developed for each film. The Pre test data was collected in March first week and Posttest data in the last week of March/first week of April 2005. The details of scores obtained by students is given in the following table

Table 3

No. of Items included in the Tests which were administered to Students of Control and Experimental Schools (Common tests for Classes IV and V )

Class/Subject	Maths	Science	Social Science	General
IV	10	5	------------	9
VI	4	6	10	9
VII	4	6	16	9

The data obtained from the students of about 10 schools were consolidated and presented below..

Table 4.

The mean difference in the Achievement of students is statistically significant.

	Pre Test			Post Test		Mean Percentage Gain
		N	Mean (%)	SD	Mean (%)	Mean Percentage Gain	SD
Grade IV	102	30	2.76	39	3.97	9
Grade VI	58	41	5.82	45	4.97	4
Grade VII	78	50	5.57	55	4.99	5

7.2.4 Impact on Attendance

One of the objectives of the Evaluation Study is to check whether the EDUSAT has made any impact on the attendance pattern of students. In this connection, a schedule was developed to note down the number of students present in the school against the number enrolled. Visits were made to the schools in the month of Feb 2006 without advance information to school authorities. The details of students enrolled and present is given in the following table below. From the table it could be noticed in most of the occasions the attendance was almost 80%

Table 5

Number of Students Enrolled and Present during the visits of Investigators to Schools

School Sl.No	No. of Students Enrolled	No. of Students Actually Present
				First Visit		Second Visit
				No. Present	%Present	No. Present	%Present
01	238	200	84	192	80
02	157	133	84	138	88
03	55	47	85	45	81
04	122	81	66	92	75
05	45	31	68	36	80
06	39	31	80	32	82
07	144	99	68	114	79
08	52	41	79	49	94
09	99	73	73	77	77
10	38	33	86	28	74

7.3 Feedback from Teachers.

Feed back from teachers was collected through a questionnaire and followed by focus group discussion. About 40 teachers ,one teacher representing one school was invited to 5 sub district centers . In all about 168 participated in the discussion. Their feedback with respect the programme was collected and consolidated .The over all opinion of teachers are given below.

Learning from experiments & use of teaching aids.
Visuals shown in TV helps in longer retention among also lead to students' better understanding of content.
Can see organisms that are not commonly seen.
Can collect information & see historical events.
Can see environment (rivers, hills, water falls, motion of vehicles, sounds produced by various animals & birds) and listen to various sounds.
Two to three classes can be shown the lesson simultaneously as some of the programmes have common elements across the grades.
When students view the visuals, experiences as if he/she is part of it.
Stories and plays will attract students' attention.
Helps in learning difficult topic with ease.
Curiosity to learn increases.
Direct learning results from visualization and learning becomes joyful.
Conceptualization is possible.
Less problems in the programme.
Students pay move attention for viewing rather than just listening.
Enhances students' abilities to visualize.
Programmes are capable of increasing attendance learning interest, vocabulary, questioning tendency, and acting and analyzing abilities.
Enhances quality of learning.

Conclusion

The launch of EDUSAT has helped in providing quality instruction through video programmes to students studying in the interior villages. The students have benefited from the video programmes delivered through the Satellite. The benefit gained is in terms

of gain in knowledge and understanding of the content, improvement in attendance and holding attention and interest in viewing programmes. The teacher involvement during the broadcast as facilitator and conduct of Pre and Post broadcast activity is note worthy.

Back to Abstract