The 9th edition of the State School IT Fest to be held on 20th and 21st of January, 2010 at Technopark.

The two-day event will be inaugurated by the Hon. Minister for Education and Culture, Shri.M.A.Baby. The Fest will have the active participation of about 300 students from all the districts in Kerala. ICT seminars and competitions on web page designing, Malayalam computing, Digital painting, multimedia presentation etc. are some of the highlights of the Fest.

Download Text book-std 2,4 ,6,8 Teachers hand book- std 2,4,6,8  ICT hand book-std 5,6,7

The revised text books for standard 2, 4 ,6 and 8 along with Teachers hand book for standard 2, 4, 6, & 8 and students ICT hand book for standard 5 6 & 7 is now being published in electronic format. The text book is been uploaded in chaper/module/part basis. The student/teachers can download these from the link given below:

Revised text books for standard 2, 4 ,6 and 8 click here.........

Revised Teachers hand book for standard 2, 4, 6, & 8 click here.........

Students ICT hand book for standard 5 6 & 7 click here.........

Webbased hardware complaint system and toll free system (1800 425 9696) to register complaints in school lab 

Under ICT in school scheme, IT@School Project has upgraded the school IT infrastructure inventory. The ProjeCt has made sure that the schools are having sufficient IT infrastructure for their ICT enabled initiatives. The maintainance of hardware has always been a problem in schools. A part of this problem was taken care by the hardware clinic undertaken by the Project through out the state. For new equipments being supplied to schools sufficient steps has been taken to make sure that the vendor offers timely and quality after service and support. For this there is a web based mionitering system available at this link.. Every school under ICT in school supply should register under this portal. Once registered, the schools can enter their hardware related complaints in the website. There is also provision to view the current status of the complaint. This webbased suppoting system is constantly monitered by the Project. Any delay in providing support to schools by vendors, if found so, there is provision to deduct the payment to the vendors.

           There is a central service call center dedicated by the supplier to the IT@school project for school support.  The telephone numbers of the service call center was intimated concerned schools for hardware deployment The complaints registered through call center will be also entered in the web based monitering system. The toll free number for support is  1800 425 9696

Scheme to ensure broadband internet connectivity to all schools so as to equip them for ICT enabled learning.

In General

The launch of Broadband internet scheme to all schools in Kerala was held at PR Chamber, Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram on 09-12-2007 by Shri.M.A.Baby, Hon'ble Minister of Education and Culture. The Project has already entered into an agreement with BSNL for providing Internet facility to all Government schools. BSNL had committed to provide Broadband services to each of the above institutions with special tariff package as detailed below: -
Fixed monthly charges : Rs 500/-
Annual payment option : Rs 5000/-
Security Deposit : Waived off
Modem rental : “
Installation charges : “
Free Down load / up load limit : 3 GB / month
Additional usage / Mb : Rs 0.80
up load / download limit will be calculated on aggregate basis (as N x 3 GB, where N is the number of broadband connections availed). For the usage above free upload / download limit additional usage charge of Rs 0.80 per MB will be levied
Number of email mailboxes / connection is one with email box size 5 MB each.
Modem will have four Ethernet ports and NAT facility
Government of Kerala will handover the request for each connection to Nodal officer in Trivandrum along with the fixed charges for one year / one month (as the case may be) after ascertaining the technical feasibility.

Advantages

√ This will help the students & teachers to familiarize with available Internet services like e-Mail, Chat, Website creation, Blog creation etc.
√ IT @ School is implementing various e-governance initiatives like Service & Payroll Administrative Repository for Kerala (SPARK), Noon Meal Computerization etc. for which the connectivity is indispensable.
√ BSNL has given special tariff for Internet connection with a waiver for Security Deposit, Modem rental and installation charges.The annual payment option to one school for Internet charges being Rs.5,000.
√ Detailed guidelines and handbooks for using Internet services, resources and also for ensuring safe and secure browsing in Schools is being provided by IT@School.
√ The BSNL Scheme enables centralized monitoring.

Details of ICT content/teaching materials developed for IT enabled teaching/learning purpose

Now the shift is from IT Education to ICT Enabled Education. ICT content has now been developed for Physics,  Chemistry, Mathematics etc. Tryout of this has alraedy been carried out in UP and High School Classes. The following are the lead ICT enabled teaching initiatives:

• Pheonix/Ktech lab being used for IT enabled teaching of Physics/Maths
• Teachers trained to handle Pheonix equipment
• More than 100 pieces of this equipment distributed in schools
• ICT enabled tool entirely FOSS based
• Dr. Geo being used for teaching Mathematics
• Rasmol, Chemtool, Kalcium being used in for chemistry
• Klab being used to teach physics
• Customization of open software ICT tool to school curriculum
• On hand training to teachers
• Training modules being prepared and distributed. Click the link below for the training module of ICT enabled content

(Malayalam)Chemistry... Physics... Maths...

(English)Chemistry... Physics... Maths...

(Tamil)Chemistry... Physics... Maths...

(Kannada)Chemistry... Physics... Maths...

ICT content development

• ICT Content being developed for std. 5th 6th 7th and 8th
• Content developed as per new curriculum approach
• The story board, script being developed by Master trainers
• Teachers being trained to teach via the content developed
• Subjects Basic Science,  Social Science, Mathematics.
• Content CD Distributed in all schools

Inauguration of new office cum studio facility of IT@School Project scheduled on 10th February 2009 at Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram

The construction of office cum studio facility of IT@School Project in SCERT building has been completed. The ViCTERS channel which was functioning in a rented building will be shifted to the new studio cum uplinking facility  along with new office complex of IT@School Project. The official inauguration in this regard is scheduled on 10th February 2009 at Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram. Honbl’ Minister for Education & Culture Sri. M.A.Baby will be inaugurating the new office complex of IT@School Project. Padma Vibhooshan Dr. G.Madhavan Nair will be inaugurating the new studio cum uplinking facility for EDUSAT ViCTERS. Apart from this the ‘one laptop to each school’ programme under ICT Scheme will be launched in the same function. Several dignitaries from science, technology, cultural and political field will be attending the meeting.

Brings in more transparency and effective implementation of the noon meal distribution system in schools.

The computerization of the Noon meal scheme has provided more systematic availability of data base. As the scheme was introduced for making the system more effective. With the same allotment of food inventory better meals can be served for the students. The effective output is that the regionwise requirement can be analyzed effectively and more effective utilization of the available food inventory is possible in a cost effective manner.

About Noon meal Scheme

Noon Meal Scheme currently being implemented at the school level for providing one time meal every working day to deserving students in the schools.
The Noon Meal Scheme is on course in about 14000 Government, Aided High schools in the State and has an implementation scope for around 50 lakh students.

Current process

The Noon Meal Scheme is carried out at the Assistant Education Office level. The principals of the concerned schools give the requirement and the AEO approves and pass intent to the school which receives the supply from the nearest Maveli store.
The consolidated inlet bill from Civil Supplies Corporation is forwarded to DPI where the amount is passed.

Computerisation Process

The intent for allotment of food supplies to each school will be generated online. The intent will be generated based on the current requirement of the school, as well as based on the early record of food quantum. The AEO/DEO will be allotted a User Name and Login Password to enter the details of the Noon Meal and by corresponding can generate intent. This will result in total digitalization of the entire scheme.

Advantage

√ Puts in place a speedy and effective means of intent passing.
√ Optimization of the supply of food inventories and reduces the wastage
√ Cost Effective
√ Facilitates speedy transaction of money between Departments
√ Makes the system more transparent

A Single Window System to make School IT Labs fully functional

√ Such an event is for the First Time in Kerala

√ Clinics in 38 Educational Districts covering all High Schools
√ 2800 School IT Co-ordinators to be trained in Hardware maintenance to equip them to handle hardware issues in schools
√ Around 2500 computers will be functional through this process. Additional 2500 computers for Hardware study.

Context

IT@School Project has conducted a detailed survey in all High Schools to asses the IT infrastructure in the schools.

Major findings of school survey

√ A total number of about 50,000 computers are available in schools.
√ The survey revealed that 90 % of computers are working properly. 5% are not working, but repairable / upgradable. 5 % are not working and not-repairable ( dumpable)
√ Schools don’t have an internal mechanism for maintenance. School IT Co-ordinators were not trained to handle these issues. Often Schools have to out source these works to private parties and to spend a huge amount ( in some cases, for minor problems the private parties may charge huge amount). Many of the schools don’t have enough money in the IT Advisory council account or in the PTA fund. In short, Lab Maintenance became a major headache for schools.

Strategy worked out

IT@School considered this problem with at most important and discussed two strategies
√ Initially Project thought of working out a maintainanace plan with KELTRON. Keltron officers will visit all schools and do the maintenance / replacement / additional supply activities. This process seems to be time consuming and hence we dropped it.
√ Next strategy : So IT@School decided to conduct ‘Hardware Clinics’ in all Educational Districts ( 38 Nos). For this School IT Co-ordinators shall bring the repairable / dumpable machines to the nearest points. So all the schools within that districts will be getting their hardware repaired / upgraded within 2-3 days.
√ IT@School Project shall bear all the expenses related with this.
√ DPI has issues a detailed circular for hardware clinics which is available at http://itschool.gov.in/PDF/DPI%20Circular-Hardware%20Clinic-13-8-08.pdf

Along with the Clinic we are giving hardware Training to all School IT Co-ordinators

√ For this 52 Master Trainers, ( in all districts) have already given Hardware Training. Training programmes for 54 more MTs are scheduled for September 2008
√ At least one Teacher from a school ( around 2800 ) will be trained in Hardware Repairing and Maintenance by October 2008. These training programmes will be conducted educational district wise and starts from 18th August 2008.

√ At the end of these clinic schools will get almost 2500 computers additional for use in schools
√ An additional number of around 2500 computers ( which are not working ) shall be used for teaching internal parts of computers.

First Clinic

The First Hardware Clinic was inaugurated by Director of Public Instruction A P M Mohammed Hanish at Regional Resource Center of IT@School at Ernakulam on 16th August. Executive Director, K Anvar Sadath chaired the function.

Hard ware Clinic Status

√ The clinic has been conducted in all districts
√ Total of 29 Hardware clinic conducted
√ Mobile hardware clininc for inacessible places in waynad, Idukki etc
√ All Government High schools covered under the scheme (996)
√ More than 6000 hardware in schools repaired and made fully funcional
√ The hardware repaired exceeds the actual number of hardware suplied this year
√ Hardware training to teachers (about 3600 teachers trained in hardware maintainance)
√ Hardware training modules

In news

Hardware clinic was a media eyecatcher. Follow this link to get the report on Hardware clinic

Hardware clinic - The Hindu 16th Aug 2008

Hardware clinic in school - The Hindu 3rd Sep 2008

Facts and Figures

Single Platform facility for the Plus-One admission ensuring more accuracy and transparancy

√ Centralized allotment process for admissions to higher secondary courses were piloted in Thiruvananthapuram district during 2007-08 was implemented by Directorate of Higher Secondary Education. National Informatics Center, Kerala has developed the application. The technical co-ordination was carried out by the IT@School Project. The current year will see the system being rolled out in all the 14 districts of Kerala to ensure Transparency, Effectiveness and Social Justice.
√ The single window system will cover about 1.5 lakhs seats in Government and aided schools under the Open Merit quota, including Reserved seats for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Backward Classes.
√ A user-friendly system requires a student to file only one application in any of the schools, for admission to any of the schools or subject combinations in the district.
√ Options for 60 preferences of school and subject combinations could be marked on the application.
√ Schools receiving the applications should upload the data to the website of the Higher Secondary Education Department and the Directorate would publish the selection lists on the site.
√ Re-allotments would be done for unfilled seats. Students who get admissions on their lower options could wait for re-allotment or cancel their higher options. Admissions of those canceling higher options would be confirmed.
√ Fee would be accepted only on confirmation of the admissions.
√ The admission process is transparent. Grades and weighted grade point average of students with rankings would be available on the website for verification.
√ Around 2,000 IT officials and teachers are involved in the implementation of the Higher Secondary Single Window admission system, the software for which has been developed by the National Informatics Centre.
√ Apart from its experimental implementation in Thiruvananthapuram district last year, this is the first-of-its-kind centralized allotment procedure for higher secondary admission in the country.