Earlier, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to develop an alternative academic calendar for classes 1 to 12. The CBSE chairman, Anita Karwal stated that a new academic calendar is being developed to attain learning outcomes in a joyful manner. The chairman stated, “This calendar also suggests ways and means to use technology to aid and facilitate this process of learning.”

The curriculum will be released soon and will be shared with the principals. Karwal also emphasised on new trends of e-learning, “It’s also the time to embrace technology – whether it is Internet based or not. Group video calls, conference calls, simple voice calls can help in effectively communicating with each other.”

The chairman commented in her letter to principals, “Online classes synced with the normal/routine timetable that you followed while in school, without adequate planning and preparation from teachers, parents and students, may give more stress without any positive outcomes.”

The schools are being advised to follow digital learning platforms provided by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD). “Aside from the NCERT calendar, during these difficult times, teaching and learning can also continue with the help of comprehensive digital learning platforms focused on providing curriculum linked and curated content,” Karwal said.

Karwal also advised parents to make children aware about the misuse of online learning, “We would like to caution at this stage that while technology will be required to be used by the child for learning, at the same time, sensitise parents about the misuse/ misinterpretation of information in certain sites that can induce possible distress in children because of exposure to age inappropriate content.”

She also asked parents to involve children in household work, “The running of a kitchen is an immense learning resource. Various places in our homes, especially the kitchens, remain the most underrated and underused place for a child’s cognitive, affective and psychomotor development. The kitchen is perhaps the best lab one has at home.”

Source: The Indian Express