20 teachers to get innovation awards

A teacher who used computers to develop visually stimulating digital lessons for the hearing impaired, another who switched a state's school results to a digital format, and one who made teaching fun for tribal students with creative graphics are among the first set of teachers to be honoured with the National Award for Teachers for using ICT innovatively. The President will present the awards on Wednesday.

The government has for the first time introduced the ICT category to encourage teachers to bring it to their classrooms. Twenty teachers will be awarded for ushering in computer literacy in their schools and districts and will take home a very apt award — a laptop each.

Amongst those selected is Bergin G from Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu. "We have some schools for hearing impaired. I thought why not try to develop digital lessons for them. So for classes IX and X, I prepared lessons using Microsoft and Flash player and it has got a good response," Bergin said.

D Kavita, from Nimbahera, Rajasthan, ventured into digital territory by chance and is credited with digitising the state's school results, reducing teachers' work load. "I learnt computers as a hobby. Soon I began helping my school with administrative work and went on to assist the state administration. Now I have developed a web portal for Rajasthan's teachers to train them in computers and develop applications. The latest is audio lessons in English for students in rural Rajasthan," she said.

Santosh Kumar Bisen, who teaches in Borai, Chhattisgarh, said: "We use a lot of interactive tools and graphics which have made lessons simpler for children."

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