Vigyan Prasar and Bichitra Pathshala help teachers to find interesting Teaching Learning Methodology to help students

The third and final round of the project titled ‘Cinema in the classroom: Learning Science through films’ involved a one-day program where teachers showcased their efforts (individuals or in pairs) in integrating video clips from the Vigyan Prasar (VP) film archives in developing lesson plans as per the current school syllabus.

Bichitra Pathshala’s  journey with Vigyan Prasar began with a workshop for Kolkata science teachers conducted last February during the 7th National Science Film Festival held at BITM in Kolkata.

‘Cinema in the classroom: Learning Science through films’ was a project that took this unique Teaching Learning Methodology (TLM) to government schools in five districts of West Bengal.

Nearly 114 teachers from rural and urban schools, forest village and tea garden schools were introduced to the methodology of integrating audio visual learning in their classroom teaching, using films from the VP archives from December through February.

Partnering with Bichitra Pathshala were Ahead Initiatives who work with schools in remote locations of Baghmundi in Purulia district and Kalchini in Alipurduar district; the historic Krishnath School from Baharampur in Murshidabad district; Department of Education from Bankura University, and Loreto Day School, Dharamtala, Kolkata.

The second phase of the project involved the videography of a live classroom teaching session using this TLM.

Jury members declared the following winners in the third and the competitive round of the project :  

Amit K Sarkar from Krishnath College School, Baharampur, Murshidabad topped the group consisting of middle and secondary school teachers, with his lesson plan for science and environment on ground water conservation using the film DGWT.

First runners up, Kiran Gurung  (LM Pradhan Memorial Hindi MSK)  and  Sukhiram Rabidas (Chuapara Tea Garden Hindi Junior High School) integrated the film JAL with their lesson plan.

Second runners up,  Chanchal Maity and Alok Bhumi of Krishnanagar Jatindra Kiran High School, Bankura, were awarded  for their lesson plan on Saving Water using DGWT for Soc Science.

Suraj Rautia of Pana Forest Basti Primary School and Raju Dey from Swarna Prathamik Vidyalaya of Mendabari Tea Estate, topped the primary school teachers category.