Virtual Learning Environments

Pallikoodam (epallikoodam.org)

பள்ளிக்கூடம்

Online Learning Platform for Sri Lankan Tamil Speaking Students

Introduction

As the societies evolve into a knowledge society the need for higher and specialized education is increasing. The need for continuous learning, retraining and acquiring of new skills is becoming part of everyday life. Yet, the cost of education is increasing at an alarming rate, higher than food or medical costs. For a vast body of students quality education is simply unavailable and/or unaffordable. This is specially the case for many students from North and East of Sri Lanka, who have been deprived of vital educational resources due to the long civil war. There exist a significant youth population whose education was disrupted and need vocational training. Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) made possible by emerging Internet based educational technologies provide a great cost-effective opportunity to bring quality educational resources to these students and youth.

Education plays a pivotal role in building an egalitarian social order. In order to carry forward our struggles for social justice and democracy, we should ensure that the communities that occupy the margins of our social order--the poor, the working classes, oppressed castes, women, ethnic and religious minorities, to name a few have access to free education. The attempts on the part of the state and global forces to privatize education pose a challenge to the social and economic progress of the weaker sections of our society. At this juncture, we need to think about building alternative educational systems that cater to the educational needs of the marginalized social groups. At the same time, we need to reflect on what constitutes "good education," keeping in mind the role education could play in the development and democratization of society and the state. We need to rescue education from neo-liberal forces that try to reduce it to the acquisition of certain soft skills. The alternative educational systems should empower individuals socially and economically, challenge oppressive ideologies of racism, casteism, classicism and patriarchy, highlight the importance of secularism and democracy and create awareness among the public, at the grass-roots levels, of sustainable development, environmental protection and human rights. "Pallikoodam," an educational initiative of Noolaham Foundation aims at creating an alternative, community-centered educational system among the Tamil speaking communities in Sri Lanka. Students from grades 1 to 13 in the primary and secondary educational systems will be benefited by this program. Even though it operates in parallel to the educational system centered around the schools, one of the central objectives of Pallikoodam is to combine formal education with vocational education and to promote education as a social good that has the potential to transform our lives and attitudes for the better.

With the evolution of society into a knowledge society, the need for higher and specialized education has risen. The need for continuous learning, retraining and acquisition of new skills has become a part of our everyday life. Yet, the cost of education is increasing at an alarming rate, higher than food or medical costs. For a vast body of students quality education is simply unavailable and/or unaffordable. This is specially the case for many Tamil students from the North and East and central hills of Sri Lanka, who have been deprived of vital educational resources due to the long civil war and economic exploitation. There exists a significant youth population whose education was disrupted. These youngsters are at the heart of Pallikoodam.

Pallikoodam aims at supporting the learning and teaching of different core subjects such as mother tongue, mathematics, history, science and technology. In addition, we are also interested in promoting English language and IT skills among the students. The emphasis on the acquisition of English language skills and information technology within the realms of education in the recent years has prevented us from looking at the ways in which education could be deployed to give birth to a progressive social order. On the other hand, we cannot do away with these skills, for they have the potential to bring together different communities divided along lines of language, culture and location easily and sometimes effectively. We need to identify news ways of using these skills to combat exploitative forces without succumbing to the agendas of neo-liberalism. Pallikoodam explores new avenues for teaching and learning these skills while stressing the political goals that the acquisition of these skills have to serve. Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) made possible by emerging Internet based educational technologies provide a great cost-effective opportunity to bring quality educational resources to students and youth. Pallikoodam aims at offering quality education by creating Virtual Learning Environments for Tamil speaking students from the underprivileged regions in Sri Lanka. It helps a student have access to the Internet to proceed his/her studies anywhere and anytime. Environments such as peer-to-peer learning, social learning are included in the evolutionary part of the initiative. Virtual Learning will help those who are in need of self learning and those want to share their knowledge through the Internet.

Objectives

Mision

Combining formal education with alternative forms of education, Pallikoodam aims to create a virtual platform that supports and empowers students at the grass-roots level within the Tamil speaking communities in Sri Lanka and promote education as an avenue to strengthen the democratic foundations of society.

Objectives

• Create open, free, accessible, self-organizing virtual learning environments that could benefit students and educators, especially those from the marginal sections of our communities

• Bring together students and instructors from the different regions to a common virtual space and build communities of learners and teachers

• Encourage learning through discussion, participation and team work

• Stress the importance of vocational education and alternative forms of education alongside formal education

• Highlight the importance of education for the creation of a progressive society

School

Learning and Teaching

This section provides some basic information about the ways in which students and teachers will participate in and contribute to this program and includes an overview of the curriculum and methods of evaluation.

Students

• Tamil speaking students from any part of Sri Lanka can participate in this program.
• Prior training will be given to each student in computer skills with a view to help students acclimate themselves to a virtual learning environment.
• There will be regular one on one conferences between students and teachers in addition to classroom learning.

Teachers

• Teachers will be chosen on the basis of their qualifications, experience and expertise in their fields.
• Teachers will encourage students to participate in discussions and team work in addition to explaining the course materials and evaluating students’ work.
• Special programs will be conducted to train teachers with a view to creating a comprehensive understanding of the philosophy of Pallikoodam.
• Teachers will encourage students to identify independently fields and areas in which they want to pursue their higher studies.

Curriculum

• In addition to the curriculum implemented at the state-run schools in Sri Lanka, new courses in vocational education, language and communication skills and computer skills will be introduced with a view to broadening the idea of education among students.
• The curriculum will help the students engage with the social, economic, political and cultural contexts associated with their own lives in constructive and critical ways.
• New courses will encourage critical thinking, small-scale independent research and promote writing skills among students and bring together theory and practice.
• The curriculum will recognize the importance of peer reviews and class discussions.

Assessment and Evaluation

• Class participation, creating discussion questions and students’ contribution to discussions will account for a significant percentage of the final grade a student obtains in a course.
• Equal importance will be given to the theoretical and practical components of the courses
• Parents will be kept informed regarding the progress of the students.

Clubs and Societies

We are establishing these following clubs and societies.
Environmental, Chess, Astronomy, Science, History, Mathematics, IT, Geography, Sports, Reading, Literature, Debate, Health, Art, Music, Dance, Cinema, Spiritual, Theater, Cooking, Politics, Hobby, Agriculture, Journalism, Human Rights, Drama, Woman Rights, Democracy, Fitness, Law, Leadership, Tourist, Pet, Craft Creating, IQ, Home Gardening, Stamp Collection, Interior design, Story Telling.

Phases

Phase 1

Gathering and Organizing Virtual Educational Resources (Curriculum, Text books, Notes, Assignments/Exercises/Labs, Quizzes/Tests, Teaching guides)

The first phase of the project aims at bringing mostly text based educational resources to an online platform and making them accessible to students. This phase involves an outreach and engagement stage when the students will be informed of the ways in which they could use the resources.

It is vital to have a reference library for any learning environment. Thus, Pallikoodam has decided to create a digital library for VLE. Digital library has to be capable of providing students with the information/references they require in order to pursue their courses. For the students to access the contents easily, the sources included in the library will be cataloged on the basis of grades and subjects. The digital library will consist of publications by the Department of Education, SriLanka such syllabi, teacher's guides, textbooks and model/past exam papers. This digital library could be accessed by all the participants who are online. There are no privileges or restrictions.

In short, the first phase will be implemented at the following stages:

1. Identifying relevant and suitable documents that should be digitized
2. Digitizing the documents identified
3. Mapping digitized documents to the syllabi
4. Identifying available existing electronic materials to supplement student learning
5. Implementing an open digital library using digitized content

Phase 2

Integrating Virtual Learning Management Systems (Courses, Video / Multimedia, Animations, Dynamic tools, Collaboration tools, Assessment, Administration)

The second phase involves building a more comprehensive virtual learning environment or classroom. Students will be able to supplement or completely learn courses online. Video lectures, self – assessment tools, collaboration tools and online based educational tools such as simulations are some key features of such a learning environment.

There are different technologies, methodologies and tools to implement virtual learning environments. But, selecting an appropriate and sustainable way to produce our virtual learning environment is more important to achieve our ultimate goals. A VLE, in general, includes question banks, video lectures, explanations through animations, online testing or experimenting tools. There are no boundaries to confine these tasks, for they evolve by time. Once a new trend or tool is identified, it will be included. We expect that a student should feel a classroom environment virtually.

In short, the second phase will be implemented at the following stages:

1. Identifying teachers and resource people to implement the online learning platform
2. Drafting instructional design for G.C.E O/L and A/L subjects based on the existing content
3. Implementing the Instructional Design on a Learning Management System
4. Introducing the platform to teachers and schools

Phase 3

Social learning systems (Self sustaining co-learning, Collaborating, Co-creating learning communities)

The third phase aims to build a robust self-sustaining online social learning community where student to student, student to teacher, teacher to teacher interactions will happen seamlessly. The diaspora can co-learn and collaborate with students and teachers in Sri Lanka.

A student feels comfortable with his/her learning as it takes place through useful interactions. Peer-to-peer learning and social collaborative learning are an integral part of these environments. Peer-to-peer learning happens through peer evaluation and peer knowledge supporting. This captures a particular area of virtual learning. Obviously, virtual peer-to-peer learning is more efficient as peers are self-motivated. Forums connect students, teachers and scholars at one place to share their knowledge and create an environment where information/knowledge passes through different communities. Learning, in these forums, becomes a collective and collaborative process.

In short, the third phase will be implemented at the following stages:

1. Developing online examinations
2. Developing appropriate interactive learning materials
3. Introducing new learning styles
4. Strengthening student collaboration

Phase 4

Linking Formal Education with Alternative Forms of Education (Clubs and Societies, English and IT Skills, Education of marginalize people, Mobile educational services)

The fourth phase connects the processes of learning and teaching outlined in the earlier phases with the larger social goals of the project. The focus will be on encouraging and guiding students’ collective participation in conversations directly related to their formal education and about the socio-political, economic and cultural issues that are closely linked to their lives and their communities. We anticipate that students’ contribution to the second set of conversations will create in them a comprehensive understanding of the roles education could play in building grass-root level movements for social justice and solidarity. Encouraging the students to explore the ways in which formal education and alternative forms of education could inform each other and strengthen each other, this phase aims at promoting knowledge as a means of empowerment.

The implementation of the fourth phase involves the following:

1. Creating student organizations and associations where students can initiate activities related to their education on their own
2. Organizing competitions and meetings between different groups of students
3. Encouraging students to reflect on contemporary social situations and identify progressive and inclusive alternatives
4. Building co-operation and solidarity among students across regional barriers
5. Developing the computer and English language skills of the students
6. Allocating resources in such a way so that we could support the educational efforts of students from the underprivileged sections of our communities
7. Creating a mobile learning environment and integrating resources available in different locations
8. Exploring special educational opportunities for the less-privileged

Projects

2013

• Initiation of Moodle for Sri Lankan Tamil Speaking Students
• Mathematics and Science Free Seminars to the Ordinary Level Tamil Students of North, East, Central and Uva Province
• Advanced Level Model Examinations for Science and Mathematics Stream 2013

2012

• Digital Library for School Students Pilot Project

Organizations

Resource providers

Organisations helped through providing materials for reference library.

Zonal / Provincial Educational Departments

1. Northern Province Education Department
2. Zonal Education Department, Jaffna zone, Jaffna.
3. Zonal Education Department, Islands zone, Jaffna.
4. Zonal Education Department, Thenmaradchi zone, Jaffna.
5. Zonal Education Department, Valikaamam zone, Jaffna.

Schools

1. Kokuvil Hindu College, Jaffna.
2. Jaffna Hindu College, Jaffna.
3. Vaddu Hindu College, Jaffna.
4. Stanley College, Jaffna.
5. Hartley College, Jaffna.
6. Karaveddy Vickneswara College, Jaffna.
7. Nelliady Central College, Jaffna.
8. St.John's College, Jaffna.
9. Jaffna Central College, Jaffna.
10. T / Koneswara Hindu College, Trincomalee.
11. Badulla Saraswathy National College, Badulla.
12. B / Banderawela Tamil Central College, Badulla.

Organisations in Collaboration

1. Visions Global Empowerment, Los Angeles, USA
2. Tamil Students of Uva Wellasa University

News

• An Introductory Event to Digital Library and E- Pallikoodam Programs (2014.02.23)
• Meeting with Tamil students of Uva-Wellasa University in acknowledging their service to ‘Pallikoodam’ (2014.01.26)
• Introduction of ‘Pallikoodam’ project at ‘Kurinchip Peravai’ event (2014.01.25)
• Meeting with Jaffna students awaiting for the Sri Lankan University Entrance (2013.12.15)
• Meeting with the Tamil students of Uva-Wellasa University (2013.12.15)
• Seminars for GCE (O/L) Students: Pallikoodam Collaborates with the Tamil Students of Uva-Wellassa University (2013.10.10)
• Pre-Examination Seminar In Mathematics & Science For GCE (O/L) Students (2013.09.19)
• Collaboration of ‘VISIONS GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT’ to Pallikoodam (2013.08.05)
• An Introductory Episode on 'Pallikoodam' Project at the 41st Literary Assembly (2013.07.20)
• Volunteers meet to discuss Pallikoodam initiative (09.03.2013)
• Discussion on the Pallikoodam Program (06.03.2013)
• Virtual School (Pallikoodam) Project awareness program at CFCD (12.01.2013)
• Noolaham Foundation has started a project to establish a Virtual School (01.11.2012)

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