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We live in the information age. The new media has revolutionized
the way information is available and accessed. Increasingly, CD
ROMs and the World Wide Web are becoming an important and
indispensable reference resource for students and teachers. More
so, they provide the opportunity to enrich textbook learning and
open up windows to a larger canvas of environment.
Todey, in some parts of the world, even the definition of literacy
has expanded from traditional notions of reading and writing to
include ability to learn, comprelend, and interact with technology
in a meaningful way. A lot of schools now have computers. Often
these are seen almost as an end in themselves. They are viewed
as valuable assets and are guarded as such rather than as tools
to support and enable the teaching learning process. Students,
and even teachers, are not allowed free access to explore and
discover the potential of the tool, and resources it offers.
Teachers and schools have an important role to play in introducing
students to use such technologies which offer self learning
resources.
Where there is internet accessibility, the skills required go beyond
that of handling the hardware, to one of managing information.
There is an overload of information on the web. Teachers need to
intelligently complement and supplement these new resources
in transacting the curriculum. It is often difficult to identify
information that is correct, relevant, current, and presented
without any bias. It is important for the teacher to choose and
sieve relevant information on the web and use it effectively.
Utmost care is required while introducing children to resources
on the web.
KidsRgreen (kRg) is an innovative and interactive environmental
education web-based as well as outreach programme that
harnesses new media to motivate, facilitate and support learning.
It uses the strength of the World Wide Web to take children beyond
classroom and textbooks and encourage independent learning,
while also providing teachers and parents with a structured yet
flexible educational resource.
Vision
kidsRgreen envisions the optimum use of the internet
medium for disseminating information and knowledge,
enhancing skills, fostering appropriate attitudes and values,
and sharing action ideas and initiatives—all of which are
critical and integral to Environmental Education (EE)
and teaching and learning for Sustainable Development.
The programme currently consists of the website www.
kidsrgreen.org. The programme is strengthened through face-toface
interactions with students and teachers, and by promoting
the use of this children’s website through linkages with the print
media. For example for over the past one year, there has been a
monthly column in the Young World supplement of the newspaper
Hindu, which links to the theme for the month on the website.
Website
The website www.kidsrgreen.org is a web-magazine for children
of 8 years and above. It is equally a resource for teachers
and parents to facilitate teaching and learning about the
environment. The site is designed as an interactive e-magazine
with a new issue every month. The content for the monthly
issues focuses on issues of current significance and importance.
Games and activities are planned so as to harness the potential
of interactivity that the web medium offers, and thereby pass on
messages of environmental significance.
Through its in-depth lead feature, games that are entwined
with environmental messages, hands-on activity ideas that can
be carried out individually or in a cooperative situation, and
an environmental calendar which gives ideas to observe days
of environmental significance the site encourages and fosters
the spirit of enquiry and active learning.The relevance and
usefulness of such a website is reinforced in the light of India’s
New Curriculum Framework and the national imperative to infuse
environmental perspective to all syllabi, as well as the demand
for “green” activity and project ideas.
KidsRGreen
Each issue has a variety of regular features.
Spaceship Earth is the lead feature of the magazine. Each issue
talks about an interesting aspect of our planet earth. Key points
supported by illustrations help to explore different environments,
plant and animal life, and learn about systems that support the
rich life on earth.
The theme for 2008 is Climate Change. Every month introduces
a different facet of the impact of Climate Change on planet
Earth.
Let’s Do It! gives simple do-it yourself activity ideas.
Children can do them on their own, or with friends. The
hands on activities can help in developing skills, as well
as support and strengthen conceptual understanding.
For many children ‘games’ are a major attraction of computers.
In Green Games, children can “logon” and play games that not
just challenge skills and abilities but set one thinking, and convey
an environmental message too.
Celebrate a Day has a calendar of environmentally significant
days, giving a brief background of why the day is observed, the
theme for the day, and ideas to mark the day at school, in the
neighbourhood and with family and friends.
Terrific Resources for Environmental Education (TREE) reviews
and suggests interesting books in Bookworm and websites in
Green Links.
kRg Club is a forum where children can share poems, paintings
and thoughts on environment. It is a place for children to know
what others are to improve the thinking and doing environment.
Green Gifts has attractive downloadable offers. Users can select
designs for Screensavers, personalized stationery like letterheads,
visiting cards, and bookmarks.
kRg Goes to School
The kidsrgreen initiative includes an outreach component in the
form of workshops with schools—for children and teachers. The
objective of the workshops is to orient teachers to effectively
using websites as resources to support curricular, co-curricular
and extra curricular activities, as well as to encourage students
to see how ICT can help in adding value to learning (providing
easy to understand facts and information, project and activity
ideas etc.), and getting their feedback on the website.
Websites are a rich educational resource. The key to using them
effectively is to understand their potential as a pedagogical
tool.
Recognition
In early 2008 the website www.kidsrgreen.org, was selected
to be a finalist for the Stockholm Challenge Award 2008 in the
category of Environment. The Stockholm Challenge is an ICT for
development programme of the Royal Institute of Technology
(KTH), Sweden. It is a pioneer among ICT awards and networking
organisations showcasing best ICT examples for people and
society. The Challenge is announced every two years. Great efforts
are put into the search for excellent examples of information
and communication technologies that show convincing benefits
to people and communities, wide impact and proofs of future
sustainability.
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| ‘Developed by Rajeswari Namagiri’, CEE |
Those who entered their projects for the award had to furnish
elaborate details like role of ICT in achieving organizational
objectives, empowerment of target groups and identifying user
needs. The project had to clearly demonstrate social impacts and
sustainability. Three mandatory referees had to be nominated by
each entry. The referees had to independently review the entry
and confirm its accuracy and fairness.
This year the award jury studied 400 projects and selected
145 finalists, spread over the six Award categories; Culture,
Economic Development, Education, Environment, Health and
Public Administration. The Environment category had 22 entries,
and 10 of them including kRg made it to the finals.
All the 145 finalists came together for a series of events at
the Stockholm Challenge Week in May 2008, in Kista north of
Stockholm city. The Event included six parallel workshops spread
over the six Stockholm Challenge Award categories: Culture,
Economic Development, Education, Environment, Health and
Public Administration. Each workshop discussed the challenges
faced, the impacts, and partnerships across disciplines in their
content areas. Each workshop was facilitated by one of the
internationally renowned members of the jury that had selected
the finalists. The key observations and recommendations from
the workshops were shared with all the participants through
panel discussions on the next day.
While the existence of the ‘digital divide’ is a reality in many
parts of the world, the Stockholm Event provided an opportunity
to learn and share about the many innovative applications of
ICT for Development in areas ranging from Health to Public
Administration.
Looking ahead
The first issue of kRg was launched on 22 April 2000.
The e-magazine has been regularly updated since then.
Over the years new ideas, formats and updated and
current contents have kept the website live and relevant.
The website is developed and maintained by the Children’s
Media Unit of CEE. Feedback on the site, (especially sharing of
experiences in using the site as an educational resource) as well
as enquiries for kRg workshops are welcome.
Contact: kidsrgreen@ceeindia.org
website: www.kidsrgreen.org
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