Technology Enabled Academic Learning (TEAL)
DIL’s latest innovation, TEAL, uses video to give ballast to core subject instruction in the classroom. It’s been piloted with 407 Grade 6 students with great success, and will be rolled out for Grade 7 students in the fall of 2020.
As shown in this brochure, the main purpose of TEAL is to enable students to construct their own understanding of a concept through a combination of video, student-centered learning activities, and assessments. It has recast the way teachers teach and students learn by shifting (a) the teacher’s function from direct instruction to guiding student progress, and (b) the students from passive to active learners.
As newly learned concepts constellate in students’ minds, teachers use scripted, activity-based lesson plans to support students in creatively applying those concepts. Here’s how it works:
- Teachers introduce a lesson objective
- Teachers gauge each student’s prior knowledge of the subject, then conduct a formal pre-lesson assessment
- Students view a video lesson presented on LED screen
- Teachers assign individual and group learning activities so students can creatively apply the new concept(s) learned
- Students take a quick formative assessment, receiving immediate feedback on their mastery of the lesson
- Lastly, teachers receive a simple assessment report that shapes their strategy for ensuring that every child is learning.
The above graph shows the cumulative progress of 407 Grade 6 students in their second term (November 2018 ~ February 2019). Each student completed 105 TEAL lessons in mathematics, science, English, and Urdu.
WHY IS DIL DIFFERENT?
Focus on Girls:
Over 67% of DIL’s student population is female. The national literacy rate for women in Pakistan stands at 38%.
Addressing the Needs of Rural Educators and Students
Close to 70% of Pakistan’s population resides in resource-deficit rural areas.
Child-centered education emphasizes creativity and critical thinking skills. DIL’s approach results in improved student retention and learning outcomes.
Activity-Based Lesson Plans:
In this inquiry-based approach, students develop knowledge and understanding through learning activities.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
The key to the success of DIL’s projects is a robust monitoring framework and complete financial transparency.