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NIIT has announced a strategic alliance with US-based Key
Curriculum Press Inc., a leading provider of software research
and development for mathematics education, to introduce
'Mathematics Laboratories' in Indian schools.
An MoU to this effect was signed between L Balasubramanian,
president - School Learning Solutions, NIIT, and Steven
Rasmussen, CEO, Key Curriculum Press, in Chennai on November 14,
2007.
'Math Lab' — a novel concept, launched on the
occasion of Children's Day — will enable school students to
learn and explore mathematical concepts and verify mathematical
facts and theorems using technology tools such as "The
Geometer's Sketchpad", together with hands-on activities using a
wide variety of mathematical models. This is a dynamic
construction and exploration tool that spans the mathematical
curriculum and is being made available to Indian schools jointly
by NIIT and Key Curriculum Press.
School curriculum governing body, the
National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT),
through the National Curriculum Framework, has indicated that
mathematics will be treated as a prime focus area in schools,
till 2010, with an emphasis on making the subject more visually
appealing and an enjoyable learning experience for students. In
line with this mission, CBSE, the apex body for secondary
education in schools, has issued directives to all schools
following the CBSE curriculum, to instal a Math Lab for
promoting the subject. Additionally, CBSE has directed that 20
per cent of the marks will be allocated to each student from the
Lab Assessments, towards the final marks.
Announcing the new initiative,
Balasubramanian said, "NIIT is committed to making education
more impactful and interactive, by leveraging IT and ensuring
the world's best tools and resources are made available to
millions of school students. We are pleased to partner with Key
Curriculum Press for this breakthrough initiative that aims at
making the vital subject of mathematics simpler, easier and a
fun way to learn."
NIIT, which offers computer and
computer-aided education to 1.5 million students across over
5,000 schools, will bring its expertise and reach in schools
while Key Curriculum Press will offer its globally popular
proprietary software "The Geometer's Sketchpad" as part of the
active tool in 'Math Lab' through this joint initiative. The
partnership aims at offering this revolutionary learning
solution for the subject of mathematics to students in India.
Steven Rasmussen said,"We are pleased to work
with NIIT to make our technology and materials available to
schools across India. In the 21st century, it is no longer
sufficient for students, whether in India or any other country,
to be proficient in traditional mathematics. Students need to
combine their mathematical knowledge with creativity and
technology skills to become powerful problem solvers... Our
collaboration is designed to help Indian students achieve that
higher goal."
NIIT's 'Math Lab' will offer multiple
teaching and learning aids, comprising technology applications,
videos, manipulatives, measuring instruments, tables and charts,
to schools. Based on the three pillars of 'Imagination,
Investigation and Interaction', NIIT's Math Lab provides an
opportunity to students to understand, internalise, discover and
verify the basic mathematical and geometrical concepts through
concrete objects and situations, thus building interest and
confidence in students learning the subject. The laboratory also
allows and encourages the students to think, discuss amongst
themselves as well as with the teacher and assimilate concepts.
In addition to providing greater scope for
individual participation in the process of learning and becoming
autonomous learners, the Math Lab also enables the teacher to
demonstrate, explain and reinforce abstract mathematical ideas
by using concrete objects, models, charts, graphs, pictures and
posters.
Founded in 1971 by mathematics educators, Key
Curriculum Press is the leading mathematics publisher of
inquiry-based textbooks, dynamic mathematics software and
supplementary materials for middle-school and high-school
students.
Key materials incorporate effective use of
technology with careful concept development and an inquiry-based
approach. Key's award-winning educational software line includes
"The Geometer's Sketchpad", the leading mathematics software in
grades 6 to 12, and two data analysis programs, Fathom Dynamic
Data™ software for students in grade 8 to college and
TinkerPlots™ Dynamic Data Exploration software for students in
grades 4 to 8.
In 1996, Key affiliated with 'Springer', one
of the world's largest and most prestigious scientific
publishers and, later, founded Key College Publishing, a higher
education division that publishes innovative texts and
courseware in undergraduate mathematics, statistics and
mathematics and statistics education.
Key Curriculum Press is a sister concern of
Springer India, which is a part of Springer Science and Business
Media, headquartered in New Delhi. Headed by Sanjiv Goswami as
its managing director, the company is engaged in the publication
of scientific books and journals including electronic versions
and represents Key Curriculum Press in the Indian subcontinent.
R Rangaraj
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