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Kesav V. Nori Chief Information Officer Tata Consultancy Services

Adult Illiteracy A systemic approach to address an endemic problem through effective use of Information Technology. Kesav V. Nori Chief Information Officer Tata Consultancy Services. Literacy Rates in India. Literacy in India: Some Statistics Data Source: 1991 & 2001 Census.

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Kesav V. Nori Chief Information Officer Tata Consultancy Services

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  1. Adult IlliteracyA systemic approach to address an endemic problem through effective use of Information Technology Kesav V. Nori Chief Information Officer Tata Consultancy Services

  2. Literacy Rates in India Literacy in India: Some StatisticsData Source: 1991 & 2001 Census • Reading and writing in an Indian Language • Read at the rate of 30 words a minute • 13.2% improvement over a decade • Over 300 Million illiterates • Between 150 and 200 Million adult illiterates

  3. Functional literacy National Literacy Mission Has the best researched material available in printed form Is available in every Indian Language Needs capable trained teachers deliver instruction by conventional methods Attends to the 3 Rs and uses themes to enhance social awareness Has a consistent underlying philosophy Government has infrastructure to reach all of India

  4. Functional literacy National Literacy Mission Good and dedicated teachers are in short supply The teaching program takes long to administer, over 200 hours of instruction The expectation is that it could take another fifteen to twenty years to wipe it out Due to the duration of the program the chances of drop outs is high The focus is on achieving literacy levels as specified by WHO The progress is slower than desirable

  5. Community Initiatives in the Area of eradicating Adult Illiteracy

  6. Some personal motivations for literacy … we have to sign when we accept money … sometimes we are asked to sign on a blank paper … now I read before committing anything … I can even read movie titles on TV ... … I did not know how to help my children in their studies … I had to seek help in getting directions to get about … now I check their reports, and refuse to sign on them if they are not doing well ...

  7. Some personal motivations for literacy Migrant 1: I do not know how to read (said in Hindi) … it will be good for me to read (said in Telugu) … Migrant 2: I am a Tamilian. I want to learn to read and write in Telugu

  8. Prerak on the use of computers Computers have helped … needed individual training earlier, can teach a roomfull now … classes are shorter … more people are coming … they are interested I am a prerak. I have been working since ‘95.

  9. Experienced student can teach! I have learned to operate the computer … when the prerak is not here, I can run the class … it does not matter how many there are in the class … we can help ourselves ...

  10. Functional literacy Functional literacy Do we have a role to play? Adopt Systems Approach and Concurrent Engineering Methodology Apply IT skills in applications of relevance and concern Information Technology Multimedia based support for training in all Indian Languages is possible IT is a medium whose applications are only limited by our imagination A concern as widely scoped as Adult Illiteracy needs systemic solutions IT can be used to monitor administration and management logistics

  11. Functional literacy Do we have a role to play? Of the 3 Rs, reading is most important Exploit innate intelligence and cognitive capability Adapting from the National Literacy Mission Material Deriving advantage from phonetic nature of Indian language scripts Reinforce trainers through multiple aids Need to relate spoken word to graphic written form

  12. Functional literacy A Cognitive Approach Adults know the sounds of words and the things they denote in the real world They need to connect between the spoken sound and the written graphics The alphabet is an end to the means of coping with unending variety Words are then divided into syllables which are spoken and written as a whole Their cognitive abilities can be drawn upon to first recognize the written form of the word From syllables we proceed to phonemes and then to the alphabet

  13. Functional literacy A Possible Solution Use the material produced by the National Literacy Mission Organize for teaching reading skills first through cognition of written words, syllables and letters Do necessary technology development to simplify coping with variety in Indian Languages Prepare and debug the computer based material through field trials, for each Indian Language Develop technological aids to facilitate connectedness for support, monitoring and control Develop Portals and explore WLL technology

  14. + + + + Play with word, script and sound in Telugu Telugu CBT for Lesson 1

  15. Classwork

  16. Experiments with Telugu in Andhra Pradesh in Medak and Guntur Districts • Tried in over 80 centres • Over a 1000 adults trained • Participation by TCS, NLM, Government, Andhra Mahila Sabha, District, Mandal and Panchayat bodies • Telugu lessons have been through 4 revisions • Experimentation with Cable TV for delivery 70% success* Power problems Equipment problems Need for monitoring progress Need for a project office Need for networking Need for automation in rendering lessons *computers as surrogate trainers mitigates the need for a large number of trained and experienced teachers

  17. The size of the problem in Andhra Pradesh ~ a tenth of the Indian problem • 15-20 students a class • 3 days a week • 1.5 - 2 hours a day • 2 batches a day • 4 batches a week • 8 - 10 week course • 60-80 students a term • 6 terms a year • 360-480 students p.a. 20,000 habitations 20,000 classroom sites 20,000 computers * minimum 5 million students p.a. ~15 -20 million students in 3-5 years *computers as surrogate teachers mitigates the need for a large number of trained and experienced teachers

  18. Standalone computers: 486s* Wireless local loops: the last mile problem* Reaching the needy Cable television and set top boxes* Digital broadcast * two way interaction facilitated

  19. Training material in every language • Donation of computers • Donation of UPS • Donation of ancillaries • Donation of supplementary material • Communications infrastructure • Training the teachers and trainers • NGOs • Social service bodies • College students • National Literacy Mission • Sustained project management Logistics of delivery

  20. Acknowledgments Idea: Mr. F.C. Kohli Direction: Prof. P. N. Murthy Field Work: Dr. S Ganesh Production: Dr. M.V. Anathakrishnan Project Management: Maj. Gen. Shively Technology R&D: K.V. Nori

  21. Thank You

  22. Early performance

  23. Performance at the end of the course

  24. Some can write!

  25. graphics engine wallpaper performance monitor story board speech analysis engine multimedia engine letters and sounds lesson scripts rule based reasoning case based reasoning speech synthesis engine computer based learning environment

  26. sex logistics group nation site state demographics management course district lesson mandal language NGOs trusts trainer training agencies course ware businesses FAQs government corporations help desk portal for adult literacy services

  27. literacy training site wireless local loop technology literacy training site literacy training site literacy training site literacy training site Networking needs internet rural exchanges

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