The Connected Classrooms Project (TCCP)

The Connected Classrooms Project (TCCP) emerged from a leadership seminar (South Asia Ventures – SAV) in Mumbai in 2018 where we discussed about bringing together students from the South East Asian region by connecting classroom learning, via the use of technology. At Triyog our collective passion of approaching learning in an integrated manner also fueled necessary structure to make this project take shape.

The Connected Classrooms Project (TCCP) with Caribbean School, Lalitpur, Nepal

We started a small pilot in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2018, where students and teachers from two schools worked on the theme ‘Plants Around Us’. This theme gave students a glimpse of the community around the school. In the long run, our dream is to achieve a sense of regional understanding (geography and community) through plants that grow around schools. This project also required teachers to share teaching-learning practices and conduct joint experiential learning trips (possible only with schools that are in the same city/town). The students and teachers were also linked digitally to share findings and for reflection on the theme at the ‘Exit Point’

Timeline of collaboration between Triyog High School and Caribbean School:

• July 5, 2018: Junior and Middle School In-charges from Triyog visited Caribbean School to initiate dialogue and orient the management and teachers from Caribbean about TCCP.
• July 12, 2018: Follow –up meeting about TCCP took place at Triyog. Decisions made in the meeting :
• Both the schools agreed on collaboration
• Date for starting the TCCP was finalized for July 23, 2018
• Theme selected – “Plants Around Us.’
• Common lesson plan were designed by July 27, 2018
• Lesson plan implemented from July 29, 2018
• Joint field trip to Godavari Botanical Garden conducted
• July 26, 2018: Science teachers of grade IV along with the Academic In-charge from Triyog visited Caribbean School, where discussions on formulating a common lesson plan , and activities were designed. Observation sheet and dates for conducting joint field trip was discussed.
• July 30, 2018: Joint field trip was conducted where Godavari Botanical Garden. Students from Triyog and Caribbean were paired in groups for a day of learning and observation.

 

• August 2, 2018: Students from Triyog interacted with the school gardener where they got to know the about the plants inside the school compound and about their benefit.
• August 3, 2018: Students from both the schools visited nurseries situated in their respective communities.
• August 10, 2018: Trial test for video conferencing conducted.
• August 14, 2018 – Exchange of learning through Video Conferencing took place.
• September 3, 2018 – Exit Point presentation by students of THS and Caribbean School at Triyog High School premises.

The Connected Classrooms Project (TCCP) with SNEH Foundation, Pune, India

First discussion about running TCCP with SNEH Foundation materialized on December 25, 2018. We had a voice call with Shraddha Deo – Founder at SNEH, over Whatsapp.  After the formation of a whatsapp group to facilitate communication was completed, we selected the following students from Grade 6 to carry on the project:

1. Bishista Wagle
2. Roshan Poudyal
3. Anjolee Thapa
4. Grishma Rana
5. Sarweshwari Rana
6. Shaswat Timilsana
7. Tushar Aidi
8. Aaditya Pyakurel
9. Anuska Acharya
10. Bisista Adhikari

We had our first Skype connection on February 19, 2019 after school, in the junior computer lab.

The students had the following activities in the first connection:

1. They introduced themselves to each other.
2. They asked about their likes and hobbies.
3. They talked about what they know about each other’s country.
4. They shared how they spend their day in school.
5. They asked if the other side would like to know more about anything from their country. They exchanged a few topics and decided that they would share information in the next meeting.

The students from India wanted to know more about the following:

1. Arun Valley
2. Tilicho Lake
3. Mount Everest
4. Himalayan Range in Nepal
5. Lumbini
6. Swayumbhunath
7. World Heritage Sites in Nepal
8. Dhapasi ( the place where most of the participants from Triyog live)

The students of Triyog divided responsibilities of collecting information on these topics.

However, we could not have another session soon because of our Final Examination. When our exams were over, we had a session break. After we reopened school in April 2019, the students at SNEH Foundation, went on a long vacation and we have not been able to connect till the third week of June. We hope to reconnect and start sharing sessions in July/August.

The Connected Classrooms Project (TCCP) with schools within Nepal

The Connected Classrooms Project is also expanding nationally to different regions in Nepal. As part of this inter-disciplinary project between the students and teachers, we have started implementing the TCCP program in Matribhumi High School, In Synagja District and in Kalo Khola School in Motipur, Dang District, from 20 August. Both schools are in Nepal. Based on specific themes the students will get a glimpse of the community around their schools that will amplify curricular learning. This project requires teachers and school managers to share teaching-learning practices, develop joint lesson plans, and conduct experiential learning trips. We are connecting students of the middle school with these projects, to share findings and experiences during this exchange. The TCCP project will stand out as a first step towards remote learning and a meaningful transfer of knowledge between two legacy educational institutions. Later, we will also take steps in implementing an educational exchange program where students of all three schools will travel to each other’s communities, spend at least two days in learning about culture, lifestyle, and livelihood, and bring those experiences back in documented form.

The Connected Classrooms Project (TCCP) with schools in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Roshan Samarawickrama (Sri Lanka) and Mohammed Sayem (Bangladesh), both SAV 2018 participants, will be contacted soon to increase the regional footprint and connectivity of classrooms through TCCP. We hope to build firmer bridges of collaboration of Nepali students and teachers with students and teachers from the two countries.