Chennai: Teachers of Classes XI and XII at govt and aided schools were recently trained to use AI and information and communication technology (ICT) tools. The training involved running laboratory experiment simulations, generating higher-order thinking skill-based questions, and conducting quizzes.
As a first step towards this initiative, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) held a training session for around 90 resource persons in the city. These trainers travelled to schools and trained PG teachers (those teaching Classes XI and XII).
The key tools include ‘Physics AI tools’, which help design lab experiments and simulations for science subjects, enabling students to access experiments from smartboards in classrooms without going to laboratories. Gimkit, another application, allows teachers to create quizzes, generate questions for students, design fun games and help them review answers.
Adobe Express and Gemini Notebook will help teachers create digital notebook repositories. “Prompt engineering is being taught to help teachers use free-to-use large language models easily. The idea is to use smartboards in classrooms to the fullest without coding,” Srinivasan, a resource person, said.
Nearly 6,500 PG teachers in the city will benefit. “This is only the first phase of the initiative, launched in Chennai. We plan on taking it to other districts as well,” SCERT joint director C Amuthavalli said.
Officials from the school education dept said the primary focus was on PG teachers, as teachers of Classes VI-IX were already incorporating AI and ICT into curriculum. “Under the TNSpark scheme (launched in 2024), more than 5,000 govt and aided schools have received books to incorporate AI tools into learning,” an official said.
