The document summarizes Sridhar Rajagopalan's presentation on solving India's education problem at scale. It outlines the problem of low learning levels in government schools that were initially denied. It then discusses the strategy adopted to identify and deeply understand the problem through research before devising a multi-pronged solution involving learning solutions, teacher support, policy changes, and supporting the education ecosystem through partnerships.

1. Solving India’s Education
Problem at Scale
Sridhar Rajagopalan
Design and Education Conference | February 2010

2. The Problem we saw (2001) – then denied by most
Extremely low levels
of learning in our
government schools
50% of class 4 students wrote 26 on top when asked to
subtract 26 from 51. Only 25% answered correctly.
Narrow Focus on Rote
In private
Learning in Private schools, student score
marks and join good
schools colleges, but with low
levels of genuine
understanding
Yet, these problems were denied.

3. The Strategy Adopted
Identify the Problem and Make it Visible
(since the problem was not even being accepted
by stakeholders)
Understand & Diagnose the Problem Deeply
(a systematic approach is more likely to lead to
possible solutions)
Try and Devise a Multi-Pronged Solution
(complex problems have to be tackled at multiple
fronts)

4. Making the Problem Visible
Educational Initiatives 4

5. Making the Are our top schools really
Problem
helping children learn
Visible –
India Today well?
cover
This study brought the issue of Rote
story, 2006
Learning clearly in the National
Agenda and many steps were
initiated at the level of schools and
also at the Board / government level.

6. Step 2: Understandalways a beautiful
There is and Diagnose the
answer to who asks a more
Problem in Depth
beautiful question.

7. A common
Misconception
Why does the
problem
arise?

8. Click to edit Master title style
A not-so-carefully developed ‘animation’
• Click to edit Master text styles
– Second level
• Third level
Simply –using
Fourth level
Technology level
» Fifth
is not the
solution –
can we see
why?
2/17/2011 10

9. There is always a beautiful
Step 3: Devise Multi-pronged Solutions
answer to who asks a more
beautiful question.

10. Multi-pronged Solutions
Devising Learning Solutions
(research-based solutions to thousands of
granular learning ‘misconceptions’)
Teacher Support
(Through resources and physical visits, etc.)
Policy-level Changes
(Board Exam Reform, eg. in Gujarat)
Supporting the Eco-system (partnerships)
Science of Learning

11. Multi-pronged Solutions
Devising Learning Solutions
A
pedagogically
more sound
exercise that
illustrates the
key concept of
‘angle as a
turn’

12. Multi-pronged Solutions
Devising Learning Solutions
A
pedagogically
more sound
exercise that
illustrates the
key concept of
measurement

13. Multi-pronged Solutions
Teacher Support
Teacher
Support
through
Resources

14. Multi-pronged Solutions
Teacher Support
Teacher
Support
through
Physical
Visits, etc.

15. Science of Learning
Understanding How Children Learn
Lists of Student Misconceptions
Inter-disciplinary field
Like a BA in Economics, students
can gain a BA in SoL (?)
Science of Learning Centre
Strong Focus Research and Training

16. Multi-pronged Solutions
Devising Learning Solutions
(research-based solutions to thousands of
granular learning ‘misconceptions’)
Teacher Support
(Through resources and physical visits, etc.)
Policy-level Changes
Together (Board Exam Reform, eg. in Gujarat)
creating a
world where
every child is Supporting the Eco-system (partnerships)
Learning with
Understanding Science of Learning

17. Thank You
Educational Initiatives
613-615, J.B.
Towers, Opp.Doordarshan, Drive-
In Road,
Ahmedabad 380054. Gujarat.
INDIA.
Phone: +91-79-40269696.
Fax: +91-79-26841400
www.ei-india.com