Design Opportunity for Learning Aid in Multi-grade Schools in Rural India

Abstract

Multigrade schools are schools where students of several grades study in a single class under a single teacher concurrently. This paper is a small attempt to find design opportunities to improve formal learning in such schools. User studies were conducted in five schools in rural Gujarat to identify challenges and opportunities in such schools. Analysis of such studies surfaced circumstances ranging from class combination and spatial movements of students, to unavailability of teachers, and less instruction time. These gave insights regarding students' behavior in groups, spatial arrangements, importance of tangible artifacts, and interaction among peers. The paper discusses design opportunities especially from the point of view of HCI community. It throws light upon insights, design implications, and in few cases design ideas.