Pragya at Tamil Nadu 2024

This image shows the VE team and all the teachers from across Tamil Nadu, who came to attend the teachers’ training stand together in a group while posing for a photo

Vision Empower (VE) organized the Pragya workshop for Tamil Nadu teachers on November 11 & 12, 2024, at the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD), Chennai. Approved by the Department for Welfare of Differently Abled Persons, the workshop brought together 15 teachers from nine special schools for the blind. The focus was on strategies for supporting visually impaired students in computational thinking (CT), digital literacy, tactile creation, and STEM education.
Day 1 began with an inauguration followed by CT games designed to enhance problem-solving and critical thinking. Activities included data identification, multiplication games, and creating combinations. Teachers were then introduced to Subodha’s WhatsApp-integrated forum for enhanced communication, and Vision Empower’s digital literacy modules, which help visually impaired students navigate digital tools.

Day 2 emphasized tactile creation, where teachers worked on making tactile resources to aid in abstract learning. They also participated in STEM activities, including math sessions on fractions and science experiments on topics like evaporation and simple circuits. B.Ed. students from NIEPVD observed the tactile resources in use, gaining valuable insights.

The workshop concluded with demonstrations of assistive devices like Hexis and IRIS, designed to support navigation and diagram comprehension for visually impaired students. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many eager to apply the new tools and strategies in their classrooms. The Pragya workshop successfully equipped teachers with innovative methods to enhance education for visually impaired students.