Vividha conducted STEM training for teachers of children with visual impairment, in partnership with Benetech and Sri Saradha Math, funded by MJunction, at Sri Sarada Math, Kolkata. The participants were teachers from Ek Kadam Aur- Kolkata, Sri Sarada Math- Kolkata, Amar Jyothi- Jharkhand, Moran -Dibrugardh and Benetech India. It was a three-day training conducted from January 20th to 22nd, to effectively equip teachers with the necessary skills to teach STEM to students with visual impairment. The training focused on teaching methodology for Science and Math on selected topics with hands-on activities involving multisensory experiences. The 12 trained teachers, in turn, demonstrated the methodology/ activity learnt with the visually impaired students from Sri Sarada Math.
Vividha conducted Orientation and Mobility (O & M) training for the trainers of persons with visual impairment, in partnership with Benetech and Sri Saradha Math, funded by MJunction, at Sri Sarada Math, Kolkata. The training was facilitated highlighting the importance of independent living skills in persons with visual impairment. The trainers and students were taught to move safely, and efficiently through various environmental conditions and situations.
9 trainers from Sri Sarada Math-Kolkata, Amar Jyothi-Jharkhand, Moran-Dibrugardh, Assam and Benetech India participated in this 5-day practical training between January 20 and 24, 2025. The trainers further implemented their learning with students of Sri Sarada Math in live locations such as library, metro-station, escalator, bus, and vegetable market. Through the training, the trainers & students built clarity in the need for orientation, mapping, travel techniques, communication, personal safety and advocacy.
The training session was organized by Matruchhaya for 24 educators from various schools for the blind across Karnataka and visually impaired (VI) students. Vividha was invited to facilitate this session to provide hands-on STEM experiences, to improve teaching methods and student engagement. Activities covered key topics in Mathematics (e.g., fractions) and Science (e.g., speed, distance, and electric circuits).
After the first day of teacher training sessions, team-based discussions on implementing these activities in the classroom were initiated. On the second day, teachers applied their learning by facilitating the topics with VI students of KWAB school.
To increase the STEM quotient among the the Vl community and to advocate the public about the STEM abilities of those with visual impairment, Vividha conducts Curious Minds annually. The 7th edition of the same was held on November 25th and 26th this year at the National Association for the Blind, Karnataka campus. The Event was done in collaboration with See-A-million and National Association for the Blind, Karnataka.
Teachers training – Prayogalaya in Science and Math
When the passion in the teacher’s heart ignites the students’ minds, STEM learning happens holistically. Prayogalaya was an effort towards making the teachers enthusiastic and curious through hands-on experimentation. The 35 teachers from various organizations across India, who attended the workshop were exposed to 42 science and 36 math experiments and activities. The materials were all organized, lab instructors were provided, and the audio described videos were in place, for them to perform the experiments.
This had many zones, all focused on how a person with Visual Impairment can experience and understand STEM.
About 45 students with visual impairment performed STEM activities covering over 60 experiments and activities. 15 organizations other than Vividha participated.
Student volunteers from a mainstream school were trained to demonstrate and make audience experience accessible to STEM.
Accessible DIY’s and games were part of this.
7 organizations that support STEM learning were invited to show their solutions.
Vividha, a knowledge partner in orientation and mobility training designed and conducted a session to the ToT participants at Enable India. About 17 candidates including those with total blindness and low vision were first trained at their own orientation and mobility skills and then a chosen few were trained to be the trainers. The curriculum, and best practices were shared.
The workshop’s primary goal was to equip teachers with innovative and practical teaching strategies tailored for visually impaired students. it focused in fostering interactive learning techniques and addressing the specific challenges faced by blind students. 20 teachers from various schools for the blind across Karnataka were taken through story building activity in English, exploring fractions in Math and understanding compass directions in Social Studies.