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3. Project History and Development
Applying Thought in schools was launched in 2002 with the intention of enhancing the
creativity and problem solving skills of school children. The driving force behind this initiative is
Wipro s belief that there is a need to reduce the gap between what is currently provided by existing
teaching techniques, and what is required by today s organisations.
The mission of this initiative is to transform the education system to achieve world-class Quality
of Learning , with two broad aims:
a) to enhance learning and thinking abilities, and
b) to have an
impact on a large number of people. A summary of the programme philosophy is given below;
Learning is not a simple matter of information transmission learning is an active
process in which people construct new understandings through exploration,
experimentation, discussion and reflection.
The most important purpose of school is to help students understand the major
disciplinary ways of thinking scientifically, historically, artistically, ethically and
mathematically.
Every child is intelligent in a multiple way the real purpose of education is to help
young people learn how to create the lives they truly want to create, that is, expand
possibilities for them.
The modern workplace needs people who are rich in skills such as creative thinking, problem
solving, self-motivation, with a strong work ethic and the ability to work in teams. The programme
identified a series of problematic areas within the Indian education system: depth of knowledge,
practical orientation, poor social skills, and students studying to pass exams rather than to learn and
understand different concepts. These deficiencies were blamed on the absence of synergy between
the different participants in the education system.
The rationale for the project descends from the idea of a knowledge economy, in which the
nations with the best thinkers and learners will prosper. People who think and learn are the real
output of a successful, high-quality education system. Despite Wipro s background however, the
programme is not restricted to IT. Instead, it is concerned with how creative thinking and
commitment can make a difference to everyday life.
Acknowledging the profound importance of teachers, the programme s focus is on teacher
empowerment and re-skilling, enabling them to effectively put into action innovative teaching and
assessment methods. It is a long term programme, with training spread over 6 months, interspersed
with classroom based support, and follow-up training to ensure actual practice inside the
classrooms. Schools are charged for participation in the training program though the cost is
heavily subsidised. Wipro is also seeking to create partnerships in Bachelor of Education colleges
as well.
Effective measurement of change in thinking and learning abilities is a challenge to the project.
The Wipro strategy is to not only work at the school level, but to promote change at the national
level in order to make this change sustainable. Working with partners and opinion leaders helps in
the identification of schools that could participate in the project. Such collaboration also improves
the chances of the project impacting national policy.
The programme is based on some fundamental building blocks. These are practical aims or
objectives that shape implementation and are detailed below;
To transform the teacher into a reflective practitioner who is herself a thinker and
4. Implementation
The training programme is implemented through a local NGO called Jagruti. It involves 18 full
days of training for each teacher, spread over a 6 month period. Subsequent to this teachers receive
training modules from expert trainers, 12 days of classroom-based support and group-based
activities. The training is conducted in a manner of styles to ensure it is interactive and effective.
4.1 Progress made
The project has made considerable progress in the last eighteen months. For example,
Over 200 teachers have participated in the workshops, with school-based support to
follow
Wipro is securing support from many partners all over the country, with aims to launch
further teacher-training programmes in new locations
Workshops with parents are due to start in mid-October
A Forum for Quality in Education has been set up by Wipro to encourage opinion
leaders to discuss advocacy
Evidence collected by Wipro details examples of problems which were resolved through the
programme. Using a variety of teaching methods such as brainstorming and project work, for
example, has contributed to student engagement in the classroom as well as the improvement of
teachers skills. Time-management has also improved amongst teachers, which has meant that
administrative work is handled more efficiently and that disruptions do not reduce the effectiveness
of lessons. Techniques, such as circle time, have been introduced to maximise student
participation and contribution to their lessons. Indeed, classroom teaching has also been made more
stimulating through the use of teaching aids. The range of skills taught and tested has been
enhanced through the emphasis on concepts such as summarise, explain, organise, and design. By
adopting these new approaches, the traditional spoon-feeding approach can be replaced by fact-
finding. Teachers have also been given the opportunity to work on concepts which they found
difficult to explain, in order to make them more accessible and understandable by pupils.
4.2. Wipro is approach for learning
The methods used for the training include short lectures (10 minute capsules), small group
discussions, collaborative learning within a group and school based support. The following
describes some of the problems faced by teachers/students and how these were addressed through
Wipro programme:
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