The Science Education group at TIFR Hyderabad, led by Prof. Jayashree Ramadas, undertook an outreach initiative called ‘Deep Learning’ with schools of the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS). It began in 2017 with visits of TIFRH students to a few neighbouring TSWREIS schools to conduct teaching sessions aimed at supporting meaningful, laboratory-based science learning. During 2017-19, volunteers from TIFRH and University of Hyderabad visited the schools regularly on weekends. Through the teaching sessions, they assessed gaps in students’ understanding and addressed these through examples, demonstrations and arguments. Some sessions were conducted in the science labs so that students experience hands-on, experimental science.
As part of the Deep Learning initiative, low-cost paper microscopes called “Foldscopes” were introduced in a few TSWREIS schools on a pilot basis. Reports of the foldscope initiative are here. Some of the curriculum-based microscopy activities and project ideas for students are here. Independent foldscope work done by the TSWREIS teachers and students is uploaded by them here.