Atal Innovation Mission
In the year 2018, our school was selected among 14 schools in Kollam district, Kerala for setting up the Atal Tinkering Lab. This led to the creation of an environment of exploration, innovation and creativity in our school and a steady growth of a new generation of thinkers and problem solvers to serve our motherland. Through the ATL, we are actively promoting a future-oriented education by fostering open-ended design-build projects focusing on societal benefit, such as those outlined in UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2020, our school children presented research papers on their innovations in an International conference, FabLearn Asia 2020. The conference was held in Thailand. One team of 9th standard students worked on SDG 3, Good Health and Wellbeing and created biodegradable tensegrities for safely transporting emergency medical supplies using drones for those affected by disasters. A U.S. Patent has been filed (Application no. 16/917,354) and an Indian Patent has also been filed (Application no. 202041018365) for their work. Another team was a 5th standard boy who presented his work on SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation by building a floor cleaning robot using the BBC Micro:Bit. He was one of the youngest makers and tinkerers at the international conference. For our continued focus in promoting innovation and the maker culture, our school received the STAR ATL of the Year Award this year. Also, our ATL Incharge, Ms. Vidya was recognized by AIM as an exemplary Teacher of Change.
In the New Vision for Education: Fostering Social and Emotional Learning Through Technology report, World Economic Forum identified sixteen critical 21st-century skills categorized into three board categories, namely foundational literacies (literacy, numeracy, scientific literacy, ICT literacy, financial literacy, cultural and civic literacy), competencies (critical thinking/problem solving, creativity, communication and collaboration), and character qualities (curiosity, initiative, persistence/grit, adaptability, leadership, social and cultural awareness). This is exactly what we try to promote actively in our school through excellence in core education as well as through the myriad of student led initiatives such as the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL), Amritam club, AYUDH club, disaster management club and the aeroclub. We believe that creativity, invention, and innovation are values that are the central pillars of education today and needs to complement existing pedagogical approaches for Science, Mathematics, and Social sciences. More than ever before, India needs a new generation of thinkers who can solve problems of tomorrow with sensitivity and imagination. In 2018, we established the ATL with the aim of creating an environment in the school that fosters open-ended design-build projects focusing on societal benefit. And through the ATL, we are promoting a future-oriented education on issues of critical importance, such as those outlined in UN SDGs to help children respond to issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and design the future. By cultivating values of nurturing and protection, by teaching children meditation for body and mind control, by helping them learn to give and share, by encouraging children to protect and care for their environment, we believe that we are imparting our children an education for life and not just an education for living.
Our school is in a small village in Kerala called Puthiyakavu near Karunagappalli town. While we are in a remote location, by establishing the Atal Tinkering Lab and by associating ourselves with excellent Mentors of Change, we have been able to put our school on an International map. By focusing equally on imparting an education for a living and an education for life, we believe we have been able to get children to create meaningful social innovations of highest quality.
Bri Sunitha K,
Principal,
Amrita Vidyalayam, Puthiyakavu, Kerala