In an effort to spark interest in science and mathematics among school children, the Center for Creative Learning (CCL), IIT Gandhinagar, in collaboration with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), has launched an innovative educational initiative across municipal schools. The programme aims to turn school spaces into learning tools while introducing students to concepts of time, mathematics, and computational thinking.
As part of the initiative, a large-scale sundial has been installed at Anupam Primary School No. 2 in Thaltej. Constructed using a recycled tyre, the sundial features 12 tiles representing the 12 months of the year, allowing students to understand time by observing the shadow they cast while standing on the tiles.
The installation witnessed active participation from the entire school community, including the principal, teachers, and students. Along with the outdoor exhibit, students also created paper sundials, explored the geometry involved in measuring time, and learned about the contributions of Indian mathematicians such as Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, and Varahamihira.
A similar activity was carried out at another municipal school in Asarva, where students were introduced to computational thinking through an interactive exercise. In this activity, students enter a network in random order and exit in a sorted sequence, helping them understand how computers organise and manage data. In addition, logic-based puzzles created by students have been painted within school premises and are changed every week to encourage algorithmic thinking through outdoor play.
Mr Chirag Joshi, Principal of Anupam Primary School No. 2, said the initiative focuses on actively engaging children in the learning process. He noted that students and teachers jointly painted the recycled tyre used as the sundial’s dial, making the experience both educational and participatory.
Praising the initiative, Mr Lagdhir Desai, Administrative Officer, AMC, said the work done by the Center for Creative Learning, IIT Gandhinagar, has made STEM education more engaging at the grassroots level. He added that the programme is being extended to all 453 AMC schools, helping students develop out-of-the-box thinking.
The initiative is part of a year-long project under which the Center for Creative Learning, IIT Gandhinagar, is working with AMC to reach over 60,000 middle-school students across 453 municipal schools. The programme includes hands-on workshops in each school, weekly online STEM sessions, learning kits, and exposure visits to the IIT Gandhinagar campus.
