Closing the educational gap for first generation learners: an exploratory study of interactive learning for underprivileged children in India

Swaralipi Roy Chowdhury Samanta; María Victoria Soulé

doi:10.51302/tce.2025.19449

Authors

Swaralipi Roy Chowdhury Samanta Cyprus University of Technology (Limassol, Cyprus) https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8013-7583
María Victoria Soulé Lecturer at the Department of French and European Studies at the University of Cyprus (Nicosia, Cyprus) https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7798-2426

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51302/tce.2025.19449

Keywords:

interactive teaching and learning, interactive learning for primary school, first generation learners, India, disadvantaged classes, equity, interactive technology for learning

Abstract

Previous research studies have indicated that interactive tools where information is presented through computer mediated technology using elements like text, still images, graphics, animation, video, audio, etc., increase student performance as students (men and women) give more attention and enjoy lessons taught with interactive tools. In India, an increasing number of students belonging to disadvantaged classes withdraw from schools due to a lot of contributing factors such as inability to afford education, disinterest of parents, access to transportation, etc. This study, by applying a mix-methods approach, explores the potential of an interactive learning prototype of a website, in increasing engagement, retention and learning level of grade 4 students who are first generation students. In-class observation and semi-structured interviews, tests, and a questionnaire were used as instruments to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 58 participants. Two types of groups, experimental and control, were examined in the Environmental Science and Maths classes. Experimental groups were taught with the website while control groups were taught in a traditional class. Results show the average test scores of experimental groups in both the subjects to be higher than the control groups. Students preferred learning through interactive tools with colourful images and animations.

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Author Biographies

Swaralipi Roy Chowdhury Samanta, Cyprus University of Technology (Limassol, Cyprus)

Máster de Diseño de Interacción en la Universidad Tecnológica de Chipre en cooperación con la Universidad de Tallín (Estonia). Diseñadora e investigadora independiente de experiencias de usuario, especializada en investigación de usuarios, ideación, estructuración de cables, creación de prototipos y pruebas. Interesada en experimentar y encontrar formas de mejorar la experiencia del usuario a través de la investigación y el diseño.

María Victoria Soulé, Lecturer at the Department of French and European Studies at the University of Cyprus (Nicosia, Cyprus)

Licenciatura en Estudios Clásicos en la Universidad de Barcelona (España). Máster en Enseñanza de Español como Lengua Extranjera en la Universidad Complutense de Madrid (España). Máster en Lingüística Aplicada del Español y doctora en Lingüística Aplicada (summa cum laude y premio extraordinario de doctorado) de la Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (España). Intereses de investigación: TEL (aprendizaje mejorado por tecnología), plurilingüismo, estudiar en el extranjero e internacionalización en casa. En los últimos años ha participado como investigadora en proyectos financiados por la Unión Europea: DC4LT, DE-TEL, HERO y VALIANT, así como en proyectos financiados a nivel internacional: PAPIME (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) y Language Teaching Research Jeon-ra-buk-do (Departamento de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología de Corea del Sur). Fue miembro del Comité de Gestión (MC) de la acción COST Study Abroad Research in European Perspective: SAREP (2016-2020). Actualmente, miembro del MC, que representa a Chipre en la Red Europea COST Action sobre Movilidad Estudiantil Internacional (ENIS). Dentro de la recién formada alianza de la Universidad Europea de Tecnología (EUt+), es miembro principal del Laboratorio Europeo de Acción Pedagógica-Investigación y Aprendizaje Centrado en el Estudiante (ELaRA), donde se responsabiliza de coordinar, redactar y presentar propuestas financiadas por investigación a programas de la Comisión Europea, como Erasmus+.

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