Project Muskaan Video Challenge

The ‘Project Muskaan Video Challenge’ is a national competition for students to create engaging educational videos in local Indian languages. The project was started by TISB Grade 12 students Aditi and Mahika. All students below the age of 18 can submit original videos on English and Maths topics, teaching concepts to grades 6, 7 and 8. In the end, the most popular videos have the opportunity to win prizes ranging up to Rs 7500.

The students we teach have been instrumental in helping us bring ‘Project Muskaan’ to life. They have brainstormed, filmed and re-filmed multiple pilot videos amongst fits of laughter and considerable planning – Aditi, Grade 12

Aditi and Mahika launched ‘Project Muskaan’ in Grade 9, as a result of their first-hand experiences when volunteering as after-school tutors with students from the local Ramagondanahalli and Immadahalli Government schools. Having taught Government school students for three years, Aditi and Mahika have constantly faced the challenge of a language barrier as they themselves do not speak Kannada. Aditi, who is passionate about educating youth from less fortunate backgrounds, adds: “We often find ourselves in doubt. Are our students understanding? Did we say something incorrectly? Teaching science is often difficult, especially when it came to abstract topics like hybridisation”.

Thankfully, they had a secret weapon to help them. The secret weapon’s name is Bhagyashree – a motivated and intelligent student. “We had her repeat what we said in the students’ native language, Kannada”, Aditi explains. That is when Aditi and Mahika realised the power of peer-to-peer learning, where students teach each other and bridge language, age gaps and other barriers. “We found ourselves wondering what would happen if I was to tap into the boundless potential of the Bhagyashrees out there. So, we created Project Muskaan”, Aditi says.

Project Muskaan is a simple idea: a platform in shape of a mobile app that creates a community of learners, who are challenging themselves and others in order to develop and build on their coursework – and at the same time experiencing the bliss of learning. The students participating in the project video themselves, using their own vocabulary and explaining concepts from their own perspectives. The videos are made in the students’ own native languages to transcend language barriers. On the app students can actively interact with each other, asking and answering questions, contributing additional resources and even providing feedback on uploaded videos.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, many students are not able to go to physical school, and risk falling behind on their education. Aditi says, “As the project aims to harness the power of both technology and peer-to-peer learning, it is poised to be a source of real change in context of the pandemic”. As technology and access to internet is becoming increasingly accessible in India, “Project Muskaan will only become more relevant in the future, as more students from underprivileged backgrounds goes online”, Aditi concludes.

The competition ‘Project Muskaan Video Challenge’, is a means to increase the awareness of the project amongst Indian students, and also a further way to generate content for the platform. The competition allows students below the age of 18 to create educational videos, which are posted on YouTube. The videos with the most likes and views, are the winners. The competition is open until October 31st. However, the earlier the participants submit videos, the more likes they can gain, and the higher their chances of winning prizes. Participants in the competition can also become Ambassadors for Project Muskaan, or join the core team.

For more information about the project and the video challenge competition, visit Project Muskaan’s website.