The Tamil Nadu government is training teachers in government high and higher secondary schools to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create digital learning materials, with classroom use expected to begin in November.
The training, organised by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), initially covers postgraduate teachers handling Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Teachers are being trained to develop animated videos, audio recordings, illustrations, songs and interactive puzzles to explain concepts that students may find difficult to understand through textbooks alone. District-level training sessions are expected to conclude by the end of October.
The programme is a shift from the state’s earlier approach of distributing centrally prepared lesson videos to schools. Under the previous system, a state-level team produced videos for individual lessons, which teachers used in classrooms. The new training aims to give teachers the skills to create material suited to their own teaching methods and students’ learning needs.
Teachers are being introduced to tools including Google Vids, NotebookLM, Claude and ChatGPT. By the end of the training, they are expected to create their own AI-assisted video content. The programme is expected to extend to teachers of other subjects in subsequent phases.
Separate AI and ICT training for higher secondary teachers
The latest initiative follows another SCERT programme reported earlier in October, which focused on helping teachers of Classes 11 and 12 in government and government-aided schools use AI and information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching.
That programme included training in virtual laboratory experiments, the creation of questions that test higher-order thinking skills, quizzes and digital learning resources. Around 90 resource persons were trained to take the sessions to schools, with nearly 6,500 postgraduate teachers in Chennai expected to benefit.
The training introduced teachers to Physics AI tools for simulating laboratory experiments, Gimkit for quizzes and interactive games, and Adobe Express and Gemini Notebook for creating digital learning resources.
SCERT joint director C Amuthavalli said the initiative would be extended beyond Chennai. A resource person, Srinivasan, said the training included prompt engineering to help teachers use large language models without needing coding skills.
The two programmes focus on different aspects of classroom technology. One emphasises teachers creating their own videos and other learning materials, while the other covers simulations, assessment tools and digital resources for higher secondary classes.
TN SPARK brings AI and coding to school students
Teacher training is taking place alongside the state’s Tamil Nadu School Programme for AI, Robotics and Knowledge of Online Tools (TN SPARK), which introduces students to emerging technologies.
The programme was launched on a pilot basis in the 2025-26 academic year. Its curriculum covers computer science fundamentals, AI applications, coding, online tools, cybersecurity and digital responsibility. Students are introduced to tools such as Blockly and Scratch, with the curriculum progressing towards Python coding.
The official TN SPARK portal describes the initiative as a programme for Classes 6 to 9 in government schools, with a focus on expanding access to AI education and digital literacy. It also identifies existing high-tech laboratories and smart classrooms as infrastructure for delivering the curriculum.
In July, Tamil Nadu was planning to expand the emerging technologies curriculum to more government schools, beginning with Classes 6 to 8, and develop textbooks for higher classes in subsequent phases. The proposed curriculum includes generative AI, prompt engineering, coding and project-based learning.
Classroom use will depend on access and accuracy
AI-generated videos, illustrations and simulations can help teachers demonstrate scientific processes and explain abstract concepts. But the quality of the material will depend on how teachers use the tools and check their outputs before bringing them into lessons.
The state’s next step will be to move from training sessions to regular classroom use. Access to computers, smartboards and reliable connectivity, along with teachers’ time to prepare and review materials, will influence how widely the approach can be adopted.
The state has not announced a timetable for extending the latest video-creation training to every subject or provided a final count of teachers covered in this phase. For now, the programme is focused on Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, with teachers expected to begin using the materials in classrooms from November.