The famed National Geographic today launched a special edition of 'Explorer' magazines for schoolchildren to provide educational resources and new learning solutions for teachers as well as students.
The National Geographic Learning's Explorer Education Program was inaugurated by US Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Kathleen Stephens here at the American Centre in the presence of the Vice President and Publisher of National Geographic Learning, Francis Downey.
"National Geographic is known for its magazines, books, and channel. We are now producing educational resources to find new solutions for teachers as well as students. As we know, teachers have to teach more content than ever before and students need to be better prepared than ever before," Downey said.
Explorer magazine can engage students and teach them in greater depth than possible through a textbook. With National Geographic photography and story-telling, the aim is to bring all our sensibilities to education, he added.
Downey said National Geographic Learning is targeting teachers as well as students in both government and private schools in India.
"We have been talking to some of the schools which are serving under-privileged populations and students with special needs and trying to come up with ways of serving them," he said.
The programme includes an accessing content through an interactive application, content on its website, large posters, projectable magazine content, monthly magazines and a teacher's guide. There will be four reading levels and seven issues will be published in a calender year for each level.
About 20 to 199 copies of the Explorer will cost Rs 1,800 per year, between 200 to 499 copies Rs 1,600 and 500 and more copies would cost Rs 1,400 annually.
The application is available for teachers and students across the globe with videos, photography and stories as its content.
"India is one of the first countries we are going to. We are now present in over a dozen countries with English as well as local languages like Arabic in Egypt, Portuguese in Brazil, Polish in Poland... We are looking to come out with more local languages as well.
"In India, our plan would be to come up with a Hindi edition of Explorer and subsequently of other local languages as well," Downey added.
He said the content for Indian students was developed using inputs and constant feedback by local teachers and students.
Speaking on the occasion, Kathleen Stephens said National Geographic has served several generations of Americans before the internet or television. She said that while growing up, she used these magazines to gain access to the outside world.
"You can walk out to any city, town or village in India and you'll find these young people who haven't seen the world and through this magazine they will," she said.
