In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, digital learning resources are integral to modern education. TicTacLearn (TTL) has emerged as a beacon of innovation and impact, transforming how school students (Grades 1 to 10) in India connect with and absorb educational content. TicTacLearn has been used as a key resource by millions of students, educators and parents since its launch in 2020. This article explores the what, why and the how of TicTacLearn, highlighting its journey so far.
What is TicTacLearn?
TicTacLearn is a digital repository of high-quality, curriculum-aligned educational videos for students in Grades 1 to 10. Focused on subjects like Mathematics and Science, the content is meticulously crafted to align with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), including story-based lessons and concept-based videos. What sets TTL apart is its commitment to deliver content that is not only educational but also engaging and accessible, nurturing a genuine love for learning among students.
TTL’s content is designed to be flexible and adaptable, catering to different learning environments — whether in the classroom, at home, or in a blended learning setup. It prioritises inclusivity by offering content in multiple Indian languages including Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu and Odia, ensuring that majority of school students across India can benefit from these resources regardless of their linguistic background.
Why Does TicTacLearn Matter?
With over 26 crore students enrolled in schools, both government and low-income private institutions, India’s educational ecosystem can be best described as vast and diverse. These students often face challenges such as single-teacher schools, limited resources and a lack of learning support at home. TTL addresses these gaps by offering free, high-quality educational content that is easily accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Hence, it stands out as a digital public good that solves for affordable access to learning resources, especially for students from low-income families.
With an extensive library of over 15,000 videos, the platform has reached over 5 crore students via platforms like YouTube and DIKSHA, becoming an indispensable tool for teachers and students. By enhancing lessons with visually engaging content that improves concept retention, TTL also fosters self-directed learning, allowing students to revisit challenging topics at their own pace.
How Does TicTacLearn Work?
The success of TTL is rooted in a carefully designed content creation and dissemination strategy.
It leverages digital platforms like DIKSHA and YouTube for wider outreach, ensuring that its resources reach as many students as possible. QR codes are embedded into textbooks, allowing students to access relevant digital content effortlessly. A robust learning management system (LMS) supports course delivery and tracking, while automated assessments enhance student performance analysis and grading.
A defining feature of TTL is its commitment to continuous improvement. Feedback from educators, students and other stakeholders helps to refine content, ensuring the videos remain relevant and effective in meeting students’ learning needs.
Performance Highlights
Since its inception in 2019, TicTacLearn has achieved several significant milestones, including:
- Building a comprehensive library of over 15,000 curriculum-aligned videos, making it one of the largest repositories of educational content in India
- Reaching over 5 crore students and accumulating more than 25 crore views across digital platforms
- Partnering with over 11 state education departments and 40 educational organisations, including NGOs, for their programmes
- TTL being used by 8 states for TV telecast via their education channels during COVID-19 and associated school closures
- TTL resources being linked to state and NCERT textbooks via more than 90,000 QR code linkages for ease of access to quality learning content in multiple languages including Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu and Odia
- Receiving 2 YouTube Silver Play Buttons (TicTacLearn Hindi and TicTacLearn Senior – Hindi) for surpassing 1,00,000 subscribers
Supporting Teachers and Enhancing Learning
TTL’s resources are invaluable for teachers, providing a vast library of videos and activities that can supplement lessons, making learning more engaging and effective. The content is aligned with national and state curricula, allowing teachers to confidently integrate these resources into their lesson plans. The TTL LMS enables teachers to closely monitor grade-level progress, identify areas needing attention and assess mastered learning outcomes. Aggregate engagement data offers valuable insights into the dynamics of student learning, contributing to a deeper understanding of educational effectiveness.
Strengthening Community-based Learning with TicTacLearn
A substantial body of research highlights the positive impact of parental involvement on children’s academic performance (for reviews, see Grolnick, Friendly, & Bellas, 2009; Pomerantz, Kim, & Cheung, 2012). TicTacLearn harnesses this insight and empowers parents to become active participants in their children’s educational journey by providing them with tools that facilitate at-home learning, bridging the gap between the school and home and ensuring a seamless educational experience. TTL’s engaging and easy-to-understand videos reinforce school-taught concepts, making even complex subjects more accessible for both students and parents. Available in multiple regional languages, TTL breaks down linguistic barriers, promoting inclusivity and ensuring that quality education is within reach for all. Additionally, by offering all content free of charge, TTL eliminates financial obstacles, making top-tier educational resources accessible to every family, regardless of their economic background. This community-centred approach not only strengthens the overall learning ecosystem but also fosters a collective commitment to education.
Conclusion
TicTacLearn is more than just a repository of educational videos; it is a movement to democratise access to quality education in India. By harnessing the power of digital media, TTL is bridging the gap between urban and rural education, ensuring that every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, has the opportunity to learn and thrive.
TTL’s success would not have been possible without the generous support and collaboration of its funders and partners. We extend our sincere thanks to Google.org, whose collaboration laid the foundation for this transformative project. We are also deeply grateful to other key funders, including HT Parekh Foundation and Maitri Trust, for believing in and supporting TTL’s mission.
We acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our partner organisations like KR Shroff Foundation for translating over 2,000 TTL videos into Gujarati, as well as Rocket Learning, among others, that have incorporated TTL resources into their programmes. Collaborations such as these have significantly advanced our mission of improving educational outcomes across the country and have been instrumental in realising TTL’s vision.
