Brainfeed February 2022 by Brainfeed Magazine

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February 2022 Volume VIII Issue 11 `75

AI can make

learning experience more

granular Andreas Schleicher

Director Directorate for Education and Skills OECD

PRIORITY LEARNING FOR HEADS OF SCHOOLS

Readers’ Forum The January edition of the Brainfeed magazine ‘2022 Challenges’ is a superb amalgamation of the last two years that the education sector had gone through amidst this pandemic. The article ‘Invest in teachers’ is very informative in terms of what the educational and teaching committees have been planning regarding upgrading and improving the professional standards of teachers. I am a teacher myself and was not fully aware of the new teaching assessments initiated by NCTE and also the career progression paths designed by NPST. I was happy to upgrade my knowledge through this well-explained article by the academician. Sushila Khote, Mumbai

The role of teachers has evolved over the last few years, and I was amazed to read the piece ‘Free teachers from administrative tasks’ that highlights the growing role of a teacher in the technologydriven world. The author has clearly highlighted the confusion, stress our teachers have undergone in

shifting from conventional teaching practices to virtual teaching pedagogies. It throws light on the importance of teachers growth and their professional development through upskilling and upgrading programmes. I liked the point where the academician stresses on freeing a teacher from the administrative work and can focus on her professional development through teachers training courses available online. Manjari Desai, Bangalore

Every time I read the Brainfeed magazine, I am always astonished to come across something refreshing and new, and this time too it was quite surprisingto read the piece ‘Override the amygdala hijack’, the not so familiar word ‘amygdala’ ignited the curiosity to know more about it. I had an interesting read knowing about the concept. The author has explicitly elaborated the meaning through clear examples and how a child in these trying times should be guided well to change the way they respond and behave.The article was very helpful and knowledgeablefor me as now I can practice the same with my child too.

We all have been discussing and talking about the NEP 2020, but only a few of us would know the real aim and benefits of it. I was excited to read the articles covering the New Education Policy under the section ‘Policy’, as it aware us of its challenges and understanding its purpose by all the stakeholders is the need of the hour. As I am preparing for my competitive exams, these pieces will help me in knowing the vision of the policy and how this new policy will be implemented. Deepak Das, Chandigarh

I always look forward to read some interesting and informative articles in Brainfeed magazine that covers every aspect of educational landscape. As a student, I have often doubted my abilities and competence, but after reading the piece ‘Be Your Self’, I am supercharged to apply the selfrealisation techniques mentioned in the article in my life. The piece is an eye-opener not only for me but for many like me who often have self-doubt in their abilities and skills. I thank Brainfeed magazine for bringing such inspiring articles and would love to read some more inspiring pieces in their upcoming editions.

Amidst this turbulence of pandemic, we have laid a considerable amount of emphasis on students’ behavioural changes, their problems, mental health and their motivation levels, but what about our teachers – their motivation and well-being. I was very happy to read this edition as it extensively talks about giving teachers their due, their motivation and well-being through pieces like ‘Teachers up the ante’ and ‘Let us be motivated and let us motivate’. I would request to come up with more pieces like this.

Shresth Dubey, Kolkata

Kanika Goyal, Raipur

Bhavana Kothari, Chennai

(Readers can send in their suggestions / feedback to info@brainfeedmagazine.com by 10th of every month)

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Editorial

February 2022 Volume VIII Issue 11

he other day, a friend asked me: “What if variants of the coronavirus keep popping up every four months; will we close schools for the next few years?” First things first; children are not the main source of transmission of Covid-19. Secondly, high seropositivity among children proved that school closure did not protect children from getting infected. There is enough evidence to show the benefits of opening schools with precautions outweigh the risks. A question that all of us need to ask- can we afford to keep schools closed? The answer is a big ‘No.’ Indian schools have been closed for the longest duration ever since the Covid-19 pandemic surfaced. The UNESCO estimated that a month away from school results in two months of learning loss and the Asian Development Bank points out that every year of loss is equivalent to 9.7% less earning in the future. While schools have been closed for the most part in the last two years, technology permeated our lives even further. I was fortunate to meet Andreas Schleicher, Director, Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the

Secretary-General at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)in New Delhi who shared his thoughts on a variety of issues. Do read the interview. We also have a good mix of articles by experts on learning, assessment, online teaching and how the edtech sector is shaping up. It is a no brainer that hybrid learning is here to stay but keeping schools closed has the highest costs to society. The longer we keep schools closed, the bigger would be the divide. It results in a class divide and inequality in education. Millions have to restart and get into the rhythm of learning. Just as one cannot learn swimming by reading a book, a personality does not develop by sitting within four walls. I hope the above paragraphs answer the questions posed by my friend whose name I chose to keep wrapped. On request, of course! Schools should be the last to close and first to reopen.

Editor-in-Chief Brahmam K V Executive Editor Harish Kakani Editor-at-Large T P Venu Sub Editor Asmita Maurya Art & Design Mohd Riaz Ahmed Circulation Hemachander S +91 91777 74851 Printed, Published and Owned by Kakani Veera Brahmam Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd. 1-1-60/5, RTC X Roads Hyderabad-500 020, Telangana, India Published from 8-3-191/565/K, Vengal Rao Nagar SR Nagar Post Hyderabad-500 038 Telangana, India Contact No.: +91 72070 15151 Email info@brainfeedmagazine.com brainfeedmagazine@gmail.com www.brainfeedmagazine.com facebook.com/brainfeededumag twitter.com/brainfeededumag

Brahmam K V

Editor-in-Chief

instagram.com/brainfeededumag RNI No. APEG/2013/49994

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CONTENTS

February 2022 Volume VIII Issue 11

ASSESSMENT

Measure growth instead of achievement

SHANTI KRISHNAMURTHY

Director, Academics & Administration Chinmaya International Residential School Coimbatore

14 COVER STORY

‘AI can make learning experience more granular’

FUTURE PERFECT

Schools as ‘Futures Literate’ DR LAKSHMI KUMAR

Motivation Filling the learning gap

..................................................................................

Founder Director The Orchid School, Pune

TIJAY GUPTA

WELL-BEING

Co-founder & COO, BACHPAN & AHPS Group of Schools

Perspective Create tomorrow’s school today

.............................................................................

Pandemic affected all age groups

V MANJULA

Neural Educator President and Founder, Trustee Institute of Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation

NANDITA PRAKASH

Education Advisor (Independent) At Shri Ram Global Schools, Gurugram

Offbeat Unconventional schools around the world

Learning Blended learning is the way forward

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Online Education 48 Online Schooling - the new way of learning ................................................

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OPINION

Tackling the New Age of Learning SAHIL KAPOOR

Chief Commercial Officer Dino Lab

Insta

NEWS

Indian student in Dubai aces a score of 1600 in SAT

haan Shetty, a 16-year-old Indian student in UAE has attaineda superb score of 1600 in the SAT test, which is the standardised exam conducted to get admissions in top US universities. An 11th standard student studying in Dubai’s GEMS Modern Academy achieved the highest possible score of1600 in Scholastic Admission Test (SAT) held in December 2021. He scored perfect800 each in maths and reading/writing, respectively,

which is very rare for any aspirant to achieve. He answered all the 154 questions in his second attempt. In his previous attempt in SAT too, he managed to get good score of 1520,

but he believed that he could score better, if he practiced more. Thus, this time he got lucky and scored full marks. Ahaan mentions that he has a passion for physics and wants to pursue the same from a leading university in theUS. He further mentions that there are no short-cuts to success in performing well in SAT and advises that one should practice as many mock testsas possible from previous years SAT papers, as he himself solved 20 previous years SAT practice papers before solving the actual exam. Another valuable advice he gave to aspirants who wish to ace in SAT is that never stress yourself a day before exam, just relax and sleep early so that you can feel fresh on the day of your exam. Playing piano, running and robotics are some of his other interests.

Girl child’s education most affected in pandemic

he recent parliamentary committee on women empowerment presented its report on girl child’s education being most hit in pandemic. The report highlighted the lack of access to education to female students during the pandemic and how the current wave of pandemic has adversely affected the girls’ education, especially in rural areas. The women’s parliamentary panel has requested for immediate measures to prevent girl child from getting deprived of education, especially girls belonging from social and economical backward families. As per the report from the

education ministry, the prolonged school closures affected 320 million children’s future from pre-primary to senior secondary level of education, of which 158 million is the girl child’s ratio being worst hit. The report also estimated that in the post-pandemic scenario, thedrop out ratio of female students from schools permanentlywould probably increase due to economic hardships faced by their families. The committee has suggested measures to reduce the drop out ratio of female students by devising targeted scholarships, providing cash transfers, bicycles, digital devices and subsidising hostel fees.

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As per the ‘Unified district information system for education (UDISE)’ data, the gross enrolment ratio of females decreased from 96.72 to 76.93 during 2018-19 and it also stated that girls drop out ratio increased to 15.1 during 2019-20. The committee also recommended that aproactive approach and concerted efforts are needed to retain the female students regular attendance and bring them back to schools.

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Ed-tech

Ed-tech sector makes hay Investment crosses over $20 billion in education technology in 2021

d-tech sector seems to be making hay while the sun shines. Thanks to the on-going pandemic, the Edtech sector has marched ahead with great speed as educational institutes were forced to go

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online. According to a report in Holon IQ, an Australian based research and intelligence firm, there has been a huge investment of more than $20 billion in education technology in 2021.

Ed-tech

The venture investment in the ed-tech space has increased three times the prepandemic investment levels since 2019. This massive surge in investment in ed-tech has transformed the way, the world learns, from schools to teachers to students and employees all have transitioned into this new hybrid mode of learning, thereby, upskillng themselves into the new economy. It has been a groundbreaking year for the venture capital funding in the education sector with a growth of $16 billion in 2020. The worldwide statistics show that the edtech venture funding rose from $2.5 billion in 2020 to $8.3 billion in 2021 and from $1 billion to $3 billion in the U.S. and across Europe, respectively. India also reigns in ed-tech funding with $3.8

billion invested in 2021, outpacing Europe’s cumulative ed-tech investment of 2020. It is one of the phenomenal times in the EdTech’s history, where more than 3,000 funding ventures along with 32 EdTech unicorns from around the world have invested in innovation and technology to augment digital transformation. It is marked as a remarkable achievement in the new ecosystem of hybrid and lifelong learning. Holon IQ’s co-founder and CEO, Patrick Brothers, stated that the year 2020 would begin with the huge venture capital investment in education with major drive in innovation over the next three to five years. He also mentioned that the U.S and European markets are also flourishing with enormous investment, paving the way for the rest of the world.

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Ed-tech

China’s EdTech funding plummets China’s edtech funding captured the world attention in the beginning of the 2020 with over $10 billion of venture capital invested in the education industry. China peaked in investment with more unicorns funding over $25 billion venture capital in the starting of 2021. But a broad range of regulated policies by Chinese government impeded the growth of Edtech in the country. Private Chinese entities and organisations were dominated to adopt non-profit policies and prohibited from taking foreign capital. They are also forbidden from teaching any foreign curriculum or recruit any foreigners to teach in Chinese schools. Many foreign firms are restricted from acquiring or holding shares in schools course and institutions. These instances have forced many Chinese Edtech investors to migrate to other industries like workforce, healthcare and climate start-ups. As per the report, China’s funding in edtech plummeted to $2.7 billion in 2021 from $10.2 billion in 2020. Much before the pandemic invaded the world; China started subverting the Ed tech unicorn start-ups that boast profiting over $1 billion. Moreover, as per the studies, it is estimated that China’s investment in education would continue to plummet in the current year too. With Chinese collapse in investment, the U.S market saw colossal investment with the support of investors to buttress the education ecosystem. Many well known educational brands like Udemy, Duolingo and Coursera have gained traction in the pandemic.

Rise in Europe Edtech funding The year gone by 2021, witnessed rise in the European market in the Edtech space

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that was once undermined by centuries old institutions and publishers. The pandemic became the defining factor in accelerating Europe’s Edtech space with platforms like Multiverse, Labster and GoStudent broke new investment records and widen the investers’ base.

Influence of Impact Investing With the countries dedicated to achieve their United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the concept of Impact Investing that majorly focuses on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment, had strongly gained momentum to create awareness among investors keeping in mind the social and economical benefits. The global edtech investment in the education sector has emerged as a key area for the stakeholders along with the other industries like healthcare and workforce to contribute significantly towards achieving SDGs and a more inclusive future. The statistical data represents that EdTech, Climate Tech and Digital Health industries have achieved over $20, $37 and $47 billion, respectively, in venture capital investment, i.e., exceeding 40% CAGR since 2014. The Impact Venture Investment attained in 2021 was $104 billion. Several rounds of dollars investment in all these three domains command from 46% of all funding in educational technology to 65% in Climate Tech domain. With the penetration of Edtech investment rapidly increasing around the world, it is yet to observe whether this special cohort of educational landscape will get the attention and capitalisation it deserves, to help learners achieve their goals.

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Cover Story

‘AI can make learning experience more granular’ In an exclusive interview to K V Brahmam, Andreas Schleicher, Director, Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shares his thoughts on the use of technology in education and what one can look forward to in the coming days.

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Cover Story

What is the role of Artificial Intelligence in education? I think there are two important aspects for education, one relating to the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values education needs to foster in an AI world, and the second relating to the role that AI can play to support education. With regard to the former, it is clear that in an AI world, the kind of things that are easy to teach and test have become easy to digitise and automate. We know how to educate second-class robots, people who are good at repeating what we tell them. In this age of accelerations and artificial intelligence, we need to think harder about what makes us human. The future is about pairing the artificial intelligence of computers with the cognitive, social and emotional skills and values of human beings. Within education, our schools are just waking up to the realities of AI that will fundamentally transform learning. While we study mathematics on a computer, AI can now study how we study and then make our learning experience so much more granular, adaptive and interactive. Together with sensors and learning management systems, AI can give teachers a real sense of how different students learn differently, where students get interested and where they get bored, where they advance and where they get stuck. Technology can help adapt learning to different student

needs and give learners greater ownership over what they learn, how they learn, where they learn and when they learn. AI can also help teachers, especially novice ones, read the room better and slow down, speed up, or throws out a pop quiz question when there’s a lull. Learning analytics can tell a teacher working out the next day’s lesson plan who aced the homework assignment on carboxylic acid derivatives and who needs to review it still. Incorporating values is an important part of education and offline mode is effective in doing so. What are the challenges in the new era of hybrid education? In fact, values need to be much more at the centre in an AI world. Education is no longer just about teaching students something, but about helping them develop a reliable compass and the tools to navigate with confidence through an increasingly complex, volatile and uncertain world. Success in education in an AI world is about identity, it is about agency and it is about purpose. It is about building curiosity – opening minds, it is about compassion –opening hearts, and it is about courage, mobilising our cognitive, social and emotional resources to take action. And those are also our best weapon against the biggest threats of our times - ignorance – the closed mind, hate – the closed heart, and fear – the enemy of agency.

The future is about pairing the artificial intelligence of computers with the cognitive, social and emotional skills and values of human beings

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Cover Story

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS

COGNITIVE

Even a construct as basic as literacy has fundamentally changed. In the 20th century, literacy was about extracting and processing pre-coded information; in the AI world, it is about constructing and validating knowledge. In the past, teachers could tell students to look up information in an encyclopaedia, and to rely on that information as accurate and true. Nowadays, Google presents them with millions of answers, and nobody tells them what’s right or wrong and true or not true. The more knowledge technology allows us to search and access, the more important becomes deep understanding and the capacity to navigate ambiguity, to triangulate viewpoints, and to make sense out of content. Contrast that with the finding from the PISA 2018 assessment of reading literacy where, on average across OECD countries, just 9% of 15-year-old students were

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VALUES OF HUMAN BEINGS

able to distinguish facts from opinion when the cues were implicit. True, this figure was up from 7% in 2000, but meanwhile the demand for literacy skills had hanged entirely. The fact that advancements in literacy skills have fallen sharply behind the evolution of the nature of information has profound consequences in a world where ‘virality’ seems sometimes privileged over quality in the distribution of information. In the “post-truth” climate in which we now find ourselves, assertions that ‘feel right’ but have no basis in fact become accepted as fact. Algorithms that sort us into groups of likeminded individuals create social media echo chambers that amplify our views, and leave us insulated from opposing arguments that may alter our beliefs. These virtual bubbles homogenise opinions and polarise our societies;

Cover Story

and they can have a significant adverse impact on democratic processes. Those algorithms are not a design flaw; they are how social media work. There is scarcity of attention, but an abundance of information. We are living in this digital bazaar where anything that is not build for the network age is cracking apart under its pressure. Again, this highlights the importance of values but also that we need the online world to teach values for the AI world. You are the principal architect of PISA. How does the assessment work?

world no longer rewards you just for what you know – Google knows everything – but for what you can do with what you know. You once said, “The way students are tested has a big influence on the future of education.” Please elaborate. Yes, what and the way we are testing students’ frames what students learn, how teachers teach and how school systems operate. If you have a disconnect between a modern curriculum – such as the NEP 2020 in India – and an old test, the test will always win. That’s why aligning curriculum, pedagogy and assessment is so important.

PISA is an attempt to assess some of the knowledge, skills and Modern world no longer attitudes that we need for AI is helping assessment an AI world. The emphasis rewards you just for what and exams make big of PISA is less on whether you know. Google knows leaps, whether these are students can reproduce assessments through what they have learned in everything – but for what simulations, hands-on school, but whether they you can do with what assessments in vocational can extrapolate from what you know settings, or machinethey know and use their learning algorithms knowledge creatively in scoring essays. One of novel situations. We also look at whether students the most consequential can think across the boundaries of subject matter mistakes that education made as it industrialised areas and think divergently. Nowadays, we use learning over the past centuries was to divorce modern computer-based assessment techniques learning from assessment; that is, having for that. So, for example, rather than asking students pile up lots of learning and then, students repeat the results of an experiment, we sometimes years later, testing whether they ask them to design and conduct that experiment could reproduce some narrow slices of that in a virtual laboratory. learning within a short window of time. AI can now reintegrate learning and assessment, using India is ranked low in PISA. Educationists in real-time data and feedback to help students India feel it is primarily due to the sample learn better, teachers teach better and education taken that of government school students. systems become more effective. Your comments. What are the challenges in placing learners at Actually, Indian students did quite well when the centre in a technology driven world? it came to tasks where they had simply to remember what they have learned, but they had If we take to heart that learning is never a difficulties with using their knowledge actively transactional business, but always a social and and creatively. The reason why we put such relational enterprise, it becomes natural to place emphasis on this in PISA is that the modern learners at the centre. What it requires is to give

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Cover Story

teachers enough time to engage with students, to understand who they are, who they want to become and how they can best support them on this journey. Digitise and automate is the present norm. How can this be done in third world countries? Obviously, technology is less accessible in the developing world, but many of those countries have a culture that is less entrenched in old practice, and you see some developing countries using technology not just to conserve existing teaching practice, but to truly transform it. With the pandemic raising its head again. What could be the way forward for education? In the short term, the pandemic is massively disrupting education; we may look back to it

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as the moment where education understood its future, and as the catalyst for genuine transformation in education that helps us educate learners for their future, rather than just our past.

(Andreas Schleicher is Director for Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. He has been instrumental for the initiation of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and oversees the programme. He studied Physics, Mathematics and Statistics and lives in Paris.)

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Assessment

Measure growth instead of achievement Growth is a better metric than achievement when assessing schools

D SHANTI KRISHNAMURTHY Director, Academics & Administration, Chinmaya International Residential School, Coimbatore

o achievements of a school not indicate the growth of a school? There is a difference between achievements and growth as an assessment tool for schools. ‘Achievement’ of a student or a school is measured based on the performance of students in a board examination or common examination. We are aware that there are many factors that influence the achievement of a school that include background of parents, facilities provided in a school, urban and rural environments. Wrong practices can also influence the performance in a single point examination. The researchers at St. Louis University’s Policy Research in Missouri Education Centre

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believe growth is a better metric than achievement when assessing schools in their recently released paper. In contrast, ‘growth’ is measured based on the progress made by the student over time, especially year on year. Growth measures the progress of a student between two points in time. Compares students own prior performance and thus only depends on the progress made by the student which varies from one child to another. The variable is well accepted and is not affected by the influence of the parents or facilities. Above all, measuring achievements makes education extremely competitive.

Assessment

Competitive education cannot nurture positive attitude in children. In 2018, a Class 9 student was in a spot of bother as his notebook had torn pages and was in stress. When education becomes competitive, the very objective of education which is to create individuals with an attitude of caring and sharing is lost. The very purpose of education gets defeated. Many a time achievement whether it is sports / academics or in any other field unfortunately kindles jealousy. This results in achieving success by hook or crook method which is dangerous to the society. Sportsmen drugging themselves for winning a race are not new to us. Achieving success cannot be the goal of education. The entire gamut of changes documented in NEP 2020 is to remove stress and build resilience in children. Where did this stress come from? On contemplation, all educators will realise that assessing students and schools by achievement is one of the causes. On the

Achievements are like a bouquet of flowers that whittle away but growth is permanent other hand, when we measure progress of students in schools, our schools will be encouraging children to accommodate each other and embrace taking everyone along in the journey of learning. This is a vital turning point for all of us in the field of Education. To start with, if achievements and information of progress are used together to asses a student, it will give a paradigm shift to the process of assessment and will also give a better insight on student’s learning.

Instructional Process

The Keys to Organisational Achievement

Classroom Management

Instructional Strategies

Planning

Effective Assessment Data-Driven Decisions

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Assessment

A Growth Mindset Drives Motivation and Achievement

Learning is my goal

I’d spend more time and work harder

I can get smarter

Higher Achievement

Effort make me stronger

Tips to take it forward in our schools: • Teachers can help children to set their goals according to their own abilities. • While recognising the achievers in our schools, also recognise the children who have improved their prior performance. • The report card of the assessments should include the information on the improvement made by the students between current performances to their prior performance.

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According to a report by NCERT, there are 13 lakh schools in 6 lakh villages catering to 22 crore students in India. A positive graded shift can happen if we adapt a ‘growth mindset’ and start measuring the growth along with the achievements of our children and schools. How can we ever use the same scale by measuring achievements of our village schools with the city schools or so called elite schools? The gap keeps widening and such a lopsided assessment will keep us far from being a developed nation. The NEP 2020 aims to shape an education system that benefits all of India’s children. Measuring school growth instead of achievement is indeed a right step in that direction.

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Motivation

learning gap C TIJAY GUPTA Co-founder & COO, BACHPAN & AHPS Group of Schools

ovid-19 pandemic affected livelihoods and economies and left its scar on education by way of learning loss. Regression in academic progress (or what may be called ‘forgetting’ that which was learned in previous classes) is also symptomatic of learning loss. How this gap could be addressed is a major question. There are quite a few measures to address the gap and recover the loss such as making education slightly more intensive, providing access to students when it comes to remote learning, alleviating the experience that students went through during the pandemic, steps that you choose depend primarily on the assessment of specific educational needs of your students. Co-curricular activities play a vital role in the holistic development of a student that was not possible in the truest sense during online sessions. There are various ways to strengthen

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the foundation of the future of our students. Here are a few of them. Make education more intensive Modify classroom instruction and curriculum in a way that students do not miss out on the knowledge which forms a part of their current syllabus. Make technology more accessible to students. Facilitate proper access to devices, high-speed internet connectivity, and electricity supply aggravates the issues attached with remote learning. Ensure mental health of students. There is a need to know whether the building block of learning, students’ mind, is sufficiently strong and healthy to acquire knowledge. In addition to exacerbating anxieties and depression, the pandemic has reduced motivation and concentration in students, increased their stress, and augmented their

Motivation

awareness of the wide disparities surrounding them. Also, social stigma attached to coronavirus infection is a key concern. Summer learning loss, for example, refers to the learning loss which occurs during summer vacations. There is need to examine which methods proved effective in remote education. Such an examination can help you analyse which methods are more suitable to bridging the learning gap for your students. Also, as it turns out, self-directed learning is an important aspect of the pandemic which should not be overlooked. Because students have already been exposed to self-learning, you can use this aspect to make education more intensive as well as promote their mental health.

Make technology more accessible to students. Facilitate proper access to devices, high-speed internet connectivity, and electricity supply aggravates the issues attached with remote learning.

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Future Perfect

Schools as ‘Futures Literate’ DR LAKSHMI KUMAR Founder Director The Orchid School, Pune

chools have been reeling under lockdown for two years and there is uncertainty looming in 2022 as well. Will the open-shut routines continue? UNESCO is building futures literacy globally who organise Future Labs in schools and communities. It’s important because it is images of the future that drive our current readiness to plan, prepare, invest, and embrace change. There is a need to become more ‘futures literate’ community.

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Working from home and online learning has gone well with most students so far but students and teachers want to return to school as social isolation is showing its effect on the emotional health and well-being. Students’ behaviour during the online learning, in certain cases borders on annoyance and frustration, we can make the return to school a joyful, effective, and wholesome process of learning.

Future Perfect

Let us picturise (there are exceptions) after two years of online learning: • Students are used to shorter school days to restrict the screen time and other such genuine concerns and reasons. However, screen time has gone up with students attending coaching classes, online courses, tuitions or simply because students now have abundant freedom with gadgets. • Online learning has highlighted the inequities including the home environment when videos are kept on. This has made students from EBW community feel awkward and vulnerable. • Families moved to the villages for prolonged time, so school reopening was not making any difference to the students who have gone to remote villages. • Students’ sleep cycle has gone for a toss that many of them appear sleepy / sleepwalk during morning hours and fall asleep during afternoon hours.

• They join online not necessarilyin any formal school uniform / attire. Memes on online dress code has given us an image of our students in pyjamas, lounging on sofa / beds and in casual postures. • The lunch breaks and mid-morning snack breaks are not as per the school timetable / bell. Some are having breakfast/ snacks while online classes are on. • They can mute themselves and the teachers. Coming on video is optional and ready-made excuses are shared for not being able to put on the video. • If they have access to multiple gadgets, they are surfing internet while “attending“ online classes. • They join classes for attendance, but their engagement is high on other social media updates. • Few hands go up for discussion, often with stone silence and tiles with initials staring at the teacher. This is observed more in higher classes.

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Future Perfect

• Physical fitness sessions are often skipped. • Many of them, for past couple of years are used to less writing , online assessments/ exam cancellations and better scores that has not much corelation to their competence. Education systems around the world are urgently recalibrating, realising that they are dangerously outdated. Teaching to learning culture: As lockdowns ease and schools start to reopen in some places across our region, it’s as good a time as any to take stock and look at the likely future of education. How do we make education fit for the post-COVID world?

• Don’t rush to assess the learning gaps. Two years deprivation cannot and must not be bridged in few months. • Design curriculum where creative skill development is explicitly incorporated. • When navigating difficult times and new challenges, focus is on emotional, social well-being of our students. • Express gratitude to parents via personalised notes / greetings for trusting the school during most difficult times

We need to give our students some time to overcome withdrawal symptoms from the above and not push the peripherals to the core of coming back to school.

• Students coming for the first time to physical schools (Kindergarten, grades 1 & 2 students) need support for first month to get familiar with people and routines. They have not been in any formal learning space since their birth. Wherever possible, very young learners must be off screen time and be in physical school.

• Explore blended learning as an option / choice and once a week online classes for senior students.

• Back to basics for all – plenty of reading and writing in addition to systematic approach to revisit basics of digital literacy.

• Create listening posts driven by counsellors/ mental health professionals – circle time where students get to talk about their life, experiences, family, struggles, fears or just about anything under the sun.

• Embed the skill of learning to learn and self -assessment students can be self-reliant and take ownership to learning.

• Give priority for all types of learning that got left behind or taken a back seat during online learning. For example, all hands skills, co-scholastics, fine arts and physical fitness and sports must have big time allocation in physical schooling. • Longer breaks for social interactions and hang-out conversations. • Learning through play/ creative art / music is often an important factor in supporting creativity. • Students don’t return to school to sit inside four walls. So, shift your classes to outdoor spaces as much as possible.

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A whole-school approach is required to imagine the future so we can raise quality and standards across the entire school and enable sustainable change. Teachers will play critical role for embracing the change. It is important to dedicate sufficient time and quality resources to build teachers’ expertise and buy-in around reform. Children who start school from now on will grow up to be the workforce in a digital-first world that will demand new skills and new ways of thinking. To succeed in life and at work, they will need all the social, emotional, and academic support they can get rich and flexible learning experiences that will differ vastly from their schooldays before pandemic times.

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FOR PART N ERS HIP RELATED ENQUIRIES OR TO B OOK A DEMO CONTA CT- + 91 88849 08140 V IS IT WWW .AZ VAS A.IN www.brainfeedmagazine.com |29| February 22

Perspective

Create tomorrow’s school today C

V MANJULA

Neural Educator President and Founder, Trustee Institute of Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation

hildren today are processing in a fourdimensional world but schools are still two-dimensional, having been designed to serve an older generation. It’s time to step up and create the school of the future- today. This generation is tuned to technology and knows how to go about it. In the past, when one bought a computer- a few decades ago, it came with a massive tutor and guide that taught us how to install, finetune and operate. On the other hand, when children download new software or acquire hardware today, they intuitively know how to operate it. In fact, many children are writing their software and games. What’s changed? It's simpletheir brains are changed. It’s all about neural plasticity. Even our brains have changed but our children were born into the age of information-this Gen z baby is different. Our schools have to be different if we are to pass along the tools and cultural values that matter to us.

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Modern schemes for teaching are still stuck in the industrial age thinking systems, with their conveyor belt mentality and measurement tools. Tomorrow’s schools will move rapidly to a place where children will cocreate their thinking systems, their learning systems, and their collaboration systems with teachers and parents who know how the human brain works and how children learn. There is no excuse today to not bring this information into all learning spaces. We know that some children are genetically sensitive with high autonomic system reactivity that prompts them to question their self-worth. Rewarding or punishing these children is a huge mistake. Yet, when we co-create their learning environment these children are natural leaders, critical thinkers, and powerful contributors. We have demonstrated that children who used to be seen as at-risk children are just as capable as children who were born with deep and crisis-free resilience.

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Well-Being

Pandemic affected all age groups W

NANDITA PRAKASH

Education Advisor (Independent) At Shri Ram Global Schools, Gurugram

hile the world is busy dealing with Covid and its various variants, there is a new variant of the dreaded coronavirus. The pandemic has affected all age-groups; more so the school going community. As per 4-H Youth Mental Health Survey conducted last year in US by Harris Poll. 7 out of 10 teenage participants said that they were struggling with their mental health in some way. 50% said they experienced anxiety while 43% identified that they struggled with depression.

POSSIBLE REASONS • Screen time for teenagers has increased from 6 hrs per day to 9 hrs per day. For younger kids it has increased more than 90 %. • Kids are experiencing loss without their traditional school, extra-curricular activities & social lives.

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• Catching glimpses of news, kids can directly or indirectly sense that something is wrong with the world. Negative images in the news can create a sense of confusion & fear.

Age specific issues faced by our students Pre –Primary students have almost no physical activity which is making them aggressive. Break in usual routine has disturbed their sleep patterns. Their attention span is too low for online classes and with zero sensory engagement, they feel lost. Middle School Students peer interaction is missing which has affected their socioemotional growth. Amid no physical activity & excessive screen time they are also facing early adolescence issues. Senior school students are anxious about the future,

Well-Being

career & university admissions. Their online relationships & breakups have become even more painful. In the lack of the presence of their friends, their natural way of being resilient has widely affected their personalities.

What teachers & parents can do? For age group 2- 6 yrs, cartoon theme based virtual play dates can be organised by teachers. Parents can engage kids into activities which involve sensory engagement of touch, taste & smell. Most importantly, give your child a sense of safety & security through your behaviour. Use non-verbal cues such as smiles, hugs, winks, nods, baby talks, cute name calling. For age group 7-12 yrs, let kids take a lead in setting their day plan and any family activity. Teach resilience to your kids by sharing experiences & reading stories. The idea is to make them accept what is not in

their control and not to stress about it. Limit their news exposure as they do not have the emotional maturity to understand what they are viewing. With teenagers 13-17 yrs age-group, address issues happening in the world and try to give logic to kids before they misinterpret. Ask direct questions such as- “How are you feeling?” What are you struggling with?” Let them know that it is okay to have mixed feeling. Treat them like adults. Seek their opinions & try to consider them also. Keep a check on some actions which you might be taking and affecting the child unknowingly. Such as talking about the pandemic more than necessary or over discuss pessimistic topics with relatives on. Don’t disturb the daily routine not only for academic record but to give a sense of security to the children. Meditation, art, music, healthy diet, good sleep and exercise go a long way.

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Opinion

Tackling the New Age of Learning Modern problems require modern solutions

N SAHIL KAPOOR Chief Commercial Officer, Dino Lab

othing will ever return to the way it was before. What began as a short lockdown because of the initial spike in COVID cases turned into a new reality that we still live in today and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. One of the parts of our lives that took the biggest hit was education. Let’s take a look at how things have changed throughout the past two years when it comes to learning and what can we do to negate the damage.

How we enter 2022 The pandemic posed several key problems for the educational system in India.

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First, how do you suddenly switch to online learning in a country where a huge portion of the population doesn’t have access to the internet? And second, how to train the teachers who are only used to giving lessons in person? These problems majorly impacted the speed of adopting new technologies across the country. According to the latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), the percentage of children who have access to smartphones at home grew greatly in the past two years from an average of 38.6% to 70.1% almost doubling the pre-COVID numbers.

Opinion

Enrolled children who have smartphones available at home. By school type. ASER 2021 Also, fueled by millions of kids being forced to stay at home, the EdTech world surged to dominate the scene. Growing more than eight times since 2018, the market of online education was able to swoop in when the traditional teaching was down. With over $4.7 bln investments, the EdTech companies are primed to become a permanent part of the school education system. The problem is that these are commercial companies that put a high price on what, in the eyes of most parents and educators, should be accessible to all families no matter the income level.

Yearly EdTech investments in India There is a consensus among the academicians that there had to be a significant investment in community learning and teacher training to ensure that the children have great live education with strong support from online solutions. Blended learning is what will allow teachers to stay effective in the face of new challenges. Is there a perfect solution? The situation is not perfect when it comes to kids getting a quality education in light of many households losing portions of their income due to the pandemic, but there are still good solutions out there. In an attempt to do something for society, companies like DinoLab offer a number of accessible educational solutions in maths and other subjects. There are also big international competitions like BRICSMATH. COM+ that every student can participate in without an entry fee or any other prerequisite. Such solutions help both students and educators, by providing a way to self-learn for kids and offering interesting gamified tasks to use in online lessons for teachers. In other words, there is a way to help children not to lose interest in learning and becoming the professionals of tomorrow.

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Exam Tips

Get ready for exam with these key pointers With a proper study schedule, combined with a healthy diet, exam strain can be alleviated through few simple remedies

xams are the real test to our knowledge and a good performance in exam shapes the students’ future career. When exams are around the corner, anxiety and stress are. Many a times, it even takes a toll on their mind and body. Thus, a good well-laid out strategy/

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plan to beat the exam blues’ can do wonders for students. Students stress levels are at the peak, when there is a lot to study in less time. Experts suggest to go smooth with an organised study plan. Here are

Exam Tips

some key pointers to mitigate students exam related stress.

• Proper intake of nutritious diet

• Devise a proper study plan

A healthy and nutritious diet always results in more energy and also keeps fatigue and drowsiness at bay. Consume fresh fruits and keep your body well hydrated. Intake of almonds, yoghurt and seeds can aid in boosting concentration and better memory.

Before you delve into your studies, it is better to create a study time table. A proper time table will give students a clear idea of how to prepare for the subjects well in advance. They can chalk out a plan to prioritise the subjects and lessons strategically. Allot specific time per day to revise topics and schedule group study. The process will save time and energy, if students comply with the regular time table. • Keep your study space organised Our mind work effectively and is at our best when we are in a comfortable and peaceful environment. A clutter free study space with fresh air and a silent ambience is the best place for quality studying. Make sure your study space is free from distractions. Well the study pattern differs from person to person as some would prefer table and chair for studying, whereas others may prefer to lie down or walk while studying. • Regular intervals must Periodic breaks keeps the mind fresh and brain active while studying. Studying long hours without breaks, puts strain on our brain functioning, making us less active and exhausted. Go for brief walks in between, give rest to your eyes and mind by closing them for few minutes.

• Follow a good sleep regimen Human mind and body rests completely during sleep to regain energy and strength. Health experts also suggests a good sleep of 8 hours as it prepares the body for next days task. Try to maintain a fixed sleep regimen to have enough energy throughout the day for studying actively. • Practice previous years sample exam papers To keep yourself familiarise with the question paper format and structure, students must keep solving, reviewing old exam papers. It helps them to assess how much time they take on each question and can improve speed accordingly. • Be positive and strategise your exam day Scheduling the exam day in advance will avoid last minute panicking. Keep all your stationary items, bag ready beforehand, have light nutritious breakfast, drink plenty of water. Be positive, confident

and calm on the exam day. Start your journey early, try to reach the exam venue 10 minutes before, so that you get in sync with the centre environment and avoid last minute hassles. The above mentioned suggestions and tricks can help you in beating the exam related worry and stress. The tips and recomendations might vary from person to person, so its best to explore every option that works best for you and suits your learning style.

KEY POINTERS Devise a proper study plan Keep your study space organised Regular intervals must Proper intake of nutritious diet Follow a good sleep regimen Practice previous years sample exam papers Be positive and strategise your exam day

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Career & Guidance

Build trust with students N

ot so long ago, students had no one to guide them. Today, schools have academic and career guidance counsellors. Teachers have always helped students but in the modern world we have specialists to take care and many a school and college has set up placement cell. Guiding students brings great responsibility and the person needs to first gain trust before embarking on guiding students. Here are a few tips on how to go about it.

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1. Be welcoming A new college campus, studies, new books is not enough for a student to start over a new phase. Be very welcoming while asking students about their personal interests, what they desire to do next and comfort them. It is important for mentors to communicate with students and understand their aspirations. 2. Be approachable Always be around students and let them

Career & Guidance

know of your office hours and respond to their queries and consultations. Communication is the key, do not lose that key. Respond to their phone calls, read and reply their mails, have a talk with them in the college premises even for the shortest enquiry. 3. Be honest No matter how delicate or critical the situation may be, always be honest with students. There is a professional barrier between an advisor and a student, do not let them think of you as a counselor. There are some limitations and tasks beyond an advisor’s reach. Talk it out and make it clear among the students. 4. Become a good listener Keep an open mind whenever you talk to your students and avoid making assumptions. Listen to them carefully till the end before coming to a conclusion. Not every student would want to graduate quickly and not everyone would want to work after graduation.

5. Being adaptable The relationship of a student with his/her advisor depends on communication and the advice they perceive. We have to match the student’s energy in order to serve them better. It was their decision to talk to an advisor; we can never take a step back toward not following what we are supposed to do. 6. Be updated Being knowledgeable is also beneficial for advisors as they communicate regarding the knowledge they possess. There is no such thing in the college premises that an advisor is not aware about. It is always good to have clarity and knowledge about work and formalities regarding your educational institution, rest of the knowledge will be adapted easily by a student. Advising is tiring and an exhausting job. Listening to many stories everyday is typically a mentally draining job. No matter what, you still have to match the students’ energy in order to gain their trust.

www.brainfeedmagazine.com |39| February 22

Offbeat

Unconventional schools around the world What if you get a chance to learn and play in a school that is in the middle of a jungle or on a boat or may be in a glass cube! Sounds untrue but there are such schools. Read to know more Asmita Maurya

Parvarish – The Museum School, India

very child deserves education and enlightment, and underprivileged children are no exception. This unique school in Bhopal is carving the dreams of

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thousands of unfortunate children who otherwise remain deprived of the basic education. Started in January 2005 with a project named – ‘Parvarish’ has till now trained over 2500 needy children. The project started with a group of five rag picker children and educated them. The journey

Offbeat

100 boat schools run by Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha, a local NGO since 2002. These boat schools are saviour to keep the schooling afloat during the heavy monsoon season. This innovative way of schooling also curbs the problem of school dropouts due to regular floods.

continues to provide a similar life to these children like their counterparts. The museum infrastructure and ambience is used as classes for these slum children, teachers and volunteers take care of them and teach them. Most of the B.Ed students are hired as teachers to mentor these children. The school has been coveted with many prestigious awards, like UNESCO - The Wenhui Award for Educational Innovation in Asia and the Pacific 2016.

A third-grader Ruby says, “Her parents are reluctant to send her school as it was far away, but due to boat schools, education comes at their doorsteps and they don’t have to worry about my safety”. These boat schools are equipped with internet access, solar powered and a library.

Students decide what to learn: Brooklyn Free School, US

Floating schools of Bangladesh Yes, you heard right, floating schools also called ‘Boat Schools’. Bangladesh has around

How about learning in a school, where you have the liberty to design your own curriculum according to your interests and passions? Well, that is what Brooklyn Free School does, established in 2003 by a parents and teachers community who felt the need to have an independent democratic free school where students can control their education.

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Offbeat

The school does not follow any standardised syllabus means it does not conducts any tests or grading system. But students themselves frame course curriculum along with teachers that aligns to their interests and growth. The idea sounds so amazing and hence is a reality for students studying in this school.

School where boys play with dolls: Egalia Preschool, Sweden

Green School Bali, Indonesia How it would be learning in midst of a jungle? Definitely, it might be an exotic experience for students. This unique bamboo infrastructure school is known for its ecological ambience, which uses renewable energy sources like bamboo trees and poles, local grass and traditional mud walls. Students learn beyond the boundaries of conventional classrooms in a natural greener environment. The school also runs a Bio Bus, a student-led social initiative to solve sustainable transport services of the rural areas and community. The bus purely uses biodiesel (B100) made from cooking oil. It aims to impart values of holistic community-integrated, entrepreneurial and problem solving skills among students through sustainable approach.

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Would not that be a great place to learn where you are free to choose your own toys without any societal expectations based on the gender? Egalia is one such gender neutral school where kids are not discriminated and influenced on the basis of gender. Educators do not use pronouns “him” or “her” for kids, instead address them as “friends” or as “hen” - a genderless pronoun from Finland. The school gives children much wider scope to be free in whatever they are comfortable in and does not limit them to any set societal norms based on gender. Boys can play with dolls and girls can experiment with fire tractors toys.

School that explores past life: The Elfschool, Iceland Have you heard of a school that teaches its students about holy spirits and hidden people? Well, it sounds a bit strange, but this Iceland’s magical school is different for providing certification in Elf knowledge by headmaster Magnus Skarphedinsson. It is believed that he specialises in teaching about “hidden people” and “past-life explorations”.

Offbeat

glass cube gymnasium. They experience learning away from traditional classrooms and engages students with innovative learning practices. Another unique aspect of the school established in 2005 is that it uses 100% digital learning material. The school’s architecture has won awards like Forum Aid Award 2009 and European Union Prize to name a few.

The school conducts educational tours for visitors and children and usher them with some of the mysterious tales about Icelandic folklore. Over 9,000 people till date have visited this school since its inception in 1991 and continues to impart lectures on natural spirits and elves for over 41 years.

‘Lifeline of Manipur’, India’s first floating school

Studying in a glass cube: Orestad Gymnasium, Denmark

Would not that be an amazing experience to study on a lake? Undoubtedly, yes! India has its first floating elementary school located on largest freshwater lake, Lokatak Lake in Manipur’s Champu Khangpok village. These small-hut shaped schools built with thatches and bamboos serves the educational needs of school dropouts of fishermen community children and also of the illiterate adults who never went school in their life.

A unique school in Copenhagen, Denmark is known for its innovative architecture and gives you an exhilarating experience of learning in a giant classroom. A total of 358 high school students study in a spacious

All Loktak Lake Fisherman’s Union in association with an NGO – People Resources Development Association (PRDA) gave shape to this unique idea of starting a school on a lake.

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Mask-Up

Educators need to pull up the right mask Not all masks provide 100% safety and protection against viruses and finding a suitable mask that offers protection is quite tricky

ith so many viral pathogens and variants emerging and at the same time schools reopening across the country, the teaching community needs to brace itself and provide a safe learning environment to students.

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Which is the right type of mask or best mask for teachers to don? This is the pertinent question among educators. With schools re-opening and educators returning to classrooms, the search for the perfect mask is on. What kind of face mask is ideal and

Mask-Up

best for the teacher?Maybe one that is comfortable, have layers with filters, and is breathable enough so that it doesn’t muzzle their voice, offering comprehensive protection. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers have been investigating what type of masks are better for educators, least intrusive for teachers and through which students can hear clearly what the instructor is saying. As education is mainly an immersive communicative, relational and interactive activity, wearing masks can pose specific challenges and negatively impact students and educators by creating barriers in comprehending visual communication and can be psychologically unsettling for both the stakeholders. In some of the studies and researches, experts discovered that surgical and N95 masks are most favourable and better than fabric layered and cloth masks because fabric tends to absorb sound that affects sound waves, moistening the air particles through friction. The most preferred and popular masks that are in demand currently are surgical masks and N95 masks. Also, a study revealed that N95 masks are more effective than KN95 masks if people are not at high risk of infection. However, to ensure proper safety and protection, CDC recommends teachers to wear masks that are FDA authorised that can fit properly onto your face and is breathable. So, some of the best face masks that teachers should look for overall protection are – 1. Type of substance used Face masks are crafted using various materials like silk, polyester and cotton. But for maximum safety, cotton is preferred more as it has the tightest weave and thread count is effortlessly seamless, making it breathable.

Second popular choice is silk for its natural water-resistant quality and eschew polyester made masks. 2. N95 leads N95 masks are the popular one’s as they block 95 per cent of airborne particles, if put on correctly. However, they can be a bit pricey due to high demand and limited supply. You can always look for another alternative. 3. Reusable masks are better than disposable masks We buy disposable masks in bulk, but most health experts suggest reusable or cloth masks to be better because they are environment friendly and the substance used provides better protection. They come in filter pockets and colourful fun designs. 4. Face shields as an add-on but not necessary Some educators might refrain from wearing masks for obvious reasons related to breathing problems or suffocation and choose a face shield over a mask. While a face shield may ward off voice stifling and provides students with a better site of your facial expressions. Face shields work as addon protection along with masks, but they should not be replaced entirely with masks, as they are open from below and alongside the face, giving more exposure to airborne droplets. Teachers can opt for masks with a transparent plastic window so that children can see the educators mouth. These kinds of masks are ideal for teachers with hearing-impaired children and speech therapists. Many healthcare experts and CDC suggest that face shields are helpful but should not be used as an alternative to masking, and also, they are not very necessary for educators. Educators can use the aforementioned masks to limit the transmission risk ensuring the safety of all.

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Learning

Blended learning is the way forward While the educational cohorts have adopted the blended form of learning, still its efficacy and benefits are to be optimised to enhance student-teacher learning experience

CLASSROOM

BLENDED

any educators worldwide have quite adjusted to this new form of learning – Blended Learning, since the pandemic struck the world. As we swing into another pandemic year, educators and students are more attuned to this paradigm shift from conventional mode of education to hybrid learning. The on-going health crisis has once again halted education with school closures across the nation and with this; the blended learning has gained traction across the educational spectrum. Even the schools management have braced themselves up for the challenges ahead to integrate current education system with the educational technology to keep the schooling afloat amidst this global catastrophe.

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ONLINE

To buttress the schools and keep the learning going, educational stakeholders would require a robust framework that includes compassion, proper planning and dexterity in their activities. The curriculum can be designed in such a way that not only addresses the student’s academic growth but also the emotional and social well-being needs as well. For this to be achievable, the educators and leaders would require extra support, guidelines and resources from the stakeholders, and the autonomy to apply these practices within their respective regions and educational institutions. Undoubtedly, there will be more challenges ahead this year, the lessons we learnt in 2021 from the pandemic can be analysed by

Learning

school leaders so that accordingly necessary modifications can be exercised. The school management would require contemplating past and present techniques and refining practices to support learners enrich their learning experience with a holistic approach. Hybrid mode of education has become a norm in a decade’s time and no longer remains an exception. Hence, to improve the academic stature, many school leaders are following the strategy of blended learning. Blended learning steering the educational ecosystem A lot of research needs to be conducted on this new form of learning to not only understand how to implement better blended learning strategies but also how to evaluate the efficacy of the learning programs implemented. However, an extensive research at times can be exhaustive and challenging.To solve this problem, many studies that were published over the last few years have already proved that blended learning has a long-term positive effect in covering the learning loss pervaded by the pandemic.

One such study is – Building Effective Blended Learning Programs, where author examines the difference between online learning and blended learning and also studies new technologies like Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other learning practices to enhance blended learning experience. Many other studies aim at integrating blended learning solutions with the school curriculum at the primary schools level, reimagining education by finding innovative solutions to support the school education from falling apart further amidst this crisis. Blended learning is the future of educational ecosystem because educational technology will advance and grow. This learning style is here to stay that gives impetus to schools, teachers and students worldwide to fulfil the learning gaps. Blended learning style solves myriad problems for policymakers, administrators and other educational cohorts as Indian government mulls to formalise the online education and ensures to recognise online curriculum. The blended classroom learning leverages the interaction between teachers and students, hence, elevating the learning capabilities of both the stakeholders.

Benefits of Blended Mode of Learning

Blended learning concept creates abalance between traditional learning and hybrid learning. It allows learners to learn at their own pace without comprising on knowledge.

This model offers flexibility to learners to study in-person as well as online in tandem with blended instructions.

This form of learning also provides students’ greater autonomy to keep track of their education progress. It creates an environment of practical and experiential learning.

It not only benefits students but also teachers as well, they are emancipated from the mundane task of teaching traditionally with information overload. Educators can focus on more value-added modules with specific interests.

The personalised mechanism transforms teachers into mentors, freeing them from the burden of conventional teaching practices.

Students get exposure and opportunity to study course material developed by experts from diverse fields, it gives them access to internationally developed and industry-relevant curriculum. Thereby, expanding the exchange of knowledge globally.

As blended learning incorporates online learning tools, the Learning Management Systems or LMS are simple yet creatively designed to keep students engaged, which otherwise might not be possible in traditional classroom setting.

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Online Education

Online Schooling - the new way of learning O

nline learning has been around for more than a decade now. Online learning or distance learning started as a trend for postgraduate courses, namely diplomas or Management studies and over time the trend trickled down to lower grades. Online learning in the initial stage was all about studying in isolation and giving an exam; it slowly moved to live online classrooms and then to using interactive tools to make online learning fun and meaningful. Research conducted by a business wire states that the online education market in

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India is poised to grow by $ 14.33 bn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 21% during the forecast period. While online learning became a trend for graduation and post-graduation courses or short terms courses for that matter, it did not trickle down to schools till the pandemic hit the world in 2020. Schools have been using technology as a tool in bits and pieces; however, they never solely adopted online schooling. The reason for this is resistance from all quarters, right from parents to teachers to educators themselves.

Online Education

The pandemic came as a boon for schools and systems and processes changed overnight. While there have been loopholes and hiccups along the way, many schools have learned to bridge the gaps. Today children attend online school and give their exams online too, and parents and teachers can now see that online education is far more effective than physical school. Online schooling will soon become a norm and widely accepted too. However, we see that there is a huge gap in the quality of online schooling at this point and some of the reasons for that are: 1. Schools are using physical school curriculum online to impart education 2. Teachers are not trained to handle online classes 3. Our IT infrastructure is not that advanced 4. Parents fear their children will get addicted to technology A bunch of educators have realised these gaps and are working towards starting specialised online schools. They are building a curriculum that is meant for the online

medium. This curriculum is more interactive and it makes one think and gives them the autonomy to learn at their pace and revisit topics they may not have understood. These institutions are also working towards teacher training and ensuring teachers are equipped to handle online classes and make the class a fun learning environment. Disruption and rebuilding are what’s going to take us forward and a few visionaries are already working towards doing just that. A few online schools that are doing a great job worldwide are 21K schools, Korroboree online school, Synthesis, Pearson online academy and more. As the world is changing exponentially, parents, educators and teachers have realised that our current education system would have been helpful if one wanted to be an employee as it teaches one to comply, whereas the future is expected to be all about entrepreneurs and collaborators where one will be expected to think beyond, be creative and innovative and become problem solvers.

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Reading

Teachers can rekindle the joy of reading M

any students have nerve-wracking experience when it comes to reading in front of peers. Such situations can develop feelings of embarrassment, shame and frustration.According to the experts, children are sensitive towards reading skills and need social-emotional support from teachers in the foundational years. As the student progresses to middle school and those who fail to achieve a proficiency in reading disengage from school activities,

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dropouts loses interest. The most affected are from low-income groups. “When children are in their middle and high school, they find themselves vulnerable as they are still having a hard time coping with reading problems; they view it as an unachievable task and consider it their failure, which leads to low self-esteem,” said Neelam Agarwal, an associate senior professor in the University of Lucknow. Many students internally develop inferior

Reading

complexity that they are not smart, and think that school is not the place for them and a notion stems that reading is not an interesting activity. In such cases, school can become battlefield for students, who don’t receive proper support and guidance from their teachers. They may be intellectually capable of understanding every concept but still fall apart on multiple fronts.

01 02 03 04 05 06

Teachers’ role is crucial here because only a teacher can help students overcome his/her reading flaws. Some of the ways by which teachers can help reduce anxiety and shame in struggling readers. Teachers can accelerate students’ positive feelings, mitigate negative emotions, and foster an atmosphere where students can freely share their problems related to reading, said Ms Nootan Verma, a school teacher in Delhi.

Teacher’s role Develop a classroom culture where children without being hesitant can ask for help and even if they make mistakes publicly, they are not subject to mockery.

Teachers can encourage and empower students by organising “choral reading session”, instead of asking them to read aloud in front of the entire class.

Teachers can use innovative strategies like incorporating effective phonics instruction, flexible grouping and other fun activities where students can use his/her artistic skills in reading. Teachers can give examples of celebrities and other role models who too coped with reading difficulties to show them that this is not the end of opportunities or limit your growth. Teacher can conduct private read-alouds, where student reads only in front of teacher to develop oral-language skills and fluency. Always include and capitalize students’ strengths and interests in the reading sessions. Older students who have below average reading skills must be provided with age-appropriate content that is engaging, maintains interest in reading and builds fluency and vocabulary skills.

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Perspective

Is Netaji finally getting his due? The initiatives of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose are finding utterance in history textbooks with prominence T P Venu

t is an annual ritual. Come January 23, the whole nation pays tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and his avid followers raise their voices for the inclusion of his initiatives for India’s independence in school syllabus. This year, the voices became shriller with the West Bengal Education minister Bratya Basu stating that the government would recommend to the syllabus committee to include in the school curriculum Netaji’s struggle for Indian independence. Not just that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi

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unveiled a hologram statue of Netaji at India Gate on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of the nationalistic leader. For years, a debate has been raging with staunch followers of Netaji stating that he was relegated to the background and has not been given his due in school textbooks while leaders like Nehru, Abul Kalam Azad and others find mention in abundance. Speaking on the occasion of unveiling the hologram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Perspective

said, “Country is correcting ‘mistakes’ made after independence. While there is no doubt that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose made supreme sacrifices his efforts were ignored,” aver followers. The Indian independence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi with non-violence as the main weapon did not find resonance with Netaji who found his political strategies especially ‘Ahimsa’ ambiguous. Differences they had and Netaji parted ways and was also resigned from Indian National Congress but when Netaji constituted four regiments in Indian National Army (INA) he named three of them after Gandhi, Nehru and Maulana Azad. Opinions may be divided but there is no denying the fact that he stood his ground amidst towering leaders and escaped to Germany via Afghanistan and the Soviet Union and from there to Japan all along mobilising forces to fight against the British. History lessons leave an indelible mark on

students and every leader irrespective of ideology needs to be read. The time, it seems has come, albeit late on the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to find utterance.

Famous slogans of Netaji Jai Hind Give me blood and I will give you freedom! Freedom is not given, it is taken. We should have but one desire today. So that India may live. No real change in history has ever been achieved by discussions. India is calling. Blood is calling to blood. Get up; we have no time to lose. Take up your arms. The road to Delhi is the road to freedom. ChaloDilli.

www.brainfeedmagazine.com |53| February 22

Instructional Observation

Principal & teacher pair-up, a lethal combination When a teacher and principal team-up and teach a class it is a win-win situation

ften, teachers and educators perceive instructional observation as punitive or being checked upon constantly. Can’t there be strategies where teacher observations are no more stressful and can be reimagined as an empowering factor for both teachers and school leaders? Definitely, there are ways through which instructional

www.brainfeedmagazine.com |54| February 22

observations can be exercised effectively without making teachers anxious about their performance. This can be facilitated by co-teaching, collaborative and productive interactions. One of the first tasks for school leaders or principals lies in convincing teachers of the

Instructional Observation

benefits of instructional observations. School leaders’ role is imperative here to make teachers understand why it is necessary to develop a culture of co-teaching and observations and boost it to thrive in the school’s ecosystem.

the instructional leadership role has emerged as a key factor in developing their teacher observations skills. They can also hone their craft or adopt new ideas by observing teachers’ teaching sessions.

One of the positive outcomes seen in recent years is principals getting out of their offices and spending more time than ever in the classrooms. With the aim to improve the teaching practice and learning capacity of both students and teachers by evaluating their teaching practices and behaviour to enhance schools’ growth in achievingquality standards in terms of learning outcome. Let’s look at six strategies by which school leaders can help improve teacher observations.

Teachers have the liberty to choose their observation schedule, which gives them greater autonomy over selecting lessons of their interest and driving the narrative. Teachers can seek advice from school leaders when they are facing challenges and coalesce on finding solutions. In this way, school leaders affirm teachers that their success is the leader’s topmost priority.

Principals playing coach In the recent years, we have observed a shift in the school leader’s role. Though principals are tasked with more administrative duties,

Principals playing coach

Leverage teachers’ strengths

Teacher flip

Flexible invitation strategy

Leverage teachers’ strengths As a leader, we might be quick to point out shortcomings or deficits of teachers and students, which can often discourage and disgruntle teachers’ confidence in their content knowledge and pedagogical skills. Researches have exemplified that people get

Flexible invitation strategy

Co-teaching

Feedback

www.brainfeedmagazine.com |55| February 22

Instructional Observation

motivated and grow from their strengths rather than flaws. Hence, leaders can look for teachers’ strengths instead of getting overwhelmed by their weak points.

Co-teaching Under this strategy, principals and teachers design, prepare lesson plans together. They co-taught the lessons in classrooms with the shared objective of leveraging the overall learning outcome. Roles are more effective when the lesson plans are prepared well in advance. Through this exercise, they get the opportunity to discuss each other’s strengths and progress. Teacher and principal can team-up and teach a class together, taking turns, which allows both of them to observe each other’s teaching techniques.

Teacher flip In this method, the teacher gives a brief summary of what the class is working on to the school principal in advance. Then

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the school leader takes the class, and the teacher leaves the class to observe another teacher teaching. Through this process, a school leader learns and simultaneously, acknowledges the instructors’ skills. Moreover, this strategy not only allows teachers to observe another colleague in action but also permits them to reflect on their own teaching practice.

Feedback It is essential to provide timely feedback to teachers, no matter how distinguished the class session was. School leaders should provide at least one suggestion or tip for improvement that should include practical examples and methods a teacher can implement immediately. To sum up, instructional observation is a win-win situation for both school leader and teacher as it creates a positive experience for both the players in providing ample opportunities for progress, understanding and learning.

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www.brainfeedmagazine.com |57| February 22

Sensory Play Why is it Important for Your Kids? Kids are born with six senses – See, Listen, Touch, Smell, Taste & Move. As they grow up, they begin to look to adapt them in what is generally called as ‘initial development phase’. Every kid will learn to use them and experience them in different ways. While some kids learn to adapt them quickly and learn fast, others face certain limitations to one or more senses. By engaging their senses, kids learn new things or facts of life. This aspect of engagement of senses is what experts refer to as Sensory Play that teaches kids how to visualize process and interpret the world around them. Kids as they grow and evolve, get oriented towards these sensory experiences. Sensory Play is any activity that engages the senses, and stimulates them. It is these sensory activities that encourage kids to use their senses while they play or explore things around them. They also allow them to absorb different sensory information that helps their brain to forge stronger connection with sensory information, and accordingly, process and respond to them. For instance, a kid would find it difficult initially to adjust in an environment with conflicting noises. Through sensory play, kids will learn to understand various noises, hear and adapt and then block out noises that are not of significance.

Factors that underline sensory play’s importance include:

• Provides Sensory Inputs • Facilitates Brain Development • Ensures Better Retention • Regulates Emotions • Enhances Motor Skills • Inculcates Social Skill • Inculcates Scientific Reasoning Skills • Develops Language Skills One of the better ways to facilitate growing kids learning process is through Toys. Quality and interesting toys that sparks interest in them is what will drive them to learn more. ALPAKS since inception has developed hundreds of interactive toys for children – from clay to educational toys to innovative furniture and more. Every ALPAKS toy has been crucial in helping kid’s and children’s innovative minds and fuel their curiosity to try out and experiment with various toys. Known for its stringent quality standards, ALPAKS toys today are widely used in Pre schools and Schools across India. They have also been enormously successful in inculcating in young kids, the importance of environment and the need for developing healthy environmental-friendly habits. You can contact them on alpaks_kids@yahoo.com or call Mr. Tarun on +91 9347501848

www.brainfeedmagazine.com |58| February 22

RNI No: APENG/2013/49994

Postal Regd. No: HD/1180/2022-2024

Posted at PC Nampally on February 7-8, 2022 Date of Publication: February 6, 2022

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