ACHIEVEMENT
C E L E B R AT I N G
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INDIAN WOMEN
IN SCENCE
The history of Indian women in intellectual inquiry can be traced back to the Brahmavadinis of the Vedic age that disappeared during the later period only to resurface with the advent of the modern age. Today is National Science Day, marking the 92nd anniversary of the day when C.V. Raman discovered the Raman effect. Interestingly, the Indian government has come up with the theme of “Women in Science” for this year’s National Science Day celebration to recognise the females who’ve their mark in the field of science.
Worldwide | 28 Februar y 2020
NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY
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Anandi Gopal Joshi Anandi Gopal Joshi became the first female doctor in India in an era when women were restricted by strict social norms and denied an education. She left for America at the age of 18 and graduated in western medicine from the Women’s Medical College in Pennsylvania, hence becoming the first Indian women to do so.
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EK Janaki Ammal Anna Mani
Ek Janaki Ammal was the first Indian woman to obtain a PHD made in Botany. she was responsible for adding extra sweetness to the Indian variety of sugarcane and contributed to genetics, phytogeography, evolution and ethnobotany extensively.
Anna Mani was one of the most celebrated Indian scientists known for her contributions in the field of solar radiation, wind energy instrumentation and ozone.
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Aditi Pant
Aditi Pant is a celebrated Indian Oceanographer who was a part of the expedition team to Antarctica, becoming the first Indian woman to do so. She was inspired by the book “The Open Sea” by Alister Hardy and enrolled in MS with a specialization in Marine sciences.
Indira Hinduja
Indira Hinduja is the Gynecologist and Fertility Specialist based out of Mumbai. She was responsible for delivering the first Test tube baby in India and the development of Oocyte Donation technique.
Worldwide | 28 Februar y 2020
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Asima Chatterjee
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Kalpana Chawla
Asima Chatterjee was the first Indian woman to be elected as the General President of the Indian Science Congress and gave valuable contributions in the field of medicinal chemistry. She was also the first woman to receive the Doctor of Science Degree from an Indian University in 1944 and a recipient of C.V Raman award, PC Ray Award and Padma Bhushan award.
Kalpana graduated from Tagore A lady of high School, Karnal, entrepreneurial India, in 1976 and spirit, Shaw is a technically skilled earned a Doctorate of Philosophy member of the in Aerospace Indian scientific Engineering from elite class. She the University of founded Biocon, Colorado in 1988. which went on to become the largest She was one of the biopharmaceutical many astronauts company in India. who passed away during the crash of space shuttle Columbia.
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Nandini Harinath
A rocket scientist with ISRO, she was the Deputy Operations Director for the Mangalyaan mission. With a career spanning over 20 years, she has worked successfully for a number of projects.
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Sunetra Gupta
Sunetra Gupta is the professor of Theoretical Epidemiology at the University of Oxford. She has received the scientific medal from the Zoological Society Of London for her contribution in the field.
ACHIEVEMENT
THESE 5 EXTRAORDINARY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE WORLD are teaching children in unusual ways or surroundings
EXTRAORDINARY KINDERGARTEN IN TOKYO, JAPAN
At this school in Tokyo, fiveyear-olds cause traffic jams and windows are for Santa to climb into. Meet: the world’s cutest kindergarten, designed by architect Takaharu Tezuka. Watch this TED talk to know more about the kindergarten and it’s design process that really lets kids be kids.
THE BOAT SCHOOLS OF BANGLADESH
A nonprofit organization called Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha operates almost 100 boat schools in Bangladesh since 2002. The schools are solar powered and have a laptop computer, Internet access, and a small library. Whenever there’s a flood and while every other business or service is closed, the boat schools are still operational. They pick up the students from docks or riversides and then anchor somewhere else so class can begin.
Worldwide | 11 November 2016
After the lessons, the boat school returns the students to their homes and yet another group of students is picked up. Approximately 70,000 children have benefited from the boat schools. SCHOOLS
THE TRAIN PLATFORM SCHOOL, INDIA
The children gather between train stops to learn to read and write, and they learn through the use of field trips, flashcards, songs, drama, music, and puppetry. The RSSO also provides food and medication as it would be difficult to educate children from this social background without meeting the needs of their entire families.
Inderjit Khurana, a school teacher from Orissa setup the Ruchika School Social Service Organization (RSSO) and subsequently the Train Platform School in 1985 to ensure that education is available to children who she saw begging on train platforms. She began her project with just one school and today more than 4,000 students are being educated around India through the program. These schools cater to the educational needs of street children, child laborers, and children from poor families.
MICROSOFT’S SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE, PHILADELPHIA, USA
The West Philadelphia School of the Future opened in 2006. In this High tech school, students use computers instaed of books. Mathematics is taught with OneNote, a note-taking app from Microsoft. The teachers use computerized smart boards instead of traditional whiteboards or blackboards for instruction. Students use digital lockers that open with the flash of an ID card. Familiarity with Microsoft Office and other programs gives students of this school a higher chance of employment after graduation.
SCHOOLS IN FINLAND
Finland’s education system is one of the best in the world. To further improve the schooling system, Finnish officials and educators have decided to create schools which cater to the wholesome learning of students and do not just test your knowledge and assign marks. Major reforms like no fixed subjects, changes to the classroom structure and cohesive learning through an interdisciplinary format are underway and are likely to be completed by 2020.
TEACHINGLEARNING IN SCHOOLS
A LIST OF EFFECTIVE APPROACHES THAT CAN ENHANCE THE PROCESS OF LEARNER CENTRIC CURRICULUM The most significant among these is ensuring that the curriculum designed is learner-centric in every aspect. It has to be carefully graded, developmentally appropriate, backed by thorough research and suited to the needs of today’s learners. A constructivist approach to learning ensures that learner’s natural curiosity is channelled effectively through inquiry to achieve the desired outcomes and develop a well-rounded, holistic understanding of concepts that transcends disciplines.
AN INQUIRY-BASED APPROACH An Inquiry-based approach that fosters natural curiosity has great relevance in learning by making connections between learner’s environment, experiences and the key concepts. Inquiry-based learning motivates the students to learn and advance their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. It gives them a platform to ask questions thus, giving them the opportunity to think critically and resolve the issues in their day to day life. It also helps develop their creativity.
The task of educating young minds is a challenge today, both for educators and schools in general. It requires a humongous amount of research, thinking, planning and careful execution. Some principles, however, stand out as time tested and universally applicable across all curricula and can be effectively implemented to enhance the process of teaching-learning.
DEVELOPMENT OF HABITS OF MIND
Let them relate what they learn to the world around them. Ask them to research and look for information rather than merely relying on the textbook, mugging up and regurgitating the information in the examination. At the end of the day, the experience that a teacher takes them through in the process of learning remains indelibly etched on their minds rather than the content.
About the author With an experience of over 34 years in the field of education, she started her career with Mater Dei School in Delhi as Head of Department, English, and served for over 18 years. She then headed schools like Apeejay School, Noida, GD Goenka World School, Gurugram, Kasiga School, Dehradun, in India and even spearheaded partnerships with some leading schools in Scotland & Utah.
Dr. Neeta Bali Worldwide | 15 September 2020
OPINION
Nurturing international-mindedness and intercultural understanding:
Focus on multilingualism, language learning, along with a strong focus on developing knowledge of other cultural groups, appreciation of different ways of being and behaving, and developing positive attitudes to others and engagement with global issues in terms of undertaking activity outside of schools, in the local community and/ or other foreign communities promote the development of intercultural sensitivity and respect. Do this by weaving in activities that require ferreting out relevant information about other cultures – link them to your lessons as extrapolatory themes.
The focus on critical thinking and conceptual understanding promotes the development of intellectual dispositions by providing opportunities to students to apply their learning to solving global and local and real-life problems. Get students to think, discuss, explore, and find answers. Inclusion and differentiation:
Practise differentiation to meet the needs of all learners. Differentiated access to content, multimodal approaches to assimilate content along with assessments that promote multiple ways of demonstrating competence and understanding ensure that the needs of all learners are met. Differentiation enables the teachers to give students the best chance at learning, regardless of their abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Teachers design a variety of lessons keeping in mind the learning style of different students. Students are given a choice board to select a given number of tasks and showcase their understanding in any way that they feel comfortable with. It could through role-play, written content, ICT, oral, through drawings, etc. Students who have a good knowledge base but are reluctant writers get an opportunity to share their ideas and opinions through a medium chosen by them. So, use different ways and methods to cater to all students –each one of whom is unique- Remember, we cannot apply the principle of one shoe fits all!
Collaboration: It gives a platform to the teachers and students to discuss and share ideas thus developing their interpersonal skills, too. Collaboration helps build trust and open communication between the students’ group as well as between the teachers and students. 1. Amongst Teachers: It is a great way of approaching academic planning because each teacher understands the concepts to be taught and share their ideas and opinions about the unit thus developing greater depth in the understanding of the concepts. 2. Amongst students: Students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning. It is a great way of enhancing the 5 Skills - Thinking skills, Communication skills, SelfManagement skills, Research skills, and Social skills in the students.
USE ASSESSMENTS AS LEARNING, NOT A TEST OF MEMORY OR RETENTION
Encourage reflection, promote goal setting and selfregulate learning to fill the observed gaps. Make sure the assessments are designed to test relevant thinking skills by creating meaningful tasks that allow the students to show their understanding of the subject - not just their memory skills. Finally, make learning a celebration for the young. Be vibrant and passionate about what you teach and the passion is bound to percolate to the pupils! Make learning fun!
Story of an Irish teacher who
REVOLUTIONISED EDUCATION IN 20TH CENTURY INDIA Sister Nivedita (birth name Margaret Elizabeth Noble) was an Irish teacher, author, social activist, school founder and disciple of Swami Vivekananda.
Sister Nivedita met Swami Vivekananda in London in 1895. Her impression of Swami Ji overwhelmed her as she once described him as “a majestic personage, clad in a saffron gown and wearing a red waistband, sat there on the floor, cross-legged. As he spoke to the company, he recited Sanskrit verses in his deep, sonorous voice.” She was so taken by Swami Ji’s teachings and his Vedantic preaches that she decided to travel to Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), India, where she eventually settled for life. Swami Ji gave her the name Nivedita (meaning “Dedicated to God”) when he initiated her into the vow of Brahmacharya (celibacy). She did not just follow Swami Vivekananda to India because of his teachings, Sister Nivedita had her own beliefs in education for all. She opened a girls’ school in Calcutta, where she wanted to educate girls who were deprived of even basic education. In this special school, she tried to blend Indian traditions with Western ideas. Sister Nivedita went from home to home requesting to send girls to the school, many of whom were in pitiable condition owing to the socio-economic condition of early 20th century India. In many cases, she encountered refusal from the male members of the girls’ families
National | 26 May 2020
OPINION
Bringing students to the school was not the only difficulty she faced, and collecting money for the school was not an easy task either. She had to earn money from her writings and giving lectures that she later spent to meet the expenses of the school. She closed the school in 1899 to raise funds abroad before returning in 1902 to reopen it. The following year, she added courses to train young women in arts and crafts in addition to basic academic subjects, so as to make the women self-sufficient and independent. Sister Nivedita had widows and adult women among her students who she taught sewing, elementary rules of hygiene, nursing, etc. as a part of her soft-skill development programmes. She eventually supported the Nationalist Movement of the freedom India was struggling to achieve and felt that the future of India depends on education, thus advocating national education as her agenda. The qualities, respect for all, love of truth and thrust of knowledge were held high in her educational thoughts and practices.
Rabindranath Tagore, one of her close friends, summed up that sentiment when, after her death, he referred to her as the “mother of the people.” Sister Nivedita not only served the educational sector of India but also helped the people in need, in sickness and any time she saw they required help. Clearly, she has all the qualities that made her a great educator.
Sister Nivedita remains one of the most influential female figures of Indian education. Sister Nivedita taught us how a teacher is not only responsible for the mere job description mentioned in the resume but to think far and beyond; for it is the teachers who can be that burning torch in the Olympics of education and eventually the change.
Even after her passing, her school continued in operation under the management of the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission.
Several schools and colleges across India have been named after her, too. In 1968, the Indian Government issued a postal stamp in her memory.
In 2010, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education in Kolkata was named after Sister Nivedita. Apart from this, The Sister Nivedita Academy, an institution dedicated to her memory, has been established in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
THE 21ST CENTURY TEACHER’S GUIDE TO EDTECH Dear Teacher, with this guide in hand, you will stop feeling overwhelmed and start getting comfortable about how edtech can help you and your students learn. In this guide, I have gathered 15+ educational technology tools including tools for classroom management, flipped learning, presentation, media production, and so on.
1.FLIPGRID
Flipgrid is the leading video discussion platform for millions of PreK to PhD educators, students, and families in 180+ countries. Students record short, authentic videos and can reply to each other’s videos. Educators are 100% in control with video moderation, access controls, and much more. Students can capture widescreen videos, pause while recording, add more after reviewing, and trim to perfect. From 15 seconds to 5 minutes, your students can perfect the elevator pitch or give a short presentation. https://info.flipgrid.com/
2.NEARPOD
Nearpod provide a host of pre-made, fully-interactive lessons developed by subject matter experts for all school levels and subjects. Nearpod also allows teachers to import lessons from any file type and begin adding interactive elements, web-links or video snippets to them. They can then synchronise their prepared lessons to all students’ devices, casting the lesson simultaneously to each student and able to monitor their progress throughout the lesson. https://nearpod.com/
3.ONENOTE CLASS BOOK
5.QUIZLET
The OneNote Class Notebook is an app that helps educators set up OneNote in their class. This app will create a class notebook, which includes three types of sub-notebooks:
Teachers can search millions of study sets or create your own using Quizlet. These resources help you improve class and school results using flashcards, games and more. Quizlet is a basic framework that uses the concept of play to help students learn in a manner best suited to them. Students are able to compete against their fellow students and discuss sets, and entire classes can share teacher-created sets. The ability to choose flash card photos from Flickr’s pool of Creative Commons-licensed photography really adds to Quizlet’s efficacy for subjects like anatomy -- and the various modes of play give students some variety when studying.
Student Notebooks - private notebooks that are shared between each teacher and their individual students. Teachers can access these notebooks at any time, but students cannot see other students’ notebooks. Content Library - a notebook for teachers to share course materials with students. Teachers can add and edit its materials, but for students, the notebook is read-only. Collaboration Space — a notebook for all students and the teacher in the class to share, organize, and collaborate. https://www.onenote.com/classnotebook
4.PADLET Padlet is a great tool for gathering ideas, sharing them and modifying them later. It’s like a living sticky note board with images, links and anything you would like to curate and share with you class. Users can add links, YouTube videos, files and images to Padlet notes. They can move and arrange them. A link to a Padlet can be shared and Padlets can be embedded into webpages. https://padlet.com
https://quizlet.com/en-gb
6.My Simple Show My Simple Show is an amazingly simple way to create explainer videos that get the message across to your students. The tool contributes to the e-Learning community by incorporating various Vark model learning styles. It offers several storylines to choose from, including: presenting a CV, explaining a workflow, introducing a biological process, and even inviting someone to an event. phy really adds to Quizlet’s efficacy for subjects like anatomy -- and the various modes of play give students some variety when studying. https://www.mysimpleshow.com
7.CANVA Canva has all the tools an educator needs in one place, with features that make teaching and learning feel more collaborative, intuitive, and enjoyable. Although their teaching section is dedicated to using Canva for teaching, however, it also has some really useful general teaching and design tips which every educator will find relevant. https://www.canva.com/learn/teachers/
8.UNIMERSIV Unimersiv is based on the premise that Virtual Reality can strongly improve the capacity of the human mind to remember the things it learned for a long time. Research has shown students remember 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see and up to 90% of what they do or simulate. Take your students to historical places, in space or inside the human body with the Unimersiv VR app. https://unimersiv.com/virtual-reality-schools/
9.FLUBAROO Flubaroo is a free tool that helps you quickly grade multiple-choice or fill-in-blank assignments. Created by a teacher, Flubaroo besides being a grading tool also computes average assignment score, computes average score per question, and flags low-scoring questions; gives you the option to email each student their grade, and an answer key and lets you send individualized feedback to each student. http://www.flubaroo.com
10.ONENOTE CLASS BOOK
The OneNote Class Notebook is an app that helps educators set up OneNote in their class. This app will create a class notebook, which includes three types of sub-notebooks: ▶ Student Notebooks - private notebooks that are shared between each teacher and their individual students. Teachers can access these notebooks at any time, but students cannot see other students’ notebooks. ▶ Content Library - a notebook for teachers to share course materials with students. Teachers can add and edit its materials, but for students, the notebook is read-only. ▶ Collaboration Space — a notebook for all students and the teacher in the class to share, organize, and collaborate. https://www.onenote.com/classnotebook
11.Venngage This tool allows you to present your lessons visually and present related data with infographics. Infographics make data and processes accessible and memorable. Creating the infographics is a very simple 3 step process Choose a template
Add charts & visuals
Customize https://venngage.com/
12. InsertLearning InsertLearning was founded by two high school teachers who wanted to create a richer learning experience for their students. Teachers and their students can annotate any web page and share what they think is important. Educators can also monitor student responses and annotations during class allowing educators to respond when students need help the most.
EdTech
https://insertlearning.com/
13. PicMonkey PicMonkey helps the teacher develop student creativity by getting them to design posters, collages, and visual presentations. These projects along with lessons on photo editing and design concepts such as brightness, contrast, and saturation help your students learn the basics of graphic design. https://www.picmonkey.com/
14. Desmos Desmos aims to empower educators in their attempt to help every student learn math and love learning math. With that in mind, they’ve assembled a collection of unique and engaging digital activities, which are free for teachers and their students. https://teacher.desmos.com/
15. Simple K12 Simple K12 is a community of educators whose mission is to help other educators inspire their students, engage their learners, perfect their craft, and share their experiences to help others do the same. They provide Online Teacher Training, Professional Development resources and a lot of valuable stuff through their blog. https://www.simplek12.com
16. SpiderScribe SpiderScribe is an online mind mapping and brainstorming tool. It lets the teacher and students organize ideas by connecting notes, files, calendar events, etc. in free-form maps. It is the perfect platform to collaborate and share online! https://www.spiderscribe.net/
THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM OUGHT TO EPITOMIZE TECHNOLOGY Technology is enabling the creation of personalized learning environments that will eventually replace the traditional classrooms. Edtech (education technology) is one needed right step in this direction. Edtech has evolved from providing online learning material, information sharing and collaboration to the next level of personalization using innovative and adaptive teaching strategies.
Today’s students have unprecedented technological literacy. They are eager to embrace the use of various edtech platforms in the classroom. Teachers are more able to understand students. They can provide them more customized instruction. Schools should adopt edtech because it makes teaching easier and encourages students to be more engaged with lessons.
From developing multiple intelligence platforms to time efficiency, Amit Yadav, Founder, Kidstriangle and Rishi Kapal, CEO & Global Strategist, Edugild, make a case for optimizing technology in the 21st century classroom.
According to recent digital survey conducted by Mc Graw Hill, 75% students found technology helpful in preparing for class and nearly 80% felt adaptive technology has helped in improving their grades. Learning through technology is necessary in every facet of society because of the shift in worldwide computer usage and the need for computer skills in the workforce.
There are several good reasons to embrace edtech in the classroom… 1. PERSONALIZED LEARNING
Every student is unique in terms of his/her strength, learning style, and their day to day environment. Smart assessments continuously evaluate student performance and cater teaching strategies and material as per their needs. Students have access to interactive videos, updated textbooks, on-demand classrooms, customized learning modules, access to top-quality lessons and content from some of the best universities in the world, and all of this – available and accessible via today’s smart phones. Many startups offer tuition to school-goers. They help them in cracking entrance exams. On the other hand, a number of startups help aspiring professionals and entrepreneurs with their professional certification courses.
2. HIGHER SUCCESS RATE
Students become smart learners and can track their mistakes, thus ensuring mistakes are avoided. Equipping students with the caliber to become successful and knowledgeable professionals is at the core of a teacher’s job. Modern teachers are now familiar with technology. Classrooms are also becoming paperless and technologically equipped. Due to many benefits of edtech, teachers should welcome its usage with open arms. Schools districts and school boards need to prioritize funding for edtech and computer devices for every student. Hence it is important to epitomize technology.
3. TIME EFFICIENCY
Students get the liberty to study and understand concepts at their own pace giving them adequate time to learn. Knowledge sharing and collaboration using technology platform has further helped students to get their questions and doubts answered quickly. Teachers can easily distribute their work with others when uploading lessons is as simple as the click of a button. Edtech is also self-checking because it is paperless and gives students instant feedback on their work. There are timer and monitoring apps, organizational sources and editing services. You will better manage your time and increase both your and your trainee’s productivity. So many things can be learnt in a short time.
4. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE PLATFORMS
Technology identifies and reaches more learners than any other kind of tool available in the classroom, and allows for a dynamic learning experience that directly benefits students. It can increase many kinds of intelligence in students like verbal-linguistic intelligence, verbal-logical intelligence, musical intelligence, visual-spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence etc. and is hence very useful.
Edtech generates core quality content that solves this problem. Edtech in the classroom – the need of the moment!
5. BOOST STUDENT MOTIVATION
It makes learning more engaging and students are motivated to learn more. Modern students are extremely tech savvy. They prefer internet and smart devices for their learning. The students and skill-seekers want to go beyond the limitations of classrooms and improperly trained teachers. This is an excitement for them. It motivates them to learn many things in a shorter time.
6. ENHANCE THE LEARNING MATERIAL
Students can access the learning material virtually anytime. They can do this anywhere in their preferred format of audio/video/ games etc. This has significantly increased effectiveness of teaching strategies and learning materials. With Edtech tools instructors can now use visual models that are built in a gamelike setting to communicate information, while also constructing teamwork skills and analytical thinking. Incorporating Edtech tools will allow instructors to foster learning through complex thinking. The Edtech options help in storing information. It will make organizing your brain easier. Digital space savers will not only help focus, they will also support you sharing and explaining any learning material. Designers should keep this in mind when constructing training materials. Sending and saving files digitally will boost the overall efficiency of the learning process. There are some products which solve the issues of engineers (students, graduates, professionals) who experience difficulty in effectively visualizing and conceptualizing complex engineering subject matters, like diagrams, schematics, drawings, laboratory experiments, technical site operations etc. Poor visualization leads to poor performance during examinations, job interviews, or when applying technical knowhow in industry.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WERE THE TRANSFORMATIVE FORCES OF THE PAST CENTURY,
TODAY IT NEEDS TO BE COUPLED WITH ART + DESIGN What is STEM?
Curriculum integration based on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) was initiated in US in the year 1998. Instead of teaching students four disciplines separately it was decided to package them together to develop a holistic approach amongst the students. Blended learning environment, and how scientific methods can be applied makes STEM education different from traditional learning. Techno innovation is widely accepted as a bright career choice today and it will also shape our future. But STEM education does not yield the mental agility that comes from an intuitive, initiator, and innovative problem solver and that courage lies
Art and Science twain are considered to be polar opposites which shall never meet. Students, universities, corporates -- all of them have considered both as separate entities. Increasingly people started believing that this is not good enough to prepare future workforce in this volatile environment and data drenched world. One of the first people to realize this was Georgette Yakman,
considered to be an architect behind STEAM. But before understanding STEAM, it is important to understand STEM.
“Creativity is that marvelous capacity to grasp mutually distinct realities and draw a spark from their juxtaposition.” – Max Ernst
What is STEAM?
Science and technology were the transformative forces of the past century, today it needs to be coupled with Art + Design to bring transformation in society, in our learners, and in our education system. The modern approach to learning and catering to meet the new education needs of the 21st century was initiated and called STEAM which integrates subjects like Science, Technology, Engineering, The Arts, and Mathematics to draw points to cater to students dialogues, inquiry, and critical thinking ability. The end result of STEAM education is, it makes students calculated risk takers, constantly engage them in experiential learning, develop a creative and collaborative approach and engage in problem solving. It makes them truly educated, innovators, and learners of 21st century. STEAM concept was formalized by Georgetter Yakman in 2006 but it did not gain much attention. The Barack Obama administration in 2009 promoted in US the ‘Educate
to Innovate’campaign which inspired and motivated students, educators, industries, and policymakers. STEM to STEAM is an initiative advocated by Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and it was globally adopted by education institutes, individuals, and corporates. It is simply said to be a way to teach things related to each other which is considered to be more engaging and fun than traditional learning. Someone has rightly said, we learn how to organize with Maths, by using technology we research as historians so that we are able to comprehend, and communicate through engineering. The transdisciplinary skills developed in students make them valued by employers. STEM to STEAM movement was rolling forward positively in last few years as STEM lacks key components of education desired by the industry and required by students to thrive in future.
CORE COMPONENTS
1. It is an assimilated approach to learning where there is a connect between learning standards, evaluations, and lesson design; 2. It involves integration of two or more than two streams while teaching, delivered and assessed in an integrated manner; 3. Appreciating inquiry, collaborative approach to learning, and following logical processes are the essential core components of STEAM education. 4. Use of veracity from the Art stream in teaching science or technology make this initiative more beautiful.
Albert Einstein was an accomplished artist, and Charles Darwin was culturally inspired from theatre, literature, and poetry. Da Vinci used both art and science together in his work.
Benefits of STEAM Education
STEAM education is igniting conversations across the globe about how creativity and innovation; the essentials coming from art and design education are today being valued by employers and for economic growth today it has to be integrated with science and technology. The journey of STEAM education sounds quite intriguing, but at the same time it’s quite puzzling if not implemented properly and there are educators who are not even sure how to deliver it in the right spirit.
Tata Sons Chairman, Natrajan Chandrasekaran, in his recent interview to PTI said, STEM education is important to us, and we are committed to promote and encourage education in this filed and support the children across the globe. He remarked that all of us are very close to technology, and especially when we are dealing with customers across the globe we need to embrace their psychology and adopt cutting edge technology.
Traditional education focused on convergent thinking, while inclusion of arts and design thinking developed divergent thinking amongst graduates which helps to explore various possible solutions. Students who possess both set of skills can contribute much better to workplace productivity. It engages students into STEM subjects at the same time ensuring that student’s creativity do not fall by wayside. To make scientific experiments results broadly fathomable and actionable artistic hand and mind can be a worthy choice.
“Art is the queen of all sciences communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world.” - Da Vinci One stream is data driven, while another is driven by emotions. One is more dominant by tech introverts, while other by expressive characters. But I would call these only
stereotype differences. But when we start practicing these two disciplines together we realize how important both the discipline are. Both the disciplines search for truth, and rationale for the same deeply. Yes, agreed artist studio, and scientist lab are the last places reserved, but they generate lot of thinking and doing. Streams have borrowed themselves from another streams and hybrid education is a way of life today. An artist can be a great partner in triangulation of the scientific unknown. To me art, and science are natural partners as in both the streams approach problem through inquiry, and open-mindedness. None of the stream has a fear of the unknown, and possess complementary thinking. When both the streams join hands, the collaboration brings out unexpected results. The unusual nature of today’s problems can be bridged by best of the talents from integrated discipline and we can solve them by application from both the qualitative and quantitative domain. Schools often struggle with students who
are not open to learn, and deliver poor test scores. Schools who have embedded literacy education in their curriculum have seen rising assessment scores, and increased willingness to learn amongst their students; That science linked with creative pursuits can yield better results has been proved again and again. Let’s have a look at few success stories Taylor Elementary School at Virginia embedded art and music in their regular curriculum. Traditionally presented geometric principles were explained drawing a scenery while to understand different stage of plant lifecycle music was created using Apple software. It inspired students for peer learning and developed more positive inclination towards deep understanding of the subject; University Place elementary School, Alabama is facing complete education revival due to STEAM education. They feel STEAM education made their students come out of the trauma coming from the loss of loved ones and their homes and they have emerged stronger than ever. An 18 year old Chennai boy, Sai Kiran, won second prize in NASA Ames Space Settlement Contest, 2017 where he visualizes creation of link between moon and earth that will allow human settlement in lunar space. Sai applied designed thinking and took a concrete step towards converting a dream into reality. Kavya, a 12 year old engineer,
robotics champion, and environmental philanthropist, became the first youngest team to qualify for First Lego League – European Open Championship in Aarhus this year for her new designed product Bee saver Bot. Her unique idea, integrated with technology made her class apart for this championship.
Roadblocks in STEAM Education
I believe by providing art instructions we can actually help produce innovative scientists today. Even today art-science partnerships in India are very subjective and it is still felt that creative instincts developed through art education can be transferred and used in other fields. STEAM education in India is still in its nascent stage and has not realized its full potential because there are no clear cut guidelines, and people also do not have conceptual clarity. There is also lack of tech support and infrastructure with schools and colleges as well as lack of resources to implement. Even there is scarcity of trained STEAM education teachers. Resistance to change is also a common disease in the Indian education system, and you will find old educators especially reluctant to adapt themselves to newer ways.
The Future of STEAM Education
STEAM education creates an
active and collaborative learning environment in the classroom and engages students in learning. We just can’t deny that STEAM education enhances employment opportunities and inculcates a practical problem solving approach, so it has a great future even when it is facing many roadblocks. In times to come schools, colleges, industry will naturally encourage STEAM education to match demand and supply of necessary workforce skills. Policymakers and educators in India really need to act fast to keep pace with the advancement happening across the globe scientifically as well as economically and bring changes in the education system. The world has accepted the fact that it isfine to commit mistakes, think out of box, commit failures, and cherish the joy of exploring at the same time having a strong bond with science and mathematics to discover. Teaching art and science together in the curriculum is vital, essential, and desirable today. Students need to learn sound methods, develop logical thinking, testing hypothesis, and interpret results with valid conclusions. It is equally important for them to understand and develop arguments, and creative decision making process. It will clearly enhance their employability and foster new skills. It’s time to see a new generation of resurgent men and women who recognize the importance of coexistence of analysis and creation.
5
TED TALKS
TO HELP TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS INSPIRE KIDS USING PROJECT BASED LEARNING
CESAR HARADA:
HOW I TEACH KIDS TO LOVE SCIENCE
These TED talks will ignite passions, pique interests and introduce kids to the excitement of hands-on learning.
At the Harbour School in Hong Kong, TED Senior Fellow Cesar Harada teaches citizen science and invention to the next generation of environmentalists. He’s moved his classroom into an industrial mega-space where imaginative kids work with wood, metal, chemistry, biology, optics and, occasionally, power tools to create solutions to the threats facing the world’s oceans. There, he instills a universal lesson that his own parents taught him at a young age: “You can make a mess, but you have to clean up after yourself.”
GEVER TULLEY
LIFE LESSONS THROUGH TINKERING
AYAH BDEIR
BUILDING BLOCKS THAT BLINK, BEEP AND TEACH
Gever Tulley uses engaging photos and footage to demonstrate the valuable lessons kids learn at his Tinkering School. When given tools, materials and guidance, these young imaginations run wild and creative problem-solving takes over to build unique boats, bridges and even a roller coaster!
Imagine a set of electronics as easy to play with as Legos. TED Fellow Ayah Bdeir introduces littleBits, a set of simple, interchangeable blocks that make programming as simple and important a part of creativity as snapping blocks together.
ARVIND GUPTA:
CATARINA MOTA
TURNING TRASH INTO TOYS FOR LEARNING
At the INK Conference, Arvind Gupta shares simple yet stunning plans for turning trash into seriously entertaining, well-designed toys that kids can build themselves — while learning basic principles of science and design.
PLAY WITH SMART MATERIALS
Ink that conducts electricity; a window that turns from clear to opaque at the flip of a switch; a jelly that makes music. All this stuff exists, and Catarina Mota says: It’s time to play with it. Mota leads us on a tour of surprising and cool new materials, and suggests that the way we’ll figure out what they’re good for is to experiment, tinker and have fun.
Netflix has been streaming movies, documentaries, and tv-series of multiple genres, attracting people from different walks of life. There are some series and documentaries which are quite fascinating for classrooms as well. They
talk about multiple issues and concepts from wildlife protection to gender-based issues that can educate the young students. Here is a list of 10 such programs which are a must-watch to enhance our knowledge banks.
10 Educational Netflix Series: Must-Watch For Students & Teachers Our Planet, narrated by David Attenborough, is a ground-breaking and honest series on the flora and fauna. It reflects on the issues that have been intentionally or unintentionally skipped in other series under this genre. It has been filmed in more than 50 countries and covers the diversity of species from coastal areas to grasslands.
Directed by Jeff Orlowski, it is a compilation of hard work done over a span of three years, with 500+ hours of underwater shoots, across 30 countries with the support of more than 500 volunteers. The movie sheds light on the depleting number of coral reefs and tries to find the underlying causes of such activity.
The movie 13th by Ava DuVernay is inspired by the 13th Amendment to the American Constitution. It is a depiction of racial inequality, unjust system and police brutality. The documentary has testimonies from different advocates and scholars on this topic and reasons for a large number of African-Americans in the prison. The message of the documentary is lucid
It explores the life of infants in the first year of their life. The series is based on ground-breaking science and reflects on the statement of ‘what it means to be a human can be found in the youngest creatures.’
Directed by Rachel Lears, it is the life-story of four women who aspire to change the face of American Politics and enter the field in 2018 for the Congress race. This emotional and touching documentary follows their life-struggles, their effort and campaign stories.
Zion is a short film by Floyd Russ about a teenager Zion Clark who was born without legs and has lived in foster care for years. It is an inspiring story of a determined young man who wanted to make it in wrestling despite all the odds.
This documentary film by Rayka Zehtabchi is focused upon menstruation. The plot of the film is set-up in rural India, where stigmas and taboos over period persist and people prefer not to discuss it. The film is about a group of women who revolt against the existing treatment to menstruation and create an impact by producing sanitary napkins at lower costs to ensure their feasibility for all.
The White Helmets is a British short film on the work done by a relief and rescue crew in Syria and Turkey. The film has been directed by Orlando von Einsiedel and reflects on the daily operations and struggles of the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as The White Helmets.
Explained is a series by Vog Digs, where a plethora of topics have been discussed from politics to music. It aims to explore cultures, trends and anything relevant happening across the globe, with interviews and explanations by experts in the areas. It touches upon when sound becomes music or why women are paid less or the growing water crisis in the world.
TOP
BOOKS FOR TEACHERS ON
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Developing and improving your knowledge is a must for any profession - teaching is no exception. With pedagogy evolving every day with new practices and technology, compiled are some books that every teacher must read to get better at their profession.
Mindful Assessment
ches by Lee Watanabe-Crockett, Andrew Chur
hing It is time to rethink the relationship between teac ents stud and learning and assess the crucial skills need to succeed in the 21st century. The authors assert that educators must focus assessment on ing mindfulness and feedback for improvement, fram to assessment around six fluencies students need cultivate. The book provides scenarios, lessons, activities, and assessment rubrics.
Teaching With the Brain in Mind by Eric Jensen
In easy to understand, engaging language, Jens en provides a basic orientation to the brain and its various systems and explains how they affect learning. After discussing what parents and educators can do to get children’s brains in good shape for school, Jens en goes on to explore topics such as motivation, critic al thinking skills, optimal educational environments ,
emotions, and memory. He offers fascinat ing insights on a number of specific issues. Jensen’s repeated message to edu cators is simple: You have far more influence on students’ brains than you real ise - and you have an obligation to take advantage of the incredible revelatio ns that science is providing.
Teach Like a Pirate
by Dave Burgess
University rld-renowned Stanford wo , ch ar se re of s de ca e but After de .D., discovered a simpl Ph k, ec Dw S. l ro Ca psychologist In this brilliant the power of mindset. a: ide g kin ea br nd ou gr ts, the arts, s in school, work, spor es cc su w ho s ow sh e sh dramatically book, an endeavour can be m hu of ea ar y er ev t and almos ts and abilities. think about our talen influenced by how we that abilities set—those who believe ind m ed fix a th wi le a growth Peop urish than those with flo to ely lik s les re . —a are fixed ilities can be developed ab at th ve lie be o wh e mindset—thos managers, eat parents, teachers, gr w ho als ve re t se nd Mi anding a to use to foster outst ide is th t pu n ca s te and athle accomplishments.
t Carey
nedic How We Learn by Be
dict Carey ing science reporter Bene In this book, award-winn landmark education research and of s de ca de h ug ro th s sift s absorb th about how our brain studies to uncover the tru from the at, What he discovers is th and retain information. efficiently, are all learning quickly, we , rn bo are we nt me mo process r zeal to systematise the ou in t bu y; all tic ma to and au rning tools , naturally enjoyable lea we have ignored valuable dedicated desk , and daydreaming. Is a like forgetting, sleeping altering your best way to study? Can e th lly rea om ro iet qu in a distraction all? Are there times when ns yields a routine improve your rec tio es qu ers to these sw an for h arc se ’s rey cessary? Ca es—and less of a is good? Is repetition ne a part of our everyday liv re mo ing rn lea ke ma at wealth of strategies th chore.
The MOOC Case Book by Dr. Joseph Rene Corbeil, Dr. Maria Elena Corbeil, and Dr. Badrul H. Khan With the advancement of digital learning technologies, knowledge sharing for the purpose of education and training has accelerated to a point we have never experienced before. The availability of powerful delivery tools and the intentions and interests for sharing knowledge with greater audiences are the major driving forces behind the growth of Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs. While there are many benefits to MOOCs, they currently face several challenges. Design, development, implementation and evaluation of open and distributed learning systems (e.g., MOOCs) require thoughtful analysis and investigation. But most people have no idea how or where to begin. Khan’s E-Learning Framework provides a comprehensive structure for analysing the issues involving the design, development, implementation and evaluation of e-learning initiatives.
A New Culture of Learning
by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown
Effective, intentional teaching begins with a strong set of beliefs, but even the best teachers - including Debbie Miller - struggle to make sure that their classroom practice consistently reflects their core convictions. In Teaching with Intention, Debbie shares her process of defining beliefs, aligning practice, and taking action to ensure that children are the true beneficiaries of her teaching. As Peter Johnston writes, “Through this book, we have Debbie’s teaching mind on loan. She engages us in the details of teaching life from inside her mind, showing the thinking behind her teaching and the consequences of her actions.”
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
ford After decades of research, world-renowned Stan vered disco ., University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D mindset. a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of ol, scho in ess succ how In this brilliant book, she shows an hum of work, sports, the arts, and almost every area we endeavour can be dramatically influenced by how fixed a with le Peop ties. abili think about our talents and —are fixed are ties mindset—those who believe that abili mindless likely to flourish than those with a growth loped. set—those who believe that abilities can be deve agers, and athletes can put this Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, man ents. idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishm
The Innovator’s Mindsett by George Couros
and In this book, George Couros encourages teachers der, won administrators to empower their learners to ers. explore--and to become forward-thinking lead e vativ inno need we , If we want innovative students with ns educators. In other words, innovation begi set: it’s you. Ultimately, innovation is not about a skill ation about a mindset. The traditional system of educ
requires students to hold their questions and compliantly stick to the scheduled curriculum. But our job as educators is to provide new and better opportunities for our students. It’s time to recognise that compliance doesn’t foster innovation, encourage critical thinking, or inspire creativity--and those are the skills our students need to succeed.
What Connected Educators Do Differently
by Todd Whitaker, Jeffrey Zoul and Jimmy Casas
Todd Whitaker, Jeffrey Zoul, and Jimmy Casas are widely acclaimed experts on teaching and are pioneers in the education Twitterverse, and now they are sharing their best practices. In this book, they show how being a connected educator by using social media to connect with peers across the country and even across the globe will greatly enhance your own learning and your success in a school or classroom. You will find out how to create a personal and professional learning network to share resources and ideas, gain support, and make an impact on others. By customising your professional development in this way, you will be able to learn what you want, how you want, when you want. Best of all, you will become energised and inspired by all the great ideas out there and how you can contribute, benefiting both you and your students.
Eric Ries defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. The Lean Startup approach fosters companies that are both more capital efficient and that leverage human creativity more effectively. Rather than wasting time creating elaborate business plans, The Lean Startup offers entrepreneurs - in companies of all sizes - a way to test their vision continuously, to adapt and adjust before it’s too late. Ries provides a scientific approach to creating and managing successful startups in an age when companies need to innovate more than ever.
In The $100 Startup, Chris Guillebeau tells you exactly how many dollars his group of unexpected entrepreneurs required to get their projects up and running; what these individuals did in the first weeks and months to generate significant cash; some of the key mistakes they made along the way, and the crucial insights that made the business stick. This is a great glimpse into what is possible with a small investment, for people who have absolutely no experience in being an entrepreneur or online business owner.
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. Dr Seuss While there are many books to read for young, aspiring entrepreneurs, here are 10 of the best books to give young entrepreneurs a dose of inspiration and get started.
In this book, Guy Kawasaki brings two decades of experience as one of business’s most original and irreverent strategists to offer the essential guide for anyone starting anything. From raising money to hiring the right people, from defining your positioning to creating a brand, from creating buzz to buzzing the competition, from managing a board to fostering a community, this book will guide you through an adventure that’s more art than science—the art of the start.
The purpose of this book is to give you a series of ideas, methods, strategies, and techniques that you can use immediately to make more sales, faster and easier than ever before. This is a useful & practical book on all the key things you need to know when it comes to sales, persuasion & consumer psychology. Brian Tracy’s ideas are both easy to understand, practical and well thought through.
10
BOOKS TEACHERS CAN USE TO FOSTER
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Dale Carnegie’s timeless classic is a book that is packed with rock-solid advice that has carried thousands of now famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives. As relevant as ever before, this book’s principles endure, and will help the reader achieve maximum potential in the complex and competitive modern age. Learn the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.
Robert T. Kiyosaki developed his unique economic perspective from two very different influences - his two fathers. One father (Robert’s real father) was a highly educated man but fiscally poor. The other father was the father of Robert’s best friend - that Dad was an eighth-grade drop-out who became a self-made multi-millionaire. This clear, well-written, and thought-provoking book is not just about money. It’s about how we are taught to think; how we are programmed by schools, family, and friends and the steps we need to take to reprogram our minds.
Any organization can explain what it does; some can explain how they do it; but very few can clearly articulate why. WHY is not money or profit—those are always results. WHY does your organization exist? WHY does it do the things it does? WHY do customers really buy from one company or another? WHY are people loyal to some leaders, but not others?
Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, the author reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives—and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble. Thinking, Fast and Slow highly is highly recommended if you’re interested in why human beings behave the way they behave and will transform the way you think about thinking.
Gary Vaynerchuck is widely considered a web celebrity and social media expert. He used social media and online video (WineLibrary TV) to gain incredible exposure and propel his wine business to unprecedented success. In Crush It! Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion, readers will learn how to harness the power of the Internet to make their entrepreneurial dreams come true. The book has some great tips regarding social media and personal branding.
In a praiseworthy effort to distill some of the most important lessons of entrepreneurship, Kevin D. Johnson, shares the essential beliefs, characteristics, and habits of elite entrepreneurs. Smart and insightful, The Entrepreneur Mind: 100 Essential Beliefs, Characteristics, and Habits of Elite Entrepreneurs is the ultimate primer on how to think like an entrepreneur.
What Makes It Essential?
EARLY
CH I LDHOOD CARE & EDUCATION
UNESCO defines early childhood as “the period from birth to eight years of age”. Alongside remarkable physical growth and “brain development at its peak,” the environment and people in a child’s surroundings influence her or him highly at this stage.
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), thus, aims at the holistic development of a child. It includes all forms of education, both formal and informal, that builds a strong foundation for the child’s lifelong learning and wellbeing.
“A child’s most important steps happen before they set foot in a primary school. By their fifth birthday, children’s brains are 90% developed and the foundations for success at school and in later life are in place,” says a joint UNICEF-OECD-UNESCO blog.
On the surface, informal education refers to the primary source of input i.e. a child’s relationship and its nature and quality with his or her parents and/or primary caregiver.
When people say parents are the first teachers of a child, it’s the truth and not just hearsay. The relationship between the two is critical and sensitive, especially between the ages 0 to 2. On the basis of the quality of the parent-child relationship, a child forms a sense of self, and attachment with the parent.
The second part of the equation of ECCE is the formal education. It differs from state to state, and programme to programme. Educational programmes are often designed according to age groups and are administered in several settings such as daycare, childcare, kindergarten, nursery school, or preschool. Some people consider ECCE as a mere preparation before entering the primary school; however, it is much more than that. ECE experts owe their gratitude to the renowned psychologist, Jean Piaget for his research and theory on learning through play; Early Childhood Education posits that learning is highly effective when combined with play. Play meets the physical, intellectual, language, emotional and social needs of children. You would ask how does that happen? According to research, it has been found that the curiosity and imagination of children are evoked naturally when they are unfettered. Tassoni suggests that "some play opportunities will develop specific individual areas of development, but many will develop several areas." WHAT ARE THE KEY REQUIREMENTS FOR CREATING A PLAY-BASED LEARNING ATMOSPHERE? A Safe Space for Children to Interact and Play in Correct Supervision.
However, before setting up this environment, it is imperative that we understand the purpose of Early Childhood Care and Education.
IMPROVE SOCIAL SKILLS: ECCE aims at developing friendship among the preschoolers belonging to the common age group through play. One of the most important aspects of such schools is to provide the children with a safe environment that builds strong relationships while they interact with each other; it also encourages children to step out of their comfort zones leading to overcoming shyness for healthy social development. It is better for preschoolers to learn the art of sharing at an early age to avoid hostile behaviour. Children also learn to cooperate, respect the opinions of others, be better listeners and learn the art of communication while promoting teamwork. The active, hands-on experiences enable a child to inculcate life skills in his day-today life.
CLOSING EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT GAP: Providing appropriate A education in the formative Culturally Aware and Trained years helps in pre-emptively Educator, who closing the education has certification in achievement gap between the Early Years students coming from high Foundation and low-income families.
Children of low socioeconomic status (SES) already lag behind their higher SES peers as they begin school later; high SES children have three times the number of words in their vocabularies as opposed to low SES children. However, it has been proven that participation in Early Childhood Education drastically improves performance on standardised test while dropping the rate of grade repetition. Thus, the quality of ECCE programs co-relate with improvement in lowincome preschoolers’ IQs and test scores while decreasing grade retention.
SCREENING & IMPROVING HEALTH AND WELLNESS: Listed as one of the most important purposes, ECCE provides the opportunity to participate in an early childhood screening. How is this screening helpful? Screening is done for three to five-year-olds and it tests things such as physical and emotional health, cognitive development, speech, hearing, coordination, vision, as well as social skills. Screenings are beneficial in identifying any development of healthrelated issues that require attention. It, further, helps in preventing delays in learning and/or healthy development. From giving appropriate nonverbal and verbal cues to providing a nutritious
diet, everything affects a child. Visual stimulus and response time as early as 3 months can be an indicator of verbal and performance IQ at age 4 years. Thus, a good diet activates memory while junk and processed foods can cause attention, focus and behavioral issues. ECCE programs encourage the nourishment of the brain through
LEARNING & HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT: Foremost, it
aims at instilling enthusiasm in the child towards learning; with the powerful tool of learning with play, ECE experts believe that different play and structured activities lay a strong foundation for learning and developing the imaginative power of an individual. It is at this stage that children’s thirst
cross lateral movements and exercise.
“A child’s physical development level impacts their ability to complete simple tasks such as sitting still, holding a pencil, putting on their shoes, and especially reading – all skills essential for school,”
to acquire knowledge until satisfactory answers are obtained develops. Preschoolers realise the importance of education in their lives. Several studies have reported that children who attend an ECCE program tend to have their IQ scores increased by the age of five from 4-11 points; on the other hand, a Milwaukee study reported a 25-point gain in IQ scores. As mentioned above, one of the central purposes of Early
remarked early years’ specialist Dr Rebecca Duncombe, who led a study monitoring children of school age in UK, which found a higher number of kids experience problems with their balance and coordination ultimately affecting their ability to learn in class.
Childhood Education is to promote holistic development. Preschools can be a place where a child’s weaknesses are recognised and worked upon while they are given the freedom to express and improve on their strengths. Further, it also leads to stimulating the brain of the child which is another purpose of ECCE.
SUPPORT PARENTS, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY: In an interview, Dr Swati Popat Vats, President, Early Childhood Association of India, said, “There are some unknown ways by which a parent might affect their child; for example, if you take the child to a movie theatre, and the first thing you do is give them popcorn, then ice-cream, etc. Now, one tub of popcorn has enough salt for a week’s consumption, and you have just overloaded the child with sugar. Most parents say that the child is hyperactive and cranky after going to malls and theatres, and that is obviously going to happen because of all the sugar and salt that was pumped into the child. These are the things parents are not aware of. Another thing is sleep. Many parents do not know that children require nine hours of sleep and if they don’t get those nine hours, their brain’s ability to remember and the immune system become weak. It is important that parents get educated about these simple things so they can stop unknowingly harming their child.”
We must place quality pre-primary education at the heart of education plans and policies across countries
concludes the joint UNICEF-OECD-UNESCO blog. In this way, Early Childhood Care and Education is one of the most valuable investments a nation can make to promote human resource development, reduce gender inequality and social cohesion, while reducing the costs for later remedial programmes. For disadvantaged children, such programmes play an important role in compensating for their hardships as well as in combating educational inequalities.
Thus, ECCE becomes a support for parents and families, and aims at building stronger, healthier and happier communities. Ultimately, the purpose of ECCE is to nurture caring, responsible and capable future citizens. Early Childhood Association, India says… Our Goal is advocacy for stress free childhood years, after all this is the right of every chil. We want to touch the lives of all those who affect the lives and learning of children – be it teachers, parents, policy makers, entrepreneurs media. UNESCO’s approach is reinforced in the Education 2030 agenda and in particular in target 4.2 of Sustainable Development Goal 4 which aims at ensuring that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and preprimary education, by 2030, so that they are ready for primary education.
Thus, ECCE is education that is fundamental to an individual’s development; it has the ability to significantly affect the later years of an individual’s life as well as the nation. The sole purpose of ECCE is to help children live their best lives.
A FRESH PERSPECTIVE TOWARDS MATH
As children, whenever we used to crib over the mathematics homework, we were always told one thing by our elders - “Math is a subject that you will require throughout your life.” And that is the message that is still being passed on to students. Faced with the seemingly daunting derivatives and integration sums in the higher classes, students wonder when these would actually be useful in their lives, and they struggle to somehow get through that semester with the mere intention of passing. And here is where the fault in our math classrooms is unveiled.
Are we looking at this subject right?
To the majority of the children, math is merely a subject, and that too, a tough one. To motivate them, they are often told, “Math is the most scoring subject,” and this, over a period of time, cultivates the belief that the only purpose of math, its sole outcome is good marks.
Also, in our classrooms, time is often considered as a factor for judgement, when it actually should be a thorough understanding of the subject. Those who solve sums the fastest are declared as “smart”. But the one who is taking longer, but developing a full understanding of the topic, tends to be discouraged. In this process, the beauty of the subject is lost, and it becomes something that the students study to fetch a few marks.
Recognizing this problem, our classrooms, over all these years, have slowly evolved to make math seem more and more interesting to the students. But for students to be passionate about it, it is vital that they look at it as something beyond just a mandatory subject in their curriculum. Here is when understanding a mathematician’s take on math can prove helpful.
A mathematician is someone who recognizes a problem in the real world and aims to find a pattern that would act as a solution to that problem. His work is motivated purely by the possibility of finding an answer that would help the world in some way. Even if that takes a few days, weeks, months, or even a year, he will spend the time required to solve the problem.
Another interesting thing we can learn from mathematicians is that they often collaborate to solve problems. • Math is a subject that requires debating, reasoning, contradicting, and building up of one thought upon another till the solution finally emerges. • This atmosphere of convincing and reasoning and learning together needs to be introduced in our classrooms. • Letting the children work in small groups for a few days, as guiding them as they struggle to find the perfect solution is a much more mentally rewarding activity than a student sitting alone and solving a number of textbook-generated sums. Thus, learning from mathematicians’ point of view and seeking inspiration from their commitment to the subject can truly help us to make our students look past the veil of marks and perfect grades, and actually see the beauty of the subject.
Solving multiple sums is definitely a way to fully acclimatize oneself with the subject, and it is often an approach parents insist upon, but studies have shown that although it provides good mental exercise, it does little to actually increase the thinking power of a student. In comparison, when understanding mathematics becomes a collaborative effort to solve everyday problems it becomes a rounded learning activity, in which the students help each other.
About the author: Siddharth Rajgarhia, Chief Learner-Director, Delhi Public School, Nashik, Varanasi & Lava Nagpur
5 BEST ONLINE PRESENTATION TOOLS FOR THE CLASSROOM
C
Once upon a time, presentations meant Powerpoint. And using Powerpoint meant excellent presentation skills, creativity, and maybe some designing skills. In this article, we feature 5 of the best free tools teachers can use to create awesome slideshows and presentations. These cool tools will be of great help to the teacher with minimal demands.
Educators can use Canva’s web based tool to design stunning presentations that will engage their students. Canva’s free presentation software contains hundreds of beautifully designed layouts to create presentations on any topic. Making a interesting presentation is as simple as choosing the perfect images (over 1 million stock images are available), fonts and colors. Check out Canva’s teaching materials for more inspiration.
Using Google Slides, educators can create, edit and present wherever and whenever they need. This free tool from Google contains a variety of presentation themes, hundreds of fonts, embedded video, animations, and more. It gives the teacher the ability to access, create, and edit presentations on the go — from a phone, tablet, or computer — even when there’s no connection.
E Slidebean works on a very different concept of “separating the content from the design”. The teacher needs to think of the information she wants to put on her slides, as if writing a draft. Slidebean will then generate an awesome design automatically. This way you can focus on what matters most: your ideas.
G
Emaze is an online content creation technology which enables educators to create beautiful content design within minutes. While initially just presentations, emaze is now a creation tool for beautifully designed social hub websites, blogs, ecards and photo albums. All in minutes and for free.
S
Microsoft’s Office Sway is an Office 365 app that helps educators and students express ideas using an interactive, web-based canvas. Sway’s design engine helps users quickly and easily produce professional, interactive, and visually appealing designs from images, text, documents, videos, maps, and more. Sway is not just a web-based clone of PowerPoint (for that you have Powerpoint online),
INSPIRATION FOR #EDUCATORS
CHANGING TEACHERS’ Lives Everyday, Everyway!
#Teachers matter
15 WAYS TO REDEFINE EDUCATION AND MAKE IT N MORE RELEVA RELATABLE AND USERFRIENDLY
E
T NT,
statements that we d n u fo ro p t os m e One of th tionists the world ca u Ed e th m o fr lly hear especia most powerful e th as ” n o ti ca u d over, refers to “E t. In simple words, it en m er ow p em of s mean ual, after getting id iv d in an at th n ea should m ad a meaningful le to n io it os p a in educated, is uipped to face eq lly fu is d an e, lif and productive . nges that life brings le al ch l al e lv so , d ee and ind that “Education” a es os p p su re p , re o It, theref e formative years th g n ri u d gh u ro th person goes with real-life t ec n n co g n ro st a of his life, has quires the necessary ac e h at th d an s n io situat . skills to handle them
WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH. The paradigm of education currently is structured only to score marks, prepare for competitions and is essentially directed towards facilitating better livelihood. Let us objectively examine the possibility of bringing in certain specific interventions and changes that will make “Education” more meaningful.
2. WE NEED TO
1.
THE SYLLABUS FOR ALL CLASSES IS TO LARGE AND UNWIELDY.
It has a lot of widths and by the time you move on to the last chapter, the earlier ones have been forgotten. So what is important is the depth on the subject and not the width. Shorter and meaningful content would ensure better assimilation and encourage critical thinking. A syllabus should be structured in such a way that it has pace, progression and challenge.
MOVE A FILTER OVER THE CONTENT IN ALL SUBJECTS AND DISCARD THE PERIPHERAL AND INESSENTIAL COMPONENTS. This would require some application but is worth the effort. The content should be relatable to real-life challenges and culturally relevant.
3. EVERY SCHOOL
MUST CARRY OUT A COMPREHENSIVE EXERCISE IN CURRICULUM PROGRESSION AND ALIGNMENT
so that subject-specific content, moves from one class to the next in in a seamless manner. A detailed exercise in curriculum mapping should be undertaken to ensure that it becomes outcome-driven.
4. WHILE
TEACHING AND ALL ASSOCIATED PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES MUST FOCUS ON LEARNING AS THE PRIMARY FOCUS a parallel assessment protocol must be put in place to ensure that learning is, indeed happening. Our neural system is structured to be a trifle repetitive to store information for a longer duration. Hence revision of what is being taught and learnt is strongly recommended.
5. AS MENTIONED
EARLIER, EVERY SUBJECT HAS A STRONG SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS.
Integrating that aspect should be an essential part of the content and pedagogy.
6.
THE TEACHERS IN THE PRESENT CONTEXT MUST ACT AS FACILITATORS, GUIDING STUDENTS FOR CONCEPT CLARITY AND ANALYTICAL THINKING. Information and data are available aplenty on the digital platforms and is easily accessible. Teachers must build up their own high order thinking and analytical skills to create the right perspective for their wards.
8. THE
COURSEBOOK WRITERS AND PUBLISHERS ALSO NEED TO DO SOME RESEARCH WITH A VIEW TO INCORPORATE REAL-LIFE CONNECT AT THE END OF EACH CHAPTER. It will then become easy to remember and co-relate all the learning with real-life situations. Students will not easily forget that.
7.
STRONG LEARNING HAPPENS ONLY BY DOING. LECTURES AND DISCUSSIONS ON THE TOPICS SHOULD, WHEREVER FEASIBLE, BE FOLLOWED BY PROJECT WORK RELATED TO THE SUBJECT. Teachers need to innovate. Project-based learning is gaining greater relevance.
9. THE FUTURE
OF THE WORLD IS LARGELY DRIVEN BY A COMBINATION OF KNOWLEDGE PLUS SKILLS. Technology will continue to be a powerful tool for achieving tasks with greater precision and efficiency, but problem-solving skills will have to become an integral part of the education process.
11. WE ALSO
NEED TO DEVELOP SUITABLE ALGORITHMS WITH THE HELP OF DATA ANALYTICS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
to determine effective pedagogies,
student learning and identify areas of improvement.
10. THE MOST
IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF EDUCATION WILL NECESSARILY FALL WITHIN THE DOMAIN OF SOCIO-EMOTIONAL LEARNING. People will have to learn to be kind, compassionate, sensible and sensitive to one another, to society, environment and to the world at large. Without this, the entire education edifice of great intellectual or scholastic content will become meaningless.
12.EDUCATION IS
BECOMING TRANSDISCIPLINARY.
Study of science and arts need not be in separate streams. Both complement each other for creating a paradigm of holistic education. For instance, music is not limited to be a hobby which is just an add-on. It can be the basis of a fulfilling life-long profession, and also help a student in understanding principles of science and mathematics. (Some of the greatest scientists in history have been great musicians. Artists and painters understood, maths, geometry, dimensions and astronomy as good, or even better than mathematicians and astronomers.) There is no reason why these can’t be started at the school level.
13.IT IS QUITE
EVIDENT THAT EDUCATION IS NOT COMPLETE UNLESS IT IS SUPPORTED BY A SOUND AND A STRUCTURED CURRICULUM FOR EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. It is also not advisable to overemphasise the relevance and importance of soft skills. These must necessarily become an integral part of the holistic and wholesome education. Soft skills can be learned, imbibed and practised at an early stage of one’s life. Later in life, it is a bit too hard to learn them, leave alone practice them.
14. WE ARE ALL
EQUAL, BUT WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT. Our upbringing, our cultural ethos, sensitivity, habits, a span of attention, and all other factors that have an important bearing on learning are vastly different. We need to consciously start working on creating a differentiated curriculum to address the needs of individual students. The concept of “One size fit all” in the context of education is an anachronism.
IT IS TIME TO REVISIT AND REDEFINE EDUCATION SO THAT IT BECOMES MORE RELEVANT, RELATABLE AND USERFRIENDLY.
ADVISORY TO CITIZENS REGARDING USE OF CAUTION AGAINST
Ed-tech Companies
Given the pervasive impact of technology in education, many ed-tech companies have started offering courses, tutorials, coaching for competitive exams, etc. in an online mode. In this background, the parents, students and all stakeholders in school education have to be careful while deciding on opting for online content and coaching being offered by a host of Ed-tech companies. The decision has to be well considered with several Do’s and Don’ts.
Most importantly, the offer of free services that are promised by some companies has to be carefully evaluated. It has come to the notice of the Department of School Education and Literacy that some ed-tech companies are luring parents in the garb of offering free services and getting the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) mandate signed or activating the Auto-debit feature, especially targeting the vulnerable families.
Do’s
Following are some do’s and don’ts which the stakeholders of the education ecosystem may follow: •
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Avoid Automatic debit option for payment of subscription fee: Some ed-tech companies may offer the Free-Premium business model where a lot of their services might seem to be free at first glance but to gain continuous learning access, students have to opt for a paid subscription. Activation of auto-debit may result in a child accessing the paid features without realizing that he/she is no longer accessing the free services offered by the ed-tech company. Do read the terms and conditions before acknowledging the acceptance of learning software/device as your IP address and/or personal data may be tracked. Ask for a tax invoice statement for the purchase of educational devices loaded with contents/app purchase/Pendrive learning. Do a detailed background check of the ed-tech company that you want to subscribe to. Do verify the quality of the content provided by the ed-tech companies and make sure that it is in line with the syllabus and your scope of study and is easily comprehensible by your child. Do clarify all your doubts/questions regarding the payment and content before investing any amount for your child’s learning in any ed-tech company. Activate parental controls and safety features on the device or in the app or browser as it helps restrict access to certain content and limit spending on app purchases. Help your child understand that some features in education apps are used to encourage more spending. Talk to them about possible marketing strategies used by Ed-tech companies and the consequences. Look for student/parent reviews online on the ed-tech company for any registered grievance and marketing gimmicks. Also, provide your suggestions and reviews which may be beneficial for others. Record the evidence of spam calls/ /forced signup for any education packages without complete consent for filing a grievance. Go through the child safety guidelines mentioned in the PRAGYATA guidelines by the Ministry of Education before using any ed-tech platform. (https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/ files/pragyata-guidelines_0.pdf)
Dont’S • • • • • •
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Do not blindly trust the advertisements of the ed-tech companies. Do not sign up for any loans of which you are not aware. Do not install any mobile ed-tech applications without verifying the authenticity. Avoid credit/debit cards registration on apps for subscriptions. Place an upper limit on expenditure per transaction. Avoid adding your data like emails, contact numbers, card details, addresses etc. online as the data may be sold or used for later scam attacks. Do not share any personal videos and photos. Use caution against turning on the video feature or getting on video calls on an unverified platform. Keep your child’s safety at the utmost priority. Do not subscribe to unverified courses because of their false promises. Do not trust the “Success stories” shared by the ed-tech companies without proper check as they might be a trap to gather more audience. Do not allow purchases without parental consent. To avoid in-app purchases; OTP based payment methods may be adopted as per RBI’s guidelines. Do not share your bank account details and OTP number with any marketing personnel. Beware of cyber fraudulent. Do not click on links or open any attachments or pop-up screens from sources you are not familiar with.
The legal provisions for e-commerce firms are being reiterated here for information to citizens who are consumers of EDTECH services.
E-commerce Regulations & Redressal System:
At present, Ed-tech companies have seen rapid growth thereby increasing the number of students/teachers subscribing to their learning platform. Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) The increasing number also means Rules, 2020 were notified by the MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD that platforms must be careful about AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (Department the claims made regarding the services of Consumer Affairs) vide NOTIFICATION offered. It is very much evident that the Ed-tech companies which may be New Delhi, dated 23rd July, 2020 considered e-commerce entities have to comply with the Rules to prevent https://consumeraffairs.nic.in/sites/ default/files/E%20commerce%20rules. any untoward liability in the future and need to establish a dedicated pdf mechanism in place to check for
compliance with the law.
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No e-commerce entity shall adopt any unfair trade (marketing) practice, whether in the course of business on its platform or otherwise. No e-commerce company shall falsely represent itself as a subscriber and post reviews about its products or misrepresent the quality or the features of any educational content and its learning tools. Every e-commerce entity shall endeavour on a best effort basis to become a partner in the convergence process of the National Consumer Helpline of the Central Government. • All Ed-tech companies are supposed to have a grievance officer and the name and contact numbers, and designation of the grievance officer who must be resident in India, to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act or the rules made thereunder for grievance redressal or for reporting any other matter; to be • displayed on the platform or website and ensure that the grievance officer acknowledges the receipt of any consumer complaint within forty-eight hours and redresses the complaint within one month from the date of receipt of the complaint. No e-commerce entity shall manipulate the price of the products/courses offered on its platform in such a manner as to
gain unreasonable profit by imposing on consumers any unjustified price having regard to the prevailing market conditions, the essential nature of the course, any extraordinary circumstances under which the course is offered, and any other relevant consideration in determining whether the price charged is justified; and discriminate between subscribers of the same class or make any arbitrary classification collecting their personal data/breaching privacy through unfair means affecting their rights under the Act. Every e-commerce entity shall only record the consent of a consumer for the educational product offered on its platform where such consent is expressed through an explicit and affirmative action, and no such entity shall record such consent automatically, including in the form of pre-ticked checkboxes. Every e-commerce entity shall effect all payments towards accepted refund requests of the consumers as prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India or any other competent authority under any law for the time being in force, within a reasonable period, or as prescribed under applicable laws.
Further to complying with the general rules of ASCI’s Code for Self-Regulation in advertising, the advertisements of Educational Institutions including the Ed-tech companies and Programs shall comply with the following guidelines: The advertisement shall not state or lead the public to believe that an institution or course or program is official, recognized, authorized, accredited, approved, registered, affiliated, endorsed or has a legally defined situation unless the advertiser can substantiate with evidence. (a) An advertisement offering a Degree or Diploma or Certificate which by law requires to be recognized or approved by an Authority shall have the name of that Authority specified for that particular field.
institution or its program shall also provide full name and date of the publication or medium which released the rankings. (c) Visual infrastructure of the Institution shown in the advertisement shall be real and exist at the time of the advertisement’s release. (d) Testimonial of toppers in an advertisement shall be from students who have participated in the testimony program, exams or subject only from the advertising institute. (e) An advertisement stating the number of passing out students placed for jobs shall also state the total number of students passing out from the placed class.
(b) In case the advertised Institution or Program is not recognized or approved by any mandatory Authority but is affiliated to another Institution, which is approved or recognized by a mandatory Authority, then the full name and location of the said Affiliating Institution shall also be stated in the advertisement. (c) The name of the Affiliating Institution, as indicated in 2(b), shall not be less than 50% of the font size as that of the advertised Institution or Program in visual media such as print, internet, hoarding, leaflet, prospectus etc., including television. In audio media such as radio or TV the name of the Affiliating institution (if applicable), must be stated. The advertisement shall not state or lead the public to believe that enrolment in the institution or program or preparation course or coaching classes will provide the student with a temporary or permanent job, admissions to institutions, job promotions, salary increase etc. unless the advertiser can submit substantiation to such claim. In addition, the advertisement must carry a disclaimer stating ‘past record is no guarantee of future job prospects.’ The font size of the disclaimer should not be less than the size of the claim being made in the advertisements. (a) Advertisement shall not make claims regarding extent of the passing batch placed, the highest or average compensation of the students placed, enrolment of students, admissions of students to renowned educational institutes, marks and ranking of students passed out, testimonial of topper students, institution’s or its program’s competitive ranking, size and qualification of its faculty, affiliation with a foreign institution, Institute’s infrastructure, etc. unless they are of the latest completed academic year and substantiated with evidence. (b) Advertisement stating competitive rank of the
Government initiatives that may also be explored before the purchase of content: Free e-learning contents/textbooks/digital labs/ for all classes have been made available online ensuring quality and access for all by the Ministry of Education, its autonomous organisations, and all States/UTs which may be effectively used for learning and can be accessed here (but not limited to). • https://diksha.gov.in/ • http://www.olabs.edu.in/ • https://swayam.gov.in/ • https://www.nios.ac.in/ • SWAYAM PRABHA TV Channels for class 1 to 12• https://www.swayamprabha.gov.in/index.php/ schooledu • Official Learning portals/apps of the States/UTs To Report any Untoward Incident, May please use the following links: • https://ascionline.in/ • https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/ • https://pgportal.gov.in/
INSPIRATION FOR #EDUCATORS
#Teachers matter
GADGET-FREE LEARNING
This Singapore School Shares 4 Home Activities for Kids In the time of COVID-19 when classes have moved from desks to screens, how will the kids stay engaged without being glued to a gadget? Singapore-located Canadian International School understands that besides online classes, kids also require to indulge in personal, off-screen activities to develop observational skills.
Keeping that in consideration, the school has come up with fun and educative learn-while-playing activities that will not only keep them engaged but also encourage their observational, questioning, and creative skills. Take a look at these gadget-free activities:
1. PATTERN HUNT
This activity will help boost kids’ observational and creative skills. Here, you need to ask them to go around the house and porch/ garden and observe different patterns. They can either draw or record them and further use it to design a new item – can be a dress, table covers, cushion covers, anything.
3.ALTER YOUR REALITY AKA CREATE THEIR OWN STAGE-PLAY
Let them imagine and create a fun world of their own. Give them a pair of glasses and ask how would it change the objects around them? Let the glasses work like a magic wand that converts objects as they wish. For example, when they wear those glasses, objects around them can be musical instruments that they’d want to play.
ScooNews recommends and champions this idea of engaging kids in off-screen activities as they trigger them to think out of the box, learn beyond the lines of textbooks, and develop a connection with nature. Moreover, they bring a sense of normalcy with online classes balanced with offline activities. Source: ScandAsia
2. LET’S GET INTERVIEWING
At a time where they are unable to meet teachers and friends, help them build their oration and connectionbuilding skills with this activity. They can pick any object in and outside the house and frame questions that they would want to ask the object. And, finish with answers written as the object.
4.100 THINGS
This one is to keep them busy as they rack their brains. Ask them to choose an object and notice 100 things about it. Pattern, colour, shape, existence, purpose, and many more and list them down.