ScooNews - December 2017 - Digital Edition by ScooNews

Children must be taught how to think, not what to think

Volume 2 Issue 5 December 2017 CHANGING TEACHERS’ LIVES EVERYDAY, EVERY WAY!

Margaret Mead

STRAIGHT TALK

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED by Ravi Santlani on behalf of EduPulse Media Pvt. Ltd

Editor Nichola Pais Deputy Editor Parvathy Jayakrishnan Assistant Editor Anjana Deepak Reporter Ashima Sharma, Anuj Kr. Website Team Vaibhav Ramchandani, Pranav Sharma, Ojas Godatwar, Gaurang Mandhana Art Direction Rexsu Cherry Design CP Sharma Editorial Advisor Meenakshi Uberoi, Neeta Bali Pics Pressfoto Pixabay, Shutterstock Cover Design ATLT Inc

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Nichola Pais

All Are Welcome!

othing worth having comes easy. Entirely apt, when we talk Inclusive Education. Beyond being an education philosophy, it is a life skill that can have the most positive, far-reaching consequences. When children interact daily, socially and academically with peers who are diverse and different, a certain magic spontaneously happens. They learn to understand – and invariably also appreciate – that each individual comes with their own characteristics, strengths and limitations. They grow up and take these skills and sensibilities along with them as adults into their wider spheres. They have, to a large extent, already inculcated greater sensitivity, better understanding, and greater tolerance…Qualities in frighteningly short supply in today’s world. None of this, as we said, would come easy. Implementing inclusivity in education in the real world would call for resources, the will and proper monitoring. It would require a learning resource centre or an in-house team of specialists who could address the unique needs of special needs children. Enthusiastic, skilled and sensitized teaching staff would be needed to teach inclusively. The curriculum would need to include locally relevant themes and contributions by marginalized and minority groups. Parental involvement would need to be maximised. Given the challenges compounded by low funding, and often lower will or support, inclusivity is all too often excluded completely. Are we genuinely prepared to advance inclusive education? It would mean holding governments accountable for implementing antidiscrimination legislation, and legal mandates for inclusion. Schools would need to receive adequate and sustainable financial support. Parents would need to be empowered to assert their children’s right to education in inclusive settings. Inclusive education would need to be made a shared responsibility, including educators, social workers, parents and students to participate in its design, delivery and monitoring. Difficult, yes, but could we at least try to open our schools and our minds, one tiny chink at a time…?

Published for the month of December 2017 Total number of pages 60, including Covers

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December 2017

CONTENTS

14 COVER STORY

EVENTS : Thought-provoking!

Inclusive Education The Value of Diversity Inclusive education offers the possibility of disrupting dominant notions of language, race, ability, gender and religion – in the best way possible

30 Highlights from the Bett Asia Leadership Summit and Expo in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

26 GESS DUBAI

TECH FOCUS : Assessment: Reloaded! OPINION : THE FUTURE OF KINDERGARTENS AND KINDERGARTENS OF THE FUTURE Forget about what students ‘need’. Students themselves tell us what they want! Are we ready to listen, minus judgement?

46 Where Bright Ideas Come to Life! Reasons galore to attend GESS Dubai, the biggest educationshow in the Middle East, from February 27– March 1, 2018

December 2017

INTERVIEW : Future schools need to build off the reality that exists - Anthony Salcito

Educators are increasingly using technology as assessment tools to evaluate students and increase student success more effectively

YOURS TRULY MY DREAM SCHOOL I am in class VII and I too have a dream to have a school of my choice. It will have grounds for all sports and a big stadium for the spectators. No books but tabs, laptops and iPads. It should have special rooms for movie shows. The canteen should offer fresh fruit juices, hot chocolate and burgers. Play areas for little children would be nice, while gardens full of flowers would keep the classrooms smelling fresh. No uniforms, no exams and no tuitions – that would be the school of my dreams! What about you? Pia Samant, Mumbai

REFRESHING INSIGHTS Loved your November issue! It was very refreshing to read the children’s insights on their dream school. I hope ScooNews will give children more opportunities to write for the magazine. Also the piece on different gadgets used in classrooms was informative. Technology has come a long way from the time we were in school. The progression is immense. Shefali Simmons, Mysore

IMPRESSIVE QUALITY What a breath of fresh air to open

my October 2017 issue and find such a comprehensive and objective magazine on safety and security in schools — one aspect of your magazine which I really love is the way industry, school leaders and other stakeholders participate so actively. I am really impressed with the content, pictures and paper quality of your magazine. Randip Ghosh, Kolkata

QUIZ, PLEASE! I am writing you this letter to offer some feedback or advice about the way articles are printed in your magazine. I believe the content of the articles is good but the problem is that the magazine does not contain any interactive component like quiz contest or any other competition. I hope you are able to see my point and what I’m trying to say. On behalf the other readers I thank you for your time. Kapil S Beniwal, Faridabad

TRAINING TIPS Could you please feature teacher training as a regular column in the magazine and share different resources regarding this? Rajeev Sakhare, Kolhapur

INSIGHTFUL, COLOURFUL A Guide to Teacher Training and Development was an article that caught my attention in your magazine. It was nice to see the various opinions from school heads regarding the same. Teacher’s training in schools and across all educational institutes has to be made mandatory to ensure that our children are directed towards the right path, the right way. The magazine cover and pictures inside were really colourful and cheerful which drew me to reading the entire magazine from cover to end. Keep up the great work you all do. Ratan Suvarna, Mumbai

CHILDREN’S VIEWS Reading about what children want their school to be was thought-provoking and relevant. Children are so creative and they can contribute ideas to make learning more interesting and efficient. Schools should, in fact, get students to contribute ideas to improve the educational system. This is something that needs to be explored in our country. I hope educators who read your magazine take a broader view and incorporate children’s views in schools. Sreedevi Gautham, Chennai

RELEVANT ISSUE The article on dyslexia gave us deep insight into a problem that is often ignored in our society. Children should not be allowed to suffer from a problem which is no fault of theirs. There needs to be early detection for early intervention and schools need to take notice of children who fail to perform well consistently and identify their problem. Schools and parents need to work in tandem to sort out problems like this. Thank you, ScooNews, for highlighting and giving so much information on such a relevant issue. Vinod Raghavan, Bangalore

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December 2017

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OP-ED

EdBrainstorm LET’S BUILD THE INDIAN SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE! Educators, save the date! Come April 2018, we will combine forces to ideate, envisage and help create the Indian School of the Future (iSoF)

December 2017

Ravi Santlani

chools have looked and worked the same way since the past 100 years or more. There might be more technology in the classroom now but the basic premise is the same – rows of desks with students and a teacher standing at the front.

I think of what every student needs to know, and it probably ends at about third or fourth grade in terms of our traditional curriculum. From there... We would help kids pursue their passions... We would help them follow things that they are really interested in learning about and really go in depth and go crazy on it. Karl Fisch While there will always be students whose goals and educational needs are best met through a more traditional educational model,it is increasingly felt that the current education system and assessment models constrain ambition and the pursuit of passion, and that school limits students’ understanding of the realities of the world. The harsh truth is, education needs to change right now. Technology and expanded knowledge of the learning process have already resulted in a metamorphosis of the classroom and

of teaching methods. However, education is yet to focus on skills development, entrepreneurship and growth, hacking beyond the current curriculum which concentrates on jobs, employability and rote learning. In order to crank the engine of change, ScooNews announces EdBrainstorm: The Indian School of the Future (iSoF). Progressive educators will come together to discuss two key issues and emerge with answers and solutions: What should the Indian School of the Future look like to improve the learning environment for our children? How will we build this Indian School of the Future? We also believe that several solutions and innovations already exist, which must be showcased and integrated in a model school construct which can be replicated worldwide to solve the issue of quality education, equity and excellence. The Indian School of the Future must focus on the teaching of basic skills combined with creative problem-solving and respect for individual values as well as diversity. And it is to build this iSoF,that all stakeholders must come together to construct a practical framework.

According to Professor Sugata Mitra, “You don’t need a ‘just-in-case’ education. Why were you taught Trigonometry? Just in case you were stuck on a ship going nowhere. First of all, you know you’re never going to be stuck on a ship going nowhere. And secondly, even if you were, you could figure it out. You can type into your phone ‘Teach me some Trigonometry’ and it will teach you in 10 minutes. So the shift is from ‘just in case’ to ‘just in time’.” EdBrainstorm: Indian School of the Future is an initiative by ScooNews to collate, validate and disseminate existing and new ideas for a progressive model of future schools, and to predict and document implementations needed. This will be the school that is efficient, effective, and equal to the challenges of the 21st century. The right mix of technology, culture and pedagogy that will optimize the true impact of education on a student’s learning outcomes and life path… The scaling up of ICT and open educational resources (OER) in all learning contexts… The need for teachers to update their own skills through regular training… The incorporation of world-class vocational education and training systems into

this model… These are some of the topics that will be pondered, debated and validated. You see, we’ll never be able to compete in the 21st century unless we have an education system that doesn’t quit on children, an education system that raises standards, an education that makes sure there’s excellence in every classroom. George W. Bush, 43rd President of U.S.A. For change to happen, a partnership approach is critical. Both public and private participation and funding are necessary to boost innovation and increase cross-fertilisation of ideas and ideologies between academia and business. ScooNews will share the framework and implementation guidelines which are derived as a result of EdBrainstorm: iSoF for the use of interested schools as a Toolkit under the Open Source license. On the cusp of the New Year, change beckons. A change we can bring about together. Let’s do it! EdBrainstorm: Indian School of the Future, this April. Let the change begin!

December 2017

TRENDING International board in vernacular medium Education Minister, Vinod Tawde and Principal Secretary Nandkumar, held a meeting with different experts in the field of education regarding the introduction of an international board in the vernacular medium. The state government is set to start their Secondary School Certificate-I or SSC International board schools in a vernacular medium by 2018. The meeting was attended by Jose Kurian, Regional Director of DAV Public Schools, Francis Joseph co-founder School Leaders Network, educationist Swaroop Sampat, Farzana Dohadwala, former IB board head for South Asia, Vinayak Sudhakar and more such experts from the education field. “A pilot project will be started in government-funded schools. We are opening our own international board along with experts in India as well as overseas. The medium has to be in Indian languages, such as Marathi, in government schools in Maharashtra. The medium of instruction can be in English in English medium schools,” said Nandkumar, Principal Secretary. Jose Kurian, Regional Director of DAV Public Schools, said, “There has been very extensive discussions and deliberations on starting the international board proposal. Nothing in detail was discussed. There has been a lot of deliberation on

Call for guidance

At the Children’s Day celebration at St. Bede’s School in Chennai, Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan announced that come November 24, a special school education helpline would be launched for students. The helpline number will be 14417 which particularly benefit class 12 students who can address their queries about career prospects after graduating. The helpline aims to counsel students on the employment opportunities they can pursue. The education ministry is also attempting to increase inclusivity in education by organising special classes for slow learners.

what should be the medium of instruction which the state education department higher education officials has already appraised regarding that it should be the vernacular medium. At the same time, high level of English should be taught.” Educationist Swaroop Sampat said, “The concept of starting an international board with a quality education is a good initiative by the state government and especially for students from all strata. The idea of starting an international school where the education will be provided in the mother tongue is mind-blowing.”

Learning outcomes-largest ever survey conducted November 13 saw the largest survey conducted to test learning outcomes of 25 lakh students from all states of the country. Government and government- aided schools had students from class 3, 5 and 8 who were tested for their learning outcomes, developed by the NCERT in maths, languages, sciences and social science. Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD) said “NAS is a transparent and credible exercise done under third party verification.” Multiple test booklets with 45 questions were used as survey tools in Classes 3 and 5 related to language and Mathematics, and 60 questions in Class 8 in Mathematics, Language, Sciences and Social Sciences. Students from 1.1 lakh schools across 36 states/ union territories, and 700 districts took the test. 1.75 lakh trained personnel from outside the government education system conducted the learning assessment in the country. Monitoring teams consisted of observers from inter-ministerial departments drawn from the state governments, national and state observers from education departments and multi-lateral organisations. They oversaw the implementation of the sur-

December 2017

vey in all districts on the day of the assessments. Specially designed software will help generate results district-wise which will analyse and reflect disaggregated learning levels. The entire process is expected to be completed in 3-5 months which will help identify problem areas and help plan for the future.

Prince Charles supports new ed bond for India

Prince Charles assures support to a new education bond to provide education to marginalised children in the country. He was in New Delhi as part of his Asian tour. The Education Development Impact Bond is a 10-milliondollar bond created by the British Asian Trust, founded by the Prince of Wales to fight poverty in South Asia. The bond will be an innovative and sustainable impact investment tool which will be tied with perfor mance and outcomes of educational initiatives, starting in India and then across the trust’s other regions of operation. It is intended to improve literacy and numeracy learning levels for over 200,000 primary school students from marginalised communities in Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The UK government’s Department of International Development will give technical assistance and insights to the project as part of a wider partnership.

Muslim schools set for make-over The Indian government said that Muslim faith schools in Uttar Pradesh will have to teach English, maths and science subjects at the secondary school level in a bid to equip its students for the modern world. Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, State Minority Welfare Minister, announced this move. Only Islamic theology is taught at the moment at an estimated 19,000 faith schools or madrasas. Many of these schools are trying to modernise their curricula. Shaair Ullah Khan Wajeehi, Joint Secretary of the Jame-Ul-Uloom Furqania madrasa, a few kilometres from the girls’ school, said a modern curriculum is taught to the boys alongside the classical Islamic education. But because maths and science are non-mandatory at secondary level, many students opt out. When they enter the job market, they are at a disadvantage, he said. According to Chaudhary, “The state government is working to introduce changes in the curriculum to ensure that students coming from madrasas can compete with others in professions like [medicine] as well as engineering.” Of all India’s religious communities, Muslims have the highest illiteracy rate (42.7%), the lowest share of people in work (33%), and the lowest level of enrolment in higher education (4.4%) – even though they comprise 14% of India’s pop-

STEM club fosters fun learning

ulation. The Jamea Tus Salehat madrasa in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, welcomed the move to make the subjects compulsory. Soofia Azhar, an English teacher, said these subjects were not taught in secondary school because Arabic takes up a lot of time. “I welcome the move. But will the government help us in hiring the extra teachers? And the government textbooks for these subjects need to be translated into Urdu, the medium of instruction here. We need to find out about that,” said Azhar during a tour of the girls’ school, which has more than 2,000 pupils. A Muslim women’s activist, Zakia Soman, said the plan was not only welcome but imperative. “Muslims are so poor… we urgently need a modern education. Studies have shown that the overwhelming majority of parents want a modern curriculum for their children,” she said.

An after-school STEM club in Rhode Island inspires students to learn maths and science by engaging in after-school programmes. As resources or hands-on activity may be curtailed during school hours, the club helps sustain interest by offering a low-stakes, fun environment which offers time and tools for exploration. Children can sign up for free at this STEM club, which meets weekly after school. The pros are plentiful… It allows students to learn in a low-stakes environment, there are no tests either and there is time for exploration. Most importantly, failure is not a bad word. When you make a mistake, you figure out what you did wrong, and then try a different approach. This program, called SMILE, is one of hundreds of different afterschool science, technology, engineering and math, STEM, programs around the USA. The purpose of these clubs is not to mirror the school curriculum, but to complement it.

December 2017

TRENDING

President presents National Child Awards President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind gave away the National Child Awards 2017 on the occasion of Children’s Day in New Delhi on November 14, 2017. The awards were given in the presence of Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Dr Virendra Kumar. The National Child Awards 2017 celebrate the exceptional achievements of children; as well as to individuals and institutions who work for child welfare.

This year, the President honoured 16 children, out of whom one child was given a gold medal and 15 children were given silver medals. The National Award for Child Welfare was conferred on three individuals and five institutions. The Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award was conferred on three individuals. The National Child Awards for Exceptional Achievement are given to recognise children with exceptional abilities in fields such as academics, cul-

ture, arts, sports, music etc. Children in the age group of 5-18 years are eligible for the award. The child with the most outstanding achievement is honoured with a cash prize of Rs.20,000, a certificate/citation and a gold medal. Fifteen children are being honoured with a cash prize of Rs.10,000, a certificate/citation and a silver medal each for this year. The gold and silver awardees are also given book vouchers of Rs.10,000 and Rs.3,000 respectively since 2015.

Amidst ed crisis, global leaders call for action

Bill Gates disappointed by Indian ed system

World leaders called for action to help young refugees and internally displaced youths at the World innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha, hosted by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the Chairperson of Education Above All Foundation (EAA). The world will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals if young people are denied quality educational opportunities. Today, more than 260 million children and adolescents are not in school and only 1 per cent of young refugees are able to access higher education. The new partnerships will help over 3,000 Syrian and Palestinian refugees living in Turkey with full university scholarships, including tuition, accommodation, health insurance and a monthly stipend in partnership with SPARK and the Council of Higher Education in Turkey and 30 Palestinian junior teachers from Gaza to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom in partnership with the British Council. The Education Above All Foundation (EAA) is a global education foundation established in 2012 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. The Foundation envisions bringing hope and real opportunity to the lives of impoverished and marginalized children, youth and women, especially in the developing world and in difficult circumstances such as conflict situations and natural disasters. It believes that education is the single most effective means of reducing poverty, generating economic growth and creating peaceful and just societies, as well as being a fundamental right for all children and an essential condition to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

During his visit to India, co-founder, Microsoft, and currently co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates opined that while most trends in India are positive, he cannot say the same for the state of its education. “Most trends are positive, but my biggest disappointment when it comes to India is the education system. It should be far better. I don't want to be critical, but I do want to create higher expectations about it.” Asked if the Gates Foundation would consider expanding beyond health into education, he retorted, “We can't do everything. Most of India's own philanthropists have picked education as a high priority and I'm very glad about that.” Incidentally, Gates had once declared that in his youth, he overvalued intelligence. He explained that statement now, saying, “There's the kind of intelligence where I give you a 500-page book on, say, geography and you memorise it and tell me everything I need to know about weather systems. When I was younger, I thought that was all you needed. If you understand physics, how hard can it be to run a team? The idea that some skills, like managing people, are not correlated with scientific IQ — in fact some of them are negatively correlated to scientific IQ — took me a while to figure out.”

December 2017

Recommending change

Needed: Humanities in Engineering!

The Worldwide Educating for the Future Index is a blueprint for change. The authors intend that the report serve as a design guide for nations to replace their existing education systems with one that will prepare students with future skills. The Index does not encourage more preparation for exams nor does it recommend a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it advocates the implementation of strategies which allow students to develop as lifelong learners. The index determined that few governments prioritize the requisite skills, curriculum, and assessments to prepare students for the future. New Zealand, Canada, Finland, Singapore, and the United Kingdom represent five of the strongest systems in this category (the U.S. ranked 16th). These countries detail curricular objectives and describe new forms of assessments to determine the degree of implementation. Teacher salary, government spending on secondary education, training, and credentialing served as indicators of the quality of teaching within each country. Yet, no correlation was found to exist between teacher salary and the success of a country's education system. It was also found that the status of teachers as professionals was a more important indicator of success. Countries like Finland and Singapore, with stricter credentialing programs and a national culture of respect for the profession of education, also implemented more demanding curriculum and seem set for future success. The index also found that countries which focused on equity and an open society also possessed education systems designed to prepare students for the future.

At a national seminar on technical education in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world, AICTE Chairman Anil D Sahasrabudhe opined that the technical education curriculum in India should be upgraded and Humanities and Social Sciences be introduced in Engineering courses. Sahasrabudhe also said that it was time for students to develop the ability to learn by themselves and create a habit of lifelong learning. At the seminar organised by the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, he underlined, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Self-learning has to be embedded in the psyche of students... and teachers need to play an important role in this connection. Teachers should give importance to self-learning.â&#x20AC;? While B N Nanda, Senior Adviser, Union Ministry of Labour Welfare and Employment, discussed professional education in relation to civil services, speakers emphasised the need for the Indian education system to be globally comparative, to enable students to work hard and compete with the best.

Khan Academy personalises learning platform Khan Academy has now mapped the Math and Physics content on the platform to Indian curriculum which makes you see the content in chapters according to the textbooks you use at school. It also registers information on your focus subjects so that your experience on the platform is

more personalised. The Coach Dashboard has also been redesigned for easier use and centres around the classes that teachers set up on Khan Academy. Teachers can make assignments for their class, with due dates. They can

also assign videos, articles, and exercises across a range of subjects and grades. They can make these assignments to an entire class or to specific students. Students would be able to see and complete these assignments on their Khan Academy homepage and on the Khan Academy app. As students complete assignments, teachers get completion reports that let them see the status of their whole class and for each of their students in detail. The unit pages now include quizzes and unit tests to provide students with personalised study plans. When a student takes a brief diagnostic quiz, they are provided with recommendations for the specific exercises they should focus on. Mid-unit quizzes provide a check for understanding on additional skills, and a final unit test combines problems from all skills within the unit to help students assess their progress.

December 2017

COVER STORY

Inclusive Education

The Value of

DIVERSITY Inclusive education offers the possibility of disrupting dominant notions of language, race, ability, gender and religion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in the best way possible

December 2017

Parvathy Jayakrishnan writeback@scoonews.com

nclusive education is a term that is catching up in the education sector slowly. It refers to a classroom system where all students, irrespective of race, learning abilities/ disabilities, colour, or caste participate and learn together. This system is in particular beneficial for students with special needs as it allows them to mingle with everyone, which is something a special school doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t facilitate. This, in turn, helps them become more successful in life.

Inclusive education appeared initially in research literature in the late 1980s. The concept expanded responsibilities of schools to increase access, participation and opportunities to learn for marginalised populations of students. More importantly, inclusive education offers the possibility of disrupting dominant notions of language, race, ability, gender and religion. It breaks the requirement of special schools, which ultimately eliminates the need of sorting and separating students who do not fit into the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; student profile. Recent years have seen a positive approach toward inclusive education for many previously segregated learners and although the response is slow, it is definitely progressive.

December 2017

COVER STORY

teacher may need to change her strategies. The children in class should be sensitive to each other. This is a value which should be inculcated from an early age. Inclusive classrooms are ideal for this. I firmly believe that inclusive education can be implemented by creating the right ethos in the school.”

Greater equality makes societies stronger and this is precisely the idea that inclusive education supports. According to Nidhi Sirohi, Principal, G.D. Goenka Global School, Noida, “Schools exist to provide ‘education’ to children. This means preparing them for life. It begins with providing them an environment with equal opportunities for all. I believe that the school ecosystem should cater to the needs of all. All children have their specific learning needs and the ones with special needs may require individual attention more than others. Also, the

Inclusive education helps foster a school culture of respect and belonging. It aids in promoting an acceptance and developing friendship among a wide variety of children, each with their own individual needs and abilities. This can, in turn, positively affect both the school and the community to appreciate diversity and inclusion on a broader level. “Teachers play a key role in creating the right classroom environment,” adds Nidhi Sirohi. “A teacher has to build her mind set as well as skill set to be able to make classrooms more inclusive. She should be able to deliver her lessons in a way wherein she keeps the needs of all children in sight. The teacher should be able to teach at different levels within the class.

December 2017

Assessment should be child specific and not generic; this includes both the slow learners and the gifted. There is little that schools have to offer the gifted. Often students with learning difficulty are talented in other areas. We need to encourage them there.” Inclusive education often - though not always - operates under a co-teaching strategy which means that the classroom has both a general educator and a special educator. This approach is called the collaborative team teaching (CTT) or integrated co-teaching (ICT).

Collaborative Team Teaching Strong co-teachers help transition information to students seamlessly. Both teachers need to come to an agreement that they are equal and need to coordinate with each other for the successful functioning of an inclusive classroom. This is sometimes difficult for veteran teachers who are used to being the only teacher in class. The coplanning process encourages two teachers to bounce ideas off each other in order to deliver the strongest, most creative lessons. Co-teaching has its

own difficulties too. The biggest challenge is when a teacher needs to come to terms with a co-teacher, whose teaching style and philosophy differs from his/her own. Although the role of a special teacher is equally important and perhaps even more important than that of the general teacher, students may feel that the special teacher has more of a guest role which is not best for the classroom.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Student oriented components such as medical and educational assessments, books and stationary, uniform, transport, allowance, support services, therapeutic services, reading and learning materials should be addressed by the government in the right manner. Other components include appointment of special education teachers, allowances for general teachers for teaching such students, teacher training and orientation of school administrators etc.,â&#x20AC;? adds Taruna Kapoor. Taruna Kapoor, Vice Principal at Wisdom Valley Global School, Haryana shares the following tips to make a classroom inclusive: Large table: A large table is the most important furniture in an inclusive classroom. It helps the teacher to bring all students together and proves to be important with various types of instructional programming that meets the needs of the group. Technology: We are in the 21st century. Be it a computer, iPad, or audio/visual devices, technology plays a pivotal role. Highly engaging technology appeals to most groups of students. Visual aids: Undoubtedly a very important item. Aids like posters, number lines, charts, graphs, and smartboards help to deliver a lesson which is most approachable to all the students. Positive behaviour management system: A positive behaviour management system can support and maintain a safe, optimal learning environment. Books: Offering books that are age appropriate, interesting and can be read by readers at different levels are an important way of making a classroom more inclusive. Classroom based activities: Teachers need to have a method of choosing classroom-based activities in a fair manner.

December 2017

COVER STORY Games: They play a large role in teaching role social skills and teamwork. Apart from the above tips, classroom jobs can be assigned to children. It requires the student to demonstrate his or her leadership and ability to contribute to the class. In turn, the student feels valued and needed. Teachers can offer students a choice when responding to subject matter assessment. In addition, they can offer students a choice based on their ability or interest. Giving students a choice along with balanced teacher-directed instruction can facilitate inclusion. For example, teachers can ask students to pick four activities from among 8 options to work on. This will enable each child to pick tasks based on his interest and abilities. Teachers can regularly switch the seating arrangement of students in class. This will help them interact with

everyone. According to the ability of each student, teachers can make informed choices as to where each child can sit and learn comfortably in a group. Inclusive classrooms work better when there is good parent-teacher interaction. Parents are the ones who can identify their child’s strengths and weaknesses long before a teacher notices them in class. So teacher-parent interactions are absolutely necessary in this set-up.

Common Challenges However, implementing a successive inclusion in schools has its own set of difficulties. According to Taruna Kapoor, “In our society, old attitudes die hard and many still resist the accommodation of students with disabilities. Such prejudices inhibit the educational process. Also, many

schools don't have the facility to properly accommodate students with special needs and local governments lack the funds or the resolve to provide financial help.” Inclusive education also requires special teacher training and schools need to be proactive to train their teachers for the same. This, in turn, requires extra funds. In a country as diverse as ours, be it in terms of language, religion, customs, traditions, abilities and caste, it is important that we sensitise our children to be sensitive to others and treat them with respect. Nidhi Sirohi believes, “The government needs to sensitise the people at large. Skill development of teachers is the key. Even when they are sensitive, often they do not know how to help a student with special needs. It should become a part of the B.Ed syllabus. Also children should have the option of taking up vocational training in school itself.”

Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett wrote in their book The Spirit Level : Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better, “Student performance and behaviour in educational tasks can be profoundly affected by the way we feel, we are seen and judged by others. When we expect to be viewed as inferior, our abilities seem to diminish.” This is precisely why implementing inclusive education in schools can bring in great change to the education system in India.

December 2017

EVENTS

THOUGHTPROVOKING!

December 2017

Parvathy Jayakrishnan

Highlights from the Bett Asia Leadership Summit and Expo in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

writeback@scoonews.com

his year, the Bett Asia Leadership Summit and Expo took place at the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The two-day conference on November 15 and 16 was witness to individuals and organisations in the forefront of innovation. Experts discussed topics nominated by policy and decision-makers from K-12 to TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) which addressed key opportunities to improve education

December 2017

EVENTS systems and further student outcomes across the region. Along with the summit, an expo showcased the latest tools and technologies set to transform the learning environment. Educators could drop into CPD (Continuing Professional Development) accredited Learn Live sessions and attend practical hands-on demonstrations which provide opportunities to network, collaborate and share with peers. This year truly saw the convergence of technology and education. Addressing key opportunities to support collaboration and improve education systems across the Asia Pacific region, the action-packed event paved the way for thought-provoking discussions, interactive exhibits and business opportunities. Bett Asia was officiated by YB Dato’ Seri Mahdzir bin Khalid, Minister of Education – Malaysia, and brought together over 1,700 attendees comprising policy makers, leaders and experts in education and technology sectors around the world. The two-day event was themed ‘Cultivating Global Collaboration in Education’ in honour of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN. Simon Presswell, Managing Director for Education, Technology and Broadcasting at Ascential (Bett Asia) commented, “We are delighted with the participation and support that we received for this year’s event. It is Bett Asia’s intention to make a positive impact in transforming and advancing the educational system to one that meets and exceeds the challenges of modern times.” Esteemed panellists at the event included Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Former Chief Inspector of Schools, Ofsted, and Senior Advisor, GEMS Education; H. E. Mme Sengdeuane Lachanthaboun, Minister of Education and Sports – Laos; and Dr Sophon Napathorn, Vice Minister for Education - Thailand. Throughout the empowering discussion, the panellists reflected on ASEAN’s past successes and shared their outlook on the Work Plan on Education 2016-2020, which was designed to unify collaborative efforts on education and develop a coordinated ASEAN position on global education issues. Leaders at Bett Asia talked about the great need for new methods of teaching and learning because the accelerated pace of technological development in the new millennium demands an education system that has a focus beyond just examinations and discipline.

Malaysian Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid said, “We must widen the focus of our education system beyond examinations and discipline, reconceptualise teaching and learn to maximise positive social transformation and innovation.” He referred to studies that suggest that 65 per cent of children in primary school today will have jobs that do not yet exist. This is why students should be given the opportunity to apply their learning experience in ways that are relevant to their future, he said. In addition to digital literacy, education should give learners the understanding of how to apply and innovate technology. A keynote session by Anthony Salcito, Vice President – Worldwide Education, Microsoft USA on Digital transformation in Learning, device demos, partner solutions, the passport adventure competition, and the Microsoft School Leaders and the Teachers Academy was one of the highlights of the event. There were panel discussions on topics such as ‘Shifting cultural expectations around traditional learning’ which explored the idea of adjusting the emphasis from rote memorisation to project-based, holistic learning to stimulate critical thinking in students; ‘Encouraging self-direction in Higher and Vocational Education’, where the idea of how to stimulate students to take responsibility and identify gaps in their own learning and plan their own trajectory to the workforce was discussed; and ‘Smashing gender stereotypes’, a discussion which celebrated the pivotal role women have in STEM, Higher Education and research positions and the importance of encouraging female students to follow suit. The expo attracted over 1,700 educators of all levels, education professionals and decision-makers from across ASEAN to share intelligence on how to improve learning in the 21st century. Educators from 175+ schools and universities and 160+ Government leaders attended to discover, experiment and source new technologies and resources. The Bett Asia Awards celebrated and rewarded the creativity and innovation found throughout Asia’s education sector. The game changer award was won by Apurba Kumar Das – Assistant Teacher, Faridpur Govt. Girls’ High School, Bangladesh, GL Education - Whole Student View Assessments, United Kingdom won the award for innovation, Raymond Mitchel Africa - Science and Design Educator, CAS and Personal

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Project Coordinator, Manila Xiamen International School, Philippines won the award for leadership and Yayasan Generasi Gemilang - Malaysia won the award for collaboration. The Bett Asia Leadership Summit and Expo was powered towards enhancing the quality of education through innovation and global collaborations. Bett is a leading global technology exhibition and congress series for teaching and learning-related data and management tools. Covering the breadth of lifelong learning, the series brings together industry leaders, practitioners, professionals and inspirational figures to share ideas on how to support learning together through technology. The Bett global series covers events in the United Kingdom, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.

December 2017

EVENTS The Future of Kindergartens and Kindergartens of the Future

EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATION (INDIA)

ANNOUNCES th the 6 ANNUAL

INTERNATIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD

CONFERENCE

December 2017

Dates: February 10 and 11, 2018 Pre-conference: February 9, 2018 Venue: The Lalit, Sahar Airport Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai Robert Fulghum once said, “All I really need to know... I learned in kindergarten.” We all agree to the fact that schools, as we know them now, might not even exist in the future. The world around us is changing at an exhilarating pace. It has now become essential for us, as educators, to recreate a model which fits the classroom of the future. The theme of the 6th ECA Annual International Conference is ‘Future of Kindergartens and Kindergartens of the Future’. The purpose is to compel educationists to rethink and revise the core fundamental approaches to Early Childhood Education. Kindergartens of the future deserve and have the right to receive instruction for optimum learning, building on the innate curiosity of children in the early years. The Annual International Conference of the Early Childhood Association is a must-attend event in the diary of all educational leaders, school heads, school owners, teachers and corporates in the field of Early Childhood Education. It will be immensely valuable to anyone who works within the early years’ sector, including early years’ specialists, managers and practitioners, childcare providers, healthcare professionals, parents, policy makers, entrepreneurs, media houses, and companies that deal with children’s products - in short, everyone connected to young children. The conference will also provide an opportunity to network with around 400 professionals and experts and learn about latest global research and trends in Early Childhood Education. The conference will enable reflection and brainstorming with an esteemed panel of experts. The best minds will embark on a collaborative journey of transformation for the future of kindergartens. A galaxy of experts will shed further light on the various sub themes of Early Childhood Education.

Booking details: Regular Registration

Preconference

2 day conference

All 3 days

Member

1000

5500

6500

Non-member

1200

6500

7700

Spot registration

Preconference

2 day conference

All 3 days

2000

8000

For all Member

7000

Non-member

8500

Early Bird (last date – Nov 30) 5500/-

FOR BOOKINGS CONTACT ecaconference2018@gmail.com Please note you will not get a response on any other email address of Early Childhood Association, so kindly use this email only. Call us on 09819855124. If the line is busy please SMS, to receive a call back. Payment will be accepted in the following ways: NEFT- account details as given below. The form, duly filled and scanned, should be emailed to ecaconference2018@gmail.com Account details: Account Name: EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATION Bank Name: VIJAYA BANK

A/c. No. 501700301000309

Branch: Santa Cruz (W)

IFSC Code: VIJB0005017

MICR Code: 400029015 Online payment gateway: https://www.townscript.com/e/6th-annualinternational-conference-404424 /

The conference will also see Best Practice Awards being presented in various categories, including: Best Practices in Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum Planning and Assessment Best Practices in Developmentally Appropriate Use of Technology Best Practices in Effective Partnership with Parents Best Practices Education

Best Practices in Education

Number Inclusive

Best Practices in Use of Nature in Education Best Practices in Reading and Literacy Education

Participation in this learning event ensures… Pre Conference visit to three different schools with unique philosophies on February 9, 2018. The opportunity to listen to more than 50 speakers and panellists at the two day conference on February 10 and 11, 2018. The chance to network with more than 400 professionals and experts from the field of Early Childhood Education. A registration bag with product information and conference journal. The opportunity to buy relevant publications, story books, and other teaching aids to enhance the quality standards of your program. The chance to have fun, share stories, business cards, relish some great meals and make some long lasting friends!

December 2017

GESS DUBAI

Where BRIGHT Ideas Come to LIFE! Nichola Pais editor@scoonews.com

or 11 years now, GESS Dubai has been the region’s premier education event, attracting thousands of visitors, with two exceptional platforms aimed at accelerating the future growth of the education sector in the Middle East. One, the exhibition has provided leading companies and brands from all over the world to showcase innovative products and solutions designed to help teachers and students perform better.

GESS Dubai has provided an effective platform to engage school decisionmakers and present their products, services and solutions covering a broad spectrum of business categories – from books and uniforms, to gadgets and technologies as well as furniture that can significantly impact the delivery of instruction, improve student learning and performance, enhance teacher effectives. These exchanges not only contribute to business growth, but ultimately have an impact on raising education standards and developing the education market in this part of the world.

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Reasons galore to attend GESS Dubai, the biggest education show in the Middle East, from February 27– March 1, 2018

December 2017

GESS DUBAI

The exhibition offers educational decision-makers exposure to the latest innovations in educational products and services, as well as live demonstrations from global market leaders. This year, more than 550 suppliers representing 39 countries, majority coming from foreign countries. There are country pavilions grouping exhibiting suppliers from the U.K., Germany, U.S.A., Korea and China. “The 2017 edition of GESS Dubai saw an increase in the quality of visitors at the event, with a 16.5% increase in private school attendance, 51% increase in procurement manager and 29.81% increase in school owners. More and more companies are using GESS Dubai as a platform to launch their products in the lucrative education market as visitors came from 87 countries worldwide. GESS Dubai is the only way to reach out to such a targeted audience of education buyers,” said Matt Thompson, Project Director, Tarsus F&E LLC Middle East, organisers of GESS Dubai. Meanwhile, the conference component, which has been organised in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Education, gives education professionals the chance to learn from global best practices in education as well as the latest insights from leading local and inter-

national experts on a wide range of areas – from happiness to neurolinguistics programming, from classroom design for enhanced learning to creating robots and drones as well as apps from scratch not only to apply concepts learning in classrooms but also to integrate digital skills and knowledge with a student’s or the teacher’s everyday life. The show is free to attend, and registration is now open to the public via the show’s website at www.gessdubai.com. For education professionals, GESS Dubai is an oasis of learning experiences, with over 200 workshops, panel discussions and other sessions where they can learn from education gurus, share classroom experiences with peers, and explore how some of the best teachers and administrators from around the world make learning a fun and effective experience for millions of students every single day. These sessions are CPD-certified, so attendance not only is beneficial for learning, but also for professional advancement. With a wide range of sessions to choose from, navigating GESS Dubai can be a challenge, which is why organisers have categorised the workshops and talks into:

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Education in Action Neuroscience in Education Future Learning The Innovation Stage Leadership Stream What’s New? GESS Talks Arena Start-Up Pavilion Innovate My School – Innovation Pavilion & Speed Dating

Workshopping! Fantastic learning opportunities through some of the fun and engaging workshops and presentations scheduled at GESS Dubai: Embodying learning with mobile gamification platform Seppo; Digital Learning Content and Enhanced Learning Analytics: Personalising Learners Experiences for Single Courses or Smart Nations; INNOV8TRDeveloping Students Innovators; Preparing the Young Generation for Life and Work; Practical Guide: How to become a 1:1 Google School; Connecting the classroom to the world; The Importance of Leadership and Management to Education; Developing the Smart Future Ready Citizen; What has 5 years in teacher gamification taught us?

GESS Education Awards open for nomination GESS Education Awards is accepting nominations for its 2018 edition. The highly soughtafter awards programme honours outstanding achievements by schools and education professionals, as well as leading local and global brands providing products and solutions geared for the education market in schools across the Middle East. Since its establishment three years ago, GESS Education Awards has become a globally recognised with submissions coming from the UK, Denmark, South Africa, Colombia, Pakistan, Australia, Spain, India, Finland, Canada and the United States; as well as countries from the Middle East and North Africa. “The education sector in the Middle East continues to grow and inspire exceptional achievements from schools and education professionals – we celebrate their extraordinary success to inspire others and work towards raising the quality of the teaching and learning experience throughout the region,” said Sarah Palmer, Marketing and Conference Director, Tarsus F&E LLC Middle East, organisers of the GESS Education Awards that will take place on February 28, 2018. “Equally important, our esteemed jury panel select companies and brands who develop fantastic products and solutions that help teachers and students improve performance, as a way of helping school decision makers to choose only the best suppliers for their investments,” she added. GESS Education Awards continues its partnership with leading education school operator Taaleem for the Lifetime Achievement Award which will recognise an individual or initiative that has had a significant impact on the education landscape in the Middle East. The awards categories are grouped into two distinct sections – one for suppliers and/or distributors of educational products and services; another for schools, teachers and education professionals. Deadline for submission of entries is on 08 December 2017. The complete list of categories and other vital nomination information may be obtained from the website at www.gessawards.com. The event is an integral part of GESS Dubai, the premier education exhibition and conference in the Middle East, which is scheduled to take place on February 27 – March 1, 2018 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Be there! GESS Dubai 2018 Dates: February 27 – March 1, 2018 Venue: Sheikh Saeed Halls, Dubai World Trade Centre

December 2017

OPINION

The FUTURE of Kindergartens and KINDERGARTENS of the FUTURE

December 2017

KG, the word that we use for preschools today, is actually the short form of Kindergarten, a term coined by Friedrich Fröbel, the father of Kindergarten (children’s garden). He devised toys for children to use at different ages and developed training books for teachers. He was banned in his own country for his ideas. The epitaph on his grave reads – ‘Let us live for our children’

Dr. Swati Popat Vats writeback@scoonews.com

adly, in our country we have shortened Kindergarten to KG and, apparently believing it stands for kilograms, we burden our young with more books and ‘education’! The future of kindergartens in our country is plagued by safety issues, dearth of proper policies to start or run kindergartens, and the lack of a dedicated ministry responsible for preschools at the state level. Then there is the stress of ‘learning’ being forced on young children as there is no defined curriculum followed by schools in different states. Finally, there is no defined age limit for children for different levels like nursery etc. which results in a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old being taught the same thing in different states, leading to stress, weak foundation and more emotional problems in children. The three most important stakeholders – government, schools and teachers are all evidently working against one another instead of being on the same page.

The Early Childhood Association with Podar Institute of Education conducted a much-needed survey in June 2017 to find out whether the burden of heavy academics that is put on our young children (age 2 to 6 years) is due to schools or the parents. Interviewed were 1920 school heads and principals from Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bangalore,

Dr. Swati Popat Vats Founder President of Early Childhood Association India, www.ecaindia.org, which works for quality care and education of our youngest citizens (0 to 6 years), Dr. Swati is also President of Podar Education Network. She leads over 290 preschools and daycares as Founder Director of Podar Jumbo Kids. She is also National representative for the World Forum Foundation, and Nursery Director of Little Wonders Nursery (UAE) with branches in Jumeirah and Sharjah. She has received many accolades and awards for her contribution to Early Childhood Education and has been conferred the Fellowship of Honor from the New Zealand Tertiary College. An author of many books for parents and children, she is a strong advocate of nature based learning in the early years and promotes brain research based teaching and parenting in her workshops across the globe.

Ahmedabad, Chennai and an equal number of parents - 320 - from each city. The results of this survey were an eye opener as they showed that not only are parents unaware of what should be taught to children and when but sadly even the principals and heads of schools, who are the experts trusted by the parents and trained in education (they do have educational degrees!), were clueless about laws, policy and curriculum defined in ECE by the government. They are still shackled by age-old redundant practices and are unwilling to change.

This survey brought to light the following anomalies in our preschool system… There is not much difference seen in the replies given by school heads and parents. This raises the question: what is the use of a degree in education if it does not prepare and educate one on the right way to teach? Both parents and school heads are not questioning the relevance of traditional practices for new age learners. While many school heads are embracing changes in primary and secondary education methods, they are not open to changes in preprimary education. Preschool education remains tied to performance. (55% parents and 52% school heads connect pre-primary to preparing kids to learn for standard one, 78% school heads and 80% parents believe in testing preprimary children, 60% school heads and 54% parents are not in favor of removing heavy academics from preschool and replacing it with play) Reliefs like no homework or tests etc. are given to primary children but none to pre-preprimary. Only 21% school heads and 2% parents are aware of the government’s ECCE policy and curriculum.

December 2017

OPINION 55% parents and 52% school heads want preschools to focus only on preparing children for standard one, with no focus on brain development or nurturing developmental skills. Decisions by both groups regarding preschool education and curriculum are based not on policy or research but on blind, age-old practices. 77% of school heads were aware that the kindergarten curriculum being followed by them was not in sync with either the ECE curriculum of the ministry or the standard one syllabus outlined by NCERT but were still following the same, unwilling to bring in changes. The problem with preschools in India is that, despite a well-drafted Early Childhood Policy and Curriculum by the Union Ministry of Women and

Child Development, the Education ministry at the state level does not handle Early Childhood Education. This leaves no choice but for preschools to make their own curriculum or become ‘preparatory centers’. State governments are now starting to ‘regulate’ preschools but with no policy on quality or curriculum in place, the exercise is futile. It is equally baffling why separate states need to redefine their own early childhood policy and curriculum, when there is already a great policy and curriculum drafted by the central ministry. After all, children between the ages of birth to 6 years go through the same stages of development in every part of the country, don’t they? The solution can come only if Early Childhood Care and Education is not a concurrent subject at the state level. This will lead to a common standard of education across the country and our children, our future, will get the care and nurturing they deserve.

December 2017

It is time parents and schools read the Early Childhood Curriculum policy of the government of India, which is explicit on what should or should not be taught to children from birth to six years. It is now up to parents, media, and schools to ensure that we uphold the policy on ECCE and ensure that our children are not burdened, stressed, and forced to learn when they are not ready to do so. The Early Childhood Association strongly advocates stress-free kindergarten years, which is also mentioned in the Early Childhood Policy of the Women and Child Development Ministry. Heavy academics should be removed to ensure that young children get playbased environments to grow, and develop better social and emotional skills. It is time to ensure the future of Kindergartens in our country is safe, relevant and stress-free for children.

STUDENTSPEAK Lakshmi Premkumar, aspiring journalist and student of class X at C S Academy, Coimbatore shares her opinion on what her dream school would be like

“Nobody will feel out of place or lonely”

Lakshmi Premkumar writeback@scoonews.com

very school student would definitely have an answer to this question. Each one of us has our own dream of what we would want our school to be like.

I would want our teachers to interact with us and ask more questions to ignite our minds. This would make us interested in classes, unlike now when it’s just the teachers who talk and talk and all we can do is sit and nod our heads in agreement. According to me, an interesting class should be an interactive session between the teachers and students. We should be allowed to ask endless number of questions. Each student has different interests. One student may like math whereas another student may like history. I strongly feel we must just be taught the

basics of all the subjects and then we should be given the option to choose the subjects we like. Classes should not be confined to a room with four walls. There is so much we can learn from outside. Sitting inside a room and just reading books and writing notes is not enough. We can learn so much by just interacting with people or by observing nature and people. Math doesn’t necessarily mean I need to sit in a class and work all the sums. I can go to a basketball ground and be asked to find the perimeter and area of the ground. Nowadays it is hands on learning that gets us interested. In my dream school there must be a place for everybody to fit in. Nobody must feel out of place or lonely. There should be a place for students who love sports, for students who aspire to take up music or students who like indoor activities.

Another thing that children seem to have is exams. I could say I am terrified of exams and that I loathe them. The fact that a piece of paper can decide your future sounds ridiculous to me. Children are compared based on how much they score. This makes them feel either too smart and proud or inferior and ashamed. In my school there would be no comparison. Exams have to be written, because it is what our education system wants, but no child shall be judged by their marks. The only criteria for judging would be their social skills and behaviour, because at the end of the day when you go into the real world and interact with people you need to come off as a well-mannered person. These are some of the things I would look for in my dream school so that, at the end of the day, we are all equal. No one is better than the other, and there is no comparison between intelligent and less intelligent, or rich and poor.

December 2017

TECH IT OUT Vinay Singh

A Teacher’s Guide to Fighting

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ducation Technology providers tend to make various claims about the usefulness of their solutions. For educators and administrators there is usually no available reference, aside from marketing material and vendors’ “studies” of their own programs, to validate these solutions.

How teachers can educate students to spot fake news and not get fooled Fake News Lesson Plan A lesson plan that helps students understand what fake news is, to engage in source credibility testing, and guides a discussion that helps students understand what they ought to pay attention to when evaluating sources. http://bit.ly/2kqYutO

Another Fake News Lesson Plan with Activity Cards This lesson has been produced to provide students with the necessary skills to navigate the potential hazards of “fake news” and media manipulation. http://bit.ly/2ATaTvj

Hoax or No Hoax? Strategies for Online Comprehension and Evaluation The resources helps students and teachers use research-based comprehension strategies to read and evaluate websites. It also helps in practicing analysis by comparing hoax and real websites and identifying false or misleading information and applying what they have

learned about hoaxes by creating an outline of their own hoax website and evaluating the outlines of their peers. http://bit.ly/2g3fAal

How to teach your students about fake news? This lesson gives students media literacy skills they need to navigate the media, including how to spot fake news. http://to.pbs.org/2yyR0sr

Spot the Fake: Teaching Students to be News Detectives This blog post from the Concordia University – Portland helps in imparting to students some of the real-world knowledge and skills they will need to recognize certain characteristics of fake news. http://bit.ly/2jxKSxq

News Literacy in a Digital Age This resource helps you enhance your students' critical thinking and literacy skills. Using a Ferguson (Missouri) incident as a case study, students and

December 2017

With the rapid advent of mobile devices and booming use of social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp, fake news is rapidly becoming the power which shapes public opinion and even sways elections. As more students get their information and resources online, it is increasingly vital that they know how to verify sources and spot fake news or images, which often appear indistinguishable from a reliable source. Stanford researchers have found that students have trouble judging the credibility of information online. This article attempts to help teachers with tools and tips to make students analyze the consequences of fake news and build the skills needed to question and verify what they view online.

teachers will explore the media coverage and the protests that followed— driven to a large degree by social media—and learn to become informed and effective civic participants in today’s digital landscape. http://bit.ly/1WN24e5

10 Questions for Fake News Detection Teachers can share this questionnaire with students to assess the likelihood that a piece of information is fake news. The more red flags that the students circle, the more skeptical they should be of the news in question! http://bit.ly/2hWjpC2 While getting students ready for the world outside and helping them identify fact from fiction could be a daunting task at first, it is a vital responsibility of teachers to ensure that they educate young people to be responsible and informed citizens. Do you already help your students sharpen their media literacy skills? Please share your experiences and ideas with us.

Facts about Fake News India is now both Facebook and WhatsAppâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest consumer base. Over 241 million Indians are on Facebook while WhatsApp has over 200 million Indian users. According to a Common Sense Media report, 44% of tweens and teens believe they can tell the difference between fake news and real stories. But more than 30% admitted to sharing a story online, only to find out it was wrong or inaccurate. According to a study from Stanford University, fake news websites received 159 million visits during the month of last year's US election, and other research has shown the most widely-shared news stories during the election were fake. The majority were also proTrump. A PCWorld article investigation into fake news cites that it appears the authors behind the fake news reports had no partisan agenda. They were just in it for the money. One fake news creator claimed he could make $10,000 per week in ad revenue from stories that were shared among Trump supporters. An analysis by Buzzfeed found that the top 20 fake news stories about the 2016 U.S. presidential election received more engagement on Facebook than the top 20 news stories on the election from 19 major media outlets. Beginning in the 2017 school year, children in Taiwan study a new curriculum designed to teach critical reading of propaganda and the evaluation of sources. Called "media literacy", the course provides training in journalism in the new information society. Fake news went viral over WhatsApp that the newly introduced Rs.2000 note came equipped with spying technology that tracked the currency notes 120 meters below the earth. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley refuted the falsities, but they had spread to the country's mainstream news outlets.

December 2017

FEATURE

SKILLING

UP FOR

2018! Nichola Pais editor@scoonews.com

Staying relevant is a constant. Educators share their personal targets for the year aheadâ&#x20AC;Ś

December 2017

“USE WEB 2.0 TOOLS IN CLASSROOM ENGAGEMENT”

Neeta Bali, Director Principal, GD Goenka World School Gurgaon Technology has become one the most essential parts of today’s world and some can’t even imagine a day spent without it. It has become a continuous process to upgrade ourselves in order to walk an extra mile in society. In the education industry, both teaching and learning have become more interactive and informative by inheriting the rapidly increasing technological platforms available to us each passing day. We, as educators, should use Web 2.0 tools in our classroom engagement in order to build the young generation. These mainly include Animoto, which completely simplifies the creation and sharing of videos. Survey Builder is another platform which allows you to easily create and manage online surveys. Pinterest as a bookmark management tool helps teachers to organise and share anything from lesson plans, ideas, and crafts using a virtual bulletin board. Collaborative work among our colleagues can be enhanced by using Edmodo which facilitates collaboration and content sharing among school community. Schoology is the tool through which teachers can share their instructional resources and connect with other educators. Apart from this, course management can also be done by using Prezi, where teachers can use this presentation tool to organise and share ideas with other educators. In addition to all these, we should use Google Docs, Google Calendar, Skype sessions, podcasts, videocasts etc. as an integral part of our classroom learning and engagement, leading to widening of the imaginative ideas of the pupils under our care.

“EQUIPPING STUDENTS FOR AN UNPREDICTABLE FUTURE” Teaching has been the most important part of education. Currently with the access to technology, students don’t come to school only to learn, instead they are here to experience, experiment and evolve as individuals. As per my prediction, 2018 would be a year with some of the biggest changes in the field of education. There is going to be a lot of technology which will be collaborated for better understanding and learning of the students. As an educationist I believe that learning skills should be more practical and connected to the real world. We at our school have introduced a new session which will have regular discussions only on the current developments and future predictions. This would surely give us an insight into the minds of future leaders. The next decade is unpredictable for most of us, as to what future jobs offer, how businesses work or even how the education system functions. As an educator, I strongly believe in equipping students with wings by giving them a platform and letting them choose the direction to fly.

R Karthik Naidu, Founder Director, White Petals Schools

December 2017

FEATURE “EMBRACING THE CLOUD”

Joseph Thomas, Director Principal, Chairman, Founder trustee, Mount Litera Zee School Technology has given a whole new meaning to education. It has changed everything in our lives; what we knew, what we were accustomed to and has helped us to achieve our objectives more effectively and efficiently. Technology has twisted the fabric of traditional learning and extended new and more evolved learning methodologies. Education, with the help of technology, has crossed borders and has opened up a world of opportunities for students. These are the new technologies we are looking to embrace in our school in 2018… Cloud-based technology in education - The biggest advantage of cloud technologies is that they create a centralised repository of knowledge for students and teachers to access. This is taking the student-teacher collaboration beyond traditional classroom interaction. Cloud-based technology also enables educators to boost their reach without making any significant infrastructural spends. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence - Machine Learning enables the system to learn individual actions and skills without explicitly being programmed. It establishes the relationship of different learning methodologies with respect to different behavioural models, progress reports, and annual results. They also create personalised training paths that match the needs of each and every student. AI is influencing pedagogical training and its algorithms create behavioural models by studying individual data sets. Based on these models, the algorithms develop a deeper understanding of a student’s strengths and weaknesses and devise a unique personalised learning curve. Data Analytics Data Analytics enables educators with new teaching methodologies. Existing data points are being extracted to gain deeper insights that affect the overall academic growth of a student. Data scientists were able to derive critical observations through these records. They included an optimal book-topupil ratio – drawing on the optimal pupil-to-teacher ratio. Further, the analysis was quick to find that the dropout rate amongst this demographic gets reduced with the introduction of separate toilets for them. Virtual Reality and Gamification Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Gamification are giving students an immersive, first-hand experience through graphical simulation, and, thereby, extending the concept of experiential learning. This has the effect of boosting both engagement and retention, while the use of animation ensures that students understand complicated theories easily

December 2017

“ENABLING ENDLESS KNOWLEDGE TO BE GATHERED AND SHARED” As a principal, I think my job is to expand my student world as far I can. The year 2017 has been a year that marked the same. Our cultural exchange with Sri Lanka, helped students learn about another country’s culture, food, religions, sacred places and of course accepting a child of another nationality as a friend. While staying in school, students also communicated with students from Korea and Egypt, learning about them, their habits, their routines, their school and much more. Apart from this my students also sent some tokens to Korea which show the Indian spirit of togetherness and celebration like Ganesha, sweets, dandiya, etc. thus helping other students know about India and its culture. Such activities have helped blur lines on maps and globes. Nowadays books are getting outdated; they provide relatively less knowledge and restrict the child’s mind to a few pages. I would like to incorporate research by the student himself to understand a certain topic. This would inculcate the habit of using technology for something purposeful and not only for social networking. Taking one computer class per day and teaching a pre-decided syllabus might work to fetch marks, but will not work in bringing creativity in a child - space for experimenting and creating has to be provided. Computer and technology being such important facets of a student’s life, a structured syllabus for the same will only restrict his mind and knowledge to some five or six topics. Innovation is the new trend that is prevalent nowadays and a child has to be trained for the same. This can only be done when there is room for exploring and learning. Therefore, boring books and notes should be replaced by internet and computers where endless knowledge should be gathered and shared. This would enable the child to grow and not chase syllabus deadlines.\

Taruna Kapoor,Vice Principal, Wisdom Valley Global School, Palwal

“MAKING THE SHIFT IN THINKING” Education is an ongoing process. It is not confined to the four walls of the school. Our society is changing rapidly. With the advent of technology, our lives have been revolutionised. The main purpose of school education is to give a child the skills, knowledge and values to be able to live a happy, accomplished and powerful life. The child should become a valuable global citizen. Seeking a livelihood in the field of their choice is paramount. This should include not only their choice but aptitude as well. Keeping the above in mind, in the information-rich society of today, it will be important for us to teach our students to ‘learn, unlearn and relearn’. We need to accept certain shifts - from an emphasis on providing content to providing skills, from looking at the classroom as the only point of learning to accepting that learning happens across life spaces, the shifting equation between the relationship between teacher and student, parent and child. Concepts such as smart classrooms in schools have given the students more control of learning, moving the power centre from the teacher’s desk to the student’s fingertips and mind. The classroom at our schools means more opportunities for collaborative learning among children, from student to student, from student to teacher and not just teacher to student. Even in terms of ‘Discipline’ – there is a paradigm shift from an authoritative environment to a democratic and collaborative one. As we make this shift in our thinking, our expectations will definitely match the outcome. We need to constantly remember – we are yesterday’s adults teaching children today for tomorrow.

Nidhi Sirohi, G.D. Goenka Global School, Noida

December 2017

FEATURE “Coding is No.1 on my ‘Learn Something New’ list” Call me outdated, prehistoric or from the land of dinosaurs; I can take it. But redundant is not something I take myself to be, especially when I am dealing with young learners and want to learn everything along with them. Trying to know what interests the young learners brings me to what has been tickling my interest – Coding, and it gets more interesting with everything that I have been reading about it. I think the learner in me is never going to fade away. The closest I’ve come to the world of programming was a few computer science classes I took in school. My impression of computers is that of intimidating, sophisticated machines, handled only by engineering wizards! It is the idea of setting up a Code Club for young learners in our school that has inspired me to learn more about coding, computing and digital making. I am already tinkering with Tynker and MIT’s Scratch; apps that teach programming concepts. So, I’d rather be known as a ‘Tech-savvy Dinosaur!’ One may ask, shouldn’t other skills like critical thinking, logic reasoning, and problem solving, be reinforced before teaching a child the steps to coding or programming. My take - let the reinforcing of others skills go hand in hand with something that the future is moving to. The point here is not whether to teach children how to code or not, but to introduce them to a concept that has a growing importance in our technology driven, ever evolving world. When I remember my own arduous introduction to computers, I cannot help but welcome the idea of having children learn about it as a delightful preference. I am very excited to initiate a Coding Club for young learners at our school, I did my homework on it and I think coding is at number one on my 2018 ‘Learn Something New’ list (I have a long wish-list)! For future generations, coding skills will be of profound importance. When computer programs run our world, then why not learn and tame them to make things more convenient and seamless. Knowing coding builds creativity and reasoning skills, while simultaneously learning how devices that surround us can be used as flexible assistive learning tools rather than just gaming or browsing mediums. It is time we move with the young learners. Supriti Chauhan Principal, Raghav Global School, Noida

December 2017

“A BETTER FACILITATOR THAN MERELY A TEACHER” Education-wise, 2017 has been a year of reflections for me. As an educator and an early childhood expert, I asked myself many questions. I pondered over the true qualities of a professional practitioner… Are we there to teach children? Are we there to direct them? Are we there to make them capable enough that they reach our expectations? Are we there to make children better persons? Have we taken our jobs too seriously? The answer to these questions was yes, we are doing it all but it wasn’t effectively bringing in change. This led me have conversations with children who studied in different schools. ‘What do you think a teacher should do, teach?’ I asked. To my amazement, I was asked in return: What is likely to happen if you were to give up this belief and give us the right and might to learn by ourselves? What if you were just there somewhere in the classroom - available as a resource - if we happen to need some guidance? What if, when we do come to you for guidance, you refuse to offer it? Rather you show us the immense resource we have inside us. What if, when we ask you to teach us, you point us to peers who can do an equally amazing job of teaching? What if, when we are totally lost, you also get lost (from the room)? Left high and dry, we will then push ourselves to further create what we will need all our lives - abilities - to solve, to ideate, to understand, to assimilate, to correlate, to beat ourselves. What if we give up and that is the occasion you do not give up on us? You hit us back: you do not make it easier for us, you make it more exciting for us - you bring in more ingredients, you add new twists to the tale and yes, you twist our tails too. What if you make us accountable - not just to ourselves - but also to the whole class? All ensuring that all have learned whatever was to be learned. And more! This is what I would like to learn and spread, as a teaching skill in 2018. I would like to train myself to become a student rather than a teacher. As a practitioner I would also like to accept my children as my colleagues. What if running a class were to become a cooperative endeavour? When I see kids as kids, I always try to control them. But if I see them as co-workers then we ALL transform into a team of raring professionals out there to conquer every learning peak! One team takes on the onus of teaching. Another team will manage the projects. One more will take care of homework and yet another, of tests (preparing, administering and checking). There will be a team to take care of the learning environment by doing research, making and displaying posters and distributing trivia on the topic of the week. I know as an educator, if I start sharing responsibilities with my kids, things will not work fine. They will make mistakes, they will omit, forget, mismanage and even be completely irresponsible. But can I just see the opportunity for more effort, more challenges and more growth? Can I also shift from making them a better person to making them better at knowing how to become a better person? Can I also leave them to assess themselves, praise themselves? Can I just be with them, accept them, forgive them, laugh and cry with them? It is not about doubting myself or my skills; rather it is about just being a student and learning a few more skills not only to improve teaching but also to become a better facilitator. Have a reflective 2018 too! Sonal Ahuja, Director, Shri Ram Foundation Preschool

“The Cloud and Compassionate Motivation”

The future is about access, anywhere learning and collaboration, both locally and globally. For me, the future of technology in education is the cloud. Technology can often be a barrier to teaching and learning. I think the cloud will go a long way to remove this barrier. So our school will plan and learn how to use cloud successfully. As cloud computing will remove the number of things that can go wrong like loss of exam data etc., all we will need is a fast robust internet connection. No software installed, servers or local file storage. Teachers can use the cloud to set, collect and grade online. Students will have instant access to grades, comments and work via computer or tablet. Many schools are already doing this, and I want to start the same in my school also. School classrooms are going to change, as technology will be integrated into every part of the school. In fact, it won’t be just the classrooms which will change but, whether offsite or onsite, the school teachers, students and support staff will all be connected. In my ideal world, all classrooms will be paperless. I definitely think that with cloud, the world will be our classroom. As a teacher, I follow and keep advising my staff also to follow Compassionate Motivation which means, as a teacher we motivate our students to do well in studies but if we are compassionate towards our students, if we really feel from within that the child is not doing well in academics and he/she will suffer, then we can communicate better with them. If I genuinely feel for the student, I will be able to motivate him/her better. As a teacher, the cultivation of compassion is an important part of daily teaching practice in our school. It’s one all educators should follow. Dr Harleen Kaur, Founder Principal, Mount Carmel International School, Ambala

December 2017

TECH FOCUS

ASSESSMENT:

REL Anjana Deepak

ADED!

along the way to help students learn.

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e go to an educational institute to learn. But how do we know learning happens when it’s inside the brain? We can’t actually see how much learning has happened till we check for how much is learnt. This checking or ‘assessment’ is what tells us how much the student has taken from the teaching. Assessments help form a baseline to work from and allow a teacher to make adjustments

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At present, the Indian education system focuses mainly on the memorisation skills of students. This has precedence over other skills such as problem solving and creative thinking. Therefore the real potential of the child is not assessed. The main purpose of assessments must be to motivate students and not discourage them, as these evaluations affect students’ lives. Rakesh Sharma, COO & Co Founder, Myperfectice talks about assessments as a continuous process

December 2017

Educators are increasingly using technology as assessment tools to evaluate students and increase student success more effectively

and the actionable next steps. “This includes absolute and relative matrix of an individual on skills and goals. It covers different level metrics from areas of strength, weakness, speed analysis, and behavioural analysis for the students. We provide segmentation of students on multiple attributes which helps on focused corrective action to drive personalisation. To summarize, the metrics are for both students, teachers (institutes) and parents so that they can take corrective action.” He points out, “The whole purpose of assessment is to be able to identify the opportunities of improvement and take corrective action. This is effec-

With the changing dynamics of the education sector, there is a change in the way of imparting knowledge. Now children do not long for a teacher who is always disposed to teach them when in doubt because now, technology is on the golden throne, ruling the Generation Z (children born after 2003) and Alpha (children born after 2010), and paving paths for them to achieve and study what the foregone generation couldn’t do.” Niyati Chitkara, Principal, Chitkara International School

tive if and only if the assessment and corrective actions are done on time. This is what we do @MyPerfectice where the information is available real time, from anywhere at the finger tips.”

Need for tech in assessment A holistic review of primary assessment is needed to ensure we have a system that is fit for the purpose; one which works for pupils, parents, teachers, and school management teams alike. While most schools implement assessments using traditional methods, it has been observed worldwide that technology-enabled assessments can help reduce the time, resources,

and disruption to learning required for the administration of paper assessments. Assessments delivered using technology also provide a more complete and nuanced picture of student needs, interests, and abilities than traditional assessments, allowing educators to personalise learning. Education is changing and is being moulded according to the ever changing mind-set of the present generation. Despite the current times that are driven by technology, traditional forms of assessments are still prevalent in the education system. However, technology is slowly but surely making its place in the assessment domain.

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TECH FOCUS evaluation for which marks are awarded Assignment booklets are prepared in each subject for classes VI-XII for revision Subject enrichment projects are made and activities (listening and speaking skills) are conducted Other testing methods that are alternatives to the traditional assessment system are performance- based and alternative/ authentic assessments. Performance-based assessments require students to take part in specific tasks that are set for them. Usually real world scenarios are applied as benchmarks for students.

standing of concepts. Students are then tested and compared with a standard benchmark. The assessments that are presently being followed in schools are formative assessments, summative

Niyati Chitkara, Principal, Chitkara International School says, “With the changing dynamics of the education sector, there is a change in the way of imparting knowledge. Now children do not long for a teacher who is always disposed to teach them when in doubt because now, technology is on the golden throne, ruling the Generation Z (children born after 2003) and Alpha (children born after 2010), and paving paths for them to achieve and study what the foregone generation couldn’t do.”

Traditional Assessments Regular schools have conventional methods of testing students that are teacher-chalk driven and paper-pen driven. Traditional assessments have teacher centric classrooms, where guidelines are set in place to be followed and emphasis is more on examination and results rather than under-

Alternative assessments focus on the students’ strengths. This allows the teacher to mould the syllabus according to the student’s learning style. This especially helps students with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and other disabilities that could affect language performance. Although paper and pencil tests can be effective when assessing listening and reading comprehension skills, they are not appropriate assessment methods for performance skills such as speaking and writing. For a balanced assessment program, a variety of assessment techniques should be incorporated into daily instruction. Authentic assessments combine the traditional academic content with the knowledge and skills needed to function appropriately in the real world. The context, purpose, audience, and focus should connect to real-world situations and problems.

assessments, weekly tests, unit tests and final exams. Mr. Manohar Lal, Principal, Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, Delhi states that at his school “Assessments are conducted on a weekly basis,” as he shares a list of the current assessments provided… Monday Test/ Cycle Test conducted regularly for classes VI-VIII and XI-XII Regular Terminal Exams Regular weekly assignments for classes VI-XII Fortnightly notebook submission and

December 2017

These are the various assessment methods used in the current educational scene. Although these work at present, the assessment scene is changing to support the requirements of the growing minds of students. Education can effectively function using the next generation tools.

Pros of Tech in Assessment Teaching a large number of students in different classes and getting students to take a test is a tough challenge. Teachers find it time-consuming to conduct assessments such as assignments and tests through manual processes. They are also unable to communicate the results in real time with students and parents. Why not automate the classroom processes to make

proved itself to be highly interactive, customisable, trustworthy, secure, can be accessed in multiple devices and is a great solution for busy class schedules. Online examination makes it easier to evaluate and grade for all types of tests like multiple choice questions, and also provides instant feedback to students.

it much faster and easier for teachers and students? Niyati Chitkara shares, “At Chitkara, when it comes to assessments, tracking and monitoring innovative progress, and performance and behaviour of Generation Z and Alpha, we make sure that all are assessed on a regular basis for the development of the students. Assessments at Chitkara are technology-driven, research-oriented and are disseminated by the school’s ERP communication system in a way that together benefits both parents and students. Our teachers engage with many classroom technological tools to collaborate, communicate and be the producers of technology, information and innovation. Digital software like Maths Buddy, Extra Marks, Bilog MG3, Pascale, Wingen and BIRT streamline our assessment practices in a significant way.” With the introduction of technology, a variety of new age tools are used in classrooms that help the teacher. Cloud, digital and mobile technologies are increasingly used in the classroom for identifying and evaluating students in higher education. Manohar Lal, Principal, Delhi Public School, maintains, “Currently the online and technology-based solutions used at school are smart boards for the junior to senior classes. Assignments and class notes are uploaded, an online marking scheme and solutions are provided for term exams in all the subjects and result preparation and analysis are done from junior to senior classes.” When technology is used, feedback can be continuously tracked in understanding how much a child has understood during the teaching process. There is no need to wait till the end of a lesson. There is a lot that can be assessed by talking to the child, but in a classroom setting that would not be practical. This is where technology comes in, providing ways to assess children’s understanding and learning. One such tool developed by Jim Minstrell and Earl Huntand at the University of Washington, is the Diagnoser. This program is designed to give teachers insight into a student’s conceptual understanding of high school science. The program asks a series of questions, which are designed to test deep understanding. The goal is not to elicit the correct answer, but to understand how the student arrives at the answer they have chosen. Gravity,

for example, is one of the modules the program addresses. Gravity is frequently misunderstood, and many students often believe that heavy objects fall more rapidly than light ones. The Diagnoser is designed to ask a series of questions about the behaviour of a bowling ball and golf ball -- if both are let go at the same time, which will hit the ground first? Through a series of questions, the teacher gets an insight into the student’s understanding of the basic principles behind their choices. What are their miscomprehensions? With a clear view of his class misunderstandings, the teacher can shift emphasis and redesign his instructional plans in mid-course. Also continual feedback between teachers and students generates a way of teaching that is very different from the traditional approach. It becomes more like sailing a ship, with the teacher constantly adjusting course. The goal is set, but the actual path responds to the needs of the individual students. That is a model for what assessment looks like when it occurs continuously during instruction. With online assessments, uploading and sharing assignments, conducting online tests, assigning grades, storing study materials, and creating lesson plans becomes extremely simple and saves time. Using automated tools is the easiest way to streamline the academic and administrative processes.

Ease of Online Assessments Online evaluation tools that are cloudbased are used for better and quicker results. An online examination has

Assessing student learning at regular intervals is critical to institute success. Teachers can monitor the progress of each student in real-time and can help and guide students. Cheating and frauds can be eliminated during online tests. We often hear how examination papers are leaked which calls for the exam to be cancelled. Technology can help to change the way forward for traditional paper based examination and how they are distributed to the students. Examination papers can be distributed using the internet which has the added security of encryption technology that can be downloaded and viewed only 15 minutes before the actual examination starts. This would solve the leakage of the examination papers. With advancements in technologies, faculty and students are getting computer and mobile savvy, leading institutions to want to transform traditional teaching and learning in classrooms. Niyati Chitkara shares, “Talking about the value of technology-based solutions for assessments, it has helped us to alter the DNA of every child in our school. It stimulates research and innovation in the school, and the result is smart, quick-witted and insightful children. Technologybased assessments have changed the way how teaching was being imparted; it has changed the entire teachinglearning process by modifying learning and assessment techniques. It has improved the school’s teaching efficiency and also helped us to revise the teaching methodologies which were obsolete.” Through technology used for assessments, we are able to have a better outreach, see feasibility to share the results with the parent community, and also cater to just-in- time feedback. Also, the online platform gives us an opportunity to customise the assessments framework, study the learning curve and have individual handholding in an explicit way. The comfort of remote access to learning resources and doing it in one’s own space are influencing educators to effectively use technology as assessment tools to evaluate students and increase student success.

December 2017

INTERVIEW

“FUTURE SCHOOLS NEED TO BUILD OFF THE REALITY THAT EXISTS” 46

December 2017

At Bett Asia 2017, Anthony Salcito, VP, Worldwide Education, Microsoft, tells Ravi Santlani that a school that creates a culture where students are confident and hungry for change is doing its job, immaterial of Wi-Fi connectivity or computers.

Anjana Deepak & Ravi Santlani writeback@scoonews.com

xciting times for Worldwide Education at Microsoft, as their foundational approach called Microsoft Flagship Schools will be launched mid-January at the Educational Forum in the UK. “We would be putting a Microsoft manager who would work through methodology and education transformational framework to make sure there is a great school. It’s not a commitment to use Microsoft technology and tools. There has never really been this global collaboration around new school design. We are building architectural blue prints and we will do research consistently across the schools,” says Anthony Salcito, who drives the worldwide execution of Microsoft’s vision for education.

Given Microsoft’s great relationships with governments around the world, preliminary conversations about this school concept have already occurred. “There is tremendous interest in it because our approach has been far more outcome-focused,” he points out. “The way in which data is used in

schools today is not nearly what it should be. So we are trying to push the thinking. We would love to get involved in India with that concept and just figure it out.”

Microsoft can best serve partners and the technology we build.

Shedding more light on the Flagship Schools he adds, “We are already in production with this. The plan, by the time we launch it, is to have some partners who are already committed. I would say that we would be in the range of 20 to 100 schools that we would have signed up with globally. We think we will be able to save in terms of energy, efficiency, effective management and also other resources like training across the world.”

“The first thing we want to do is to deepen the connection of partnership with schools and educators,” he explains. “We consider ourselves successful when we can evidence the real advancement in outcomes. I’d much rather put technology to work to make kids more excited about learning and more effective in their development of skills and development of tools that will help them be employable in the future. We are here to celebrate educators and support, train and help develop school leaders for the change and serve the needs of students.”

As part of the company’s mission to empower educators and inspire students to achieve more, one of the things Microsoft seeks to achieve is to create the right thinking around how learning can be effectively transformed. “We increasingly recognise the opportunities for schools to leverage not only this new world of learning that exists fuelled by technology, but to do so in a world that has a new paradigm as a release to employability. So we have to not only support that change but be thoughtful as to how

Speaking of the role that technology plays in building critical skills for the modern global workplace, he points out, “The first thing to know is the way in which learning is shaped and has changed the dynamics of a classroom. The historical paradigm of learning is connected based on a limitation of content. The reality was there was a certain amount of books and materials to learn, resources from the classroom or educator. What you have now is a different paradigm of learning where limitation on content, time and place are

December 2017

INTERVIEW no longer there. It creates an opportunity for educators to bridge the skills of the workplace in pedagogy. We can work more together on projects to bring new ideas into classrooms, like flip classroom methodologies or learning outside the space of the school and creating not only a new way to think about technology but also reinforce the way in which we work. This new approach to learning is very much connected to the skills that we need in the workplace.” Discussing how the digital transformation of learning has changed education and improved lives, he avers, “I still think we are transforming in education. The work that we have done up until now, has been to largely bring technology to automate the experience for making learning more easy and efficient. I do believe some things have made the world a better place already; the ability to connect globally, share ideas and to learn about cultures. We have insight to make the world seem smaller because we are more connected digitally. We have a wealth of content that’s available now. The amount of resources available to extend learning is absolutely amazing and can make learning more immersive and rich. But I think the next shift is to really improve quality of life where technology not only connects to a lifelong journey for a student or person’s development but also from a learning stand point. We are using data insight about student preference, career aspirations, accessibility needs, etc. to fuel a unique and personal learning path. When you do that you not only gain better outcomes, you can improve quality of life for all people.” He avers that one of the best features of the Microsoft showcase schools program around the world is how it has been modified to suit the dynamics of different regions. “It’s entirely not one size fits all, whether it’s in the same country or globally because the showcase school is not about Microsoft technology or technology at all, but it’s the thinking that goes into driving innovation. Great showcase schools are attuned to the needs of their community, their constituents, their educators, students, the employers in that country… We love that about our showcase schools. The showcase schools have given us tremendous insight, they inform us to be better at delivering technology. We always say that the showcase schools are just the beginning of what we need. We need to make every other school get to their level and we need to also challenge going for-

ward. Showcase schools are helpful for us because that’s where we can invest the most to push the next boundary. We want to continue to accelerate. Showcase schools gives us an audience of schools that are open to change, innovative leadership and are pushing the boundaries of what exist today. Those give us a great place to continue to challenge ourselves of what’s possible to fuel innovation for the next generation of showcase schools.”

December 2017

Regarding India, the standout point for him is passion of the leaders and the consistency, from the leader to the individual students and teachers. “I was in a showcase school in New Delhi and was greeted by a student who gave me the tour of the school. Students share the thinking and vision. I was asked questions: Why we are doing this. What is the design philosophy? What’s the change? I articulated the leaders’ vision of why they were doing certain things, where they were making invest-

when you think about the school of the future, the first thing you think about is the amazing technologies that are put in place to build something that’s modern using technology thoughtfully. For some schools connectivity or budget seems difficult. What I’ve learnt is that the school of the future is less about technology or technology at all; it’s about how we leverage the realities of the world. I think future schools need to build off the reality that exists. “If you can see the school as the hub to ignite a student on a path, that’s great!” he maintains. “A future school that does that - whether they are using technology or not - I think that’s where we are. So I would say to those communities with low budgets, ‘Does your school accelerate a student’s interest in the work that they are doing? Does it inspire their passion? Does it remove fear/ limitations? Does it remove lack of confidence?’ If you can have a school that creates a culture where students are confident, ambitious, and hungry for change then it is doing its job, whether there are light switches, Wi-Fi connectivity or a computer. I think that every learning space needs to be that way.” It is encouraging to hear his thoughts on India, with regards to the STEM and science agenda across the country. “I think India has been driving a lot of thinking. There has been a lot of push and thought leadership about transforming in India as well as a very good STEM graduation rate. Other countries will be envious of what India is doing and that is reflective of the technology shift that has happened in India. So what we want to do is increasingly grow that to drive better entrepreneurship and have better gender balance across the technology careers. So, in many ways, I want India to continue being successful in the motion and drive leadership that we can share with other countries, build methodologies and models that other countries can leverage because a lot of the things that India has been doing are something other countries should be striving for.” ments in technology etc. I had a meeting with the school’s headmaster and the language was exactly the same, the feedback was shared etc. I then talked to teachers, they were on board. It’s amazing to see that kind of thread,” he marvels. Yet the challenges are constant, more so when it comes to creating the schools of the future in countries that struggle with basic quality of life… “The challenge, I would say, is that

Salcito has often reiterated that despite the dominance of technology, educators will forever be the heroes of classrooms. Where does this belief stem from? “Fundamentally, the role of a teacher will - and has already changed,” he explains, adding, “But I think that role enhances their value. The way in which I look at educators is historically because of the limitations of the

places to learn and what to learn from. The teacher has had to play the role of a translator of learning material into a student’s brain or mind. Increasingly though, because of the prevalence of digital content for students to learn, teachers have to inspire and nurture a student along a journey. I see that role being far more strategic, important and impactful. The need for amazing innovative teachers is higher than ever before. So, despite the perception that technology will actually reduce the need for teachers, the opposite is true. Technology has expanded the potential for learning, pedagogy, personalisation and learning styles. So we need better and more innovative teachers to drive that change.” The tech-driven education scenario also throws up several challenges for educators, which they need to keep pace with. “We need to shift the language of a school, shift the environment and uplift a student’s interest in using the school as a platform for their future. When you start with - ‘How am I going to get the most from every child? How do I inspire students to want to learn more? How do I give students the opportunities to overcome obstacles?’… In some of those answers you’re going to have computers and technology but that shift of paradigm is what brings success. What we need to do for teachers at this time is to celebrate their role, to increasingly believe that they have an important role in the future of learning, to encourage them, to be confident, to challenge innovations and status quo and have leaders who can create and nurture that in their schools. I think the problem is we have been pushing most of the focus on teachers and, from my experience, teachers are not the problem. We need to support and celebrate teachers, provide more help and support for training of school leaders around the world. He ends with discussing the role that Artificial Intelligence will play in disruption, along with Mixed Reality. “Mixed Reality is a mix of augmented and virtual reality that creates immersive learning experiences that are important. Artificial intelligence is something completely different. You are actually improving the learning environment and giving students different content experiences that will be fuelled by AI. So AI is going to provide the orchestration of everything we know about a student, all their content and calendar, all the peers that they engage with. AI is definitely the catalyst for change that we are going to see in classrooms.”

December 2017

TEACHERSPEAK

Principles for Principals

In a much-needed twist, teachers list the must-have qualities in principals. Educators, are you listening? Nichola Pais editor@scoonews.com

he key cog in the wheel that is the school, the principal’s role in the success of the school ecosystem is paramount. “A principal is the leader of an entire community within the school, responsible for managing administrative tasks and supervising all teachers and students. Teachers look up to their principals as facilitators and supporters. A successful principal-teacher relationship is essential for a school’s success and it is

with mutual communication and trust that both can work towards the wellbeing of students,” believes Santosh Raghav, Co-ordinator, Wisdom Valley Global School, Palwal. Schools will only be a better place when the adults learn how to work better, points out Swati Tomar, Shri Ram Foundation, Preschool. “Leaders and teachers need to work on goals together and keep a constant focus on those goals as they go through the year. The success of any organization depends on team work, decision making, work ethics, visions, responsibilities, plan-

December 2017

ning and management that cannot be controlled by a leader alone. Teachers and principals can both be leaders in schools. They can lead with negativity and resentment, or a more inclusive environment can be inculcated where teachers feel safe to share when they agree or disagree with a process and discuss the way forward. When there is a positive relationship between both the principal and teachers, the school will achieve success.” “In school, instead of worrying constantly about setting directions and then engaging teachers and others in a

restricted pattern, the leader should focus more on removing obstacles, providing materials, emotional support and taking care so that it makes the journey of teaching easier and fun for everyone,” adds Sadika Salim Lalparia, Vanita Vishram Primary School, Mumbai. Here is a listing of the key qualities that teachers appreciate in principals…

Walk the Talk There is nothing better than leading by example. Teachers naturally appreciate it when principals model the behaviours they would like to see. Ideally, a principal should reflect the key qualities of the school, so these values filter down to teachers and the entire administration team. “The principal is the educational leader and spokesperson for the school community,” believes Swati Tomar. “It is the leadership of the school principal that sets the tone of the school, climate of learning, level of professionalism, morale of the staff members and degree of concern for children. A school principal is the primary leader in a school building and a good leader always leads by example.” According to Sadhana Saxena, Subodh Public School, Jaipur, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Those who believe in doing, not just preaching; their actions speak more than their words, and they inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more.; become more.” As Madhuri Kohli, Sri Ram Foundation Preschool puts it, “Before the principal commands, let him practice it himself first, whether it is punctuality at work or meeting deadlines. This will inspire and influence the staff.”

Respectful Listening As in most professions, a leader who listens respectfully creates a healthy work environment. This quality enables teachers to feel confident to come forward and share their feedback and concerns. An open door policy or dedicated monthly meetings would enable principals to gain valuable perspectives from teachers on day to day classroom issues. “A good principal would also express value for dissenting views,” points out Khushboo Bhatia, “Principals should try and welcome and embrace conflict as a way to produce substantive, positive outcomes over the long run. Regarding conflict as potentially constructive helps build supportive human relationships because it allows us to deal with our differences in win-win ways. It also allows teachers to feel

more secure in providing honest input and participating meaningfully in school decision-making.”

Forward-thinking It is important for a principal to exhibit leadership and develop innovative school policy and vision, and to then share the same with the teachers. It helps teachers know that their leader is looking to the future. Sadika adds, “Technology is not just a tool. It can give learners a voice that they may not have had before. A good principal must be aware and well updated about all the modern technologies and tech savvy methods teaching.” Sadhana Saxena believes a principal should be “a keen observer, vigilant and must keep himself informed about the local and global happenings to widen the scope of knowledge.” She adds that it would also be okay if the principal were to create an atmosphere of a little stress for healthy competition. “This will certainly add thrill and excitement, with a challenge open to all either to find a way or make one!”

Inclusive management Teachers are the lifeblood of a school and are also a treasure trove of talent. Their talent and experience can enable the school administration to make the best decisions for the school. A principal who engages then in the decisionmaking process definitely builds a better relationship and benefits all at school. “Principals who knock down walls by creating supportive environments for teachers, and welcome parents into schools are those who understand how important their actions are to the school climate,” avers Swati Tomar. “They should listen to all sides and find the best solutions. Principals who engage positively with students, and treat them with respect and like they are the growing human beings they are, are the ones who understand what positive relationships and engagement means to learning.” Khushboo Bhatia adds, “Principals should facilitate authentic participation by asking for the input of those affected by decisions, providing background information necessary for staff to weigh in on decisions, and treating teachers as capable professionals whose insights are valuable.”

Planned & Prepared Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation and Sadika Lalparia believes it is important for a principal to be prepared and organised in order to face the many challenges. “A good plan implemented today, brings a better tomorrow. Proper implementation of strategy is very essential for the

“In school, instead of worrying constantly about setting directions and then engaging teachers and others in a restricted pattern, the leader should focus more on removing obstacles, providing materials, emotional support and taking care so that it makes the journey of teaching easier and fun for everyone,” Sadika Salim Lalparia,

Vanita Vishram Primary School, Mumbai. “Leaders and teachers need to work on goals together and keep a constant focus on those goals as they go through the year. The success of any organization depends on team work, decision making, work ethics, visions, responsibilities, planning and management that cannot be controlled by a leader alone. Teachers and principals can both be leaders in schools. They can lead with negativity and resentment, or a more inclusive environment can be inculcated where teachers feel safe to share when they agree or disagree with a process and discuss the way forward. When there is a positive relationship between both the principal and teachers, the school will achieve success.” Swati Tomar, Shri Ram Foundation, Preschool.

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TEACHERSPEAK “A principal is the leader of an entire community within the school, responsible for managing administrative tasks and supervising all teachers and students. Teachers look up to their principals as facilitators and supporters. A successful principal-teacher relationship is essential for a school’s success and it is with mutual communication and trust that both can work towards the well-being of students,” Santosh Raghav, Co-ordinator, Wisdom Valley Global School, Palwal.

“Principals should try and welcome and embrace conflict as a way to produce substantive, positive outcomes over the long run. Regarding conflict as potentially constructive helps build supportive human relationships because it allows us to deal with our differences in win-win ways. It also allows teachers to feel more secure in providing honest input and participating meaningfully in school decision-making.”

Khushboo Bhatia S.V. Public School, Jaipur

smooth functioning of the school. As the principal is the head of the school, she must make sure that all the plans are properly executed and monitor the same in action to ensure their smooth functioning.” It is important for a principal to show commitment and achieve targets in a genuine manner. “This shows integrity, which is keenly observed by staff, students and parents, and will gain their trust,” adds Madhuri Kohli.

Unbiased Approach “A principal must be honest and unbiased in sharing duties and responsibilities, according to one’s interest and capabilities, so as to channelise the energies in the right direction,” points out Sadhana Saxena. She must grant equal opportunities to all, to

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showcase their potential with no comparisons. She must also have respect for all cultures, believe in assimilating the best and adopt all that is beneficial for the betterment of human society. “Principals earn trust from members of the school community by encouraging open communication and actively making themselves available to teachers, parents, students, and staff without bias,” avers Khusboo Bhatia. “It is very rightly said, once the leader takes the risk of being open, others are more likely to take a similar risk— and thereby take the first steps necessary to building a culture of trust.” Santosh Raghav adds, “A principal should be fair and consistent. She should be adept at building relationships in the school team, connecting with each person that she deals with, and balance tough love with earned

“Before the principal commands, let him practice it himself first, whether it is punctuality at work or meeting deadlines. This will inspire and influence the staff.” Madhuri Kohli, Sri Ram Foundation Preschool

praise. She must be true to the teachers and students as high standards of expectations have to be implemented and achieved.”

…All this and more! “A principal must be a pleasing and cheerful person; a person with good character, strong, bold, confident, kind, compassionate and considerate who could live in the heart of every student and teacher as a source of inspiration. He must be easily approachable, patient and honest in dealing with people and situations, effectively and efficiently; quickly and decisively; diplomatically and dynamically to reach to the core of issues in resolving them fairly. He should be commanding and dutiful; strict and

law abiding, who believes in goodness, keeps the hopes for all the best to come and maintains the trust of his workforce,” declares Sadhana Saxena. “A principal should be positive, enthusiastic, and put the needs of the school before herself,” adds Swati Tomar, while Madhuri Kohli advices, “Always be gentle and polite as it cascades to the rest of the school. Stay humble, and treat everyone in the organisation with love and care. Maintain boundaries and limits. Learn to ignore; your attention to all incidents is not always necessary. Stay light, keep smiling and stay humorous!” Yes, that is a daunting list of musthaves for a principal. We have no doubt, however, that most of our educators already have glowing report cards!

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Those who believe in doing, not just preaching; their actions speak more than their words, and they inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more.; become more.” Sadhana Saxena, Subodh Public School, Jaipur

December 2017

TAKE2

FUN FACTS

Hilarious mistakes in movies… ONLY A HISTORY TEACHER WILL FIND!

Lagaan is set in 1892 and each team gets six balls per over. However, in those days, England allowed only five balls per over.

We have compiled a list of some silly movie mistakes which only a history teacher will be able to note. In Kai Po Che, people are watching the news about the Gujarat riots on Headlines Today. The riots happened in 2002. Headlines Today was launched on April 7, 2003.

In Braveheart, Mel Gibson’s character dons a Scottish kilt, though the apparel would not come into wide use until centuries after the setting in which the film takes place.

Spielberg’s epic WWII drama Schindler’s List features a plastic stamp pad, though the item hadn’t actually been used during this period.

December 2017

In the Akshay Kumar starrer Rustom, the designer did a mixup on the uniform. The movie is set in 1959 whereas the uniform sports a Kargil star (1999), Name Tag (introduced in 1972), incorrect bar curl and many elements or medals which did not exist then.

In the war film 300, one army fights with the help of bombs, though gunpowder was not invented until the 9th century AD, and not known to Arabs until the midthirteenth century.

The premise of Tom Cruise’s 2017 The Mummy is inaccurate from the start, as a female in Ancient Egypt would never have been designated pharaoh; instead, the honor and title would be bestowed to another male heir within the greater family.

In Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Farhan Akhtar sings 'Nanha munna rahi hoon…' from the film Son of India which was released in 1962. Bhaag Milkha… is set in the 1950s.

Unlike portrayed in Shah Rukh Khan’s Asoka, Karuvaki (the only queen of Ashoka, who was named in his inscriptions and edicts) was not a Kalinga princess but a fisherman’s daughter.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End includes a voyage to Singapore, though the land would not be founded by British explorers until the following century from which the film takes place.

December 2017

TAKE2

READ

Making Good Progress? The Future of Assessment for Learning By Daisy Christodoulou

WATCH 5 TV shows featuring teachers as the main character

Making Good Progress? is a researchinformed examination of formative assessment practices that analyses the impact Assessment for Learning has had in classrooms. The book outlines practical recommendations and support, that Primary and Secondary teachers can follow in order to achieve the most effective classroom-based approach to ongoing assessment. In Making Good Progress? Daisy Christodoulou, Head of Assessment at Ark Academy, offers clear, upto-date advice to help develop and extend best practice for any teacher assessing pupils in the wake of life beyond levels. An engaging read, full of practical advice, and inspiring for anyone involved in teaching.

Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery By Scott Kelly A stunning memoir from the astronaut who spent a record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station, this is a candid account of his remarkable voyage, of the journeys off the planet that preceded it, and of his colourful formative years. Here, in his personal story, we see the triumph of the human imagination, the strength of the human will, and the boundless wonder of the galaxy. Scott Kelly has spent 340 continuous days on the International Space Station - more than any other American astronaut and faced mind-blowing challenges while maintaining the ISS and conducting numerous science experiments, including on their own bodies. Endurance is a perfect title for this book.

Chanakya, a 47-part Indian television historical was originally telecast on Doordarshan from September 8, 1991 to August 9, 1992. The series is a fictionalized account of the life and times of the 4th century BCE Indian economist, strategist and political theorist, Chanakya. Chanakya was guru and mentor of Chandragupta Maurya. Chandragupta was the father of Bindusar who would later become the king. Chanakya also served as the chief advisor to Bindusar.

alter Isaacson The author of the acclaimed bestsellers Steve Jobs, Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin – Walter Isaacson brings Leonardo da Vinci (the man responsible for two of the most famous paintings in history, The Last Supper and The Mona Lisa) to life, in this exciting new biography. He weaves a narrative that connects Vinci’s art to his science. He shows how Leonardo’s genius was based on skills we can improve in ourselves, such as passionate curiosity, careful observation, and an imagination so playful that it flirted with fantasy. This book is masterfully written, lavishly illustrated, and a prime example of intensive research.

December 2017

Chunauti was a serial telecast in 1987 and profiled an idealist college principal Mr. Shastri and his travails dealing with the problems that plague students including admissions, donations, ragging, miserable hostel conditions, drug addiction, irresponsible teachers, mass copying, and other malpractices. A well-crafted emotional drama covering every aspect of college life in detail made Chunauti a big hit.

Swim Team was a show aired on Channel V from March 9, 2015 to February 19, 2016 which depicted the journey of a swimming coach named Tarun Kapoor along with his team of swimmers. The show focused on the hard training the coach and his swim team undertook to represent the country at the Summer Olympics.

Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that aired on the Fox network in the United States from May 19, 2009, to March 20, 2015. It focused on the fictitious William McKinley High School glee club, New Directions, which competes on the show choir competition circuit while its disparate members deal with social issues and learn to become an effective team. The initial twelve-member cast included club director and Spanish teacher Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays), Will's wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), and eight club members.

Hip Hip Hurray was a show which portrayed the story of the lives of class XII students, their relationship problems, interactions, failures and successes. The show ran from 1998 to 2000. Vinay Pathak played the very popular character of English teacher, Vinny sir. Suchitra Pillai portrayed the role of Alaknanda maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;am, a stylish physics teacher.

December 2017