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Choosing the right career path is one of the most crucial decisions that needs to be made
jointly by both the child and the parents. You cannot leave your childs future to luck,
chance, or destiny. Children constantly need career guidance and support to explore the
best options and choose the right path.
A 3D approach
There are several ways that one can choose to decide on what ones perfect career may be.
However, with a more structured approach, one can easily arrive at making the informed choice.
This process can be made simpler with use of 3D approach. Using this method, your child will
be able to take precise decisions. This approach broadly entails three steps Discover,
Determine, and Decide. For instance, if the child is interested in pursuing a career in law, this is
how they can approach it:
Discover Occupation: This is the primary focus in deciding a career path. With respect to
corporate law, discover first if the child wants to become a practicing lawyer, a legal business
advisor with an organisation or a corporate consultant for law firms.
Determine Stream and subjects: This would involve choosing relevant subjects such as
political science, history, business studies, sociology, or economics. These subjects will provide a
support base for understanding the core subject. According to experts, choosing political science
and sociology in class 11 is the best way to score high in CLAT. It gives you an edge above
others, not only in the entrance exam but also during the initial years in law school.
Decide - Institute and entrance exam: The National Law School is the preferred choice for
aspiring law students and is located across state capitals. Other options include West Bengal
National University of Juridical Sciences and Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law
among others. The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) conducted by National Law Schools
is the gateway to studying in premier law institutes in India.
Role of parents
A recent LinkedIn study says that a whopping 82 per cent parents in India are involved in
deciding their childrens careers. This study reiterates that your role, as a parent, is crucial in
shaping your childs future. Another study by Ernst &Young reported that nearly half of all
parents are unaware of the range of options open to young people turning 18. Further, more than
half didnt fully understood the long-term implications for their childrens careers.
The current Indian obsession with engineering degree often leads to a herd mentality. Bogged
down by peer pressure, many often begin preparations for engineering courses without
understanding if their child is truly cut out for it! Many students that we come across in our
sessions have picked interesting career options such as UX designer, Sports marketing,
photojournalism, animation, genetics, social media manager, marine biology and environmental
engineering among others. Today, there are over 250 career options available in India for
students to pursue.
Specialist edge
If you have to help your child find their true calling, it is important to chart a roadmap right
after class 10 till the complete destination. This involves having all the information about the
stream, electives, colleges, specialised institutes and entrance exams relevant to the career your
child wants to pursue after class 10.
For instance, if your child is interested in pursuing a career in pure sciences, the ideal way into
premier institutes such as the Indian Institute of Science is through the Kishore Vaigyanik
Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) exam conducted by the Department of Science and Technology,
Government of India.
Likewise, there are many entrance exams for different courses and premier institutions in the
country. One must be aware of such exams and key requirements and dates so that your child
does not miss out a seat to studying in the best institutions in India. This is where professional
career counseling play an important role by offering parents the right information at the right
time to form an informed decision with respect to career, stream, college, exam and tutorial.
(the author is founder and CEO, Lodestar Career Guidance)
Many times, a child may show exceptional aptitude and parents may be astounded by the
intellectual and creative ability they demonstrate at early stages. It is imperative that one
promptly identifies the traits of child giftedness and support such kids in achieving more at
an early age.
The concept of giftedness, intelligence and talent are characterised by an overall ability to apply
the information perceived and skills to diverse and appropriate situations. Gifted individuals
are those who demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude (an exceptional ability to reason
and learn) or competence (documented performance or achievement in top 10 percent) in one
or more domains. Domains include any structured area of activity be it subjects such as
mathematics, language abilities, and areas like painting, dance, sports.
Traits of Giftedness
How does one identify giftedness?The following are some of the archetypal factors that are
stressed by educational authorities as being indicative of giftedness:
A precocious ability to think abstractly and an extreme need for constant mental stimulus.
Shows advanced reasoning powers and discernible ability to handle ideas with
spectacular problem-solving skill.
An ability to learn and process complex information swiftly with high retention power.
Shows persistent intellectual curiosity and asks probing questions to explore in depth.
Has a broad spectrum of interests.
Is noticeably superior in quality and quantity of written and/or spoken vocabulary; is engrossed
in the subtleties of words and use of language.
Reads ardently and comprehends information easily.
Shows insight into arithmetical problems and grasps mathematical concepts readily.
Shows creative ability or imaginative expression; be it music, art, dance and drama.
Sets pragmatically elevated standards for himself/herself.
Developing their interests
Early identification, specifically between the ages three and eight, helps foster early intervention
for gifted children. Parents of gifted children need to listen to their children and provide space
for their interests. In the early years, parents can help their children discover their
personal interests, and encourage them to learn about a wide variety of subjects such as art,
nature, music, and sports. Home stimulation and support of interests is vital to the
development of talents.
Parents need to collaborate rather than resist the special needs of such children. What they need
most is to be heard and to encounter someone who is willing to think differently. Acting in a
friendly and not superior manner can make such kids reciprocate with their amazing abilities.
Being flexible and willing to think differently helps create a win-win situation.
Teaching gifted students
Due to their rapidity of thought, gifted students complete assignments before other children. Due
to outstanding speed they get bored easily and need more demanding assignments to keep them
motivated. What is really going on is a mismatch between the scholastic needs of the student and
the pace of the curricula and instructional program.
Because a student is smart, not always he/she is well behaved. Recurrently, if there is a mismatch
between classroom instruction and a gifted student's intellectual needs, that child may "act out"
or misbehave. It's not an attention-seeking act but because they need more academic stimulation
than the rest of the average students as they are critical thinkers not mere followers. Teachers
need to be flexible, clued-up, and be willing to let these kids try innovative things.
Gifted students are developmentally asynchronous, meaning that their cognitive and emotional
developments are out of sync. They need to be handled independently, by appreciating their key
strengths and coaxing them to take up distinguished academic projects. Gifted students prefer to
be self-regulated and work in isolation. Too much monitoring of such students may suffocate
their talents. Hence, provide space for their scholarly growth, and they will amaze you with
performance.
Early identification and intercession are crucial for the growth and development of young gifted
children. Equipped with practical teaching strategies and ingenious resources, classroom teachers
are in a unique position to advance their talents in a thought-provoking environment of original
thinking and discovery. Sensitivity to the special needs of extraordinary children can make a
momentous difference to their future development and happiness.
To usher in quality changes in our schools, the Central Board of Secondary education
(CBSE) introduced Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) in its affiliated schools a
few years ago.
The CCE looks at a holistic assessment of students rather than limiting assessment to scholastic
areas alone. Also, the concept of a three-hour annual examination is jettisoned out to carry out
assessments in non-threatening situations spread throughout the academic year.
An important feature of the CCE is the formative assessment tools. This has given a new
dimension to teaching and has elevated the teaching process to a new level as teachinglearning. What this essentially means is that there has been a shift from teacher-centric
classroom to student-centric classroom.
A greater involvement and participation of students are ensured, so that the process of learning is
experiential. These initiatives were tried out earlier also but more recently, they have been
encouraged and propagated widely by extending support from the system. The new system has
given autonomy to teachers to design their activities according to the needs of students. A teacher
can also be innovative and creative in doing so. The net result of this change is a markedly
changed classroom. Students enjoy what they learn and also it is long lasting.
The changed system has taken into account the characteristics of learning as envisaged by latest
researches in the field of educational psychology. It is believed that all children are naturally
motivated to learn and are capable of learning. This places a belief on the learners who are
naturally inclined and have the ability to learn. Additionally, the important aspects of learning to
understand are identified and this helps develop the capacity of abstract thinking, reflection and
work. Furthermore, students learn in a variety of ways through experience, hands on activities,
experimentation, reading, discussion, thinking and reflecting and so on. It is also assumed that
learning takes place not necessarily in classrooms alone! Learning is enriched if both the arenas:
classroom and the environment outside the classroom interact with each other.
Teaching of languages
Language teaching is no longer just teachers and students reading out the lessons. Today, there
are several tools available that aid the teacher in imparting the lessons. Depending on the nature
of the lesson, the teacher can use tasks such as listening and reading comprehension, debate,
speech and group discussion by the students among others. The learners can learn immensely
through activities like such as role play, dramatisation, dialogues and conversations.
As they are actively involved in these activities, they enjoy learning. Creative tasks such as
writing a poem, story, script, diary entry and visual representation give room for the students to
express themselves in innovative ways. As a result, the students are given opportunities to
develop their conversation skills. Thereby, the students can develop their listening, speaking,
reading and writing skills in a variety of ways.
Teaching of Mathematics
Mathematics is one subject which has created universal phobia because of abstractions and skills
of computation. The changed scenario has attempted to remove the fear. A lot of hands on
activities are incorporated to understand mathematical concepts. For instance, visual
representation through a geo-board has made learning geometry easier and interesting. There is a
lot of scope provided for data handling and analysis, group projects, presentations, chart and
model making. Puzzles have been brought in to create interest.
Furthermore, experience from real life situations is drawn to make problem solving more
engaging. As Math lab activities are mandatory for all classes, the abstract concepts are made to
understand in a play-way method. Papers folding activities, origami, model making, geo board
have made mathematics learning interesting. Mathematics taught in elementary stage is
completely related to their daily life.
Teaching of Science
Science is one subject which has a great potential to be interesting and absorbing. Every concept
can be taught through experiments: some demonstrated and some carried out by the students
themselves. The experiments can be carried out under the supervision of a teacher in the
laboratory or even at home. Investigatory projects carried out in a group setting can make
learning a fun. Presentations, symposiums, seminars develop their communication skills.
Model making can set them through interesting paths. Charts and posters can be made to
describe topics in science. Science exhibitions and quizzes can also help students understand
science in a more fun and practical manner. In research-based tasks, they learn to state a
problem, collect data and deduce while investigating. Even a concept like inter molecular
attraction in solids, liquids and gases can be enacted by three groups of students. Also the effect
of heat and pressure can be brought about. A role play is possible with each of the organelles in a
cell describing their structures and functions.
Take-home activities help students engage with science in their leisure time. These activities are
of low cost and easily available materials around them. These projects help in consolidation of
their classroom learning. It helps in developing a positive attitude towards science.
Teaching of Social Science
History can come alive with students presenting skits on events and persons of the past. Group
projects, surveys and their presentations make the learning a lasting impression. Debates,
symposiums, seminars also give an opportunity to students to do research on topics. To enhance
learning and make it more hands-on, students can role play a important historical figure and get
interviewed. This helps the students understand the times and beliefs during a certain period in
the history.
Field trips help students understand the concepts of primary and secondary sources of history.
Surveys can be undertaken by students to get familiarised with the economic trends prevailing in
the market. Models and charts prepared for topics in geography ensure that the students
consolidate their knowledge base. For instance, under the national integration camps, students
can present folk dances typical of a particular state. They prepare models and charts on various
topics such as climate, economy, agriculture, industry, places of tourist attractions of a particular
state and present them.
Looking at the changes that have been implemented, it can be seen that the students have been
benefited extensively. Learning has become an enjoyable activity. Although it seems to be
beneficial for the children, teachers are seen to be facing many constraints while implementing
the new system with many finding it difficult to recordkeep. By conducting workshops to ease
the difficulty, the transition becomes smoother and allows them orient themselves in the new
teaching methodology. Other constraints such as large class sizes, scarcity of time, inadequate
time for planning and assessment can be easily overcome with the help and support of the school
management.
With these ideas and an innovative approach, education can truly enable the interaction between
the teachers and the student. As a result, it becomes more fulfilling and enlightening for all.
(the author is assistant commissioner (retired), Kendriya
Vidyalaya Sangathan)
Development programme
Indian Institute of Management, Bengaluru (IIMB) announces a one-day faculty development
programme on blended learning using Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs. The
programme is targeted at all the management school faculty in India. IIMB faculty will guide
participants on using IIMBs online courses to enrich classroom learning. The faculty
development programme will be conducted at IIMB on Saturday, 13 February from 9 am to 4
pm.
It will include orientation sessions on MOOCs as well as three parallel tracks on using MOOCs
in a blended format. The MOOCs in focus in these sessions are International Business
Environment & Global Strategy, Innovation & IT Management and Introduction to People
Management. IIMB faculty, who have pioneered MOOCs, will interact with participants and
conduct the various sessions. The primary objective of this workshop is to equip faculty from
management institutions with requisite skills and resources to use MOOCs in a blended format in
their classroom.
course includes insightful material about the B-school selection process, post-MBA career tracks,
and all other milestones that an MBA aspirant faces throughout the admission process.The
GMAT online course can be accessed on http://gmatonline.crackverbal.com/.
The GRE online course includes video lessons, application of concepts, practice questions, and
video explanations for all the ETS GRE questions.The GRE online course can be accessed on
http://greonline.crackverbal.com/
Nalanda varsity to have school of linguistics
The Nalanda University, Bihar has decided to add a School of Linguistics and Literature from the
year 2017-18. The governing body of the university also approved the launch of a School of
Public Health from 2018-19.
Located in the Buddhist pilgrim town of Rajgir in Nalanda district, the university currently has
two functional divisions: the School of Historical Studies and the School of Environment and
Ecological Studies.
It started its first academic session in September 2014 in a makeshift campus.The university has
already announced the launch of the School of Buddhist Studies, Comparative Religion and
Philosophy from 2016-17.
The fully-residential university will eventually have seven schools for postgraduate and doctoral
students, offering courses in science, philosophy and spirituality and social sciences. The
university is an initiative of India and East Asian countries.
Group Project Exhibition
M S Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bengaluru organised postgraduate group project
exhibition on January 23, 2016. Students from Faculty of Engineering, Art and Design,
Management and Commerce, Sciences and Humanities, Pharmacy, Dental Sciences, and
Hospitality Management and Catering Technology presented their showcased their projects.
Over 70 projects were on display by the students. Students displayed projects including
automated grocery container which would detect the amount of grocery in the container and alert
the owner through internet. Computer Science and Engineering students showcased the Micro
Air Vehicle Surveillance System which is capable of face detection. The system can be used for
tracking high priority assets from remote location to help secure high risk locations.
Degree courses in fine arts
The Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) in collaboration with Kingston University,
London, offers Bachelor degree programmes in Fashion Design, Interior Architecture & Design,
and Communication Design, at its campus in New Delhi. To apply, candidates must have
appeared/passed their 12th Standard in CBSE/ISC/IB or any other equivalent board in any
discipline. Candidates who have recently appeared for the examination and are awaiting their
results may also apply. Apply for the programme online at www.applytoiiad.com
Academic Excellence Scholarship
Trinity College Dublin is offering academic excellence scholarship for first year undergraduates
from India.The scholarship is for students who have enrolled in full-time undergraduate
programmes (except Medicine, Dentistry and acting). For more details
visit, www.tcd.ie/courses/undergraduate/az/.
There is also a scholarship available for the Trinity Specialist Business undergraduate
programme (Bachelor in Business Studies). For more details, visit
www.tcd.ie/business/undergraduate/bbs/. To apply for the programme, applicants who are
normally resident in India and have completed their high school education here. Applicants who
have non-EU status and will pay tuition fees at the non-EU rate.
To be eligible, applicants must have achieved a minimum score of 30 in their International
Baccalaureate programme or achieve grades of BBB in their A Level programme or achieve an
overall score of over 80 per cent in the Indian Boards.The last date to apply is March 31, 2016.
For any further details, email them to indian.scholarships@tcd.ie
Career Advancement Programme
Biocon Academy has announced a new program in Quality Control Microbiology (QCMB) in
collaboration with the Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) Pilani. The programme is
designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of aspiring microbiologists, pharmacy and biotech
graduates.
The partnership envisions to accelerate learning in the fast growing field of microbiology and
enhance the employability prospects of students in biosciences. It is designed to offer
experiential learning by combining the real world insights with class room learning on various
aspects of Microbiology through an intensive curriculum delivered by renowned faculty of
BITS-Pilani and Biocon Academy.
The admissions are open until 15 February, 2016. The course will commence in March at
Bengaluru. This course is ideally meant for science and pharmacy graduates specialised in
microbiology and experienced professionals as well. The programme will take places over a
period of eight weeks. To kick start your career in microbiology, visit http://bit.ly/1RTrqoL.
A dynamic career
Gopalakrishna Dhruvaraj Kamalapur, February 4, 2016
Engaging
Our lives have been enriched in countless ways with the techologies that electrical
engineers have developed. Their technologies are embedded in various aspects of our life,
right from our cars and phones to being installed in patients to regulate biological
mechanisms to being integrated into ID cards and passports.
Electrical engineers are at the forefront of transforming technologies into something that is better
and faster.They are not just solely engaged in creating the everyday electronics that we use such
as creating cell phones.
Their work makes our lives more effective, safe and increases our productivity and standard of
living. These include developing new pacemakers for ailing hearts, ultrasonic diagnostic devices
for detection of tumors and NMR machines. They are involved in the design and manufacture of
these devices, and often they take part in creating the scripts that control these devices and
determine their capabilities.
In reality, it is entirely different. During their course of study they will be taught a variety of
techniques that will involved in electrical engineering. By the end of their undergraduate degree,
the students will be equipped with the understanding of working and application of electric
systems and engineering. If students wish to pursue a postgraduate programme, they can enroll in
a variety of MTech and MS courses in India and abroad that offer a variety of specialistions.
Electrical and electronic engineers have played a major role in the development of several
technological advances such as fly-by-wire aircraft and robotic space exploration. Now, with the
ever-increasing role of computers and electronics in every facet of our lives, electrical and
electronic engineers have the opportunity to be involved in developing an extremely wide range
of systems.
Career prospects
There are good opportunities for jobs in electrical engineering industry and higher education as
well. There is a lot of multidisciplinary research for developing electric vehicles with great
funding and scope all over the world. Electrical engineering graduates develop many valuable
skillset that are transferrable to a range of careers.
As the electrical engineering curriculum is a blend of fundamentals of electricals, electronics
and computer software engineering, the students have an option to form their career in any of
their disiplines. The graduates can find a job in various in many of the public and private sector
companies.
Electricity boards, large scale industries, manufacturing plants, power corporations,
hydroelectricity sector are continuously in need of Electrical Engineers for their projects.
Electrical Engineers also find job prospects in design industries, production plants, natural gas
plants, petroleum as well as in steel and chemical plants.
Many premier educational and research institutions regularly absorb electrical engineers as
graduate engineer trainees and management trainees to work on research projects.
Electrical Engineers can also get job in major public sectors such as Indian Railways, Armed
forces and also in Thermal and Nuclear power Corporation Limited.
Diverse options
Electrical and electronic engineers are highly employable in a wide range of areas beyond
engineering. Aerospace and aeronautics communications, transportation, medicine,
entertainment, robotics, geosciences and remote sensing are some of the fields that electrical
engineers are likely to take up in the future. Related fields like electronics engineering, power
engineering, telecommunications engineering also provide varied career opportunities as well.
Thus, electrical engineers will continue to provide technological leadership for developments in
all fields, including computer-aided engineering, telecommunications and automatic control.
Electrical engineers are being challenged to supply technical expertise in many other fields such
as energy management, transportation systems, health care delivery, and public policymaking.
The field of electrical engineering is more about being self-motivated than having discipline. It
develops intellectual curiosity rather than competitive excellence. A career in electrical
engineering is not only exciting and challenging but also rich and satisfying.
(the author is professor and head of department of electrical and electronics engineering, Shri
Dharmasthala Manjuntheshwara College of Engineering, Dhavalagiri, Dharwad)
You are here: Home Supplements DH Education Perseverance will go a long way
Dear Madam,
I have done MSc in Food Science and Nutrition. I am interested to do PhD abroad, so
please guide which are the universities related to my subject and the related expenses as
well. What are the necessary entrance exams that should be undertaken? If I have an
opportunity to contact, whom can I contact to know get more information?
Tejaswini M
Dear Tejaswini,
Some of the best universities for PhD in food science and nutrition in the US are Cornell,
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, University of California Davis, Boston University,
Harvard University, Colorado State University, Purdue University, Tufts University and the
University of Connecticut. As for the tests to undertake, you need to write the GRE and TOEFL
exam. Please go to www.ets.org to register for both these exams and work on practice papers.
You should research these universities thoroughly and identify the university and professor you
wish to work with. You will find research works of all the Professors on the University website.
Communicate with the professors who you would like to work with and convince them that you
will be an asset to their Institution. You can get admission to a PhD programme only if someone
is willing to be your mentor. So whats most important is your communication skills and
perseverance. Carry out some research projects here and have them published before you
approach a University for your PhD.
Dear Madam,
I am currently pursuing my final year in BCA and my aggregate till now is 70 per cent. I
aspire to undertake MS in computer science in the US. Please let me know the universities
accepting Indian three-year degree. I have even thought of taking up online courses as well
as internship so that I can add it to my resume. Please give me information on universities
and their criteria.
A student
Dear student,
I would ask you to consider doing your masters in the United Kingdom. However, if you have
your heart set on the US, here some of the universities that accept a three-year degree are
Northwestern, Purdue, Pace, Boston, Northeastern, South Carolina, Maryland University, Baruch
College, Ohio State, Johns Hopkins, Washington University in Saint Louis, University of
Rochester, Emerson, California State University Monterey bay, Temple University, NYU School
of professional studies, etc.
If you want to study in the US after a 3 year Bachelors degree in India, it is better to have your
Durham, Southampton, Birmingham, Leeds Beckett, Westminster and UCL. In the US, I would
suggest UIUC, Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan, Arizona State University, University of
Texas at Austin, North Carolina Chapel Hill, Purdue, Georgia Tech etc.
Dear Madam,
I am a mechanical engineer fresher. I want to study my masters in mechanical engineering
in Germany but due to my low score, 58 per cent i.e 3.125 GPA, I am unable to find any
applied science universities in Germany. Currently I am learning A1 and A2 German
language.
Please help me and suggest me some universities and a good way to pursue my higher
education in Germany. I am looking for an average university [winter intake 2016] that
isn't to too bad over there.
Kiran
Dear Kiran,
Technical University Chemnitz, Kempten University of Applied Sciences, University of Applied
Sciences Bremen, University of Freiburg and University of Ulm are some of the universities you
could consider. But please keep in mind, German Universities are much sought after and
admission to these Universities is highly competitive.
If you are dynamic, dedicated and decisive, then no one can stop you carving a distinct
niche in your preferred industry and earn both respect and rewards wherever you go. To
enable you to have a better career, here are some tips to help you leverage your career to
your advantage and secure your future.
Focus more on the career than a job: A job is skill oriented and has a short-term perspective
while a career has a long-term perspective. Be clear about what path and industry you would like
to establish your career in. Your interest and liking should be more towards the field you choose
and less towards the kind of company you might land in. Gaining experience should be of prime
importance and this decision should be taken very smartly because it will not only affect your
career, but your life too.
Build an experiential learning curve: It is very important to keep updating your knowledge
and be aware of current affairs. This exercise should be followed aggressively otherwise you will
be lag behind. On-the-job learning can prove to be a life changing experience, so try to learn as
much as you can from the job that you have been assigned. Keep a small notebook to note what
you have learnt and what skill you would like to retain. Correct your mistakes and focus on not
repeating them.
Observe and listen intently: The skills that you learn while listening is irreplaceable. Silence is
a good strategy and can achieve you numerous wise words coming from the speaker. The more
you listen, the wiser you become.
Avoid frequent job changes: Aim for long term success to short term successes which can come
from job hopping. Job hopping is often not seen kindly among companies. It is imperative to stay
in an organisation for long and gain trust and goodwill among people with your behaviour and
work. Be unique and hence be appreciated by the people you work with. Build your own
reputation and sustain it for better prospects in future.
Master your craft: Build your expertise in such a way that it cannot be copied. It is advisable
to follow your mentor but dont lose your originality. Be yourself and create a space for yourself.
Although nobody is indispensable in this world, but your originality and uniqueness will gain
you appreciation.
Avoid office politics: Focus on your work by making at least one significant contribution daily.
Save your precious energy from futile conversations as this should be utilised in sharpening your
professional skills. It is not just important to be present physically somewhere but contribute in
the right way and get noticed.
Learn the skills of networking: Start networking from your first day at work. As you make
more new connections, ensure that you dont forget the old and be graceful with them upon
leaving.
Think feel do: Positivity is judged the minute you enter the room. There will be good and
bad times but one should not get deterred. Keep your mental state intact and work with the
positivity. Your attitude will reflect your charm and hence create a growing environment.
Be pro-active: Take initiative and extend your services beyond your scope of work. Be
responsible and resourceful and gain the trust of your seniors by offering them your support for
other things. Take the first step and offer your prudent suggestions.
Avoid impulsive decisions: As the famous saying goes, think before you speak. Though it is
difficult for most of the people, keep in mind that impulsive words can do more harm than good.
Their reactions are often negative. Most of the well-known leaders such as Ratan Tata and
Narayana Murthy are known for their controlled actions. They have developed a habit of
thinking twice before making a statement.
(the writer is Dean, Delhi School of Communication, New Delhi)
Students develop their technique of data handling, logical reasoning and putting things
together before arriving at any answers during their formative years at primary school.
This is the crucial stage where curiosity knows no limits and students feel everything they think
is possible. To orient them to natural happenings in our environment, laboratories go a long
way. Laboratory is a room or building equipped for scientific experiments, research and for
teaching learning transaction.
Hence, every school must have a laboratory. It is not just a place to keep equipment in a
showcase but a place to work with them and learn. Seeing is believing, doing is understanding.
Sometimes while seeing, observing things appear very simple. When a child can reason out why
things happen as they happen, many things become clear. This helps him to extrapolate his
knowledge to real life situations where the conceptualisation takes place. Hence, labs come a
long way in helping students understand the concepts that were theoretically taught in
classrooms.
These days, to get accreditation for a K-12 school, a Physics, chemistry, Biology, computer and
mathematics laboratories are compulsory. Every lab has its own benchmarks and how the
working and demonstration tables need to be placed. The demonstration table should be clearly
visible from all the students standing around the U shapely arranged three, five or seven tables,
depending on the size of the laboratory.
Making observations
A few activities or experiments are only for observation owing to the risk involved and
availability of resource materials. On the other hand after the demonstration by the facilitator, the
students are by and large permitted to carry out the same experiment under the strict vigilance
and supervision of the teachers for safety and conservation of resources. Lets take a look at what
each lab offers for the students.
Science laboratories: Each science (biology, physics and chemistry)has its own lab. These are
equipped with materials like elements (metals & non-metals), compounds, specimens and stains,
instruments to know about optics, magnetism and electricity and the necessary apparatus to
perform the activities.
Students get ample opportunities and materials to learn about properties of metals and non
metals, acids and bases, conductors and insulators, transparent and opaque, magnetic and non
magnetic materials, various components present in air, soil, water, properties of air and water so
on and so forth.
After learning the principle involved their kitchens, gardens and bathrooms become their
extended laboratories in which students put the principle to test and learn the commonness or
variations in the activities.
Mathematics laboratory: It is equipped with different models showing the shapes, theorems
and identities. Paper cutting activities to derive formulas of standard entities, making idea of
congruence clear by stacking and piling the materials, Using concentric circles to create artistic
arena are parts and parcels of this laboratory.
Computer laboratory: Off late, everything fast moving to becoming e-based. Without the
electronic media and its knowledge, life is becoming almost impossible. With a number of
computer systems with LCD projectors, learning is become a pleasure and has become
meaningful.
Bridging the gap
The chapters or lessons in middle school science, i.e. sixth standard to eighth standard, revolve
around our environment, air, water, agriculture, light, magnetism and electricity. The
mathematics revolves around area, perimeter, angles, geometry, profit-loss, data handling and
statistics while in computer they learn the basics. To quench the thirst of understanding the
principles in these topics, a number of activities are listed in the textbooks as well as websites
are available to go deep vertically on the theme. These, along with the creative endeavour of the
subject teachers, create a bridge between the laboratory and the life in their surroundings.
Correlation leads to horizontal growth and widens the horizon of the students. Both vertical (indepth knowledge) and horizontal (inter-relation between one and the others) instills confidence
to deal with challenges of life in the forthcoming years. Though laboratory is a small room where
students see and perform to start with, they eventually become capable of making the universe
come into laboratory. This is the essence of quality improvement.
fear naturally fades. To be familiar, students would need ample practice in each concept they
learn. Practice work has to be structured, from basic to challenging, taking the learner to higher
rungs after having got his/her feet firmly on the lower rungs.
Broken bridges would create an obstacle to any journey. On analysis of children struggling in
math, more often than not the reason turns out to be a kind of broken bridge learning gaps.
These may have developed due to classes missed or fundamentals not understood or any such
reason. But the damage caused is long term.
Technological advantage
Thus, to improve the experience of learning maths for children and to make it more effective,
learning has to be personalised. Begin by understanding where the child stands and identify the
gaps that they have in their learning. From there, one can begin to rectify the gaps and move
forward at the childs pace through a structured learning path. However, it is easier said than
done, especially in a country that faces a serious resource crunch for well-trained teachers. When
there are classes that have to contend with 1 teacher for every 90 students, where do we find the
resources for personalised teaching learning? This is where technology can step in to save the
day.
We can harness the power of technology to let any number of students benefit from a limited
resource pool. An expert group of highly trained educators could design tests to identify the
learning gaps and find out where a child stands. With the help of technology, these tests can be
delivered to children wherever they may be located. Furthermore, it can also help prepare reports
to enable teachers customise an appropriate learning path for each child.
The limited pool of experienced teachers could prepare structured practice work after intense
research. And technology can administer these at the pace of each individual learner based on a
preprogrammed adaptive logic. Thus, from diagnosis to learning, practice, remediation and
assessment, technology can help take the work of the limited expert group to the large student
communities spread across geographies, rural or urban.
It is now clear that online learning, as illustrated above, can be the game changer that would
transform the education scenario in our country. In fact, a silent revolution already taking place
all over the world. These can be seen through many people undertaking various online courses,
known as Massively Open Online Courses or MOOCs. Students can enrol in these courses, learn
and take certifications from universities like Harvard University.
At the centre of learning
While these courses have become immensely popular, it underlines the need for online learning
as well as gives an idea of its huge potential. The basis of this revolution is that the learner is
now going to be the centre of the teaching-learning universe. Any system, online or otherwise
can survive the test of time only if it is learner centric, where the teachers facilitate selflearning.
The success of the system depends on how well this facilitation happens and that ultimately
depends on how effectively technology has been utilised. With the help of technology, we can
enable our children to use effectively help them out in their studies and overcome their fear of
any subject, including mathematics.
(The author is academic innovation and research lead, CarveNiche Technologies)
with Information Technology. This discomfort is a limiting factor in the use of new ICT-based
tools and applications.
While several programmes need to be run to motivate and teach IT to practising doctors, IT must
also be introduced in undergraduate medical education. To a lesser extent, an additional
challenge is high quality bandwidth. Access across India will prove vital. More energetic TV
programming via a dedicated educational channel could be an additional option.
Medical network
The proposed National Medical College Network is an important step forward. The Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare is implementing a green field project on e-health, including
telemedicine on National Medical College Network (NMCN) for interlinking the Medical
Colleges across the country with the purpose of e-education and National Rural Telemedicine
Network for e-healthcare delivery.
A considerable amount of effort has already been undertaken to give a shape to the project.
Locations for the national resource centres and regional resource centres for NMCN have been
defined. and the medical colleges to be linked to these five regional centres have also been
worked out.
Communication from MOHFW had been sent to all the states and UTs to provide the list of
medical colleges to be networked and nominate a faculty member from each medical college as
Nodal Officer for Telemedicine. High speed optic fibre-based internet bandwidth been deployed
under National Knowledge Network (NKN) Project in as many as 150 medical colleges around
the country. Many medical institutions have migrated to NKN backbone to enhance their
capacity of telemedicine activity using telemedicine platform deployed by Central and State
government agencies.
Besides live transmission of lectures, procedures and events of some significance to
undergraduation or continuing education, the attempt seems to be to edit, enhance, tag and
warehouse such materials for imported shelflife, relevance and continuous access. Live,
interactive short programmes can also be conducted from one or a few locations, and transmitted
to several others across the counting and beyond. Its a good way of combining ICT with
physical, local/regional delivery.
(The writer is chairman, Medisys Edutech)
VENTURE out
Educational trips are generally stimulating and enlightening. Consider a tour of a local
factory, restaurant or bank that would require only transportation and meal costs to create
an affordable educational trip and valuable community relations between businesses and
students. Children learn about different professions, ideas and opportunities when they
travel outside their own neighbourhoods. A field trip can awaken the desire in a child to try
new things and pursue previously unconsidered dreams. Field trips can introduce children
to job opportunities and spark new interests and passions.
Educational trips should always have a major teaching element, but their impact can extend
much further. The importance of educational trips includes giving students the chance to build
closer bonds with their classmates, experience new environments and enjoy a day away from the
classroom.Memories of school educational trips are among the most prominent of the formative
years, largely because they are a welcome break in the routine for both students and teachers.
While their purpose is essentially to educate, they can also be a fun bonding experience for
everyone involved. The advantages of educational trips are several:
*Reinforcement: The trip can reinforce what a teacher has been instructing in class about a
subject and help students understand the topic better.
*Engagement: Teachers turn trips into mobile classrooms, instructing students to collect data,
then quizzing them or assigning a project based on what they learned during the outing.
*Socialisation: Taking students into a new environment gives them the experience of travelling
in a group and teaches them to be respectful of the locations they visit.
*Curiosity: Students who go on educational trips find that they want to learn more about the
subjects on which the trip focused.
*New sights: When students and teachers are together outside the classroom, new educational
environments and experiences are possible. Students may have the opportunity to observe many
things that are not available at school, including exotic wildlife, rare plants and maybe even the
stars, if the educational trip is to a planetarium.
Discussing the educational trip beforehand is wise because it allows students to know what they
will experience during their time away from school.
*Bonding: Getting away from the everyday atmosphere of the classroom gives students an
opportunity to spend time with each other in a new environment. They may be able to connect at
a more personal level. A trip in the early part of the term will allow students to bond with
classmates they may not know very well.
*Informal learning environment: Educational trips provide valuable educational opportunities
away from the classroom, without using textbooks and other tools used in a normal school
setting. Students on educational trips can often learn while having fun in a more informal
environment. If the educational trip destination has staff members who do hands-on teaching
with visiting students such as at a science centre or historical museum the children will be
excited to learn from someone new.
*Variety: Educational trips also function to put some variety into otherwise regimented lesson
plans. Instead of spending every day in the classroom, students get to learn in a new environment
with new instructors. Educational trips also may give students a chance to interact with students
from other schools as they learn together or participate in group activities.
*Learning styles: Educational trips will often cater to more than one learning style, making them
excellent teaching tools for certain students. Classroom lectures apply primarily to audio
learners, who learn best by listening. Visual learners can benefit from visual aids, which exist in
the classroom, but are much more frequent during an educational trip. Finally, for tactile learners,
educational trips offer an uncommon opportunity to perform hands-on learning.
*Enhanced sense of community: If your educational trip is to a local destination, students will
gain a better understanding about their community. This sometimes boosts the students interest
in being an active citizen to help preserve what makes the community special.
*Classroom inspiration: A student who sees, touches and smells historical relics, ancient artefacts
and original sources of text becomes motivated to learn more in depth when he returns to the
classroom.
*Connection to community: For low-income students or students who are new to the school,
educational trips that take advantage of local resources promote community connectivity. For
example, a student may not ever have the opportunity to visit a local park or bank, which is an
important resource within a community for both the student and his family. Students from nonEnglish-speaking families or who have recently moved to the community get the chance to learn
about the local area with the guidance of their school, as well as share the information with their
family when they return home.
So explore the world of educational tours to broaden horizons.
environment in the classroom. In turn, children try to share imagination and inspiration to
explore scientific creativity.
The aesthetic value of scientific knowledge and scientific inquiry, asking questions, problem
solving, designing and conducting investigations, formulating hypotheses are all outlets of
scientific creativity. Creativity provides opportunities for students and teachers to be able to
transfer their knowledge to predict future events and to think globally. Creativity may help
emphasise particular aspects within an inquiry approach.
The creative perspective on science education emphasises on children generating personal
meaning and the skills to reason through their thinking. Creativity in science stresses how
children produce ideas that are novel to them, and how they learn to evaluate their ideas.
Creative science teaching has the potential to inspire deep learning, using inventive activities,
and stimulating contexts that can capture the imagination of children.
Creativity in science education plays a vital role in shaping the students of today to be active and
creative citizens of tomorrow. Symbiotic connection between creativity and science makes
students to exhibit flexibility, fluency, originality, and elaboration. Creative science related
activity may lead to a Eureka moment. While the concept of creativity lacks unequivocal
definition, its role in shaping our students to be 21st century learners of science is
unquestionable.