Keep faith in yourself Maullika Sharma, Feb 11, 2016: Dear Madam, I am studying in IX in Bengaluru. I have many problems in my studies. I am not able to concentrate on my studies and I do not know the reason. One more problem is that I want to become a fashion designer. I am very passionate about it. I am not able to decide what subjects I should opt for in 11th. I cannot opt for arts as no one in my family will let me study arts because they tell me that arts is not at all useful. Kindly guide me on this aspect. And please let me know how I can improve my concentration. Pooja K Dear Pooja, When you are in the 9th, the subjects you are going to do in the 11th standard is not something you need to decide right now. As far as I know you need to decide your subjects only in the middle of your 10th standard. At this point of time, what subjects you eventually choose does not have any bearing on what you do right now, because for now you have to do all subjects, and attempt to do all subjects as well as you can. So don’t create an additional hurdle in your mind that is not allowing you to proceed because you don’t know what to do in the 11th. The two are not related right now. Also, even if you want to pursue fashion designing as a career, you can do so with whatever subject you choose in the 11th. It is important for you to remember that your career choices may change as you grow older, and they often do. Most people don’t have a firm choice as early as 9th standard. So it is always safer to make subject choices which keep your options open so that you have the possibility of choosing a different path. As for your concentration, you need to understand what thoughts are causing you to get distracted. It is often helpful to do some deep breathing when you are distracted, and bring you focus back. I would need to understand what is distracting you in more detail to be able to help you. Maybe you can call the Parivarthan Counselling Helpline at 080-65333323 to talk to a counsellor who can help you with this. All the best. Dear Madam I am presently studying 2nd year BE. In the first year, I have scored FCD (first class with distinction). However, I feel that my interest towards studying is decreasing and I sometimes feel that I may fail. I don’t know why this is so. During the exam time, I feel more sleepy and I can’t even read for two hours continously. I tried studying by sitting in the library but couldn’t and I can’t see myself lagging behind. Can you suggest ways to help me? Potential engineer
Dear potential engineer, I hear you say two things – the first is that you are scared of failure. This fear is what is potentially holding you back from being able to perform at your best and put in your best effort. The second thing I hear you saying is that you can’t see yourself lagging behind. In some ways the two things are linked, but there are some differences. I urge you to read this article on the subject of failure: http://personalorbitchange.blogspot.in/2010/09/its-not-end-of-road.html. We need to learn to view failure, not as something to be dreaded, but as something which helps us understand our limits and learn from the experience. Failure is never a person but an event. So if you fail in an exam, it does not mean that you have failed, all it means is that you have failed at an exam. There may be several other things that you will succeed at. Instead of viewing failure as a final blow, we have to learn to take it in its stride, because some amount of failure in life is inevitable and the sooner we learn to deal with it, the better. The second issue about not being able to see yourself lagging behind is also related to the same concept. You need to build your sense of self-worth based not only on your academic performance but on other qualities of your personality as well. I think it will be helpful for you to get the help of a counsellor to help you deal with these too aspects, because these are easy to understand if you spend the time to do it, but if you don’t they have the potential to derail you from your path. You don’t need to be successful at everything you do, even though that may be a preferred choice. You need to focus on completing the marathon that is life, not on winning every sprint. All the best. Maullika Sharma is a MBA graduate with a specialisation in counselling. She works with adolesents and parents. Send in your queries to Education, Deccan Herald, 75, MG Road, Bengaluru-560001 or e-mail us at
[email protected].
Evaluating and arriving at an ideal career choice Murlidhar S, Feb 11, 2016:
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 child’s 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 one’s 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 children’s careers. This study reiterates that your role, as a parent, is crucial in shaping your child’s 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 didn’t fully understood the long-term implications for their children’s 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)
A support for gifted children Alvina Clara, Feb 11, 2016:
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 thinker’s 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.
Newer methods of teaching K L Nagaraju, Feb 11, 2016:
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)
Bulletin Board - Development programme February 4, 2016
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 IIMB’s 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.
For more details, visit www.iimbdigitallearning.wordpress.com. For a detailed query, drop in a e-mail to
[email protected] or call on +91 (80) 2699 3578. English language Conference The Department of Studies in English, Karnatak University is organising a two day national conference on “Changing trends in the teaching of English and literatures in India” on February 26 and 27, 2016 at the Manasollas Auditorium at the University Guest House. For details:
[email protected] Cyber security programme Missouri State University (MSU) is inviting applications for its Master’s programme in Administrative Studies with a concentration in Cyber Security, under the Department of Computer Information Systems. The programmme provides hands-on labs and exercises to teach aspiring Cyber Security professionals how to secure and defend Information Systems from malicious attackers and serve in senior management roles sometimes referred to as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) or Chief Security Officer (CSO). Students with a bachelor degree from a recognised university with a minimum GPA of 2.75 and a GRE score of 290 or above, along with IELTS of 6.0 Bands or a TOEFL iBT of 79 are eligible. For further details visit, http://international.missouristate.edu/india BA (Hons) in Ceramics The course is run by the School of Art and Design under the Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies at Staffordshire University, which is based in the heart of potteries and has the most extensive ceramic facilities in the UK. The ceramics degree course provides a design-led creative experience of ceramics within a broad subject context and brings an ethos of responsible design to the study of markets and manufacture. Students with approximately 70 per cent in Class 12 are eligible. Evidence of English language is also required which could be IELTS and/or CBSE, ICSE and selected metro boards at Class 12 English. In addition, all applicants are invited for interview which can be conducted via Skype and a portfolio is required. Students can apply for the course via UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). The deadline for the application is on 29th February 2016. For more details about the course, visit http://www.staffs.ac.uk/course/SSTK-00506.jsp. For any further queries, one can email them to
[email protected]. Online GMAT and GRE courses CrackVerbal’s new online courses for the GMAT and GRE were launched recently. These revamped courses include pre-recorded videos and easy-to-understand user interface. The GMAT
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
[email protected] 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)
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Perseverance will go a long way Uma Aswani, February 4, 2016 Study abroad
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 what’s 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
transcripts evaluated by WES (world evaluation services). They evaluate international credentials. Most of our three-year degrees are equal to the four-year degrees offered by US universities. When an organisation like WES equates our degree to 120 credits of a US degree, the universities have no problem in accepting students with a three-year Bachelors degree from India. Dear Madam, I am currently studying in 12th Standard (ISC Science). I wish to pursue a Bachelors degree abroad (preferably in Europe) in Audio Engineering or Creative Music Technologies, which would later enable me to work in a professional recording studio as a Sound/Studio Engineer. Kindly suggest me some good Universities to consider and also your take on what would be the most suitable option for me. Anantha Padmanabh Dear Anantha, Universities such as Nottingham Trent, Leeds Beckett, SAE, Southampton, Surrey, Birmingham City University and Queen Mary University of London are known for their Audio engineering and creative music technology courses in the UK. In Austria, you have Graz University of Technology and SAE Vienna that offer excellent courses in sound engineering. In Germany, DBS Berlin and Berlin University of Arts are known for the degree, masters and diploma programmes in sound engineering and music technology. Dear Madam, My son has completed BTech at NITK in 2014 and secured CGPA of 8.52. He scored 325 in GRE and 114 in TOEFL. While he is preparing to apply for admission in US universities of his choice, I request you to kindly inform how my son can go for procuring scholarship. Rajendra Babu Dear Rajendra, US universities offer Research assistantship, Graduate assistantship, Scholarships and Fellowships. While applying for admission to the MS programme, he would have to apply for these scholarships. Students with published research work, work experience, internships and a strong academic background will be considered for these various scholarships. External scholarships are also available for international students. For more information on this please visit www.umaaswani.com Dear Madam, I want to pursue masters in Computer science or software development in either US or UK. Could you please let me know which university that I am eligible to apply? I am currently preparing for GRE test which I will be attempting in 3 months time. Arjun Dear Arjun, For UK you don’t need GRE. The IELTS test is enough. You are eligible to apply to any University in the US or UK. I would recommend the following in UK: Bristol, Middlesex,
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.
Build a career that is strong and long-lasting Ramola Kumar, February 4, 2016 Focussed career
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 don’t 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 don’t 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)
Labs for the young learners Sreelatha S, February 4, 2016 Enhanced learning
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. Let’s 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.
Learning to enjoy mathematics Preena Salim, February 4, 2016 Making it fun
If Math were to be personified, it would be an anti-hero in our films and literature: strong, admired and loved by some, and hated by others. To most, learning maths is considered a struggle and to most, it is not just difficult but impossible as well. No one needs to teach us Indians the importance of Math (‘after all, we invented the zero’, someone would tell you, beaming with pride). Our collective pride- love-hate relationship with Math has ensured that we have accorded it the status of ‘necessary evil’. This attitude is at the centre of how Math has been taught and learned (or tolerated) by each generation of students. But then, they say that change is the only constant. Slowly, there is a realisation that there needs to be a difference in approach as to the what /how/why of learning and teaching maths. There is a general feeling that math has to be ‘enjoyed and understood’ rather than ‘feared and studied’. Much of this is due to the increased awareness that Math learning is more than about just numbers and formulae, that ‘the mathematical way of thinking’, almost a religion in itself, develops logical analysis and helps in problem solving. From the start So, how can Maths be learned so as to be enjoyed and understood? Here are some ways that can be inculcated to make it more fun and memorable: Maths cannot be effectively learnt in a ‘one – size- fits- all’ system. It has to be a personal experience of the learner, starting from where he/she stands, moving each step forward at the learner’s own pace. Rushing ahead to catch up with the rest or waiting for the majority to catch up has only made math class a struggle or a bore to many students. If Math is to be befriended, a superficial introduction will not suffice. You need to get up close and personal. So it’s not enough to know that the area of a triangle is half the product of base and height. One needs to know why and how this is so. After all, buddies understand each other well, don’t they. To remove fear, that which is feared has to become familiar. When it ceases to be ‘alien’, the
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 child’s 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)
Supplementary online medical education M N Rao, Jan 28, 2016, The conventional context of teaching and learning is proving to be a challenge today. The reason being the high demand for highly trained professionals and the advanced amount of knowledge and skill each average professional is expected to possess. Our current reliance on classrooms, work places and faculty are unable to meet the learning outcomes of the scale and quality we require. While this problem is widespread, imparting and learning professional knowledge is subject to additional challenges. While a good faculty is critical, it is extremely difficult to find one. The value of education as a primary professional choice is also losing its respect and charm. Thus there exists an obvious need for much introspection here. Given that the reality of the situation is that, it will take many years to increase the number of quality faculty members and keeping in mind the present demand, it is important to find ways in which ICT and technology aides can be effectively integrated into education to improve scale and quality of learning. The rush of entrepreneurship towards e-learning is bound to see many casualties. The key seems to be working with all stakeholders, and taking the entire ecosystem forward. This is particularly true of mainstream medical education. Supplementary medical education by way of continuous professional development is a good place to start. Non-degree refresher programmes and periodic updates are easier to handle. Often, one need not do much beyond videos, case discussions, and simple self-assessments, complemented when necessary possible, with some hospital rotations and online mentorship. Usually, content for ICT-based offering is crowdsourced, edited and enhanced. A culture of researching and documenting, besides setting and following formatting standards is critical. This is rather weak in the Indian context. Also, a culture of contributing to education — of leading practitioners lending a helping hand to colleges and their cause and the development of a profession. An important challenge faced is the discomfort that the older medical professionals seem to have
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. It’s a good way of combining ICT with physical, local/regional delivery. (The writer is chairman, Medisys Edutech)
Making the most of a field trip at school Alice Mani, Jan 28, 2016,
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.
Creativity in the midst of science RVM Chokkalingam, Jan 28, 2016, SYMBIOTIC
Creativity is commonly taken to mean successful activity intent on producing something new. In other words, creativity is the creation of an idea that is both novel and useful. Creativity is a highly subjective term. It is a poorly systematised and potentially under researched topic. Implicit theories or thoughts or ideas about understanding the nature of creativity stem from personal experiences and beliefs. This fact especially holds true in areas of science education. Science teachers and educators often hold implicit definitions of creativity as their beliefs about how to foster and assess creativity within the classroom. There is a widespread perception among people that science is a conceptual domain that is isolated from creativity. The common attitudes toward the success in scientific endeavour revolve around rote-learning, rigid and dogmatic thinking. Curiosity appears but creativity does not. Through developing inventions, concepts and theories, problem finding and solving, hypothesis formation and modelling, creativity is being explored in the scientific domain. While creativity is regarded as being a fundamental component to consider in both curricula and practice, research indicates that the bulk of science teachers do not specifically implement strategies within their classroom to cultivate the development of student creativity. Pedagogy-dependent The extent to which students receive opportunities for creative thinking in any context is dependent on how the science teacher runs his/her programmes. Further, research supports the notion that scientific creativity manifests itself in experiences that are unique and meaningful to the student and teacher. The creativity of students and teachers is an important factor influencing science education. It is, therefore, necessary that teachers have enough knowledge about creativity in a suitable way. Science teachers should be creative people themselves in order to be able to implement creative science education in the classroom while using appropriate science content. The possible ways in which a teacher’s creativity can be manifested is in their creative work with educational content
of science subjects. This is based on the creative applications of subject knowledge in teaching/learning in their educational practice. Creative science education has to be understood as an intentional activity and carried out using certain methods effectively. Teachers should know how to improve creativity in science education by supporting divergent thinking in students. They must pay attention to students’ original, innovative and unusual ideas in a way to encourage them to become creative individuals. Science teachers can get creative in the classroom in a variety of ways. They need to be open to new ideas, think outside the box, get out of their comfort zone, look for ideas everywhere, find excitement and capitalise on the creative spark. The core principles of inquiry-based science education such as student activities, meaningful content, developing critical thinking and motivating towards science — all correspond to the basic components of creativity. It is vital to incorporate several activities targeted at fostering creativity within classroom. The foremost thing is that students should know and understand science content knowledge. It is obvious to encourage divergent thinking and imagination skills in the scientific environment of the classroom. Visual-spatial components such as imagery and visualisation should be incorporated into science lessons. It is essential to nurture aesthetic experiences supporting the concept of ‘wonder’ within classroom. The programmes must facilitate engagement and stimulate motivation amongst students during science learning periods. Open-ended science activities prompt the development of multiple perspectives to approach the subject matter. The culture of scientific inquiry in the classroom should be used as a basis for students’ imagination to think creatively and divergently. Science teachers need to establish equilibrium in the classroom between subjective and objective, thought and feeling, process and concept, and creativity and knowledge. They have to identify links between science and its relation to prominent early learning themes including curiosity, inquiry and creativity. They must identify the potential for creativity, support emergence of appropriate learning outcomes, attract interest, improve basic skills and eventually promote creativity. Inquiry-based teaching Students should be shown how to be creative, to integrate material across subject areas, to question their own assumptions and to imagine other viewpoints and possibilities. Evidence suggests that instruction to support the development of creativity requires inquiry-based teaching that includes explicit strategies to promote cognitive flexibility. Science is now to be presented as knowledge that is built upon evidence as well as arguments deployed in a creative search for meaning and explanation. Creativity in learning science is to use novel materials to foster curiosity, leverage plan to provide context and meaning to children’s ideas, and promote dialogue between children to share ideas. When students consider various strategies and responses to the task at hand, it leads to creative problem solving and contributes to the establishment of an effective learning
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.
