EH Education

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.