News
How decoding and challenging children’s prior mental models of learning can help them
Vishnuteerth Agnihotri and Anagh Purandare in i wonder… magazine delve into these models and explain how a learner can be guided to recognise and replace inaccurate models of learning with scientifically accurate ones.
Teachers should enable students to relentlessly pursue truth using Mathematics as an ally
The mark of an educated mind is to put data to test and search for the truth. A sound knowledge of Mathematics helps. Our schools can prepare children to learn to question, become positive sceptics and not rest till they arrive at the truth, says Sudheesh Venkatesh in At Right Angles (AtRiA) magazine.
Paying attention to what children do enables teachers to teach science in a more creative manner
Exploring how different children engage with phenomena, like sound, may help us to think of many possible ways to engage children in scientific thinking at the middle school level, shares Anish Mokashi in i wonder… magazine.
School as a space to instil democratic values and promote diverse opinions and interactions
Pooja Vishnoi in Learning Curve magazine highlights how teachers put into practice values and morals in the school environment rather than conducting a separate class for value education at Azim Premji School, Barmer.
How finding the correct answer is not always important in Mathematics
Mohammad Umar, in At Right Angles (AtRiA), highlights how as a mathematics teacher, his interest is in finding different ways to get the answer while making sure that the students enjoy the activities.
Practitioners, researchers and funders need to take the lead in areas like education and health, where practice matters more than theory
Anurag Behar in Mint writes that questions and issues in action fields must be determined by the real world. While the National Research Foundation proposed by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 may boost research in India, we cannot wait till then.
The Bangalore Detectives Club: A murder mystery with a female protagonist who breaks gender and caste stereotypes
In her debut novel set in 1920s Bengaluru, Harini Nagendra has tried to bring out not only gendered roles and status of women but also intersectionalities of caste, class, religion, occupations, and more. Priya Varadarajan reviews the book on moneycontrol.com.
How raising and sustaining an urban terrace farm allows experiments with different forms of teaching
Deborah Dutta in i wonder… magazine explains how treating urban areas as human problems and ‘nature’ as some faraway pristine place is problematic. She stresses upon how urban farms offer us the opportunity to restore a relationship of care, reciprocity, and respect for nature.
Teach students to explore multiple ways of solving a problem in a Mathematics classroom
The task of exploring how to help a shopkeeper decide the best deal for purchasing items lets students appreciate how algebra can be used in decision making, shares Sandhya Gupta in At Right Angles (AtRiA) magazine.
Ideas to help improve the academic performance of children with dyslexia
Worksheets present a child with opportunities to practise the skills of paying attention, recalling, planning and organising the appropriate response and self-monitoring the responses, explain Mala R Natarajan and Gowri Ramanathan in Learning Curve magazine.
Mathematics training for teachers on explaining fractions to students
Arddhendu Shekhar Dash in At Right Angles (AtRiA) magazine helps identify possible misconceptions among students in their understanding of fractions. He analyses the reason for these and suggests ways to teach for a better conceptual understanding of fractions.
How using Akira Miyawaki’s method, students can plant forests in a short period of time and use them as learning spaces
Students can be encouraged to observe and document plant growth, the diversity of fauna and other life forms that the forest supports, using this method developed by the Japanese botanist, share Anand Narayanan and Radha Gopalan in i wonder… magazine.
Why much of research in education is on obvious and trivial matters, and therefore not useful
Education is by its very nature a field of practice; it is not an effort at explaining the world. The only test of good research in education should be whether it is useful to the practice of education or not, writes Anurag Behar in Mint.
Busting myths around Mathematics: Why choose a degree in mathematics and a career as a mathematician
The technological advances happening around us are a result of applying mathematical techniques, results, and models to common problems. Mathematics is the foundation on which these advances rest, writes Rahul Tikekar in At Right Angles (AtRiA) magazine.
Explore the concept of vision to teach students to experiment with what they see
We tend to believe that what we perceive is exactly what our eyes see. However, parts of what we see are ‘made up’ by the brain. Kavita Krishna in i wonder… magazine explores some aspects of human sight that students can discover through simple, yet interesting, activities.
The Solega Food Game: How academic research can be shared innovatively
Shreelata Rao Seshadri and Sheetal Patil, in Deccan Herald, share how a research product like the board game, designed by the research team at Azim Premji University, has the potential to reach people who rarely engage with research.
How Uday community schools are engaging with children by creating learning spaces within village communities
Shubham Garg and Vishnu Gopal Meena in Learning Curve magazine explain how they are working in the early childhood education space to develop children’s motor and cognitive skills and psycho-social development during the COVID-19 pandemic, without compromising on the safety measures.
What was the status of extreme poverty level in India, prior to the pandemic? Did demonetisation increase poverty?
There is much uncertainty on poverty between 2011-12 and 2019, from an increase (leaked NSS data) to a near elimination (IMF working paper). The truth lies in between, but where? It is important to keep sight of the human element and bigger picture in these data battles, says Amit Basole in Mint.
Instructional ideas on teaching students to think about measurement using the concepts of perimeter and area
Rakhi Banerjee in At Right Angles (AtRiA) magazine illustrates the challenges she faced while attempting to teach children these concepts. She provides a peek into a child’s thinking and suggests ideas while describing her own experience with her daughter.
Teaching science using the Moon’s motion and superstition around it
Ashish Sharma in Learning Curve magazine explains how logical analysis can be helpful in preventing misconceptions from growing in students. He stresses upon the need to give everyone the opportunity to check their existing knowledge and then help identify the scientific ones.
How one can learn from everywhere, so long as one is open-minded
Sudheesh Venkatesh in The Pioneer writes about how a career in HR offered him opportunities for human interactions. He discusses impediments to learning and the benefits of having one’s ear to the ground.
How immersive learning in the classroom can help students arrive at scientific concepts spontaneously
Radha Gopalan in i wonder… magazine highlights the need for selective structuring of teaching sessions to enable deeper explorations by students, thus evoking wonder and curiosity in the classroom.
Students as teachers: How peer instruction can increase learning in the science classroom
Kevin Close, Nicole Bowers, Rohit Mehta, Punya Mishra and J Bryan Henderson in i wonder… magazine describe how peer instruction empowers students— from creating their own ideas to constructing meaning with their peers— while inciting their curiosity.
No lockdown for Physics during the COVID-19 pandemic
While many institutions resorted to simulations to cope with online science education during the pandemic, the teachers at Azim Premji University tried to keep things real. One of them, Richard Fernandes, shares stories from behind the scenes with Nandita Jayaraj.
Winning glory: Students of PES University, Bengaluru, are the winners of the 6th National Social Enterprise Idea Challenge
The winning team, with their idea of using local language communication to bring improved learning outcomes in children, was amongst the 16 shortlisted teams that were selected for the final round held at the University campus, Bengaluru, on 30 April.
The process of measurement matters in widening the quantitative aptitude of students
Ankit Shukla in At Right Angles magazine describes and reflects upon the classroom experience of helping a cohort of children understand the concept of measurement using activities.