Make learning fun this summer
Sonia Narula
"All studies, and no play makes Jack a dull boy" Its vacation time again. The exam fever is gone and students are all out to enjoy and have fun. They are all geared up to learn and experience new things, which makes him/her the smartest kids in school!

Paper marking is subjective and done in haste
Paramjit Kaur Jassal
Examination is a fretful and strenuous exercise when students have to work beyond measure, go out of routine with all good things of life and be cautious of diseases and disorders.

Finnish schools are world’s best
Chad Thomas
Helsinki: The physics teacher pulls out his model and starts explaining to the 14 students in his room the basics of electricity. The students, textbooks in hand, compete to answer his questions. A few floors down, a music classroom is jamming as pupils belt out a rendition of Tina Turners Simply the Best.’’

Education, not defence, needs more spending
WASHINGTON: Kailash Satyarthi, chairman of the Global Campaign for Education and Global March Against Child Labour, has called upon the world to spend less on defence and more on education.

ADMISSION DEADLINE

Make learning fun this summer
Sonia Narula

"All studies, and no play makes Jack a dull boy" Its vacation time again. The exam fever is gone and students are all out to enjoy and have fun.

They are all geared up to learn and experience new things, which makes him/her the smartest kids in school!

Aptech Computer Education has launched three specially designed courses for the summer, which makes learning fun.

Under Vidya Junior there are three courses — Wiz Kid, Wonder Teen, and Web Wizard. The three individual courses have been designed keeping in mind the learning capabilities of different age groups.

As such, they are highly customised and simplified to make learning a whole lot easier. Being designed on the laddered learning concept, the course allows the learner to enhance his skills by taking up higher courses based on age progression.

The Wonder Kid programme is for children between 6-12 years. This course introduces the student to computers, MS-paint, animation & Graphics, The Wonder Teen programme is meant for those 12-14 years and covers MS word, Excel & Powerpoint, Internet & MS GIF animator. The Web Wizard is for those 15-16 years. Besides MS Office & Internet, it exposes the student to HTML, Illustrator, Animator & Front Page 2000-skills that are crucial for designing Web pages.

The three courses are 40-80 hours in duration and are priced between Rs 2,249-4,799.

These courses are available at all Aptech Computer Education Centres Information can be collected from the nearest centre.

Arena Multimedia, leaders in Multimedia Education, too have a large catalogue of courses on offer this vacation. Under the Pace series, there are separate courses on Animation, Fashion Designing, Graphic Designing, Web Designing or Digital Art. The duration is 42 hours for each course under this series.

Courses for children and teens are offered under the Discovery, Challenger and Explorer series.

Targeted at children between 5-15 years, the duration of these courses vary between 44 hours to 99 hours. For those interested in fast-paced professional courses, certificate courses in Cartoon animation, Character Design and 3D Animation and Digital Graphic Animation are available.

In a fast-track mode, these courses can be done between 2 to 5 months. Complete details for these courses are available at any of the nearest Arena centres. However, queries can also be directed to the Arena Zonal Office at 011-51646645.

SSi Education, leading Hi-end IT Training organisation, has got an elaborate range of courses on offer. The short-term summer courses are the Summer@ SSi, Connect & LCC++ (Linux, C, C++). With a duration of 2 weeks to 12 to weeks, the courses are priced between Rs 500-5,500/-.

Other short-term professional courses are the Smart Start, Java@SSi, Oracle 9i, Oracle 9i DBA, Oracle 9i Developers, Network Administration & Advanced XML.

These courses are available at all SSi centers and information can be collected from the nearest centre.

For further information contact: Sonia Narula/Shivangi Dureja at Sonian@aptech.ac.in or shivangid@aptech.ac.in

Paper marking is subjective and done in haste
Paramjit Kaur Jassal

Examination is a fretful and strenuous exercise when students have to work beyond measure, go out of routine with all good things of life and be cautious of diseases and disorders. On certain sheeted — dates they pour out the best of substance in the best of form and shape on an answerbook, which in turn is evaluated on entirely subjective basis as far as humanities subjects are concerned.

Much depends on the particular mood and general temperament of the examiner. This keeps the student on the tenterhooks while expectations and apprehensions mark the period till the declaration of result.

The system of table-marking and secrecy sheets has been devised by universities to plug loopholes in the process. This has curbed, to a great extent, the tendency of influential persons to approach examiners. But the system cannot be called flawless.

Evaluation, apart from being subjective, is done in haste. Twenty answer-books are to be evaluated in a shift of three hours, including the job of giving the sheet a fictitious roll number, bringing out the marks on the front page of the sheet, totalling of marks, signing the answer-book and preparing the consolidated marks-sheet with tea is served in between.

There are two or three shifts a day. Most teachers perform this job in one and half hours or even less. Despite payment of respectable amount per answer-book, not many teachers are genuinely interested in evaluation work.

Marking is mostly done on the basis of random reading of lines, handwriting, neatness and layout. Great difference of marks found during re-evaluation by the second examiner verifies the fact.

Since no responsibility is fixed, teachers are left to their own devices and methods of evaluation, magnanimous onew award more marks than deserved and morose ones draw sadistic pleasure from awarding less.

Though generous teachers outnumber the sullen ones, yet both damage students’ career equally, the former ultimately and the later immediately.

This system was a compulsion in the absence of OMRs (Optical Mark Readers), the computers. The successful use of this system for competitive examinations is sufficient reason for the universities to adopt it for an accurate, efficient and objective evaluation which will be economical too.

The question booklets/ question bank for all subjects, including languages, can be prepared by a committee of experts. Board of Studies may chalk out the curriculam and syllabi in such a way that information is tested with the help of OMRs and creativity at the college level by class-teachers.

An honest and impartial class-teacher is the best examiner of his student but to give objectivity to the system, external examiner can be appointed to judge the performance of the student on the basis of work done in the class, assignments and project files.

The success of any system depends on the human factor. Education is going through a transitional phase like all other values and systems and teachers are to shoulder tremendous responsibility in guiding the young lot.

Our system is in need of dedicated, disciplined and dutiful teachers with great moral strength to resist social and material pressures. This is the age of competition and quality, not of quantity. How many students really learn is the real issue. Not how many of them get degrees.

The present system of evaluation does not help in the allround development of the student, the goal can be achieved only through a healthy teacher-taught relationship when the student is guided and evaluated gradually and regularly.

The writer is a lecturer in the English Department of
Government College, Hoshiarpur.

Finnish schools are world’s best
Chad Thomas

Helsinki: The physics teacher pulls out his model and starts explaining to the 14 students in his room the basics of electricity.

The students, textbooks in hand, compete to answer his questions. A few floors down, a music classroom is jamming as pupils belt out a rendition of Tina Turners Simply the Best.’’

Smack dab in the heart of Helsinki, the schools 500 students in the 7th to 9th grades nonetheless come as go as they please, thanks to a staggered school day.

Educators from around the world have inundated Finland hoping to leave with the magic recipe for student success, after an international study released two years ago ranked Finlands schools as the best in the world.

On the surface, the system would seem set up for failure. Students start compulsory school at age seven, per pupil spending is just a bit more that 5,000 dollars a year and there are no gifted and talented programmes.

So it came as a bit of a surprise for some when Finnish 15-year- olds came in first in literacy and in the top five in maths and science in an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study of 31 countries around the world.

Take the high literacy scores. A love for reading is so ingrained in the society - libraries are cherished and the countrys newspaper readership incredibly high - that kids learn at a young age the joy of a good book.

"Children get the habit that it is normal to read everyday," explained Hannu-Pekka Lappalainen, a psychologist with the National Board of Education. We have a very long tradition of reading.

In addition, all teachers are highly educated, with a masters degree required to teach in Finnish schools. — DPA

Education, not defence, needs more spending

WASHINGTON: Kailash Satyarthi, chairman of the Global Campaign for Education and Global March Against Child Labour, has called upon the world to spend less on defence and more on education.

He was given the rare honour at the World Bank last week to speak at a press conference in which participants included World Bank President James Wolfensohn and Ministers from the UK, France, Canada, the Netherlands and Norway.

Satyarthi said 246 million children were caught in the vicious circle of poverty, child labour and illiteracy, and two-third or more were languishing in worst forms of exploitation, including slavery.

He asked the rich countries: "Is it their sin to be born in the southern hemisphere or to be born in poor families or to be born as girls?"

Education, he said, meant freedom, freedom from slavery, freedom from poverty and injustice. Education was life for the potential HIV/AIDS victims.

A recent ILO study, he pointed out, had shown that investment in education for the elimination of child labour would give approximately seven times in return.

The Netherlands Minister, Hilde Johnson, said: "We are committed to tripling our support for education in the coming three years to 600 million euros a year". — PTI

ADMISSION DEADLINE

(Anthropol, Appl Econometrics, Econometrics, Dev Eco, Drama & Theatre Arts, Econometrics (at MAHE), Eng & Comp Litt, French (Trans & Interpret), Tamil, Hin, Hist, Philo, Pol Sc, Pol & Intl Rel, Sans, Sociol, Intl Mgt)

MSc (Appl Geol, Chem Sc, Comp Sc, Ecol & Env Sc, Life Sc, Marine Biol, Math, Phys)

MCom (Bus Fin)

(Comp Sc & Engg)

MPhil (FT/PT)

(Anthropol, Appl Geol, Commerce, Drama & Theatre, Arts, Eco, Eng, Env Sc & Engg, French, Hin, Hist, Human Rights, Intl Studies, Life Sc, Maths, Philo, Phys Educn, Phys, Sociol, Sans, Tamil, Women’s Studies)

(Bus Mgt, Func Hin & Transln, Entrepreneurship, Env Pollution & Control, Sc & Tech Comm, Women’s Studies, Yoga)

Selectn: Entrance Exam: 5th-6th Jun (at 12 centres incld Del).

Appln F: Send Rs. 300/- by crossed DD fvg "The Finance Officer, Pondicherry University" with stamped (Rs. 50/-), self-add env (32 x 25 cm) to the Deputy Registrar (Academic II) at above add/download from website. Superscribe "Request for application form for admission" on env.

Details: Info Brochure/website.

E-mail: distance@sancharnet.in

UG Courses (3-yr):

BA (Tamil/ Eng/ Hist/Music)/BLit

(Tamil)/BCom/BCA/BBA/BSc (Maths)

PG Courses (2-yr):

MA (Tamil/Eng/Hist/Pub Admin/Crinimol & Police Admin)/MCom/MBA/MSc (Math/Phys/Chem/Env Sc)

BLISc (1-yr)

MPhil (Tamil/Eng/Maths/ Phys/Comp Sc/Life Sc/ Hist/Comm/Edu; 1-yr)

Diploma Courses (1-yr):

Epigraphy/Personal Secretaryship/Func (Tamil/Eng)/Maint Of (Med Instru/Home Appliances).

PG Diploma Courses (1-yr):

Methods of Teaching English/Insurance Mgt/Consumer Rights & Responsibilities/Hosp Mgt/Taxation/Export Procedure & Doc/Human Rights & Human Values.

Cert Courses (1-yr):

Women Empowerment & Dev/Spoken Eng/Music

Appln F: Send Rs. 125/- by DD fvg "The Registrar, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University", payable at Tirunelveli, with requisition letter to the Director, DD&CE at above add. Mention name, add & course name on reverse of the draft

Details: Employment News (17-23 Apr).

www.unom.ac.in/www.annauniv.edu/tancet2004

1) MBA (FT/ Self-Supporting; 2-yr)

2) MCA (3-yr)

Elig: For 1: Bachelor’s deg. For 2: Bachelor’s deg (Maths at 10+2 level)/Bachelor’s deg (Business Maths & Stats or Maths/Stats at Bachelor’s level)

Selectn: Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET): 29 May

Appln F: Send written requisition with Rs 550/- by DD fvg "Registrar, University of Madras, Chepauk, Chennai 600005" to above add by 18 Jun. Superscribe name of prog on env.

Details: Website

MSc (Bot/Chem/Geol/ Maths/Phys/Stats/Zool)

MSc (Environ Mgt/ Microbiol)

MA (Ancient Indian Hist & Cul/Eco/Eng/Hin/Jyotirvigyan/Maths/Mass Comm/Pol Sc/Pub Admin/Rural Studies/Sanskrit)

MPhil (Ancient Indian Hist & Cul/Chem/Eco/Environ Mgt/ Eng/Geol/Hin/Lib & Info Sc/Maths/Phys/Pol Sc/Sanskrit/Stats/Zool)

MSc Tech (Appld Geol)

PG Dip (Archelo Chem/ Comp Sc & Appln/GIS & Remote Sensing/Museol/ Stats/Tourism)

Dip & Sr Dip (Russian lang)

Cert (Russian Lang/Comp in Office Mgt/Mrkg/Advt & Concept Selling/ Entrepreneurship Dev/ Journalism & Mass Comm)

Selectn: Entrance test (For 2)

Appln F: Send Rs. 150/- (For 2: Rs. 550/-) by DD fvg "Registrar, Vikram Univ, Ujjain" payable at Ujjain, to the Head of resp Schools of Studies at above add.

May 8 Dr. C.V. Raman University, C-18, Sec 1, Avanti Vihar, Mahasamund Road, Raipur (CG)

www.cvru.ac.in

MBA/MCA (Dist)

Test: 16 May

Appln F: At CVRU Study Centres: Rs 100/- or d’load from website.

Details: Website

Apr 30 Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Majitar, Rangpo 737132, (East-Sikkim)

www.smuhmts.edu/smit

Test: For BTech: Entrance Test (May 16)

Details: Website.

May 25 MJP Rohilkhand University, Institute of Engineering & Technology, Bareilly 243006 (UP)

1) BTech (Comp Sc & IT/Electron & Comm/ Electron & Instru/Elect/ Mech/Chem)

2) BPharm

Elig: For 1: 10+2 (PCM). For 2: 10+2 (PCM/B)

Selectn: Entrance Exam (24/25 Jun).

Appln F: Send Rs 630/- by DD fvg the "Finance Officer, MJP Rohilkhand University, Bareilly 243006" to the Co-ordinator, EE-2004, at above add or from select branches of UBI.

May 31 M/o H R D, D/o Secondary & Higher Educn, A-1/W-3, Curzon Rd Barracks, K G Marg, New Delhi 110001.

www.education.nic.in

Italian Govt Scholarship, 2004-05

1) Category ‘A’: Italian Lang, Level-V (Superior 6-mnth)

2) Category ‘B’: Italian Lang, Level-IV (Adv, 3-mnth)

3) Category ‘C’: Italian Lang, Level-III (Intermediate, 1-mnth)

4) Category ‘D’: Italian Lang (Supplementary, 2-mnth)

Elig: Bachelor’s deg or equiv. Age: Below 45 yrs (on 5 Apr). For 1: Level IV Dip from Univ for Foreigners, Perugia; For 2: Level III Dip from Univ for Foreigners, Perugia; For 3 & 4: Good kwldg of Italian & proof of knowledge mandatory.

Appln F: Send in prescribed format with specified enclosures to the Section Officer, ES 5 Section at above add/d’load from website.

Sahu Jain Trust, Times House, 7, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110002

May 30 i) Overseas Loan Scholarships (Rs 50,000/- to Rs 1,00000/-):

For PG/UG Technical studies abroad

Jul 30 ii) Inland Scholarships (Rs 150/- to Rs 1000/- pm):

(a) Tech Trade Courses (incldg Comp & Infotech)

(b) Prof Courses (Engg & Med)

(c) Grad, PG & other courses

Elig: Students of Indian origin with uniformily brilliant acad records.

Appln F: Send self-add, stamped (Rs 5/-) env (9" x 4") to the Secretary at the above add by 20 May (For i) & 20 Jul (For ii)/d’load from website.

Apr 30 NCPT, NCPT Bhawan, SCOPE Complex, Core 7, 7 Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

Scholarships for SC/ST/Physically Handicapped Students

25 scholarships to pursue full time deg course in Engineering

Elig: SC/ST/Physically Handicapped 3rd yr Engg (Electric/Instru/Mech/Comp Sc/Electron/Telecom) students.

Appln F: Send in prescribed format with required docs through Head of the Institution to above add.

Details: Employment News (10-16 Apr)/website.

May 20 Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (SAI), Patiala 147001.

Dip in Sports Coaching (1-yr)

At Patiala: Athletics, Badmin, Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Cricket, Football, Fencing, Gymnast, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Swimming, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting Wrestling, Wushu

At B’lore: Athletics, Hockey, Kho-kho/Kabaddi, Softball, Swimming, Taekwondo, Tennis, Volleyball

At Kolkata: Archery, Athletics, Football, Boxing

Master of Sports Coaching (2-yr, at Patiala)

Athletics, Basketball, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, Swimming, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling.

3) PG Dip in Sports Med (2-yr, at Patiala)

Selectn: For 1 & 3: Entrance Test: 26-30 Jun (at resp centres).

Appln F: Send Rs 150/- by DD/IPO fvg either:

1) "Executive Director, Sports Authority of India NS NIS, Patiala-147001" OR

2) "Regional Director, Sports Authority of India NS South Centre, Univ Campus, Bangalore 560056" OR

3) "Director Incharge, Sports Authority of India NS Eastern Centre, Salt Lake City, Sector-III, Kolkata 700 091" to above add.

May 25 Gujarat State Level Eligibility Test for Lecturership 2004

www.msubaroda.ac.in

(in 20 subjs conducted by M S Univ of Baroda, Vadodra)

Elig: Master’s Degree in relev subjs (55%)/PhD.

Exam: Dec 1.

Appln F: Send Rs 650/- by DD (write name, DoB, add, Date of Exam & Subj Code on reverse) fvg "Corporation Bank (GSLET)", payable at Vadodara to Corporation Bank, Pratik Chambers, Dandia Bazar, Vadodra by 18 May. At select Corpn Bank counters: Rs 600/- (cash).

Details: Employment News (10-16 Apr)/website.

www.igrua.com/advertisment.htm

Ab-initio to CPL & BSc (Aviation).

CPL & BSc (Aviation).

Elig: For 1: 10+2 (Phys & Maths). Age 17 yrs; For 2: 10+2 (Phys & Maths), PPL.

Selectn: Written test, Pilot AptitudeTest & Interview

Details: Employment News (10-16 Apr)/Website.

Apr 26 1) Dip in Intn’l Air Ticketing & Indian Railways Reservation System (6-mnth)

2) Intn’l Air Ticketing (with CRS)-IATA Pattern (3-mnth)

3) German/French Language (3/6-mnth)

Apr 27 4) Course in Hotel Industry (1-yr)

Jun 6 5) PG Dip in Nature Cure & Health Tourism (1-yr)

Elig: For 1 & 2: Cl 10; For 3: Bachelor’s deg For 4: 10+2/Cl 10; For 5: Bachelor’s deg.

Appln F: Send Rs. 700/-,Rs. 400/-, Rs.350/- respectively by DD fvg "Institute of Tourism Management", payable at Lucknow to above add.

Pervin Malhotra, Director, CARING (www.careerguidanceindia.com), New Delhi Email: pervin-trib@.careerguidanceindia.com Details: www.careerguidanceindia.com