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Making teaching more relevant
Children suffer academically in noisy classrooms Campus Notes
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Making teaching more relevant IN the 17th century, South Asia controlled 25 per cent of the world’s economy. By the middle of the 20th century, its share had dropped to less than one per cent. The decline could be attributed to the region missing the industrial revolution, colonial subjugation and the consequential decline in the levels of development of science and technology. During the past six decades, India has made significant progress to make up for the three “missed” centuries. However, a lot still needs to be done.
A well-planned road map is required for the development of science and technology sector to fuel the country’s engine of growth. Academicians would play a significant role in this venture. Achievable and pragmatic goals, both for the short term and the long term, would have to be laid down. As our country grows and its needs expand, the problems of making up for the lost ground, restoring the damage caused to its environment due to unplanned development and also due to unintended consequences of development processes, sustaining its continuing advancement and simultaneously improving the quality of life of its people loom large. Thus, scientists, technologists and engineers are going to face specific challenges in the broad realms of restoration of the environment and ecological balance, sustainable development, healthcare, security, and joy of living. In trying to meet the demands of our rapidly growing population, we have caused tremendous damage to the environment. Polluted rivers and underground aquifers, carbon-loaded air and rapidly deteriorating nitrogen balance in the environment, depletion of forest cover and receding glaciers are causes for major concern. Within the next two decades, our scientific community would have to come up with solutions to restore the damage caused and reverse the trend, otherwise the consequences may be catastrophic. Methods to remove carbon dioxide from the environment and sequestering it underground would have to be found. Widespread use of fertilisers and high temperature industrial combustion have upset the biogeochemical cycle that extracts nitrogen from the atmosphere and incorporates it into plants. Countermeasures to restore nitrogen cycle should be one of the major areas of concern. Having learnt a lesson that the earth has finite resources, we now need to ensure that our growing population consumes these at a rate that can be sustained. Therefore, we first have to manage our rate of growth of population. Thereafter, we have to pay attention to sustainable development. Foremost amongst that is need for developing new sources of energy. Capturing solar and wind energies, converting these into useful forms, storing these for utilisation when required, and doing that in an economical manner provide considerable challenges to scientists. Similarly, we cannot wish away nuclear energy. However, the recent happenings in Japan highlight the need for better safety norms. Another area of emerging concern is the quality and quantity of water. It is in short supply in many parts of our country. Water must be available for personal use and for irrigation and its sustainably provided for. Engineers would have to develop techniques like drip irrigation, desalination of sea water and local water purification to ensure quality of life. Additionally, managing our river water resources and surface run off should be accorded priority. Our universities and research institutions need to come up with economically viable ideas to ensure our water resources are managed well. For any society to develop, healthcare and education are the two important aspects that demand attention. There are diseases, like malaria and diabetes to name a few, that afflict a large population of the country. Our healthcare fraternity needs to come up with safer and economical medicines and also a healthcare system that is affordable by all. Biomedical engineering, bioinformatics and life sciences would have to be given a boost and we would need trained manpower in these disciplines. At present the available capacity in educational institutions in these disciplines falls short of our future requirements. Developing new, safe and affordable medicines for endemic diseases and for protection against novel disease-causing agents should be accorded priority. One of the main areas of concern for any government should be to provide a safe environment to its citizens. Safety against medical epidemics, natural disasters, biological attacks by terrorists and vulnerability of our cyber space represents threats that pose challenges to our scientists and engineers. No country can progress in case there are large-scale imbalances in the levels of development and the way of life in different regions or amongst different segments of society. Today, India is faced with large-scale migration of population from rural to urban areas and from lesser developed states to those that have better standards of living. Most important challenge that we face today is to disperse the fruits of development widely across the country. Therefore, an important area of concern should be to improve the quality of life in rural areas and our under-developed states and reverse the trend of migration witnessed so far. Further, the urban infrastructure and services need to be improved for better quality of life in cities. This does not mean that research in other fields should not be carried out. We have to keep exploring new frontiers of science and technology to keep up with the rest of the world. However, the critical areas outlined above are the main challenges that we must be prepared to meet to ensure that the quality of life of our countrymen improves. Our educators must work closely with scientists, engineers, bureaucrats and political leaders to bring about greater appreciation of the ways scientists and engineers acquire the knowledge and tools to meet the needs of society. The challenges outlined above can be met only if the solutions are developed with economic considerations in mind. In addition, we need good governance. Also, our educators, scientists and engineers have to join hands to provide a sustainable, healthy, secure and good quality of life to our country men. The writer is Vice-Chancellor, Chitkara University, Chandigarh
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Children suffer academically in noisy classrooms CHILDREN who study in noisy classrooms with poor acoustics suffer academically, a new study claims. Experts say that while classroom chatter is unavoidable, many students and teachers suffer needless levels of noise because of badly designed classrooms that exacerbate the problem, or poorly insulated rooms that fail to block outside noises such as aircraft and traffic. They warn that government proposals to relax noise control rules when picking new school sites could harm pupils. A study by researchers from the Institute of Education and the Institute of Acoustics took two age groups of secondary-school students and exposed them to low and high levels of noise while being taught. Tests on their working memory, reading and numeracy skills showed that, in noisy conditions, 14- to 16-year-olds performed at levels no better than 11- to 13-year-olds did in the quiet. Previous studies have shown primary-school-age children perform worse in poor acoustic conditions, but this is the first evidence that it also affects older children. In the tests, half of each class listened to 50 decibels of background noise through headphones as they worked, while the other half were exposed to levels of 70 decibels. As a control, after one week they swapped over. Dr Daniel Connolly, of the Institute of Education, said the study showed that poor acoustics were very bad for learning. “In a lot of tasks, higher noise levels take the older age group back to the same level as the younger age group. There will always be a certain amount of noise in a school, but if you put students in an acoustically poor room it will amplify that.” In a government-wide drive to reduce unnecessary red tape, Education Department officials are reconsidering a requirement that stipulates schools must be “suitable” acoustically. Kathryn Harper-Quinn, head teacher of Hounslow Heath Infant School, which is in the flight path of Heathrow airport, has direct experience of the importance of protecting a school from a noisy environment. “It is something the government needs to worry about because, if they don’t take acoustics into account, then they will be facing a big problem. We have planes going over about every minute. It has taken us many years to get the building sorted so they aren’t a distraction but there’s still a long way to go. “Since we insulated the building we’ve noticed a big improvement in concentration, but ideally schools would be built in a place where noise isn’t an issue.” Today saw the start of Noise Action Week, aimed at highlighting the damaging impact a loud environment can have. Mary Stevens, of Environmental Protection UK, which sponsors the initiative, said: “There’s a big drive for deregulation at the moment, but if we lose acoustic planning requirements for schools then we’ll lose valuable protection from noise, which would have a serious impact on teachers and pupils.” —
The Independent
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Campus Notes ADMISSION to around 1,300 seats in various B.Tech courses, including computer science and engineering, electronics and communication engineering, and textile chemistry and food technology, will be made on the basis of merit of AIEEE-2011. Punjab Technical University (PTU), Jalandhar, will conduct counselling for these courses, for which the online fee deposit process will continue till June 7. The counselling for admission to 40 seats of B.Architecture (B.Arch) at GND University will also be done by PTU based on valid NATA (National Aptitude Test in Architecture) score and marks secured in the qualifying examination at the ratio of 50:50. According to information, the AIEEE-2011 is not mandatory for those candidates who are seeking admission to the B.Architecture (B.Arch) degree course. Similarly, for postgraduate courses, the dates for submission of online application forms will be from June 7 to 30; for Doctor of Medicine (Sports Medicine) from June 7 to 24; for M.Tech./M.Arch from June 21 to July 4; and for M.Phil courses, the dates will from July 5 to 22, 2011. All applications will be accepted online only through the university websites www.gndu.ac.in and www.gnduadmissions.org. Meanwhile, there will be no entrance test for admission to B.Pharmacy, Bachelor in Physiotherapy (BPT), B.Sc. (Hons. School) in physics, chemistry and human genetics for the session 2011-12. The admission will be made purely on the basis of merit, including physics, chemistry and mathematics and/or biology subjects, in the 10+2 examination The process of submission of online application forms, available on the university website, will continue till June 15. Syndicate approves appointments The Syndicate under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. A.S. Brar, accorded its approval to the appointments of nine new heads of various teaching departments of the university for a period of three years or so. The Syndicate has approved the appointment of Dr Adarsh Pal Vig of the Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences; Dr Shymal Kohley of the Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy Department; Dr Amrit Pal Kaur of the Library and Information Science Department; Dr Aziz Abbas of the Urdu and Persian Department; Dr Preet Mohinder Singh Bedi of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Dr Vanita of the Human Genetics Department (main campus); and Dr Rajinder Kumar of Law Department of GND University Regional Campus, Jalandhar, as heads of their respective departments for a period of three years beginning from July 1. Semester system in PG courses To strengthen and upgrade teaching programmes, the university has decided to introduce the semester system in postgraduate courses for regular students at colleges along with private and distance education students from the academic session 2011-12. It was decided at a meeting chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. A.S. Brar. — Contributed by G. S. Paul
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ADMISSION DEADLINE Indian Navy,
Post Bag No. 04, RK Puram PO, New Delhi 110066 Officers in Logistics Cadre of Executive Branch (Permanent Commission) – January ‘12 Course Eligibility: Unmarried
Indian men; BCom / BA/MA (Economics) / MBA / BBA / BBM / MCA /
BCA / BSc/MSc (IT) / BTech / BE / BArch Bachelors degree with PG
diploma / degree in (Material Mgmt) / ICWA / CA Application Form: Send by ordinary post in prescribed format to the above address. Superscribe "a) PC-Logistics Cadre – JAN 12 Course./ b) Works- JAN 12 Course, Educational Qualification ………….. Percentage …%" / Download from website Details: Website. Application Deadline: 07 June 2011 Indian Navy,
Post Bag No 04, Chanakyapuri PO, New Delhi 110021 SSC Officers in
Education Branch – Jan 2012 Eligibility: Unmarried
Indian men / women; BE / BTech (Mechanical / IT / Computer
Science; 60%) / MTech (Meteorology / Oceanography) / A Master’s
Degree with minimum 50% marks in any of the following: MSc
Physics (with Maths in BSc) / MSc Maths (with Physics in BSc) /
MCA / MSc (Operational Research/Analysis) / MSc
(Meteorology/Oceanography) / MA (English) / MA (History) Selection: SSB Interview. Application Form: Send in prescribed format to the above address. Superscribe "Education Branch Jan 2012 Course, Educational Qualification……… ‘Aggregate Percentage - …%" on envelope / Download from website. Details: Website. Application Deadline: 07 June 2011 Engineering Birla Institute
of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani 333031 (Raj) (Deemed
University A) Integrated First Degree Programme (6 Semester) BS Engineering
Technology (ET) B) Higher Degree Programmes (4 Semesters) MS Software
Systems (SS) Eligibility: For A: Technical
Diploma holder/ Graduate e.g. BSc with at least 2 years work ex
in Engineering Industries (for ET) or IT Industries (for IT) Application Form & Details: Website. Application Deadline: 31 May 2011 NIIT
University, NH 8, Delhi-Jaipur Highway, Neemrana (Raj) BTech: CSE / ICT / BT / ECE (4 years) Eligibility: 10+2
(PCM, 60%) Selection:
JEE / AIEEE / SAT 2011 scores Application Deadline: 24 June 2011
Nirma
University, Institute of Technology, Postgraduate and Research
Centre, Sarkhej - Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad 382481 (Guj) PhD & MTech
2011 Application Form: Send Rs 1000/- by DD favouring "Institute of Technology, Nirma University" payable at Ahmedabad at the above address / Download from website. Details: Website Application Deadline: 18 June 2011
Indo-Swiss
Training Centre, Central Scientific Instruments Organisation,
Sector 30C, Chandigarh 160030 (Punj) (CSIR, New Delhi) Diploma in Instrument Technology (3 years) Eligibility:
Class 10 Selection: Entrance Test: 07 August 2011 Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 21 June 2011 Finance Symbiosis
School of Economics, 3rd Floor, SCHC Building,
Senapati Bapat Road, Pune 411004 (Mah) 1) MSc
Economics Eligibility:
For 1: Bachelors degree with exposure to Economics /
Maths / Stats / Physics / BTech / BE Application Form & Details: Website. Registration Deadline: 15 June 2011 Law Amity Law
School, Amity University, Sector 125, Noida (UP) 1) BA. LLB (Hons)
/ BBA LLB (Hons) / BCom, LLB (Hons) (5 Year
Integrated Course) Application Form & Details: Website. Application Deadline: 10 June 2011 The Indian Law
Institute, Bhagwandas Road, New Delhi 110001 1) PG
Diploma Course (Corporate Laws & Mgmt / Human Rights Law
/ Labour Law / Tax Law / Intellectual Property Rights Law /
International Trade Law / Alternative Dispute Resolutions /
Cyber Law / Securities & Banking Law / Environmental Law
& Mgmt) Evening 3) LLM (2 years) Eligibility: For
1: Bachelors degree; For Labour Law: Law degree / MA
in Social Science (IInd Div) Selection: Written Test: For LLM: 25 June 2011 Application Form & Details: Website Application
Deadline: For
1: 01 July 2011 Indira Gandhi
National Open University (IGNOU), School of Law, Maidan Garhi,
New Delhi 110068 PG Diploma in
Environmental Law (1
year) Online and Distance mode Eligibility:
For 1: Bachelors degree; preference to those working in the
field of environment Application Deadline: 29 July 2011 Management Indira Gandhi
National Open University (IGNOU), Centre for Corporate
Education, Training, and Consultancy (CCETC), CIMA India Liaison
Office, 303, 3rd Floor, VIBGYOR Towers, C 62, G
Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai 400051 (Mah) Master of
Business Administration (MBA) (2
years) Eligibility:
Bachelors degree (50%) Application Deadline: 31 May 2011
Institute of
Public Enterprise, Osmania University Campus, Hyderabad 500007
(AP) PG Diploma in
Mgmt (2
years) Eligibility: Bachelors degree (50%) Selection: CAT / MAT / XAT / ATMA / ICET; GD; Personal Interview Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 31 May 2011
Xavier
Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (Oris) 3-Continent
Master of Global Management
(1 year) Eligibility: Bachelors degree (any discipline) Selection: GMAT / CAT / XAT / MAT / GRE score Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 08 June 2011 Shailesh J
Mehta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology
Bombay (Mah) Executive Programme in Management (Specialisation in Mktg & HRM) (Part-time) Eligibility:
Working Professionals Application Deadline: 15 June 2011 HIHT
University, Swami Ram Nagar, PO Doiwala, Dehradun 248140 (Utt) Masters in Hospital Administration (MHA) Eligibility: Graduate
with Diploma in Hospital Administration / MBBS / BDS / BAMS /
BHMS / BUMS / BSc Nursing / BPT / BMLT / BPharma / Masters
degree in any discipline with a minimum of three-years
administration or allied experience in healthcare organization Application Form & Details: Website. Application Deadline: 30 June 2011
Management
Development Institute (MDI), School of Public Policy &
Governance, Mehrauli Road, Sukhrali, Gurgaon 122007 (Har) PG Programme in Public Policy & Mgmt (12 months Residential with 6-week term in international institutions + 3 months at the respective work place) Eligibility:
Bachelors degree with 7 years of work-ex Application Deadline: 30 June 2011 Medicine The Punjab State Board of Technical Educational & Industrial Training, Plot No 1 A, Sector 36 A, Chandigarh (Punj) Diploma in Pharmacy (2 years) Eligibility: 10+2 (PCB / M) / 1 year of BSc / 10+2 (Academic stream) in science / Pre-degree exams. Application Form: Send Rs. 1000/- by DD favoring "Secretary, Punjab State Board of Technical Educational & Industrial Training," payable at Chandigarh at the above address. Application Deadline: 11 June 2011 Scholarships Indian Council
of Agricultural Research, Room No 226, Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan
II, Pusa, New Delhi 110012 ICAR International Fellowship for the year 2011-12 Eligibility:
Indian
and overseas candidates who have strong teaching and research
capabilities, Masters degree in Agriculture and allied sciences Application Deadline: 15 June 2011
Department for
the Welfare of SC/ST/OBC/ Minority, IInd Floor, B-Block, Vikas
Bhawan, IP Estate, New Delhi 110002 Merit-Cum-Means
Based Scholarship for 2011-12 (Fresh/Renewal) Scholarship:
For
1: Hosteller: Rs 1,000/- pm, Day Scholar Rs 500/- pm Application
Form & Details:
Course Details on Websites Sciences – Physical Indian
Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Space Research Organization,
4 Kalidas Road, Dehradun 248001 (Utt) (GoI) 1) MTech
(RS & GIS) Eligibility:
For 1: MSc
in Natural / Physical Sciences / Geography / BE / BTech (Civil
Engg & Agricultural Engg) Elec and Electronics / Computer
Sciences / Computer Engg / BTech Geoinformatics Engg / BArch /
MPlanning / BPlanning / Master in Computer Applications (with
BSc degree) / BSc (Forestry / Agriculture, both with 4 years
duration course). Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: For MTech, MSc
& 4: 27
May 2011 Teaching & Education University of
Delhi, Faculty of Education, Central Institute of Education, 33,
Chhatra Marg, Delhi 110007 1) MEd (Full-Time
(1 year) & Part-Time (2 years) Eligibility: For
2: 10+2 Selection: Common Entrance Test: For 1: Test:
02 July ‘11 Application Deadline :For MEd: 06-13 June 2011 For BEd: 01-10 June 2011 For B El Ed: 20-30 May 2011 University Devi Ahilya
Vishwavidyalaya, Khandwa Road, Indore 452017 (MP) 1) MBA (2
years) Eligibility: For
1: Bachelors degree Selection: Entrance Test: 16 June 2011 Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 09 June 2011
University of
Technology of Madhya Pradesh, Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki
Vishwavidyalaya, Airport Bypass Road, Gandhi Nagar, Bhopal
462036 (MP) PG Admissions (ME / MTech / MPharma) 2 years, Full Time Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 25 June 2011 Vocational Micro Small
& Medium Enterprises Development Institute, Okhla Industrial
Estate, Shaheed Capt. Gaur Marg, New Delhi 110020 (M/o MSME, GoI) Entrepreneurship cum Skill Development Programmes on: "Fashion Accessories" Leather Jewellery, Artificial Jewellery & Leather Products (26 May 2011 – 06 July 2011) Eligibility:
Class 10 pass Selection: Interview: 24 May 2011 Application Form: Send Bio-data (mention course, your name and address, Tel no, father’s / husband’s name, DoB, qualifications, caste certificate) with 2 passport size photos to above address. Superscribe "name of course" on envelope. Details: Website Application Deadline: 20 May 2011 Director of Industries and Commerce, Haryana, VI Section, Room No. 65, 1st Floor, 30 Bays Building, Sector 17, Chandigarh (Har) Diploma in
Handloom Technology (3
years) Eligibility: Class
10 (45%); Maths and Science (50%) with English as a subject) Application Form: Available free of coast at the above address. Application Deadline: 10 June 2011 Pervin Malhotra, Director, Career Guidance India (CARING) (www.careerguidanceindia.com)
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