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Guru, an
idea that endures Studyscape Campus
Notes
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Guru, an idea that endures TEACHERS play a very important role in the life of students. They are like beacons of light, guiding students in the formative years of their life. They mould students and shape their future. The education imparted by them remains with students throughout their life. However, very often, society fails to show its appreciation and gratitude for this devotion. Teachers do need encouragement and support from the community to make them feel that their efforts are being recognised. According to Indian philosophy, knowledge cannot be acquired without the support and blessings of the guru who is the academic and spiritual guide. The guru removes darkness of ignorance and enlightens society. In fact, there is no equivalent alternative word for “guru” in any other language. The word “teacher” in English makes only a limited sense, and normally refers to a classroom teacher engaged in formal education. The Indian community realised the importance of the teacher long back and cultivated a custom to honour the guru by celebrating the festival ‘Guru Purnima’ in honour of the great sage Vyasa. Of late, the world society also realised this fact, with the result that the concept of Teacher’s Day evolved in several countries in the modern era. Teacher’s Day is considered to be a special day for the appreciation of teachers. It may include celebrations to honour them for their contributions in a particular area or the community in general. The idea of celebrating Teacher’s Day took ground independently in many countries during the 20th century. In most cases the celebration is associated with a local educational personality or achievement of an important milestone in education. This is why the countries celebrate this day on different dates, unlike many other international days. At present, over 100 countries mark this event to pay respect to the teaching community, but on different dates. The UNESCO observes the World Teacher’s Day on October 5, which is officially celebrated across the world since 1994. Several countries like Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Macedonia, Maldives, Mauritius, Republic of Moldova, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Kuwait, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and the UK follow this date. Our country celebrates Teachers’ Day on September 5 every year since 1962 to honour the teaching community for their immense contribution to the nation and society. This particular date is the birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India and an extremely respected scholar and teacher of philosophy. Dr Radhakrishnan was a great freedom fighter, an educationist, an orator, a writer, a statesman and a diplomat. Teacher’s Day is looked forward to by the teachers and students alike. The day is celebrated in academia in different forms. There is organisation of academic activities by students, special games for teachers, sharing of teaching-learning experiences, cultural programmes, felicitating teachers by offering them garlands and flower bouquets and even gifts, etc. This is a good way of building and maintaining healthy relationship between students and teachers. Teacher’s Day is also the occasion when one can look back, recall, admire and get inspired by great teachers and mentors who devoted themselves to society. On this day a large number of teachers selected from various fields of education are invited by the President and honoured with the National Award, which includes a certificate of recognition along with a cash prize. The National Award for teachers is a great honour for those of the humble profession. Selection for this award is generally made on the basis of many considerations such as teacher’s personal character and conduct, professional competence, sociability, participation in extracurricular activities, the academic results produced, professional contribution as a writer and as a researcher in education, the efforts made to eradicate illiteracy, the public support received to build infrastructure for the institution, etc. Thus, the selection of teachers for the National Award is very competitive, and only exceptionally meritorious ones can make it to this honour. Besides the national awards, the state awards and the awards by the National Foundation for Teachers are also given. In some districts, district-level awards are also given to encourage sincere teachers. Honour for dedicated teachers through awards is really a commendable step for encouragement to teachers for their contribution to society. However, over the decades, the spirit to honour through awards has become mechanical, and the selection process for the awardee teachers has got vitiated to some extent .The original idea of involving society at large to recognise this noble profession is missing. It is true that in our ancient society teachers once enjoyed a place of honour next to the mother and father. However, due to growing materialism and the erosion of values the teaching community is no longer held in high esteem. However, despite all odds, there are teachers who are respected and loved for their selfless service. Most teachers may not get recognition and awards, but the social respect they command is an award in itself. A good teacher is always remembered by all sincere students. The writer is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering & Technology, Longowal
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Studyscape WASHINGTON: Researchers are investigating if relationships formed by kids with media characters like Dora the Explorer or Elmo help them learn science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM). Rebekah Richert, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside, said many people are involved in designing educational games, and there is a lot of interest in creating high-quality and interactive media. “On the surface they seem likely to help children learn. But there can be big gaps between what technology offers and what children really learn.” In a series of studies with children ages 18 months to 6 years, the researchers will examine how toddlers and preschoolers learn from educational media and how that can support STEM education. Among the questions the NSF-funded project will attempt to answer is which characters or types of characters in children’s media — like the popular Dora the Explorer, created for Nickelodeon, or Sesame Street’s Elmo — could be used to stimulate STEM learning. The psychologists also will conduct a workshop at Northwestern in spring 2014 involving experts in science education, computer-game design, and television learning for children to consider how best to direct future research to achieve the greatest impact on educational television programmes and computer games. Richert said at the end of five years, they hope to be able to provide information about or be actively involved in designing high-quality television programmes and games that are most likely to engage children in STEM learning.
Too much onscreen violence turning
teens aggressive
SYDNEY: A new study suggests that heavy exposure to screen violence in adolescence is changing the development of young people’s brains, which is leading to increased aggression and reckless behaviour and decreased empathy. Evidence presented at the Australian Council on Children and the media conference in Sydney showed brain-imaging studies, which recorded the way violent material changes brain activation in the short term and brain function in the long term. According to research presented by Dr Wayne Warburton, Deputy Director of the Children and Families Research Centre at Macquarie University, experiencing screen violence reduces the development of the frontal lobe, which is responsible for impulse control and inhibits aggression, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Exposure to violent material also activates the brain’s limbic system, which is responsible for emotional response and memory. Dr Warburton said images of violence could be stored in the brain in the same way that post-traumatic stress disorder patients store memories of trauma. Violent films and games such as “Grand Theft Auto” and “World of Warcraft” also activate the brain’s right hemisphere, which controls negative feelings such as anger, jealousy and sadness. The impact on the brain is cumulative, with the heavier the exposure, the more severe the changes. Dr Michael Nagel, Associate Professor of Education at the University of the Sunshine Coast, said the two most vulnerable periods in brain development were in early childhood and puberty. The peak age for video game usage is from 11-14 years. — ANI
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Campus
Notes WITH the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, releasing the first instalment of Rs 16 lakh to the university’s Department of Environment, work to set up a Geographic Information System (GIS) laboratory would soon begin. A sum of Rs 36 lakh has been approved for the project and the first instalment of Rs 16 lakh has been released now, informed Dr Satish Bhardwaj, Head, Department of Environment. This project has been granted under the Fund for Infrastructure Development in Science and Technology (DST) and will help the university scientists in developing database for carrying out various research-related activities in various environmental aspects. The Department of Environment, which was set up in 2008, has sent five more projects to DST this year for undertaking research work. Solar radiation resource assessment
A solar radiation resource assessment system has been developed in the university’s state-level energy park in collaboration with the Centre for Wind Energy Technology, Chennai. An automatic weather station has been developed in this park where activities like solar radiation measurement would be undertaken by assessing various parameters which contribute to global warming. This centre would be centrally linked to Chennai and will help the university prepare research projects for various weather-related atmospheric phenomenon. Set up at a cost of Rs 28 lakh, this centre will help the agrarian community in getting benefit from weather predictions and related data. The center, which is being set up at various places across the country by the Ministry of News and Renewable Energy, is the first in the state while another centre would be set up at the State Agriculture University, Palampur. The centre would be centrally linked to Chennai and the scientists would be able to assess data from the other regions as well to assist in research activities.
Workshop to develop packages of practices
A two-day workshop to develop packages of practice in horticulture and floriculture will be held in the university from October 8 to October 9. This workshop will draw experts from floriculture and horticulture from all over the state. The experts will deliberate on the various practices to be adopted by the farming community of the state. The deliberations will lead to recommendations which will be debated upon by the experts and packages of practices will be developed in these two key fields after thoroughly deliberating their pros and cons. Apart from the experts, progressive farmers will also participate in this workshop to thrash out the packages which will be later disseminated to the farming community in the state. This workshop is being held after several years in the university and is being conducted by the Directorate of Extension Education. Minister for Horticulture Vidya Stokes will be the chief guest on the inaugural day of the workshop, for which elaborate arrangements are being made by the university. With about 89 per cent of the state's population residing in rural areas and farming being their major occupation, such package of practices help obliterate obsolete farming practices and introduce new techniques which can enhance yield and give optimum results to an farmer. — Contributed by Ambika Sharma
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Pradeep
Kumar Singh
Too
much onscreen violence turning teens aggressive
