Education
Nature Kindergartens
Claire Warden explores an example of a nature kindergarten in Scotland in order to stimulate discussion around what a nature-based model in India might look like.
Published
6 years agoon
A nature kindergarten is a model of early years education that has evolved through Germanic and Scandinavian traditions of outdoor nurseries for children from 2 to 5 years old. However, there are also many other models of nature-based education we can explore that embrace the same underlying values of nature pedagogy (Warden 2018), but which are culturally and climatically situated in other parts of the world. This article explores an example of a nature kindergarten in Scotland in order to stimulate discussion around what a nature-based model in India might look like.
In 2006, Mindstretchers founded the first nature kindergarten in Scotland. It was called Whistlebrae and operated as a site of innovation to drive change in people’s awareness and understanding of nature-based models of early education. It developed conversations with the authorities responsible for licencing early education and care by providing a tangible context for those conversations; it drew people from across the globe to see and feel how a nature kindergarten model operated; it provided a situation to engage in dialogue to determine which educational models may be culturally relevant to Scotland; and it provided a framework for professionals to question and explore the values and beliefs in the pedagogy of practice – a process which ultimately became my PhD in nature pedagogy.
Throughout the world, there have always been people who place nature centrally to their lives, and now the number of educational settings that embrace the teachings of the natural world in their day-to-day practice has increased to a level that is growing exponentially. There are many different types or models of settings that are nature-based and they have evolved in their own cultural locations and are therefore affected by climate and curriculum. They have a wide range of names, such as Schogsmulle (Sweden); Barneharge (Norway); Waldkindergarten (forest kindergarten in Germany); Nature kindergartens (UK); Nature pre-schools (USA), but they all provide children with immersive experiences in the natural world. All of these settings share a connection and similarity in their work, in that they embrace the values of nature pedagogy (Warden 2011, 2015, 2018). I define nature pedagogy as a relational pedagogy that embraces the art of being with nature inside, outside and beyond (2018: 2).
When nature pedagogy is fully embedded in practice, it is manifested as a way of working with children and families that creates settings for care and education that embrace nature and place it at the heart of their values. Its impact is all-encompassing, from the biophilic educational environments, to the child-centred process of assessment and planning, through to the active learning journeys that we encourage children and families to take to support the children to be sustainable in their thoughts and actions (Warden 2012:7). The range of models around the world can be placed along a continuum of practice based on the amount of time they spend in contact with the natural world in their day-today practice. Our definition of a nature kindergarten is that it sits at the end of the continuum where nature pedagogy is integrated into everything, in order to create a sustainable way of educating children that brings together the health of the mind, body and spirit with education and the need to teach skills, concepts and knowledge. Models such as forest school or nature clubs are more reductionist, as only blocks of time are spent in the forest, rather than fully embracing a pedagogy for day-today living and learning. In practice that means that our current nature kindergarten, Auchlone Nature Kindergarten, is the manifestation of our nature-based, pedagogical values of love, hope and justice. We support place-based learning as it gives us cultural identity and a history-making potential that is valued by children and families.
The programming is mindful of children’s authentic experiences across three nominal spaces to ensure connection and relevance – inside the setting, outside in the outdoor area and beyond the fence to learn with the community and natural landscapes around the setting. The Auchlone site has a homestyled inside area in a 19th Century stone house; and a landscape designed by children with hills, sandcastle, hiding spaces, small pond and mud area. This links seamlessly to the area beyond the fence where the natural landscape of fields and forests exists on nature’s terms, not cleaned up, ordered or tidied. At Auchlone, children can be outside 70-100% of the time all year round, five days a week if they want to be. The staff are trained to work inside or outside. Given the damp climate here in Scotland, we sometimes settle in an open-fronted kinder kitchen that allows daily cooking, provides warmth from a log stove and light from a child-created, stick candelabra. It is in this space, where we stay in our outdoor clothes, that we develop a real sense of community, resting after a strenuous walk or sharing our tales of risk and adventure.
There are many routines that are often the backbone of our daily and seasonal rhythms – collecting wood for the fire, harvesting food, making our felt slippers, packing backpacks for our journeys, designing and making forts and shelters and celebrating the joy and love of it all through story, song, writing, drawing and making artefacts.
The planning and programming of the nature kindergarten model stems from social constructivism, where we create a balance of adult intentionality with children’s voices and theories. We use Participatory Planning through Floorbooks (Warden 1996) to combine four voices. The first is to raise and honour children’s voices; the second is the voice of the natural world as an authentic context, the third is the professional analysis which tracks the learning journey that evolves over time; and the fourth is the parent or carer who creates a link from the home to the education setting. Given that nature pedagogy embraces the natural world, we use the elements of Fire, Earth, Air and Water to guide our fascinations and project inquiries. This lends itself easily to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.), as many great thinkers, such as Edison, took inspiration from the natural world.
There are those who suggest that there is an unrealistic, romantic notion of childhood and nature that we seek to support in a nature kindergarten. My research (Warden 2018) suggests that although childhoods are indeed situated and complex, there is a purity in the moment where a child studies a worm or is fascinated by water droplets on a leaf, that exists below these larger cultural worlds. The unspoken question is around whether these models of nature immersion, such as nature kindergartens, are relevant in other climates and cultures, and do they have relevance in the urban landscapes where many of us live.
The answer lies in our understanding of the pedagogical values, not simply a site or name, but in the interconnectedness all the models have with nature pedagogy. An experience that uses nature as the context for learning inside or outside; a setting that seeks to be sustainable by embracing holistic learning of the mind, body and soul; a place that allows children to connect to animals and plants on a regular basis; an environment that embraces biophilic design in the décor – these aspects are not about the sites but about the situations we want to encounter. A flower vase on a children’s dining table, gentle tones of colour in the furnishings, images of the natural world on the walls, the sound of birdsong inside – all have a positive effect on the emotional wellbeing of young children, as well as the intellectual and physical benefits they offers. This is the holistic world of nature pedagogy and it can be applied anywhere.
Adults are key to the quality and intentionality of the education of young children. Auchlone Nature Kindergarten has received the highest ratings from the Scottish inspectorate for care and education. As an educational entrepreneur, my focus was to achieve this status so people could clearly see evidence that children could engage in high quality learning outside the walls of a setting. This quality of interaction was achieved through staff training in nature pedagogy that supports them to understand and connect to how to learn with nature, rather than just being in it, or learning about it. The pedagogy and landscape have become intertwined in a way that they work seamlessly together. Children and families feel this when they come to be with us – it’s a relational pedagogy that places value on all living and non-living aspects of the natural world. The staff/child ratios we work with are 1:8 for 3- to 5- year-olds and this doesn’t alter across the three spaces unless we are near water, as we don’t perceive there to be more hazards outside, in fact the reverse is normally the case!
We have built on Gill’s (2007) work, so that the risk management process records children’s voices and their ideas as the stake holders, and includes dynamic risk assessments that change daily and residual risk assessments that are written up for the site itself and the experience offered. Rather than risk assessments preventing adventure, we suggest that they enable us to think collectively as a team and therefore support us to give children the freedom they seek.
The physicality and complexity of the nature kindergarten model allows the body, brain and soul to grow. The range of simple materials provides complex learning through a range of provocations that authentically emerge from the context. The potential of nature’s store cupboard has been celebrated by theorists such as Montessori, Froebel and Pestalozzi, who give us a framework to understand the place of nature in children’s lives.
There is a rising interest in naturebased models of early education around the world. However, rather than impose one possibly inappropriate model on top of a culture context, it is vital to create place-based models that draw on culture and context to shape and define them, whilst holding onto core values and guiding principles that connect us as a profession. My husband and I founded a charity in 2010 called Living Classrooms, which was designed to bring learning alive for marginalised groups. This now runs the International Association of Nature Pedagogy, which is a free professional association that seeks to connect practitioners globally who believe in nature-based practices. The focus has tended to be towards Germanic and Scandinavian immersion models, such as nature kindergartens or forest schools, however there are many, many ways of engaging with the natural world that are rooted in Indigenous pedagogies or other cultures that embrace different ways of knowing and being with the natural world. The association seeks to embrace rather than segregate people into separate silos defined by names, and to connect them through debate and research about how to learn with nature, hence the term nature pedagogy.
When we view nature pedagogy as a way of being with nature, we can start with whatever nature we can access. It may be the park, the vegetable stall at the market, the weed in the pavement – it all has potential for learning. It is how we enter a relationship with it, to care about it, to respect it, to gather it in a sustainable way, to understand the natural world, that is the key to raising it as an invaluable element of the learning process. It is this relationship that lies at the heart of models of nature immersion, such as nature kindergartens, so it can take place anywhere – urban or rural, hot or cold, wet or dry!
International consultant Claire Warden is Director Mindstretchers, Founder Living Classrooms Charity and International Association of Nature Pedagogy.
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October 19, 2024
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Education
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): A Synergistic Approach to Education
Published
4 weeks agoon
October 15, 2024
CLIL or Content and Language Integrated Learning is a relatively new and underutilised pedagogical approach to language learning. It is a generic term referring to the teaching of a curricular subject through a foreign language. The basis of CLIL is that the teaching-learning is carried out in a language that is not the mother tongue of the students. The end objective remains to learn the second language while the content is extracted through other subjects which the students already study as part of their curriculum. It is a dual-focused approach in which both the content and the language are learnt simultaneously.
The CLIL Methodology
The successful implementation of a CLIL programme relies on the collaboration between language teachers and content teachers. Each is an expert in his or her field, so they need to share both their respective ideologies and materials.
A content teacher is someone who teaches a subject — for example, biology, history, or art. This does not mean just teaching the subject in the English medium. These content teachers are not experts in language acquisition or pedagogy as they are experts only in their respective subjects. Content teachers also depend on the support of the language teacher to diffuse the elements of the language into their subject matter. Thus, both types of teachers have to work in close conjunction with one another to make CLIL successful.
A language teacher is principally responsible for teaching English (or another language), but in the CLIL programme, he or she also supports the content teacher by introducing relevant vocabulary and functional language related to a given subject. This is a more powerful approach to learning a new language as it focuses on the authentic use of language rather than learning it through decontextualized content fragments, memorising grammar rules, or the cramming of curricular subjects.
Let us take the example of a history lesson. The content teacher explains the Civil Disobedience Movement through pictures, demonstrations, and using the textbook in English, and if necessary, the students’ first language. In parallel, the English language teacher might teach students the grammatical structures used for explaining the past tense (simple past, past progressive, and past perfect), the language to describe cause and effect (because of, due to, results in), and word forms (empire, emperor). In summation, the student has learnt both the concept of the Civil Disobedience Movement and can articulate or explain it using appropriate grammar and terminology.
The CLIL Framework
The framework of CLIL is based on the 4Cs i.e., Content (or the subject matter), Cognition (the process of learning and thinking), Communication (the process of interacting and using the language), and Culture (developing an understanding of the language). So, CLIL teaching is not only a matter of learning how to teach both content and language, but also how to integrate them. In this aspect, it is very different from immersion or content-based instruction techniques of language acquisition as it emphasises the need to harmonise language and content-based learning rather than prioritising one over the other.
According to Marsh et al. (2001), students cannot improve their content knowledge and skills without learning the language, because the subjects are discussed, constructed, evaluated and embedded in the language. The basic aspect of learning any language or developing fluency in it is to acquire as much vocabulary as you can. Vocabulary can be divided into three parts: Basic vocabulary, academic vocabulary, and discipline-specific vocabulary. CLIL involves learning to use language appropriately while using language to learn the subject adequately.
In every CLIL lesson plan given by the University of Cambridge, ESOL examinations it is repeatedly insisted that “Every subject has its content obligatory language which means a subject-specific vocabulary, grammatical structures, and functional expressions”. For instance, a chapter on ‘Plants’ in Grade 3 Science would have vocabulary such as ‘photosynthesis’, ‘stomata’, ‘sunlight’, etc which are domain-specific for science for that level. Therefore, each chunk of content associated with CLIL has a specific vocabulary and the teacher has to relate his/her teaching with the newly learnt vocabulary with the old one, which is also the preliminary step in the CLIL approach.
The Final Word
The objectives of CLIL are varied, but among the most relevant ones are to improve the educational system, to establish the necessary conditions that will allow students to achieve the appropriate level of academic performance in curricular subjects, to develop intercultural understanding and to hone their social and thinking skills. Moreover, CLIL prepares students for the globalized world by increasing their motivation to learn foreign languages and cementing their intercultural competence.
As an approach, CLIL has been very successful in countries such as China, Malaysia and Thailand in promoting content learning and language acquisition. In India too, CLIL is gaining currency slowly and steadily but needs some more research, the willingness to adopt, and flexible implementation. Some initiatives have been taken in this direction. For instance, CLIL@India a 3-year project co-funded by the European Union was a consortium of 7 Universities from India and Europe dedicated to developing a new model of bilingual education by introducing Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) as an innovative pedagogical practice in the Indian education system to preserve the nation’s multilingualism.
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References:
- https://bridge.edu/tefl/blog/what-is-clil/
- https://www.onestopenglish.com/clil/what-is-clil/501038.article
- https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/clil-lesson-framework
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Authored By- Sanjhee Gianchandani
Sanjhee Gianchandani is an English language curriculum designer and editor with a Master’s from LSR, University of Delhi, and a CELTA from Cambridge. She has authored grammar books, edited over 100 academic and literary works, and specialises in English language teaching (ELT) pedagogy.
Education
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Published
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Education
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Education
Embracing Project-Based Learning: A Journey of Discovery in “How We Organize Ourselves”
Published
1 month agoon
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Arushi Sikri
As an educator, I embarked on a fascinating journey with my students to explore the unit “How We Organize Ourselves.” Our approach was rooted in Project-Based Learning (PBL) principles, designed to foster a deeper understanding of complex concepts through hands-on experiences. This article will delve into our collaborative learning process, highlighting the integration of technology, critical thinking, and creativity.
Provocation and Inquiry
Our journey began with a thought-provoking exercise in the “messy library,” where students were tasked with rearranging books using various systems, such as genre, color code, language, or alphabetical order. This activity sparked critical thinking, encouraging students to think creatively and develop problem-solving skills As they shared their experiences, they naturally incorporated vocabulary related to systems, voting, disagreements, rules, and strategies, laying the groundwork for future connections.
Gallery Walk and Comic Strips
The next step was a gallery walk, where students engaged with comic strips depicting different forms of government. By analyzing the images and dialogues, they began to grasp the underlying concepts and connect them to their previous library experience. This visual approach facilitated a deeper understanding of how governments function as systems
Tech Integration and Infographics
To further explore the democratic form of government, students conducted research and created infographics using Canva. This tech integration enabled them to effectively communicate their thoughts and analyze the features of democracy in various countries Their presentations not only showcased their understanding but also encouraged critical thinking about the differences in governance across nations.
Language Curriculum Integration
As we transitioned from democracy to monarchy, the language curriculum was seamlessly integrated. Students received case studies of 10 different monarchs and, through reading analysis and evidence-based claims, developed a deeper understanding of these systems. By presenting their findings through mini lessons, they gained confidence in their comprehension and re-examined the diverse approaches of monarchs in handling their countries’ situations.
Independent Research and Comparison
To solidify their understanding, students conducted independent research on another form of government using the 5-step research process. This exercise allowed them to dive deeper into the concept of various governance systems and create personalized notes to reinforce their knowledge. As an assessment task, they compared and contrasted different forms of government using a comparison chart, leveraging their previous experience with infographics and graphic organizers to organize their thoughts systematically.
Strategic Planning and Critical Thinking
Throughout this journey, strategic planning and clarity of critical thinking skills enabled students to organize their understanding in a more effective manner. By analyzing and evaluating information, they developed a deeper comprehension of the various forms of government
Taking Action: Creating a New Government System
With a solid foundation of knowledge, students took the next step by forming their own government system. They crafted their own constitution, preamble, and even experimented with combining two forms of government to create a new one. This hands-on experience empowered them to think critically and creatively, applying their understanding to real-world scenarios.
Therefore, this integrated and project-based learning journey not only deepened students’ understanding of governance systems but also cultivated essential skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. By embracing a student-centered approach, we can empower young minds to become active participants in shaping their own learning experiences.
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This article is authored by- Arushi Sikri, IB PYP Educator, Prometheus School, Noida
Education
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Let’s focus on the importance of quality in education and the significance of learning to give.
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Service is the numero uno of the 4S
Mahatma Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Service, also referred to as Community Service or Social Service, has been an integral part of The Doon School since its inception. The first Headmaster, Mr Arthur Foot, believed that “the boys should leave The Doon School as members of an aristocracy, but it must be an aristocracy of service inspired by ideas of unselfishness, not one of privilege, wealth or position.” This principle has remained a foundational aspect of the school for decades. Over the years, The Doon School has amassed an impressive record of service. The students have consistently extended a helping hand across India during major earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and floods. For instance, during the 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake, when all communication lines were down, the school’s HAM radio club collaborated with the state administration and aid providers to establish channels of communication with the base station.
All boys at The Doon School must complete mandatory hours of social service. The school runs a Panchayat Ghar where students teach underprivileged children. Over the years, the school has adopted villages, working with villagers to construct houses, community centres, school buildings, sanitation systems, energy efficiency systems, and self-employment projects, including small-scale irrigation systems. Apart from village development, the school is actively involved with the Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre and the Cheshire Home.
Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW) was introduced as a subject in Indian schools, where students could choose from various vocational education activities—embroidery and knitting, gardening, cooking, painting, carpentry, and other crafts and hobbies, as well as community service for senior students (Class IX onwards). This subject was introduced in 1978 by the Ministry of Education to promote Gandhian values and the educational ideas of Mahatma Gandhi. While many private schools have discontinued the subject, it remains an ancillary but mandatory part of the curriculum in schools affiliated with the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), which conducts the ICSE and ISC examinations. It is also taught in some Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools, including all Kendriya Vidyalaya and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya schools.
Skill
Skill development aims to encourage the growth of personal interests and practical skills. Music, crafts, arts, nature, communication, hobbies, indoor games, vocational skills, and performance skills are examples of such activities. These interests are typically non-physically demanding and may be hobbies, vocational, or job-related.
“Skill is the learned ability to carry out a task with pre-determined results often within a given amount of time, energy, or both. In other words, the abilities that one possesses. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills. For example, in the domain of work, some general skills would include time management, teamwork and leadership, self-motivation and others, whereas domain-specific skills would be useful only for a certain job. Skill usually requires certain environmental stimuli and situations to assess the level of skill being shown and used.” ~ Wikipedia
Various forms of skills that schools should help deliver include labour skills, life skills, people skills, social skills, soft skills, and hard skills.
Sport
Sport is not only important for children’s health but also enhances learning achievement, resilience, and psychosocial and motor development. Children who engage in sports from a young age are more likely to continue doing so as they grow older. School-based sports programmes can lead to noticeable positive changes in teens’ behaviour and outlook. When students participate in sports, they can benefit not only physically but also socially and mentally!
Sport should encourage young people to improve their personal physical performance through training and perseverance in activities they enjoy. Physical activity is vital to young people’s holistic development, fostering their physical, social, and emotional health. The benefits of sport extend beyond physical well-being, and the educational value of sport should not be underestimated.
Round Square and International Baccalaureate (IB)
Round Square is a worldwide association of schools across five continents sharing unique and ambitious goals. Students attending Round Square schools make a strong commitment to personal development and responsibility, beyond academic excellence. The Round Square approach promotes six ideals of learning: Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership, and Service. These are incorporated into the curriculum across all member schools, providing opportunities for student and teacher exchanges, community service projects, and conferences.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers four programmes for students aged 3 to 19, helping develop the intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills necessary for living, learning, and working in a rapidly globalising world. The IB aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who contribute to creating a more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
Study
Study is the process of applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject, especially through reading. According to the dictionary definition, study refers to ‘the application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge, as by reading, investigation, or reflection.’ This is just one aspect of a young person’s growth at school.
A good school must provide the best ecosystem for the personal and social development of an individual. This can only be achieved when we focus beyond studies, giving equal emphasis to Study, Skill, Service, and Sport.
This article is also published in the Good Schools India Journal.
_______________________________________________________
Authored By- Sandeep Dutt, Founder, The Good School Alliance
Education
53% of Students, 40% of Colleges, and 57% of Corporates Prefer 4-6 Month Internships: HirePro Report
Published
1 month agoon
October 1, 2024
Bengaluru, 1st October 2024: The landscape of internships in India is evolving, with students, colleges, and corporates showing a growing preference for internships lasting 4 to 6 months, according to a recent report by HirePro, an AI-powered recruitment automation firm. The report, titled ‘The New Reality in College Hiring,’ surveyed over 20,000 students, 350 educational institutions, and 200 corporate entities, along with insights from 100+ campus recruitment experts.
The findings reveal that 53% of students, 40% of colleges, and 57% of corporates prefer internships that span one semester (4-6 months). This duration is seen as ideal, offering students enough time to gain practical exposure while allowing corporates to closely assess a candidate’s adaptability and learning capabilities. However, 37% of colleges advocate for longer internships lasting 10-12 months, while 40% of students favour shorter internships of 2-3 months.
Flexibility emerged as a key priority for students, with 68% willing to relocate for the right opportunity and 79% open to remote internships. In contrast, 71% of corporates are hesitant about remote work, citing concerns over effective supervision. Interestingly, 67% of colleges support remote internship models, recognising the digital shift in the job market. There is also a notable interest in part-time internships, with 86% of students keen on this option, though 55% of corporates are opposed.
According to Mr. S Pasupathi, COO of HirePro, “Internships have increasingly become a preferred mode of candidate selection for many corporates,” highlighting the growing importance of internships as a pathway to employment.
Internships: The New Classrooms
Internships have emerged as the new classrooms where students learn real-world skills that traditional education often overlooks. The industry is never confined to textbooks or the four walls of a classroom; it’s dynamic, ever-changing, and requires hands-on experience. Engaging in internships allows students to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, preparing them for the realities of the working world.
Education
UGC to Train 10,000 Faculty Members in Indian Knowledge Systems under NEP 2020
Published
1 month agoon
September 30, 2024
In order to embed Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) into the higher education landscape, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced plans to train over 10,000 faculty members from universities and colleges across the country in different phases between November 2024 and March 2025. This initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which envisions an education system deeply rooted in Indian ethos and values.
The IKS, or Bharatiya Jnana Parampara, is increasingly being introduced as a subject in various academic disciplines, including engineering and management institutes. The UGC, the regulatory authority for higher education, has called on universities and colleges to apply for the six-day basic training programme by October 2, which will be organised in 75 institutions nationwide. Alongside faculty, around 1,000 registered research scholars will also participate in the training.
In a recent letter, the UGC emphasised the NEP’s focus on incorporating IKS into Indian education, stating, “The training programme equips faculty members with the tools to seamlessly integrate Indian Knowledge Systems into their teaching practices.” This initiative will ensure that the educational ecosystem in India reflects and promotes the rich heritage of the nation.
What the Training Programme Entails
The IKS training module offers a comprehensive introduction to fundamental concepts such as the Panch Maha Bhutas (five elements), the concept of a Sutra, and non-translatable terms like Dharma, Punya, Aatma, Karna, Yagna, Shakti, Varn, Jati, Moksha, and Puraana. Faculty members will be equipped to understand the importance of using accurate terminology in teaching IKS.
Participants will also be introduced to the philosophical foundations of IKS, including key concepts from Samkhya, Vaisheshika, and Nyaya philosophies. The module includes case studies on topics like the mathematics of Madhava, Aryabhata’s astronomical models, Ayurveda’s foundational aspects, Ashtanga Yoga, and insights from the Sangeet and Natya Shastra.
An official involved in the course design highlighted, “The courses are broad-based and not limited to a faculty member’s specific discipline. They include introductory material on all aspects, enabling exploration of fundamental IKS principles.” Discipline-specific courses will delve deeper into subjects such as chemistry, metallurgy, mathematics, and literature, allowing participants to engage with ancient texts and concepts within their areas of expertise. For instance, mathematics in the Vedas and Sulva Sutras will be studied, as well as the life and contributions of scholars like Aryabhata, Pingala, and Panini.
The Journey So Far
The first phase of this faculty training initiative began in July 2023, with the establishment of an IKS cell under the Union Ministry of Education (MoE). The cell was created to foster interdisciplinary research, preserve the vast knowledge of IKS, and ensure its dissemination for societal applications. The training sessions are conducted through various agencies, including the Human Resource Development Centres (HRDCs) and the Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers Training (PMMMNMTT).
The NEP 2020’s emphasis on the Indian Knowledge System underscores the need for an education system that is not only globally competitive but also rooted in India’s rich intellectual traditions. By integrating IKS into higher education, the initiative aims to provide students with an opportunity to connect with their heritage and draw insights from centuries of accumulated wisdom.
(With inputs from News 18)
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