OCTOBER 29: Over the last four days, the state government's Education Department has been drilling science teachers from its 1,244 city schools with lessons in creative thinking and experiential learning. The reason for this first-time workshop: department offcials are keen to see these teachers guide their students to make innovative exhibits for the state level science exhibition to be hosted in the city in January 2000.``Science exhibits are meant to prod curiosity and enrich knowledge.Nowadays, they have been reduced to a mundane requirement of the syllabus. We are tired of judging projects on hackneyed topics like the invention of wheel. Most of these are not even well researched,'' observed curator of Nehru Science Centre, A S Manekar who was an invitee.The training programme took place between Oct 25 and 30 at NSC, Worli, Nutan Vidyamandir, Mankhurd, Amchi Shala, Chembur and Swami Vivekanand International school, Gorai.Experts from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Homi BhabhaCentre for Science Education (HBSCE), Nehru Science Centre (NSC), Bombay Association for Science Education (BASE) and Greater Bombay Science Teachers Association (GBSTA) have been guiding the teachers.``Our effort is to flush our teachers with enough ideas which will be reflected in the class room.Exhibits are a great catalyst in science classes'', said Pandurang Pawar, Deputy Education Inspector (West Zone). The idea is to generate projects like the one created by a student from Andhra Pradesh at the Intel Science Talent Discovery Fair (ISTDF). Her discovery that the custard apple leaf has the qualities of a pesticide began with her observation that cows don't eat the leaf. She won the contest at an international level and her discovery might be patented, maintained Manekar.A scientist with TIFR and chairman of BASE, Dr M N Wahia pointed out in his lecture to teachers that the student must be encouraged to think freely when selecting his/her exhibit. The exhibits need to touch the real-life situation ofthe student, he added. For example, he suggested that students can test the lake from where they draw water during Ganpati immersion days.The attending teachers, pegged at an impressive figure ( 243 from 254 schools at one centre) were largely enthusiastic about the programme. They opined that it should be an annual feature.Krishnambal Suresh from Smt J B Khot High School, Borivli, who has won laurels for creative innovative science projects, observed ``I just learnt that Thermocol is not the only teaching aid at our disposal; that laminated plywood can also be used and it is cheaply available. Alternatively, an exhibit on chart paper like the custard apple entry, for instance, can win. It all depends on the idea and the way it is explained''.However, the programme has not won approval all round. One teacher from a Kandivli school suggested that the experts could give alternatives to teaching aids which are not so expensive. Also, the atmosphere did not prompt teachers to speak about their grievances.Complaints include priority given to entries from rural schools over those of the city. ``Is it a crime to think of the city ?'', posed an agitated teacher.``This time, the judges will be given definite instructions to focus on innovative ideas, research content and economic viability,''said R Saraswathy Iyer, GBSTA member. Teachers were also told to ensure that students are well-versed about their projects.Deputy Director of Education, Greater Mumbai, Rajyashree Kelkar who was behind the program mantained, ``We are open to ideas. I have requested Dr Wahia (TIFR) to make note of suggestions given by the invitees. In November, we will have a ward-level exhibitions where we will see how far these teachers have used the suggestions and accordingly chart our next workshop, which I would like to see as an annual feature''.
