Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

‘Hands-on science activities’ make learning fun

— Photo: R. Ashok

Intensive inputs: Samar Kumar Bagchi, former Director, Birla Industrial and Technological Museum, Kolkata, addressing college students at a workshop in Tiruchi.

TIRUCHI: In a bid to teach students the nuances of making science learning fun, about 70 science teachers from 24 schools underwent ‘hands-on science activities,’ at a two-day workshop at Sri Sivananda Balalaya.

Inaugurating the workshop, organised jointly by Department of Educational Technology, Bharathidasan University, Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre and Sri Sivananda Balalaya, Vice-Chancellor of the University, M. Ponnavaikko said the Department of Educational Technology of the University would soon set up a lab, which would help teachers try out experiments and update their knowledge in various subjects.

Resource persons – former Director of Birla Industrial and Technological Museum, Kolkata, Samar Kumar Bagchi and visiting professor, Presidency College, Kolkata, B. N. Das – gave demonstrations on ‘low cost or no cost’ equipment.

They explained basic science concepts through simple experiments using waste materials such as plastic bottles, syringes, balloons, strings, wastepaper, cups and plates.

They urged the teachers to kindle the inquisitiveness of students by explaining science phenomena in simple terms. They covered basic concepts in Physics including force, tension, pressure, magnetism and light through a string of experiments. Professor Bagchi demonstrated Archimedes Principle to a class of 30 students.

Chief Educational Officer S. Swaminathan presided over the valedictory function. He spoke on the advantages of Activity-Based Learning System and called on the teachers to introduce innovations in classrooms.

A one-day workshop on ‘Environment and Development’ for the college students was also organised.

Inaugurating the workshop, the Department Head of Computer Science, Bharathidasan University, Gopinath Ganapathy said e-waste was one of the major pollutants of atmosphere and urged students to be judicious in buying digital products. In his special address, Mr. Bachi detailed on various aspects of environmental degradation and advocated a change in life style to cut down on the environmental damage. A group discussion of college students followed.

Mr. Ponnavaikko delivered the valedictory address. Project Director of Anna Science Centre T. M. Alagiriswamy Raju, Correspondent of Sri Sivananda Balalaya K. G. Meenakshi and Department Head of Educational Technology, Bharathidasan University, S. Devanathan coordinated the event.

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