Pratham Scholarship Program In most states, the Std IV/V examination is a milestone as it is the first time that elementary school children are examined formally. However, as revealed by ASER results, many of these children are still struggling with elementary reading and arithmetic and therefore require additional support. The government of Maharashtra conducts a centralized merit exam for children in Stds IV and VII which test their aptitude in language, math and analytical skills.This exam has been made mandatory for all Std IV and VII students since 2005. Today, the program is running in several cities of Maharashtra and in Delhi.
About the DO School The DO School offers training, mentoring, and education for outstanding emerging social entrepreneurs to kickstart their own ventures all around the world. We offer a unique one-year educational program that enables talented young adults to launch their own innovative and sustainable social ventures. The program allows our Fellows to learn from passionate peers, engage with current leaders and experts, and create change by implementing their social ventures in their home countries. We have created a one-of-a-kind platform where experienced individuals can share their knowledge in a fun and effective way, helping to inspire positive change through teaching. The DO School is a place where innovative ideas are born and then implemented through the application of the DO School method, an idea-focused, results-driven, hands-on curriculum. In addition to our educational program, we have established the DO School Innovation Lab. We believe that
Problem of gender differences on physics assessments remains unsolved In a new synthesis of past work, researchers found that women consistently score lower than men on common assessments of conceptual understanding of physics. However, when examining the factors that may account for these differences (such as student background and test-taking strategies), no clear pattern emerged. Thus, despite previous claims that the causes of this gender gap have been pinpointed, the problem remains unsolved and poorly understood. This has critical importance for science education reform. Many changes have been made in college science instruction in the past decades. "These tests have been very important in the history of physics education reform," said Dr. But several studies had also reported that women's scores on these tests are typically lower than men's. The authors combined results from 26 previous studies of several common physics concept inventories, covering 12 different institutions.
Creating a quasi-market in higher education in Australia The introduction of the demand-driven system for undergraduate places in 2012 saw the differences between the government regulated world of public universities and the market-driven world of international and postgraduate education diminish. With the federal budget that difference has almost disappeared. In the demand-driven system, domestic students wanting to attend university can choose which university and which program they wish to take, subject to meeting the entry criteria. The government will now extend this open access to diploma and associate degree places. Access to government funding for these undergraduate and sub-degree places will be extended to non-university higher education providers both public and private. As a result, Australia’s public universities will now operate in what can be described as a quasi-market, rather than as public universities funded by federal government. Student subsidies invest in more than just students Government funding and deregulation of fees
For Teachers Institutional Best Practices An institution’s adherence to AIRC’s institutional guidelines signifies its commitment to engaging in marketing, recruitment and student support practices that are truthful, ethical and transparent and which meet with the highest levels of professionalism. Furthermore, it signifies an institution’s commitment to operating in accordance with NAFSA’s Principles of Good Practice for the Recruitment and Admissions of International Students. Guideline 1: Commitment to Proper Student Support Services AIRC Institutional and Pathway Members understand the international student experience, recognize the importance of respecting the needs of their students, and commit to the provision of supporting programs and services conducive to the enrollment, persistence and success of international students on their campuses. Purpose: Guideline 2: Accuracy in Marketing Information Purpose: Guideline 3: Transparent Student Recruitment Practices Guideline 4: Engaged and Strategic Agent Management NAFSA.
Bhutan: Children Learn To Grow Nutritious Food At School Karma, a student at the Yurung school in southern Bhutan, holds a freshly harvested pumpkin from the school’s garden. Copyright: WFP/Angeli Mendoza Cabbage, chilli, peanuts, cauliflower, spinach, carrots...the garden of the lower secondary school in Yurung, Bhutan, probably has more fresh vegetables than your average neighbourhood market. Everything in the garden was grown by the children, who then eat their produce alongside the food provided by WFP and the government. In this way, WFP is supporting the community as it learns to produce more nutritious food for itself. PEMAGATSHEL -- Karma Yangzom speaks shyly when she is with me but in the school garden she moves with ease and confidence among her peers. “The vegetables here are organic and fresh, I can eat them confidently without worrying if there are any harmful chemicals,” she says, indicating the extensive vegetable garden at the Lower Secondary School in Yurung, south-eastern Bhutan. I nod encouragingly. Nurturing The Community
Best Practice & Innovation - International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) Distinguished Contribution | Leadership | Best Practice | Professional Commentary | Postgraduate Thesis Best Practice / Innovation in International Education 2014 These awards recognise the work of an individual or team that has contributed to international education through a groundbreaking development in international development, internationalisation of the curriculum, marketing or communication, support programs for international students, pathway initiatives, mobility programs or social inclusion activities. This year's awardees are: The recipient's of this year's awards will present on their respective projects at the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) in Brisbane: Date: Wednesday 8 October 2014 Time: 3.30pm–4.25pm Location: M1, Mezzanine Level Picture Yourself in Perth, Chengdu Competition – StudyPerth Mike Ryan, StudyPerth Leo Yu, StudyPerth Jessie Ying, StudyPerth The competition aims to: Back to Top Asia is home to some of the largest multinational hi-tech players.
Nurturing a society of tree-lovers in an unassuming but definite way | Heroism | Coimbatore Posted 08-Nov-2013 Vol 4 Issue 45 She is not an activist in the Medha Patkar mould, travelling from one place to another and spearheading agitations. But her efforts to motivate children to care for the environment, and her passion for planting trees and tending them, are no less commendable. At 46, Karpagam Ramalingam is proud to let you know that she has just become a grandmother and is pretty tied down looking after the baby. It’s a pleasant day in Coimbatore, thanks mainly to the overnight showers. At Ram Nagar, around twenty children are gathered at Karpagam’s house. A former teacher, Karpagam takes tuition classes for them. “We do tree planting at least once a month. With the help of sponsors they erect tree guards around the plants. They visit nearby forests and go on occasional treks to explore nature. Ketki, a former tuition student, who is in college now, says she no longer litters in public and is keen on keeping the city clean. “We used to sit under the shade of the trees.
Principles of Best Practice for 21st Century Education Principles of Best Practice for 21st Century Education Moderator & Summariser: Mark Nichols eLearning Consultant, UCOL Palmerston North, New Zealand M.Nichols@ucol.ac.nz Discussion Schedule Discussion: 15 - 24 April 2002 Summing up: 25 - 26 April 2002 Introduction The change in education practice and tools over the last ten years has been truly remarkable. The imperatives for 21st Century education are (Nichols 2001:13-14): Increased capacity and efficiency - through enabling institutions to cater for the learning of a relatively large number of students at once. The challenge to course designers and educators is how to realise these benefits practically without compromising the principles of sound education. Discussion assumed that the underlying principles of education endure over time and apply regardless of the actual media applied, that is, none of them are inherently dependent on any particular technology. Individualisation – adaptability to the learning needs of the individual.
Read India: Helping Primary School Students in India Acquire Basic Reading and Math Skills Policy Issue: Though there has been steady progress in enrollment, including girls and members of poorer groups, problems of intermittent school attendance and school quality remain pervasive in the developing world. Previous studies showed that volunteers trained in remedial learning and NGO supported remedial teachers were effective in improving learning levels. Context of the Evaluation: The ills of India's educational system are felt most acutely by the poor, especially in rural areas, where the vast majority still attend government-run public schools. There have been a variety of responses to this problem. Details of the Intervention: Pratham, together with researchers, has evaluated the Read India program over several years in Bihar and Uttarakhand, where they have partnered with the local governments. The interventions differ between the two states: Bihar: There are three intervention groups and one comparison group in Bihar. Results and Policy Lessons:
Student visa applications rise strongly after tough three years | Australia news A large increase in international student visa applications in Australia has raised the sector’s hopes of moving on from the slump caused by a “perfect storm” of a series of migration rule changes, bad publicity about the nation’s safety, and the strong dollar. More than 74,000 student visa applications were lodged in the September 2013 quarter, 7.1% higher than the same period in 2012 and the highest for this quarter in the last four years, according to figures published by the Department of Immigration this week. The strong signs follow a tough three years for Australia’s international education sector, which experienced rapid growth until a series of developments, including violent crimes committed against foreign students and a government clampdown on misuse of the system as a pathway to permanent residency. A 2011 discussion paper noted “the rapidity and magnitude of changes to migration and student visa policy settings”.
Teacher and Student Motivation, Family Participation, and Student Achievement in Rural Udaipur, India Context of the Evaluation: Educational outcomes in India are often very poor, especially in remote areas. A nationwide survey found that 65 percent of children enrolled in grades 2 through 5 in government primary schools could not read a simple paragraph, and 50 percent could not do simple subtraction or division.1 The provision of education, especially in rural areas, can be obstructed by high rates of teacher absenteeism: the average Indian teacher is absent nearly 24 percent of the time. This figure is often higher in more remote areas, and in 2003, research estimated that instructors in non-formal education centers in rural Udaipur, Rajasthan, were absent 44 percent of all school days. Details of the Intervention: Researchers partnered with Seva Mandir, an NGO in Udaipur, to study the motivation of instructors in rural non-formal education (NFE) centers through a randomized impact evaluation of two interventions. Results and Policy Lessons: Results forthcoming.
Postsecondary Success A physics lab at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina, which offers nearly 300 degree and certificate programs. our goal: to ensure that all low-income young adults have affordable access to a quality postsecondary education that is tailored to their individual needs and educational goals and leads to timely completion of a degree or certificate with labor-market value. The Challenge At A Glance A college education is the gateway to the American middle class, with college graduates earning substantially more than those without a degree. Poor college completion rates in the U.S. hurt the national economy. The U.S. economy will need an estimated 22 million new college graduates by 2018 but will face a shortfall of at least 3 million. The foundation works with educators, researchers, technologists, foundations, policymakers, and other partners to help public colleges and universities affordably and efficiently guide more low-income students to degree completion.