We were working with area and construction of triangles with the 6th graders in Isaiambalam school initially children started to construct a triangle with compass on their note books. Then to make things a little interesting children were asked how they would do it in scratch.
They initially started to draw three sides and found out that is was only possible to do, when the user gave three sides and two angles. Then one of then came up with using the arc function. He first drew the base, then two circles with the radius as the other two sides. Now he got the intersection point, by this time I was confused as of how to get the third point in scratch. The solution was tracing the distance from one circles center to the other circles circumference and when they meet to set a variable to the x and y location and that did it.
Last week children started to work on Mindstrom. Children from 9th grade his name is Diva he made Guitar using Mindstrom. Children from 7th grade they inspired by Diva they also started working on Mindstrom.
Aura Auro team, Kavitha and Nirmala from Isai Ambalam had a session with Heidi_Watts on research in the i-SMART class room.
We started the session with what we wanted to learn. Then we looked at kinds of research as following
Qualitative research – Describe more to prove
Action research – making a change
Participatory action research – I am part of it and effecting the outcome and adding myself
ethnographic research – culture and forms
Quantitative research – Numbers and phenomenon. Prove again and again and say that it works. More about measuring.
Statistics
Bell curve – Large number of people (10% needs a large number)
Mixed methods – Some description and some measurements survey, ask the same question in many different ways.
Methods – to be able to use more than one method in a research
Case study/studies – look for one thing; e.g one classroom, one set of children, one child (who is very reluctant and his progress through the term)
Formal observations – check list
Informal observations – observe every day at a particular time
Field notes – taken at class then and there
Journals – to think about the session and reflect later
Interviews, individual and group – one on one with child or with a group
Video and audio tapes – with video on needs to be careful as it changes the way one acts in from of cameras, with audios on can review at a later time.
Surveys – Has sample of different sources and structures in comparison e.g rural/urban, young/old, men/women,
Then we had a look at the work done in kindergarten and how it can be considered a research.
Working on Layout was a challenge. There was not much documentation. I first worked with magic (Layout suite) and then worked with a professional software called SKILL. Conducting courses on layout was challenging and a big learning curve.
I also worked on Callisto a project that eventually got dropped which was sad after we spent nights on it. But it gave a different experience to handle a hardware board and GUIs.
Being part of the Zeus team at the end of the year is giving me more vital experience in what it takes to deliver a professional software and to interact with professionals in different part of the country and world. I learnt not to miss out something. I worked in Python. I always enjoyed working in Python. I learnt to be more rigorous with managing software with Git and learnt team work. I have delivered before but I haven’t worked much in GUIs.
Learnt more about file processing through Hercules project.
Grow:
I took initiatives to hold a learning workshop for the Teachers in Auroville along with Monica. Working with her gave an experience of rigor joy and sense of wholeness in what I do.
I also delivered as a PC in Learning Network, Isaimbalam school and continued practice in STEMland. Being a PC is huge learning. To understand the crowd is a rich experience.
I felt we became healthy as a team when we had team sports and movies on Saturdays.
Competency:
We presented about STEM land to lot of people this year. It helped me to interact with people.
We presented our paper in Mumbai in the beginning of the year in EPISTEM7. We got a lot of contacts and learnt how other people do research in Education.
Wrote my first paper on Deep learning. I learnt to write a research paper and learnt a lot how people perceive if we send something.
Salem conference was a rich experience listening to principals of different school sharing their experiences with children. I was first nervous seeing people giving attention to what I have to say. Identifying my fear helped to continue the presentation.
Logeshwari:
When looking back the whole year now, I could see what all I learnt and what all I did well and didn’t do well. I realize I have done so many things like teaching, working, learning, planning, organizing, travelling, taking accountability and responsibility, reading(a little), reflecting, attending workshops and courses. I couldn’t imagine that I have done so many things in one year. Its good to work on many different things and learn many different domains and aspects.
I have realized that I can only learn and grow when I stretch beyond my comfort zone. STEMland – AAD is such place for me to learn and come out of my comfort zone and work with others. Peer learning doesn’t happen in most organizations, I can see it here. Taking up responsibility and courage to create are the two things I feel happy about this year.
Naveen:
The year 2018 was a good year for me. I have grown in many areas. I am able to notice my growth as a human being as a teacher and as an engineer. This year I had taken responsibilities which I had never thought of and I was able to do my best…
I never ever thought of being a teacher when I grew up, but now I think there is no other job as satisfying as a teacher. You are at a place of most potential (the children) where your actions can make a huge change in the society. This year was the year I learned the most in my life and I have used my learning and put it in my actions.
Pratap:
Last year starting we had chosen what I wanted to do in STEM land. I wanted to do EBD’s (Education by Design projects) with the children and also document them properly every term. I was able document all the EBD and also I also had a chance to read the EBD book and learn the steps that involved to do a EBD. Having read the book I make a EBD format and a presentation which helps the new teachers to start doing EBD. In terms of working with the children I concentrated on the outcomes that children acquire while doing a EBD. I also worked on building a inverter and Mindstorm Robot with the children. In term of learning and doing research I realized how difficult it is to do research and to write a paper. I also learned that the format to write a paper and how to start and end a paper. I learned to link the abstract and to the conclusion and base the paper to give details related clearly to the abstract. Being part of STEM Land I had an opportunity to do research and to present it in front of the teachers and researchers at the conference. I also got opportunity to interact with these people at the conference. Attending the SFNE work shop as a PC I took responsibility of my life and made choices to do what I want do in my life. I am still learning SKILL program from my team members. Doing layout is really something new for me. Being part of STEM land I don’t grow only my skill but also my Competency, Inner Capacity and to contribute to others growth.
Ranjith:
Before I came to STEM land, I wanted to learn programming and robotics for 3 months, but was unclear of what is practical use learning this will be, because of this I always feel unhappy, at loss and unstable mind. This feeling demotivated me and I had not clear on what I am becoming.
After I came to STEM land, I started working on Mindstorm robots, though did not complete it fully. Then with the other youth I Istarted going to school, it was a new experience for me working kids on EBD (Education by design) and enjoyed it. It reminded me of my childhood, especially when I was with the young children in Isai Ambalam school (my mentor asked me to work with 1st grade children in Isai Ambalam and 10th grade children in Udavi). Then got an opportunity to handle class for maths 1st grade. I saw myself in the children, then I start feeling equality by seeing all characteristics in children that resemble me.
Then I got chance to attend Vipassana meditation course. It helped me become patient, before that I can’t wait in place even I committed to wait for someone and I don’t like if someone spoke to me disrespectfully. After it I realized I was patient even children not obeying and disturbing.
But having done a Masters in Electronics I still wondered what I was going to for my professional life and I got afraid, then I started preparing for interviews and I got selected for a job in Chennai. I was confused about what am I going to do in my life even after got selected for interview, because even getting the job still made me feel unhappy, at a loss. I decided to stay in STEM land where I can explore myself mentally and stabilize my mind.
Then I attended Amma appa program in that I learned about integrity, but I still felt I was missing something important. I applied integrity tool on project I worked (school software), which help me look problem clearly and solve it.
After quarterly exam, my mentor got little busy at work and I was asked to handle a few classes myself. I found it difficult to handle a class myself, then I realized problem was accountability I needed to be clear what need to be done by me. In that month, I attended stewardship workshop in which I distinguished accountability and responsibility. Then I realized responsibility is 100% accountability and is effective.
I started taking 100% accountability on work, which help me to handle entire class and think about problem and it solution.
Even using integrity and 100% accountability on professional and personal life, I still felt I was missing something important. Finally I found it in the third session of stewardship when I heard Sanjeev state his stand “I stand for self-awareness for myself and others”. The word “Self-aware” was what I was missing. After that I changed my standard form “Equality and wisdom” to “Self-awareness and Equality”. I started noticing my gap and took actions to fix it.
Finally I have found my stand and I have become brave to face any situations with a stable mind.
Saranya:
My name is Saranya I stand for unconditional love, Happiness and perseverance for myself and for others. When I started working @ STEM land I did not like mathematics. I saw children @ Isai and Udavi, they were using the material and they were learning mathematical concepts. During my school or college days I was unable to notice my gaps, but now I am able to notice my gaps in mathematics. For this I have used stewardship tool in my real life. Now I like mathematics because of the way I am learning. With that interest I am taking mathematics class for children (@Isai-2nd grade and @Udavi-8th-9th grade).
I have attended Ignite video challenge course before attending this course I was not interested in recording a video of mine. But I was curious to learn what it is. Somehow I started the course then it gave me a big picture of that course also she gave tips and prompt for everyday. I have used her tips then I recorded lot of video of mine. Now the fear gone. This is an example for when I came out from my fear of recording a video of mine.
Also I noticed another thing (i.e) before going to Vippasana I had a different life. After attended a course I noticed I had been carrying so much baggage. I used to get angry for unnecessary things then I told myself everything is impermanent this will also change.
This year I learnt a lot about myself from Stewardship session. There were many tools I have used only a few tools. I have summarized what I have learnt through these sessions.
Reflections from the session:
While using these tool in my real life these tool helped me a lot. For e.g: It helped me to come out from my assumptions and interpretations. At work place committed request tool helped me to come out from feeling of guilty also it gave me a clear picture of what I am going to do in future.
I acknowledge Sanjeev for supporting me to attend the Stage 1 stewardship workshop. I also acknowledge Sanjeev for to put me in a place where I can grow and explore myself.
Sundar:
The year 2018-2019, has given me the space to self-access a lot with the tools I have learnt and how to guide myself towards building up my strengths. Be able to support others on what I have learnt, keep work flow available to all with cloud support. Learned Skill and Layout basics. Visualize shifts on day to day activities. Became a lot grounded on life and gave importance towards doing things that makes myself and the atmosphere around joyful.
One of our intern his name is Abilash he is taking electronics class for Deepanam school children. Children come weekly once which is on thursday. Before they are coming Abilash will prepare for the circuit which he is going to take on that day. It was quiet prepared class. He took classes on how to make inverter and how to make charger etc…
I remember we conducted course on basic electronics for in and around auroville youngster. He came for that course and whatever he learnt through that course he is spreading(by teaching).
I was attending electronics class with sanjeev friend sanjay. I felt that the electronics class is for my growth. I am recollecting all my keywords(that I have learnt it during my college) and doing it in practical. I got a such a wonderful place to grow for my self and for others.
I did a basic circuit experiment on diode. I assumed that I knew about diode but when sanjay gave a small circuit I couldn’t find how much current and voltage is flowing in the diode circuit. He gave me everyday assignment. It was a same diode circuit. During my college days when I do experiment at that time only I measure the values(voltage and current) but with sanjay first I do calculation(estimation) then only I do experiment to check with my calculation. I felt happy when my calculation and measured values were very closer. Some snapshots(of my calculation) are here.
The Auroville marathon ’19 took place on Feb 10 it had started early in the morning ~ 5AM for the full marathoners, and by 7 AM the 10 km was about to start and the STEMLand team had gathered near the start line.
From left to right (Arun, Saranya, Sundar, Poovizhi, Ranjith, Sanjeev, Abilash, Pratap, Sandhiya, Logeshwari, Murali)
During the run;
Mission Accomplished;
Some Reflections;
“It was my first AV marathon. 10 km seemed to be a long distance and i thought i won’t make it.But with a couple of days practice in the morning(3.5 km) helped me to complete the whole 10 km. We started at 7.15 AM, The first 2 km I didn’t stop anywhere but later took few breaks as my legs started to cramp. Arun and I ran the whole 10 km together talking to each other and motivating each other that we can make it to the finish line. We both completed the run in 1hr 20mins which was quite impressive as we didn’t practice much and was my first marathon.Finally it was a great experience and i felt really happy that my entire team completed the marathon successfully.”~Murali
(There was a open event organized for all age participants it was a 5 km run/walk, a lot of children had participated in this event)
“Last time I thought that I will complete 10 Km without practicing but I got some allergy so I couldn’t complete. So this time I decided to run 5 km and to complete it. There were lot of small children who were running the 5 km. Before starting I was little hesitate and was afraid to run with the small children. Then I felt I should not compare my self with anyone. Since I have committed to my team that I will run 5 Km and I started my running. I remembered what Sanjeev told about how to run. I kept that in my mind and slowly started running. I didn’t want to stop any where and I was continuously running and I was able to complete in 17 minutes and came 3rd”. ~ Pratap
Mathematics Education and Society 10th International Conference, Hyderabad, India Jan 28th – Feb 2nd, 2019
We went for an International Conference Which happened first time in Asia. It happened in Hyderabad university. The were 160 people from 20 different countries. It was a five day conference. We went to present a paper and a poster. In this conference they a plenary session in which one people will present a p[aper and the other 2 will respond to the presenter. Then 160 were divided into 5 small groups. Each group was about 20 to 25 people. Based on the plenary session from 25 people we again split into small group and discuss about the topic that happened in the plenary session. They also gave change for each group to ask a question. Then gathered in our group and discussed the questions. Among these question we selected a question and asked it to the presenter. The presenters answered the questions. Everyday in the afternoon we had a parallel session on presenting the paper. Paper presentation
Pratap and Poovizhi presented a paper on “factors that influence children attitude towards mathematics”. To read the paper click here.
There were about 55 people for our session and we presented in front of them. Generally it was 10 minutes presentation and 20 minutes for discussion about the paper. But for us we presented for 10 minutes and discussion happened for 40 minutes the paper was well receive by the people. After presenting the paper one of the parent came to us and she wanted her child to admit in our school. That moment we felt that we are doing a big change in the world. Some of them wanted to set-up STEM in their school and they were asking many question about the STEM land school.
Poster Presentation
On the next day Arun presented a poster on Deep learning of mathematics by building projects and we supported him. It was also well received by the people and some wanted to implement our method in their schools.
In our STEM land we have lost 1/8 of fraction piece. We wanted to have permanent solution instaed of having temporary solution so we discussed with our team then we came up with an idea of printing through 3D printer. Naveen taught us how to make the fraction piece by using blender software and also he taught how to print it with 3D printer.
We did the fraction piece together and we printed out by using 3D printer. It was very nice experience and it gave us permanent solution for the issue that we had faced.
