By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 19 Dec: Doon University is hosting a state level 3-day residential training for the school teachers of Uttarakhand under the aegis of iRISE (Inspiring India in Research Innovation in STEM Education). The inauguration of this workshop was done on today in Doon University. The Indian Institute of Science and Education Research (IISER), Pune, is the national level coordinator of the programme.
Prof Surekha Dangwal (Vice Chancellor, Doon University) highlighted that iRISE is the joint initiative of Union Department of Science and Technology, the Royal
Society of Chemistry (Cambridge, United Kingdom), the British Council, and Tata
Technologies. The programme supports the Government of India’s objective of building a nurturing ecosystem that promotes research and innovation in schools and universities. This programme also enriches DST’s
flagship programme INSPIRE and INSPIRE Awards – MANAK. In addition, the programme provides a platform for industry and academic leaders to come together and strengthen innovation in India. The programme has four strands: Teachers’ Development Strand, Early Career Researcher Strand, Thought Leadership Forum and CxO Forum. Under the Teachers’ Development Strand, iRISE and IISER Pune have collaborated with the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), Delhi, State Council for Education, Research and Training (SCERT) Uttarakhand to train secondary school teachers in inquiry and activity-based learning for STEM subjects.
Prof Dangwal also mentioned that this training may also pave the way of development and transformation to adopting new, innovative and activity-based methodologies
of teaching. Such methodologies may help the teachers develop interest among the students in mathematics and science. She also highlighted that Uttarakhand is the third state after Maharashtra and Bihar where this programme has been launched.
Dr Asha Painuli, Additional Director, SCERT, revealed that some of the teachers (trained in the first phase) will be selected for the second phase on the basis of their activities in the classroom. Under the second phase, selected teachers will receive 10-day residential training at the Indian Institute of Science and Education Research, Pune, or at Doon University. Teachers who receive 10 days training will be known as Innovation Champions. In the third phase, all the
Innovation Champions will organise cascade workshops in their respective districts with the help of I-RISE.
Kanchan Devrari (Joint Director, SCERT) stated that this training will be given mainly to the female teachers of all the districts of Uttarakhand.
State Coordinator of Inspire Award, Dr Avneesh Uniyal highlighted that this programme and workshops are becoming extremely beneficial for the teachers. Dr Bijalwan (Assistant Director, SCERT) also thanked iRISE for giving this opportunity to Uttarakhand’s school teachers. Dr Arun Kumar, Dr Suneet Naithani, Dr Charu Dwivedi, Dr Rajesh Bhat, Dr Vipin Kumar, Dr Pallavi Upreti and Dr Avijit Sahay were present from Doon University.
