The Agastya’s Campus Creativity Lab at Kuppam is designed to provide children with the best learning environment and equipment. It strives to truly invoke children’s curiosity and enable them to learn by themselves instead of hand-feeding information that students learn by rote for the sole purpose of school. This series of articles aims to provide a glimpse of the different labs and spaces on the campus and how they aid the process of “Aah! Aha! Ha-Ha!,” the Agastya Way of Learning. What does this stand for? The Aah indicates the curiosity one has about phenomena around them. The Aha is for when one conducts experiments and arrives at an explanation for their curiosity. The Ha-Ha stands for the joy gained during this process of learning. What better space to start with than the Innovation Hub to introduce our educational approach? The Innovation Hub at Agastya is designed to facilitate innovative thinking and use STEAM-based models to solve real-world problems. Here, students are encouraged to look at problems people around them face and develop working solutions. Thus, it is located in a space aptly named “Navrachna” (Create Something New). Aerial shot of Navrachna, the space that houses the Innovation Hub Agastya established the Innovation Hub & Design Studio on 1st July 2015 at Creativity Campus, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a joint initiative of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM)- Ministry of Culture, Government of India. National Innovation Council and Agastya International Foundation. The mission of Innovation Hub is to create innovative solutions for local problems processes of learning in STEAM-based education. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. It is an educational approach that combines logical and creative thinking for holistic all-around education. At the Hub, students undergo the Design Thinking process — Problem identification, Ideation, Design, Development, Prototyping and Presentation Skills. The students first identify a problem they want to solve and its different aspects, like who faces the problem, what causes it etc. They then ideate multiple solutions and which one is the most practical. After designing this model and developing a proper answer, the students create working prototypes with materials available in the Hub. They then present these prototypes to the instructors with a detailed analysis of how they work, their usefulness and scalability. Students working in the Innovation Hub The ambience of the Innovation Hub is such that it helps put students in the right mindset on their journey towards critical thinking and innovative problem-solving. It houses all the necessary equipment and guides students will need on the different steps described above. The place also highlights brilliant thinkers like Kalam, from whom students can take inspiration on this journey. Overall the Innovation Hub makes children learn the process of thinking, both about STEAM aspects and how they can create a better world with the tools STEAM education provides. It adds to their knowledge, yes, but it ultimately teaches them how to become self-sufficient and take charge of their learning. The Navrachna space also houses the Design Studio, where children come up with their designs and prototypes under expert guidance, the Robotics Lab and Computer Lab, and Vision Works, the model-making workshop where Agastya’s equipment and learning models are made.

Written by Nethra Singhi The Philosophy of Education is a reflection on the nature, aims and problems of education. It is a branch of applied philosophy that borrows from epistemology, metaphysics, language etc. It looks at both the theoretical and practical aspects of education from a philosophical angle. Now, because educational practice is so vast and varied around the world, there are, of course, variations in the philosophy of education as well. This series of articles aims at analysing the different theories on education famous philosophers across history had and their application in the modern education system. Today, we talk about Desiderius Erasmus, the Renaissance thinker after whom the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Scholarship is named. Erasmus’s Philosophy ‘Christian humanism’ best describes Erasmus’s philosophy, combining Christian thought with the classical tradition revived by Renaissance humanists (aka classical humanists), and giving philology prominence over philosophy. He believed in the vital role of classical culture in a Christian society and created a redefined “philosophy of Christ” that contrasted the prevailing university discipline of philosophy. As Erasmus explains in his book Antibarbari, he believed Christ was the father of philosophy; hence Christ intended everything valuable about pagan culture to be used to enrich Christian culture. Erasmus was a humanist who studied language, literature, and rhetoric in the renaissance era. Humanists borrowed their ideas from ancient Greek and Roman books and put man at the forefront of their views on good, bad, life, raising children etc. This is where Erasmus’s belief in free will came into play. While he believed in Christian divinity, he also believed that humans have free will. This free will, if aligned with divinity, will become spiritual. Erasmian Take On Education Erasmus embraced the humanistic belief in an individual’s capacity for self-improvement and the fundamental role of education in raising rational human beings above the level of brute animals. (note: in the renaissance era, everyone believed humans to be rational and self-aware, an essential quality of distinction that set them apart from animals and helped form organised, civilised societies). His educational pedagogy promoted docta pietas , a combination of piety and learning that he termed the “philosophy of Christ”. Erasmus believed in the preponderance of nurture over nature because of free will. He was thus was optimistic about the potential of human beings for self-improvement. Hence, it was necessary to provide the proper nurture for children to become pious and free-thinking. It was the duty of parents and teachers to ensure that children fulfilled their potential and lived up to it. Throughout Erasmus’ writings on education, he emphasises four themes: the humanising effect of education, the effectiveness of cooperative methods over coercive ones, the ability of both sexes to benefit from education, and the importance of internalising the material taught. The first theme indicates his belief that human beings without education had no humanity. Education made them rational and kept them above the level of beasts. A well-educated child meant a contributing member of society and a good caretaker of the family. But this education had to be cooperative, not coercive. If a child is forced into learning, they will not enjoy it and thus not gain from it. This is where the second theme comes into play. Educational material should be presented in an entertaining instructional manner that holds a student’s interest. Using punishing methods is detrimental to the cause of learning as it would instil fear and discourage students from making an effort. While Erasmus initially believed that women were morally and intellectually inferior to men, like most of his contemporaries, his views changed when he came into contact with Thomas More’s (a prominent humanitarian) daughters, who were highly educated and intelligent. Thus while his initial writings on education did not include women, he later acknowledged that education would benefit women as well and that they were on par, sometimes ahead, in terms of intellectual capability. The fourth theme dictates the method of learning Erasmus believed worked best. He gave less importance to memorisation and imitation, which were the most common educational methods then. Instead, he felt that material needed to be internalised and properly understood. Ultimately, the education one gained was to be used to celebrate the glory of Christ. Application of Erasmus’s Educational Philosophy to Modern Education Erasmus was one of the first thinkers of the renaissance era to give equal importance to the education of men and women. This equality is reflected in India’s RTE (Right to Education Act), which provides every child with freedom of learning. But moving on to actual educational methods, the Erasmian style of education is reflected in contemporary education, especially in the field of liberal arts — a successor of humanitarian studies. Today, much importance is placed on rhetoric and the critical thinking required to fully internalise any field of study. There is also an effort to move education away from rote learning to thinking-oriented learning that emphasises the student understanding the subject matter rather than merely memorising it to fulfil educational obligations. More positive reinforcement methods are put in place to interest children and less punitive measures that would scare them away. Overall, while education is now secular, unlike the Erasmian Christian education, the fundamental beliefs of Erasmus and other classical humanists are imbibed in modern educational approaches. References Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Desiderius Erasmus summary”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/summary/Erasmus-Dutch-humanist . Accessed 28 February 2022. Erasmus Center. “Erasmus Humanism.” Humanism- Erasmus Center for Early Modern Studies, https://www.erasmus.org/index.cfm?itm_name=humanism-EN . Erasmus, Desiderius. “The education of a Christian prince.” (1965). MacPhail, Eric. “Desiderius Erasmus (1468? — 1536).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, https://iep.utm.edu/erasmus/#SH3a . Nørgaard, Thomas. “Liberal education in the Erasmus programme.” Internationalisation of higher education and global mobility (2014): 99–118. Rummel, Erika, and Eric MacPhail. “Desiderius Erasmus.” (2017). Rummel, Erika. Erasmus, Desiderius (c.1466–1536), 1998, doi:10.4324/9780415249126-C014–1. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Taylor and Francis, https://www.rep.routledge.com/articles/biographical/erasmus-desiderius-c-1466-1536/v-1 .

Written by Nethra Singhi The Agastya’s Campus Creativity Lab at Kuppam is designed to provide children with the best learning environment and equipment. It strives to truly invoke children’s curiosity and enable them to learn by themselves instead of hand-feeding information that students learn by rote for the sole purpose of school. This series of articles aims to provide a glimpse of the different labs and spaces on the campus and how they aid the process of “Aah! Aha! Ha-Ha!,” the Agastya Way of Learning. What does this stand for? The Aah indicates the curiosity one has about phenomena around them. The Aha is for when one conducts experiments and arrives at an explanation for their curiosity. The Ha-Ha stands for the joy gained during this process of learning. The Bio-Discovery Centre at the Kuppam Campus enables children to learn about all things biology, from human DNA and bones and senses to animal and plant biology, through a process of playing and experimenting. One of the structures of the Bio-Discovery Centre Its structure is inspired by how termites use limited resources to create ventilated mounds. Two of the Bio-Discovery Centre’s units showcase biomagnetic architecture. The buildings use environmental, renewable energy for power instead of air conditioning systems. The centre consists of 5 structures: the DNA Dome, Mechanics of Movement, the Sensorium, and the biology lab with the AV lab, neurobiology lab and plant evolution garden. DNA Dome Codesigned by a post-doctoral researcher and a playground designer, the DNA Dome is a fully accessible thematic playground that simulates an animal cell. Here, children understand processes such as information transfer, transport and energy production in the cell etc., through a series of games incorporated in our teaching modules. They learn about the function of DNA, its structure, how it is hereditary, and the process of extraction of DNA using vegetables. Mechanics of Movement Focused on showcasing the wonders of human movement, this space houses interactive learning models made in-house that allow children to explore how the body moves. They can see how bones, muscles and joints in coordination with tendons and ligaments move when performing different actions. These models include: pedalling a cycle, arm movement, kicking a ball, and neck movement. Animations and videos take them deeper into the human body to observe how the action happens. A child exploring the pedalling model at Mechanics of Movement Sensorium Large interactive models of the tongue, eyes, nose, ears and skin located in the Sensorium fascinate children and make them curious about how our five senses work. They learn about each sense, how it works and how it helps us perceive the world around us. The larger than life experience stays in their memories. Biology Lab The biology lab is filled with specimens and illustrations of flora and fauna of India like amphibians, reptiles, birds and insects. It helps children explore different living things and how they function, including plants in the plant evolution garden, where they are sowed and observed during various stages of growth. Models of human organs can also be found here, explaining different functions and processes. A neurobiology component also describes reflex action, an involuntary, unplanned sequence of action and nearly instantaneous movement in response to a stimulus. With these structures, Agastya hopes to cultivate children’s interest in biology and help them learn essential functions in an interactive, fun manner. Which design would you like to know more about next?

Written by Nethra Singhi The Philosophy of Education is a reflection on the nature, aims and problems of education. It is a branch of applied philosophy that borrows from epistemology, metaphysics, language etc. It looks at both the theoretical and practical aspects of education from a philosophical angle. Now, because educational practice is so vast and varied around the world, there are, of course, variations in the philosophy of education as well. This series of articles aims at analysing the different theories on education famous philosophers across history had and their application in the modern education system. This article discusses the impact of Roger Bacon in scientific, linguistic and theological studies in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Roger Bacon’s Philosophy Roger Bacon was an English Franciscan philosopher and educational reformer who was a major mediaeval proponent of experimental science. He was most famously known for being a commentator and translator of Aristotelian philosophy and taught Aristotle’s natural philosophy and metaphysics in university. Although his later works took a turn towards independent scholarship and educational reform, Bacon’s thoughts remained essentially Aristotelian. Bacon believed that the sciences, maths and astronomy were connected to everyday life, that there had to be utility and practicality in all scientific efforts. He held that there are two aspects of scientific knowledge: implicit, which deals with the knowledge of the principles of science, and explicit, which is the knowledge of conclusions. There was experientia (experience), that all animals had, and then there was experimentum (experiment), a science of principles based on this experience that only humans have. Thus, according to him, “Human art is acquired and is a science of principles based on experience.” Roger Bacon’s Reform of University Education in the Thirteenth Century Today, Bacon is remembered for his model on reforming philosophical, scientific and theological studies by incorporating language studies, mathematics and experimental science. His contribution lies not so much in contributing to the sum of knowledge but in his work on fruitful lines of research and methods of experimental study. The reform of education and society was an important theme in Bacon’s later works. He was influenced by the geopolitical situation of the time (the Mongol invasion of Europe and spreading Islamic influence). Bacon drew connections between the state of affairs in the academy and the state of affairs in society, and believed that the ultimate purpose of academic study was to improve society. He thought that knowledge and learning were not private affairs, but had a socio-political dimension. Thus he persuaded that the sciences, both secular and divine, should help increase happiness in human society and guide it towards achieving salvation. He believed that “vain and useless academic practice was the cause of the ecclesiastic corruptions of pride, greed, and lust.” The scholastic practice of his time, according to Bacon, was corrupted by greed and pride. He offered a structural critique of this practice in universities and said that they were too focused on logic and a particular way of grammar that didn’t include the study of foreign languages. He believed university teachers were too vain and conformed to existing teaching norms that were increasingly becoming futile. Bacon believed that neither the philosophy nor the theology of his time adequately embodied the wisdom God gave humans. He thus proposed a reform program to Pope Clement IV that included theology and most philosophical disciplines. Bacon advocated that the existing curriculum be extensively modified and that translations of philosophical works be done by scholars who were experts in both language and theological material. He wanted to implement disciplines he considered were of real value and contributed to actual learning that his contemporaries were not focused on. These subjects include perspective (optics), experimental science, and alchemy. The five main scientific disciplines according to Bacon’s reform program were the science of languages. Perspective, moral philosophy, experimental science and alchemy, along with mathematics, which he thought was essential to learn the above five. He believed that the existing scholars and university curriculum neglected or wrongly taught these sciences and thus provided a futile education that led to the corruptions of pride, greed, and lust within the clergy and political rulers. These five sciences, according to Bacon, were more conducive to the advancement of the mind, the body, and society than some of the sciences preferred by his contemporaries, such as logic. The Impact of Bacon’s Works Roger Bacon set out themes in his philosophy of language, philosophy of nature, and moral philosophy and theology that influenced fourteenth century writers such as Duns Scotus and William of Ockham, among others and was one of the founding thoughts of early modern philosophy. However, his works and writings were not given importance until much later, because he was rejected by his contemporaries. Hence research on him is limited and only received interest in the late 1900s. A lot of his work is yet to be studied and critically and historically evaluated, but Bacon is regarded for his strategic scientific vision that aimed at improving humanity. References Antolic-Piper, P., 2022. Bacon, Roger. [online] Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Available at: < https://iep.utm.edu/bacon-ro/#H6 > [Accessed 8 March 2022]. Crowley, Theodore. “Roger Bacon”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Jan. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-Bacon . Accessed 7 March 2022. Hackett, Jeremiah M. G. “Moral Philosophy and Rhetoric in Roger Bacon.” Philosophy & Rhetoric, vol. 20, no. 1, Penn State University Press, 1987, pp. 18–40, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40237493 . Hackett, Jeremiah. “Roger Bacon.” (2007). ​​Hackett, Jeremiah. “Roger Bacon on the Classification of the Sciences.” Roger Bacon and the Sciences. Brill, 1997. 49–65. Mantovani, Mattia. “The First of All Natural Sciences: Roger Bacon on Perspectiva and Human Knowledge.” Vivarium 59.3 (2021): 186–214. Polloni, N. and Kedar, Y., 2021.” The philosophy and science of Roger Bacon.” Routledge.

The Agastya’s Campus Creativity Lab at Kuppam is designed to provide children with the best learning environment and equipment. It strives to truly invoke children’s curiosity and enable them to learn by themselves instead of hand-feeding information that students learn by rote for the sole purpose of school. This series of articles aims to provide a glimpse of the different labs and spaces on the campus and how they aid the process of “Aah! Aha! Ha-Ha!,” the Agastya Way of Learning. What does this stand for? The Aah indicates the curiosity one has about phenomena around them. The Aha is for when one conducts experiments and arrives at an explanation for their curiosity. The Ha-Ha stands for the joy gained during this process of learning. The Vidya Jyoti Library at the Kuppam Campus is a one-of-a-kind space that provides space for children to read books and also make them for free! The Library is located at an angle from which one can view the valleys and the meeting point of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. These stunning views provide the perfect backdrop for reading, whether for fun or studies. Partial view from the Library The Library houses over 17,000 books in English and vernacular languages like Telugu and Kannada. It also has over 2,000 digitised books. Both fictional and educational books from publishers like NBT, CBT, Pratham, Tulika, Nava Karnataka and Manchi Pusthakam are available, with free access. This helps us use our resources to support the community’s educational, cultural, and recreational needs and encourage our patrons to do the same. A glance into the Library Agastya aims to provide books to children from areas where schools are not necessarily equipped, and electricity is too unstable to access them on the internet. The Vidya Jyoti library helps achieve this aim, both through its on-campus resources and its Community Library Program. The Community Library Program is a Library branch that erects libraries in different communities that can’t access the campus. These community libraries help reach more children in remote areas and enable them to read, write and speak more confidently. However, the unique feature of the Vidya Jyoti Library is not how it helps children read books but also how to make them. It teaches children the process of creating books hands-on, from book design and story creation to illustration and bookbinding. Other hands-on activities, like Hand Puppet, Stick Puppet, Foam Puppet, String Puppet, Sock puppet and Shadow Puppet, help develop their storytelling skills, communication and confidence. Children working on building a story The library aims to enhance the reading, writing and storytelling skills of children who may otherwise not get many opportunities to explore the above. This is a process of identifying each child’s current level and helping them grow through a series of activities that embody Agstya’s spirit of learning.

Written by Nethra Singhi The Philosophy of Education is a reflection on the nature, aims and problems of education. It is a branch of applied philosophy that borrows from epistemology, metaphysics, language etc. It looks at both the theoretical and practical aspects of education from a philosophical angle. Now, because educational practice is so vast and varied around the world, there are, of course, variations in the philosophy of education as well. This series of articles aims at analysing the different theories on education famous philosophers across history had and their application in the modern education system. This particular article, though, will focus more on the philosophical and scientific thought of Rene Descartes rather than its direct impact on education. This is because while Descartes founded a new scientific method of study, he did not have many opinions on how people should be educated and the importance of his method in studying. However, his philosophical thought influenced many modern educational philosophers, and his scientific approach led to many changes in education and scientific research. Rene Descartes was a mathematician, scientist and philosopher in the 16th and 17th centuries. He is best known for his contribution to the fields of geometry and algebra and the phrase “Cogito Ergo Sum” (originally in French, “Je pense, donc Je suis”) aka “I Think, Therefore I am”. Rene Descartes’ Philosophy Descartes is often regarded as the founder of modern philosophy, as he was one of the earliest philosophers to reject the Aristotelian Scholastic convention in his time. He proposed the modern take on mind-body dualism and propagated the use of a new kind of science grounded in observation and experiment, unlike the Scholastic reliance on senses. In philosophical thought, Descartes was essentially a rationalist who believed that everything had a reason, and this reason could be found through continuous observation and experimentation. Descartes believed reality to be made up of three substances: God, mind and matter, of which only God was capable of existing on its own and creating the other two. He proposed that the mind and body were distinct, the mind a thinking substance that is not extended, compared to the body, a non-thinking extended substance that can be broken down into parts. In simpler terms, Descartes believed that mind and body (matter) were two distinct entities that fundamentally differed in nature. The material (physical) world could be doubted, but the mind could not deny its own existence as a thinking thing. This belief has obviously been contested, one significant debate being how the mind and body can work together if they are as distinct as Descartes believed them to be. But in its existence, this belief was a radical thought that contested Aristotelian principles in a time where doing so was almost considered blasphemy. A fundamental Aristotelian belief that Descartes contested was that any and all knowledge came through senses. While Descartes believed that our senses were capable enough to help us avoid pain and increase pleasure, he found them unreliable sources of knowledge. Instead, he proposed that human beings were born knowing some fundamental truths and the basic structures of reality and then grew up learning others. Descartes suggested that if we wanted to know true metaphysical facts, we must move away from our senses and “and turn toward our innate ideas of the essences of things, including the essences of mind, matter, and an infinite being (God).” The other Scholastic belief Descartes renounced was the use of substantial forms. Aristotelians held that all things had a substantial form from which the physical form was derived. This did not explain how anything worked and why. Thus, Descartes proposed that one could draw more fruitful conclusions by looking into the configurations of a thing and its parts. This would help further the progress of physical science and provide mechanistic explanations of how things actually worked with no reason to look at their substantial forms. This is where observation and experimentation came into play. If one would keep observing the inner workings of a thing and conduct experiments to draw verifiable conclusions, they would know what the thing was and the purpose of its existence. In simpler terms, everything material (non-thinking), including the human body, was a machine and thus was operated by mechanical principles. Figure out the mechanical principles, and you will figure out the machine. Then, these mechanistic explanations extended to nutrition, growth, reproduction, and even how the senses functioned. Descartes’ mechanistic approach also led him to found theories on sensory perception and how the spatial properties of size, shape, distance, and position are perceived in vision specifically, contributing to modern optics theories. His mathematical (geometrical and algebraic) contributions too impacted the above. While Rene Descartes may not have proposed any educational theories, his contributions to philosophy, science and mathematics have profoundly impacted modern-day education. Perhaps, the most significant impact is that his mechanistic science and rejection of Scholastic tradition opened up avenues for how human knowledge, its acquisition, and application were perceived. He influenced his contemporaries and successors to examine the knower (human) as a means to determine the scope and possibilities of human knowledge. Philosophers influenced by Descartes include Henry More, Nicolas Malebranche, Benedict de Spinoza, G. W. Leibniz and more. Although later epistemologists like John Locke, George Burkley, David Hume, Immanuel Kant etc., rejected Descartes’ metaphysical beliefs, they did it through Descartes’ own approach: the investigation of the cognitive capacities of the knower. Thus, Descartes offered a systematic reformulation of natural philosophy and science that continues to influence contemporary thought. References Ariew, Roger. Descartes and the last scholastics. Cornell University Press, 2019. Gibson, A.B. (1932). The Philosophy of Descartes (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315468099 Hatfield, Gary. “ René Descartes .” (2008). The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = < https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2018/entries/descartes/ >. Skirry, Justin., 2022. Descartes, Rene. [online] Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Available at: < https://iep.utm.edu/rene-descartes/#SH2a > [Accessed 15 March 2022]. Smith, Kurt. “ Descartes’ life and works .” (2001). Watson, Richard A.. “ René Descartes ”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Feb. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rene-Descartes . Accessed 15 March 2022.

The Philosophy of Education is a reflection on the nature, aims and problems of education. It is a branch of applied philosophy that borrows from epistemology, metaphysics, language etc. It looks at both the theoretical and practical aspects of education from a philosophical angle. Now, because educational practice is so vast and varied around the world, there are variations in the philosophy of education as well. This series of articles aims at analysing the different theories on education famous philosophers across history had and their application in the modern education system. This article expands on John Locke’s educational philosophy and how it still impacts schooling after over three hundred years. Locke’s Philosophy Locke was a British philosopher most famous for his writings on the government and separating the church and the state. He was one of the first modern empiricists in terms of philosophical approach, meaning he believed that knowledge came from empirical observation and experience. A lot of Locke’s philosophy and academic works stem from opposition of authority. He wrote that reason is the only way to know the truth. Hence the public should not merely believe authorities, but use their own reason to arrive at the truth. Even institutions should distinguish between their legitimate and illegitimate functions and use force correspondingly. This will help both the individual and society flourish fully, both with respect to material and spiritual welfare. This, in turn, amounts to following natural law and the fulfilment of the divine purpose for humanity. Locke’s Philosophy of Education As covered before, Locke believed that knowledge came from empirical observation and mindful reflection. He did not believe that human beings were innately knowledgeable. Thus, he believed that children were to be treated as human beings whose gradual development of rationality was to be fostered by their parents. In his time, the educational system was still following the middle ages pattern where children were treated as miniature adults who were born with inherent knowledge, and thus the only purpose of education was to help them recollect this knowledge. Age did not matter, nor did their future aspirations or roles. Contrarily, Locke believed that education should be tailored to the individual child’s needs and future profession. He encouraged parents to actually spend time with their children so as to help them develop a sound body and mind. Locke’s writings on education continue the rejection of authoritarianism. He did not believe that the educational systems of his time were adequate centres for learning. Rote learning and corporal punishment were very prevalent in academic institutions at the time. But Locke believed that these were not effective methods and did not help the child further. Instead, he advocated for a different type of education, one that made people think for themselves and use reason to properly self-govern and participate in public services. Locke believed that reason was the key to freedom and morality, as it helped people make good decisions that did not harm anybody. Thus, it was a responsibility of the government to provide an education that helped cultivate reason and enable people to self-govern and be productive citizens. Otherwise, there would be moral failings of partiality, passion etc. that would lead to an unhappy society. The curriculum to make the above happen would include: both physical and mental development, exercise and study. The first requirement is to instill virtue, wisdom, and good manners. This is to be followed by book learning. For the latter, Locke gave a list of recommended texts on Latin, French, mathematics, geography, and history, as well as civil law, philosophy, and natural science. He also said to give enough time for recreational activities, including dancing and riding. Locke’s Impact on Modern Thought Locke’s works on empiricism, education, life and politics were all very influential for both academic study and societal reform in seventeenth century England. He was a famous influence on the period of Enlightenment in Western History. Under his and contemporaries, there was a seration of church and state and establishment of a civil government. Many educational institutions gradually dropped the practice of rote learning and corporal punishment, moving towards a safer environment where thinking could thrive. Overall, Locke is considered to be the “best available introduction to the intellectual environment of the modern Western world.” References Adamson, John William. “The educational writings of John Locke.” (2011). Baldwin, Bird T. “John Locke’s Contributions to Education.” The Sewanee Review, vol. 21, no. 2, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1913, pp. 177–87, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27532614 . Rogers, Graham A.J.. “John Locke”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Oct. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Locke . Accessed 23 March 2022. Tesar, Marek, and Kirsten Locke. The philosophy of education. Ed. Richard Stanley Peters. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1973. Uzgalis, William, “John Locke”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2020 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = < https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2020/entries/locke/ >. Yolton, John W., and Jean S. Yolton. “John Locke: Some Thoughts Concerning Education.” (2000).

Written by Nethra Singhi In a previous article , we explored the pros and cons of technology within the classroom and technology as the classroom. The conclusion was that blended learning (using digital technology in physical classrooms) was the way forward. So, how does one go about it? The top five ways of incorporating digital tools in education are listed below. Of course, accessibility in India is still an issue for many schools. Hence, to use as few resources as possible, the digital tools mentioned here can work with a laptop in the classroom and/or be accessible through smartphones. Multimedia teaching and presentations: One of the simplest ways to include digital tools in the classroom is using multimedia formats to teach and encourage students to present information. Including relevant videos, movies, or podcasts in the lesson plan keeps children engaged and provides them with different learning methods. For instance, students who may find learning through reading difficult can rely on audiovisual tools to internalise information. Asking children to make multimedia presentations and projects enables them to learn different tools like photo and video editing, sound recording etc. It also encourages creativity and helps students synthesise and explain data in exciting ways. 2. Student grading and feedback Another easy to incorporate tool in the classroom is taking the grading and feedback system online. Using dashboards like Moodle or Google, teachers can upload student marks and reviews online, making their progress easier to track. This progress can also be shared easily with the parents. 3. Gamification of learning There are many existing virtual games and simulations in STEM fields that teachers can encourage students to play to make learning fun. But if such software or games are not available, teachers can also create their own. Some examples include creating an online scavenger hunt, quiz competition that involves searching web pages, virtual charades etc. The reward factor in gaming motivates students to learn the topic. Using digital tools helps them learn how to use digital technology. It is also a way to build energy in the classroom if it is virtual or the topic is challenging or dry. 4. Google Site for all classroom-related information Setting up a site with all the resources and material for the class makes it easier for the teacher to keep track of content required and shared in the classroom. It also helps children access this data more quickly. Moreover, all the books, videos, and podcasts used can be accessed efficiently by all, including parents who wish to participate. Setting up this site can also be a collaborative process where students can add relevant information to the class material and share their ideas and thoughts and the teacher. Collaboration can also be done on Google Docs or Slides or any tools that allow multiple people live access to commenting and editing if a site is not available. These are also great tools that enable communication during a group project. 5. Online calendar Using an online calendar tool helps a teacher relay all information about upcoming lessons, tests, quizzes, activities etc. The alerts and reminders help children keep up with the calendar and know what to expect. The calendar can also be shared with the parents and make it easier for them to participate in their child’s learning.

Written by Revathi Narayanan 3rd and 4th March 2022 — the same scene played out in selected schools and Agastya Science Centres from Hyderabad to Sikkim, Delhi to Kuppam and more. One could feel the excitement in the room. There they were, three girls and three boys to a team, five or six teams in the room, bright-eyed, waiting eagerly for the Moderator to begin the International Women’s Day (IWD) Quiz on Women Scientists. This Regional Round of the Quiz took place in ten centres across the Agastya regions in early March 2022. The winning teams took part in the final Virtual round held on 8th March. About three hundred and sixty students from our partner schools took part in the main competition. The process started at the end of February. The Instructor Master Trainer (IMT) team that manages training and academic content for the Agastya sessions was looking for ideas to celebrate IWD in a way that would be exciting, inspiring, that would tell the stories of women who had broken barriers. The team wanted it to be a learning process for students and for themselves, with content that would help in our day-to-day work. Our brainstorming took us back to a challenge in the daily sessions in the Mobile van and Science Centre. In the Agastya activity-based learning sessions, students sit in groups. Each group selects the name of a scientist. As part of our work to enhance gender-sensitive practices, we had decided that at least half the groups should be named for women scientists. And this is where, we usually got stuck, rarely going beyond Marie Curie and Kalpana Chawla. There just wasn’t enough common knowledge about women scientists! So this became the core idea for IWD: what better way to celebrate it than by talking about the inspirational lives and work of women scientists. The quiz format would bring the “Aah, aha and haha” into the event for children. We wanted girls and boys to see that women had done great science even though patriarchal social systems ensured that their numbers were far fewer than they would have been in a more equal society. Often, IWD events become “of women, by women, for women” events. It is very important to involve men and boys because gender discriminatory practices affect us all — women and men, girls and boys. It was very important for us that girls and boys learn together about the achievements of women scientists. The next step was to make sure that children got reading material for the quiz. We needed a level playing field because all children would not have equal access to information. We decided to write up the material in-house. Children were told that questions would be based only on the material that we circulated. Our categories included women who had won the Nobel Prize (Just 57 of the 900 plus winners since 1901!), women scientists who should have won the Nobel, Indian women scientists of the past and present. The information on each scientist included their main scientific achievement, their pictures and the challenges they faced. Many were unfamiliar Western names, but children were able to learn them. We tried to simplify the science as much as possible. The IMT teams translated the material into local languages and students did a great job preparing for the quiz in a very short time. During the quiz, teams were told to discuss and then give the answer to make sure that everyone participated. The Regional quiz was opened up to many more schools and children as part of the IWD celebration across Agastya regions. About 2000 more girls and boys participated in these events on 8th March. The Agastya North region conducted the quiz online. All the effort was worth it since we were able to tick all the boxes at the end of the event Was it fun for the children? Was it appropriate to IWD? Did we all learn something new? Did we try out a new way of engaging children in an exciting way? Did the event lead to preparing more learning resources? It was a resounding “yes” to all of the above. Feedback from some children sums up the event very well - “I did not win, but I learnt so much and enjoyed the event” “Khoob mazaa aala (we enjoyed so much). “

The Philosophy of Education is a reflection on the nature, aims and problems of education. It is a branch of applied philosophy that borrows from epistemology, metaphysics, language etc. It looks at both the theoretical and practical aspects of education from a philosophical angle. Now, because educational practice is so vast and varied around the world, there are, of course, variations in the philosophy of education as well. This series of articles aims at analysing the different theories on education famous philosophers across history had and their application in the modern education system. This article explores Jean Jacques Rousseau’s thoughts on education and its role in fostering individuality and good citizenship. Rousseau’s philosophy Rousseau’s philosophy depends on his notion of human nature and ‘general will’. First, he believes that human beings are all naturally good but are corrupted by society because they are driven by their love for themselves (by their instinct of self-preservation). How does this work? Rousseau states that while human beings are solitary by nature and don’t need others to survive, as the human population grows, so does the need for competition, especially competition for a partner. This happens along with growing interdependence (like the division of roles in modern society where people depend on farmers for food, governments for rule etc.). Once this happens, there is a division of private property, and an unequal society is created where everyone wants more. Hence, in settled communities, while they fight each other to be considered more attractive or worthy than their counterparts, more toxicity is added when there is a want for material things. It thus corrupts previously good human beings, who are now okay with choosing the bad path if it means they own more and are more esteemed. The second opinion, general will, is a product of Rousseau’s attempt at reconciling the role and authority of the ruling body and the autonomy of the individual citizen. He states that a ruling body is only legitimate if it is given ruling power by the ‘general will’ of its citizens. As societies advance and become more interdependent, they will require a law keeper that protects their members’ private property and freedom. But this could mean that the rich, who have more possessions, could enforce the law, and the poor would not fall under the blanket of protection. Thus, the Social Contract proposed by Rousseau provides a protection force that everyone can commonly enjoy while each individual is as free as they were in nature. The collective will of each citizen determines this contract. “The general will is the source of law and is willed by each and every citizen. In obeying the law, each citizen is thus subject to their own will, and consequently, according to Rousseau, remains free.” This thought was heavily featured in the French Revolution. Thoughts on education Following Rousseau’s political philosophy, his educational philosophy thus aims to nurture the autonomy of children while teaching them to be loyal citizens that can participate in the social contract. This means that education was to be both for individualism and good citizenship. While this can get contradictory at times, the main idea is that education should be child-centred. The teacher does not come in a position of authority but as a guide to making the child discover their own thoughts and opinions. To achieve this, the child must be left as free as possible up to adolescence to accomplish this. As toddlers and young children, they should be protected from harm, but otherwise, they should be left to discover their own bodily strengths. Abstract skills and knowledge should be taught from twelve or so, not through books and lessons, but through practical experiences. These practical experiences are formed by the teacher’s manipulation of their environment, where the children learn independently but are still protected from harm. As they reach the age of puberty, children will naturally start taking an interest in how they appear to others, especially potential partners. This is the most delicate stage, as they can then twist it into a competition, being corrupted by the society as mentioned above. Thus, the teacher’s role is to establish the child’s contact with others through compassion. They should guide the children to be able to walk in another’s shoes and relate to their problems and insecurities. Through this, they establish their own moral worth by helping others without turning it into a competition. Their inherent goodness should be nurtured so that society can’t corrupt them. The final period of education is where the young adult is prepared to be a good citizen after the first three phases have helped them develop autonomy and exercise living freely. Here, the teacher changes from being a guide that helps them learn by manipulating their environment to a trusted advisor that instructs them about the nature of the social world, including the doctrines of Rousseau’s political philosophy. Rousseau’s influence on other educational philosophers and contemporary education Rousseau’s political and educational thought heavily influenced his contemporaries and later philosophers. Immanuel Kant, especially, was a massive proponent of Rousseau’s works. His moral philosophy, educational theories, and international justice theories borrow heavily from Rousseau. Other philosophers who either believed in his work or studied it to form their own views include Karl Marx, George Wilhelm Fredrich Hegel, and John Rawls. His belief in letting a child discover their world by themselves can also be seen reflected in the Montessori method of education. Both believe a child is inherently good, and to sustain this good, they need only a guide, not a teacher that imposes their authority. Children are encouraged to participate in physical activities and practical experiments while having a safety net. Moreover, Rousseau’s influence on modern democratic theories and civil liberties and his emphasis on raising a good, patriotic citizen indirectly influence how civics and history are taught in schools. Children from a young age are taught about their rights and duties. References Bertram, Christopher. “Jean Jacques Rousseau.” (2010). Cahn, Steven M. Classic and contemporary readings in the philosophy of education. Oxford University Press. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, 2011. Collins, Peter M. “Rousseau’s Philosophy (or Philosophies?) Of Education.” The Irish Journal of Education / Iris Eireannach an Oideachais, vol. 10, no. 2, Educational Research Centre, 1976, pp. 51–80, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30077246 . Noddings, Nel. Philosophy of education. Routledge, 2018. Riley, Patrick, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Rousseau. Cambridge University Press, 2001.

The Philosophy of Education is a reflection on the nature, aims and problems of education. It is a branch of applied philosophy that borrows from epistemology, metaphysics, language etc. It looks at both the theoretical and practical aspects of education from a philosophical angle. Now, because educational practice is so vast and varied around the world, there are, of course, variations in the philosophy of education as well. This series of articles aims at analysing the different theories on education famous philosophers across history had and their application in the modern education system. Today, we explore Tagore’s educational ideas against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement and the educational reforms proposed during the period. Educational reforms during the independence movement When the British had started opening schools and standardising education in India, their motive was to create a workforce for running the Empire’s operations smoothly in India. However, with rising national consciousness due to various socio-politico-economic reasons, national leaders and reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Bal Gangadhar Shastri, Keshabh Chandra Sen and more started emphasising independent education. They advocated for reforms where all Indians could access education and, more importantly, learn about the true India and its achievements, rather than British education that put Indians down and disregarded the subcontinent’s history and culture. Thus, through newspapers and other forms of vernacular media, many activists started providing ideas on what should be taught in school and what level of minimum education all children should receive. This was important because educating everybody, even women, would create permanent reform in the society and refute British claims of ‘backward India’. Tagore’s philosophy Where does Tagore fit in this landscape? Most of Tagore’s philosophy came in the 1910s-1920s when the nationalist independence movement was running high in India, and the world was devastated after the war. Thus his social philosophy was based on decolonisation, peace and harmony. Although he was a strong proponent of independent India and influenced many activists, Tagore was also a critic of nationalism. He believed that ‘narrow’ nationalism (nationalism that is stemmed from one issue alone or focuses only on one route towards independence) undermined the very ideals that brought a nation together. This kind of nationalism would divide rather than unite the country. Tagore emphasised other aspects of human identity found in civil life, cultural history, etc., to curb these extremist tendencies of nationalism. He believed that a country’s unity did not come from uniformity but from harmony. He believed that nationalism promoted uniformity, while what should be propounded was harmony. This meant that while people were different, they all contributed to the common goal of living a secure, happy life and thus worked in harmony towards this goal. Tagore’s educational philosophy Thus, Tagore’s educational philosophy was based on the idea of unity that produced a patriot but not an extreme nationalist. Education, according to Tagore, played the role of making a well-rounded citizen that was loyal to their country, but did not believe in nationalism. These citizens were well-rounded also because they were not mere citizens but human individuals who lived freely and cultivated their own interests. “Thus, in the political vocabulary of nation-states, we all are citizens of a nation, but in the cultural sense, we are (or perhaps ought to be) citizens of the world.” He came up with the ideal place of learning: Shantiniketan. Tagore’s Shantiniketan was based on the Ashrama style of learning, where the principles of freedom, natural trust, cooperation and joy were instilled in students. Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the Shantiniketan provided an abode where the students stayed, prayed and learnt the fundamentals of life. Here, teachers played a more important role than the content of education itself. Tagore believed that teachers should lead by example and inspire students through their own lifestyles. He also did not believe in textbooks, putting the entire onus of educating on the ‘guru’. The discarding of textbooks was also due to Tagore’s belief that children could learn directly from natural objects and events. They did not need rules and directions to learn but intuitively knew how to imbibe knowledge from their surroundings. Rather than depend on rote memorisation, they could use all their senses to understand the world around them. Tagore also disliked that English was the language of education. He strongly advocated for vernacular languages to be the medium of instruction for two reasons. One, he believed education could not truly be universalised without it being in the mother tongue. If education were only imparted in English, only a handful of privileged children could access it. Two, the emotions of and deep connection to the mother tongue were vital if a child was to be correctly educated. It was from the mother tongue that knowledge was born. Apart from science-oriented subjects, music, dancing and other cultural activities were also considered an integral part of education at Shantiniketan. All these classes were conducted through live observation and independent thought rather than relying on textbook knowledge. Overall, Tagore’s educational philosophy claims that worthwhile education makes possible a life, navigating under the sign of an ideal unity, that is capable of cultural empathy. Influence of Tagore’s Shantiniketan Famous alumni of Shantiniketan include the likes of Amartya Sen and Satyajit Ray. They both have noted the profound impact Shantiniketan had on their lives and works. While contemporary education largely still follows the British method of education, Shantiniketan has influenced many alternative school systems in different parts of the country and the world. These alternative schools, like Tagore, believe that there is more to education than rote learning. They focus on imparting a lifestyle, not mere information. References Bhattacharya, Kumkum. Rabindranath Tagore: Adventure of ideas and innovative practices in education. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013. Chatterjee, Ramananda. “Rabindranath Tagore.” Writers Workshop, 1985. Das, Dreamsea. “Educational Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore.” India: Department of Philosophy, Women’s College (2014). Pushpanathan, T. “Rabindranath Tagore’s philosophy of education and its influence on Indian education.” International journal of current research and academic review 1.4 (2013): 42–45. Tagore, Saranindranath. “Tagore, education, cosmopolitanism.” Asian interfaith dialogue (2003): 78–92.

Children absorb and retain information in different ways. Hence, it is essential to accommodate them in the classroom to ensure that all children learn best. This article lists the five most common ways of learning and how one can integrate them into the syllabus. Visual Learning: One of the most frequently used methods of learning is through visual input. Many children learn best when they can see information visually or observe a physical process. There are multiple tools teachers can use to engage these types of learners. Using a whiteboard to draw diagrams and sort information visually (like in a graph or list) is a cost-effective method. Another method is to include videos and films in the syllabus. Videos keep students focused on the subject and create a comfortable learning atmosphere. Agastya uses many videos and visual cues in its teaching material, especially in the Creativity Lab at Kuppam. There are multiple models, and visual activities children can observe and learn information from. Auditory Learning: The other sensory input that helps children learn better is auditory. Children who find this learning style most useful rely on their hearing and sound inputs. Music is a great tool to keep such children engaged. Turning formulae or processes (the how-tos in science and math) into poems or songs children can recite helps lodge information better in their brains. It is also a great way to memorise and recall information, coming in handy during standardised tests when they have to use their memory. A cost-effective method to help auditory learners is to make them read out material in class or prepare a speech on the topic. Their voice helps them internalise the subject matter better when they speak out loud. Agastya uses many audio-visual models and films for the same. We also use audiotapes as a tool for teaching. Linguistic Learning: Also called learning through reading and writing, linguistic learning is one of the most used teaching methods in Indian classrooms. These types of learners are drawn to expression through writing, reading articles or books, writing in diaries — just about anything that involves the written word. But what the Indian education system lacks is making effective use of this method. While there is a lot of reading and writing involved, it is often done with the purpose of rote memorisation, not understanding the concept. Thus a better way to incorporate linguistic learners is to give them time to research a topic and write essays elucidating their understanding of it. Another way is to encourage storybooks and storytelling in the class. This simplifies a concept for children and gives them the vocabulary with which they can internalise the topic. It is especially useful in subjects like history or science, where the chronology of events can be used to make a story. Agastya’s Library and its mobile wings encourage reading amongst children and develop storytelling skills. Kinesthetic Learning: Learning through physical activity is called kinesthetic learning. It is one of the tenets of the Agastya Way of learning, and an important teaching tool, especially for the younger ages. Active Learning is beneficial in many ways. The easiest way to accommodate these learners is gamifying the learning process. When teachers turn the subject into physical activity, especially as a competition, it motivates the children and makes the subject interesting. Kinesthetic learners rely on physical memory to internalise information. Making them move in specific ways or do an activity that requires physical movement helps them process the subject matter better. Agastya’s ActiLearn book is filled with such activities that emphasise learning by doing. Many live-action models at the Creativity Lab in Kuppam and physical game boards help the hands-on learning process. Learn more about how Agastya uses this method of learning through makerspaces here . Social Learning: Social learning, or interpersonal learning, involves learning in groups. Children often learn from each other, apart from learning from the teacher. Thus they need environments to collaborate or engage in discussions with their peers to learn better. Encouraging group activities is a way Agastya uses effectively to engage social learners. In smaller groups consisting of their peers, children feel less pressured to ask or answer questions. Thus they open up better, and can adequately participate in the activity, making for more effective learning. Class debates are another tool teachers can use with older children to keep them focused on a subject and learn more about it through dialogue. But a thing to keep in mind is that social learning is not for every child. Some children may be the opposite and prefer to learn on their own, or alone. If these children are pushed towards more socialisation, it may become a detriment to their learning. Thus a balance needs to be struck. These are the five most common learning styles children adopt to study and internalise a subject. Use the above-mentioned tips to integrate them into your learning material.