Mizoram Face-to-Face Training
Even at very short notice, the science team was ready for the science teachers workshop held in Mizoram on 9 August 2017. We were ready with all the printing material and the module on the CLIx platform.
The Mizoram training workshop was much anticipated, first, because of its beautiful location and also because we had heard that the teachers were very encouraging and enthusiastic about our project.
We landed in Mizoram on the evening of 8 August and immediately headed to the venue. The Mizoram implementation team and the CLIx tech team were making the computers ready for the coming endeavour.
The participant turnout was very encouraging. Over the three days of the training, we discussed three science modules – Health and Disease, Motion, and Ecosystem. We started with the Health and Disease module. Teachers found it relevant to their everyday life and a few of them discussed their experience of physical, mental and social health interdependence. On the second day, we moved on to the Motion module. Teachers enjoyed the lesson on riddles of motion immensely and engaged themselves in the different videos in this lesson. On the third day, we were joined by one of the most enthusiastic professors that I know, Dr. Binoy, who discussed the Ecosystem module. His idea of how to convert the classroom into lab space was interesting and feasible.
Using classroom space for hands-on activity
Some activities, like observing mosquito sites and identifying various ecosystems in one’s surroundings, were carried out outside the computer lab, and teacher enjoyed them a lot – we were appreciating science around us!
The workshop was concluded with a few poster presentations and critical but friendly feedback shared by the peer groups. This was very much appreciated and well received.
In this visit, we were introduced to Mizoram culture and served extremely delicious cookies that everyone ought to try on a visit to Mizoram.
(Sayali Chougale, Research Associate, Vinod Raina Fellow)
