As a PhD student, we sometimes get the opportunity to teach graduate classes. This year I got the opportunity to teach a Neuroscience class to post-graduates who were new to the field. This was a great opportunity for me to see how I’d be as an educator and ensure an engagement such that every student not only studies the material but also connects their coursework to the world around them. As these post-graduates may or may not choose to remain in the field, my wish was to at least ensure that the lessons remained memorable.

Educational metamorphosis: from student to teacher

I’ve always admired professors (and their subjects) who’ve taught as though telling a story; so naturally, I too wanted my students to experience the same. In addition, I wanted to encourage them towards exploring the field on their own, by combining academic lessons with real-world relevance within the framework of inquiry-based learning and flipped-classroom methods. So, in my teaching, I incorporated case studies, non-fiction popular articles, and even sci-fi movies!

Neuroscience through the pop culture lens

Various studies have documented the use of pop culture references and memes as a gradual reform in scientific expression and communication, hinting towards an evolution of scientific dialogue. I experienced this myself while interacting with a batch of school students who had visited my institute when my explanation of neurotransmitters and hormones through Pixar’s Inside Out^[1] resulted in a roomful of wondrous gasps and nods.

What drew me the most to adapt this style of teaching came from my own experiences of learning academic concepts from various non-academic pursuits, such as movies, TV shows, and comics. Seeing a real-life problem being written into fiction offered me the chance to make my own connections with what I knew about the subject.

Thus, I planned my lectures to break down complex neuroscientific concepts through reference to movies, TV shows, and current trends. This simple attempt turned out to be a transformative teaching experience for me, as it successfully aided in connecting the classroom to the world outside.

Furthermore, employing associative learning techniques proved effective in guiding students through foundational concepts in neuroscience. For instance, in the introductory lecture, students initially associated memory with the hippocampus, inspired by discussions around the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind^[2], which explored the concept of memory removal. As the course progressed, this initial link expanded into a comprehensive understanding of memory networks across brain regions like the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, various types of memory, neurotransmitter roles, and disease pathologies impacting memory. This sequential approach deepened their grasp of memory concepts, transitioning from familiar associations to a broader and more nuanced understanding, ensuring relevance to current research in the field.

A variety of science fiction movies exist as a hyperbole of actual or ongoing research topics. Thus, knowing the limits of our current research or asking ‘what ifs' are brilliant ways to shift the discourse away from grades and more towards exploring new hypotheticals and concepts. These are (a) much-needed refreshers for the mind and (b) an exercise in thinking out of the box. So an exercise about ‘Godzilla vs. King Kong’ would help summarize the concepts of the action potential, neural plasticity and evolution of cranial capacity, and the pre-requisite knowledge to engage in this discussion would be a thorough understanding of evolutionary neuroscience, types of neurons, and even classifications of the animal kingdom.

Marksheets are often considered the standard measure of any class and a reflection of the teachers themselves; however, I believe that the actual measure of a student's learning is more about their abilities to bring new ideas to the table. During one class, when one of my students reiterated the concept of neurotransmitters and the chemical imbalance theory with the example of the movie Lucy^[3], I was certain that the subject left a lasting impression in their minds beyond academia. Given what we know of neural plasticity, their minds are now prone to witness more interesting connections and viewpoints that would always remind them of the lesson learnt well.

Other approaches

Case studies are frequently underestimated in curriculum development, yet I firmly believe in their efficacy in engaging students' memory and understanding. Hence, I made a conscious effort to incorporate prominent case studies, such as those of Phineas Gage, Henry Molaison (HM), and Louis Victor Leborgne, into my presentations, who have been pivotal in shaping the contemporary landscape of neuroscience research. They not only provide valuable insights into the complexities of the human brain but also humanize the subject matter, making it relatable and unforgettable for students. Furthermore, they also set the tone for various social themes that the field often integrates with, such as law and public policy, neuro-ethics, and neurotechnology.

Encouraging the students to read not only research articles but also science op-eds was another facet of my teaching. So, during a lesson on ‘memory and cognition’ I included an article on ‘Brain cells for Grandmother’ from Scientific American, which was an easy explainer on how neurons stored memory. This tactic, I was told, came in handy later for those students who struggled to finish reading a scientific paper but were able to practice reading more non-fiction with a variety of such articles and columns.

Additionally, I made students come back with unique research articles having at least one open-ended question in the field. This, to my surprise, resulted in many interesting debates. In one memorable class, one of my students spoke about her interest in developing AI engines using novel neural network pathways to aid people with learning disabilities with personalized learning— an idea that was inspired by the TV show Black Mirror^[4].

Educational evolution: crafting the future for Gen Alpha

Although traditional teaching methods have undoubtedly played a vital role in shaping the legacies of scientific education, innovative teaching techniques are emerging that place a greater emphasis on creating an environment where science seamlessly integrates with everyday life and remains inclusive to students who do not conform to our way of thinking. This dynamic shift is empowering a new generation of scientists and educators to not only learn about science but to truly engage with it, cultivating various types of IQs and a passion and commitment for discovering the mysteries that remain hidden in the realms of the unknown.

Immunology, with its specialized (and expanding!) terminology and complex cellular interactions, is often an intimidating subject for students. Traditional teaching methods are essential for providing a foundation, but I discovered that including a creative, open assignment fostered genuine enthusiasm and motivated learners to delve deeper into a question of their interest.

I teach an introductory immunology course at Ashoka University to undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, and diploma students, where the learning outcomes are centred on identifying key components of the immune system, some fundamental concepts, and the cellular dynamics involved in an immune response.

Traditional tests and assignments, while informative, can sometimes be stressful for students and prevent long-term retention of concepts. So, in my course, I based a part of the assessment on a unique assignment format where the only instruction given to students was to creatively represent a chosen immunological concept or research idea in their medium of choice.

I wanted students to explore a specific immunology theme that interested them and to use their imagination to represent it. I provided the students with a list of topics they could choose from and emphasized that I could be consulted in the choice as well as its execution. The format was open-ended. Participants could opt for presentations, hand-crafted posters, models, songs, or poetry, or any other medium they found engaging or challenging. Students had the choice to partner with a classmate for a joint assignment. I also allowed the repurposing of assignments from other courses if they were even remotely related to immunology. Furthermore, I encouraged those interested to submit a story for a science fiction contest, as long as it incorporated at least one immunology-related term.

Initially, there was considerable apprehension among the students, likely because an assignment without a rigid structure and having the freedom to explore what interested them was new to them. Students were particularly hesitant about hand-crafted posters, expressing concerns over perceived inadequacies in their handwriting. The time needed to do the assignment was another concern that I addressed by informing the students of the assignment at the beginning of the course with a deadline towards the end of the course. However, post-submission, a significant number of students indicated that this had been an interesting and enjoyable assignment.

Over two editions of this course, the assignment has resulted in a talk, a model, a computer code on random selection (a ‘reused’ assignment), handmade posters, a science fiction story submitted to the India Science Festival 2022-23 (titled My Light in the Darkness by Subha Saraswaty Nedungadi, a parody of a Boney-M song, and an original rap composition (themed on T-cell selection, as the student perceived it). Some of the topics covered were generation of antibody diversity, antigen presentation, antibody structure and types of rejection. Among the suggested topics, antigen presentation and diversity generation stood out as particularly complex. However, the assignments on these topics explained the concepts in a simplified and stepwise manner in attractive packaging. Students were able to create something that they understood and was aligned with their other interests, such as art or music. Working in twos or threes enabled peer learning, where students share views, reflect on them, and gain a clear understanding of the chosen concept in a stress-free manner.

By including an open format as one of the assessments, students could tailor their learning style, whether it be auditory, visual, or kinesthetic. In addition to promoting active learning, the assignment provided students with an opportunity to make the learning journey more personal and memorable. Moreover, it possibly provided an avenue to lighten the end-of-semester stress from exams and assignments. In addition to the diverse submissions, the most rewarding aspect was discovering the students' talents and interests outside of science. This approach to assignments inspired a colleague to adopt a similar format for their course in the following semester.

One possible drawback of this approach is that it may be best suited for elective courses with small class sizes, and might not be as effective for larger, mandatory classes. One of the challenges I anticipated was the potential variance in the effort – with some students possibly opting for simpler presentations. To address this, I emphasized the importance of depth, original design, creativity, and a clear depiction of the chosen concept. Equitable grading was a challenge, so I incorporated a short oral exam asking the students about their work and some related immunology questions. Some assignments were not up to the mark (one chart was heavily inspired by a drug information pamphlet provided by a company, and another exhibited a poor understanding of basic concepts in the oral exam) but these were exceptions.

Immunology is complex and so offers room for innovative teaching methods. Open assignments, by providing students with the freedom to explore and express, not only enrich the learning experience but also nurture a culture of creativity and collaboration. Many students, particularly those in the sciences, tend to ignore creative pursuits during their college years. The purpose of this assignment was to encourage them to blend their academic studies with their creative interests.

Food spoilage causes food wastage, foodborne illnesses, and huge economic losses worldwide. Food spoilage is also a topic covered in undergraduate biology curricula. However, it is mostly taught theoretically and has limited scope for practical experience, largely due to safety issues associated with spoiled food. Food spoils due to many environmental factors, such as humidity, temperature, and food-spoiling bacteria, among others. While preservatives prolong their shelf-life, there is a growing tendency to buy preservative-free foods. Hence smart packaging that provides a visual indication of food freshness is in vogue.

The undergraduate students at the National Initiative on Undergraduate Science (NIUS) of Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Mumbai worked on a module to experimentally design a simple food-freshness tracking system for milk-based foods to track spoilage in real-time. This article describes the system and what students learned in the process of making it. The module was conceptualized and facilitated by Anuttama Kulkarni, an INSPIRE Faculty Fellow at HBCSE, who is also the author of the original research article that describes it.

Kulkarni came up with the idea for the module while searching for experiments for a 4-day camp at HBCSE, aimed at developing conceptual understanding and experimental skills among undergraduate students. During the search, she found articles about food-freshness indicators designed for meat-based foods. Kulkarni gave students a similar task to design food-freshness indicators for dairy foods. Students worked on a prescribed protocol that was designed and tested by Kulkarni. However, some aspects of the experiment were designed by students. The students worked in a BSL-2 laboratory and were adequately trained on biosafety guidelines as per the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).

Students designed the food-freshness indicators using low-cost resources such as Dylon colour catchers (DCC), which are laundry sheets that can catch dyes released by coloured clothes while washing. DCC sheets are easily available on e-commerce platforms. Students were asked to cut out discs from the DCC sheets and impregnate them with pH indicators– dyes that change colour with increasing acidity or alkalinity. Here, students were challenged with the task of selecting appropriate pH indicator dyes based on the availability of the dyes in the laboratory. Since the dyes change colour close to their pKa, understanding the concept of pKa was crucial for the experimental design.

Students tested three milk-based foods – two types of yogurts (commercially available as well as home-set) and kheer (a sweet dish prepared using milk, sugar and wheat) – and water, as a control. They poured 5 ml of the samples into 10 ml plastic containers. The students then placed the DCC discs on the sticky side of cellophane tapes. Next, they used the cellophane tapes to seal each food container so that the discs directly faced the respective food samples (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

At this point, students wondered how food spoilage would change the colour of the discs. This followed a discussion where Kulkarni used fermentation as an example, where CO₂ is released and reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which releases acidic vapours. In a spoiling milk product, bacteria break down nutrients such as lactose into acids. Some of these acids, being volatile, release vapours. Students then discussed the highly absorbent nature of the DCC discs which could absorb the vapors. As the acidic vapours come in contact with the pH indicator dyes in the discs, the dyes change colour. This discussion enabled a better understanding of the concept of vapour release and absorbance by the discs in their experiment.

Students monitored the colour changes in the DCC discs at room temperature at 0, 6, 24 and 48 h of starting the observation. These time intervals were chosen at the time of standardizing the experiment. Importantly, these were the time points when the colour changes in the discs were distinctly visible. At the same time, students drew a sample of food from each setup to check the microbial count using a bacterial spread plate assay. This assay enabled them to quantify the bacterial load in the samples. Thus, the extent of food spoilage was correlated with bacterial growth, providing additional evidence of food spoilage due to microbial activity.

In the end, students were asked to select the best indicator dye from the four dyes tested. Students also had to answer questions on experimental design such as “Comment on the significance of including water in the assay”, and critical-thinking questions like “Why do you think each pH-indicator is responding differently?” in their observation sheet.

This experiment offers a context to investigate ideas of experimental designs, conceptual understanding, and design thinking of undergraduate biology students. Through a single experiment, students could apply the concepts of pH, pKa, and bacterial growth kinetics, among others. Kulkarni says, “The relevance or the relatable nature of the food samples we studied caught students' attention. Also, the idea that acidity can be monitored just by absorbing the vapors, without really touching the food sample— came as a surprise to students.” So, besides creating something new, students learnt something new by ‘doing’!

Speaking about the application of such modules, Subhojit Sen, Assistant professor, [Ramalingaswami fellow, UM-DAE Center for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CEBS), Mumbai] highlights the experiential learning opportunity and the relevance to everyday life this module brings. Sen adds, “Having such tools at hand will bring evidence-based temper back to the user, rather than having to simply believe the labels of expiry dates.”

The novelty of the experimental module was more than just a learning experience. Kulkarni remarked, “the experiment sparked students’ curiosity in application-oriented research, while giving them an interdisciplinary learning experience. Such an experience of applying varied concepts in real-life, using low-cost resources is rare.”

Every August, a new batch of undergraduates joins the university. As the transition from school to college/university can be overwhelming, student needs to adjust to newer teaching styles, imbibe the university atmosphere, learn to be independent and excel academically. An educator plays a crucial role in onboarding students coming from diverse backgrounds and pursuing different dreams and ambitions.

On the other hand, the relationship between students and their professors has evolved in recent times. In current times, social media and the internet have played a major role in this change. Teachers are more accessible and approachable. The lines have blurred between the official hours and after-hours. Navigating these tricky waters, our role as educators needs to be a balance between firm and friendly in dealing with the young adults of our country.

Based on my personal experience as a faculty member dealing with UG and PG programmes in life sciences, the following are the pressing matters of this transition period and the role that educators play in it.

A sudden change of scenario and a sense of independence

The move from a higher secondary school to a university or college is a huge change in terms of the environment and campus life. From strict back-to-back classes in school, one moves to more relaxed and staggered class timings. Students get ample time to explore different courses of their choice and to participate in multiple extracurricular events at the departmental to university levels. It is up to them to utilize this opportunity to broaden their perspectives and explore new things. There is also a chance of students whiling away their time without any outcome during the entire period of campus life.

Aligning with new pedagogical approaches and tools of learning

University educators are commonly PhD holders with varied interests in research and teaching domains. As studies become more extensive, areas of expertise become more niche at this level. Students have to do a lot more on their own. Academically it becomes a phase of self-learning and coming to terms with one’s strengths and weaknesses. Newer methods of learning can be challenging to imbibe in the start but can help in creating more curiosity in the long run.

Adulthood and social interactions

Students of this age are on the brink of adulthood and are expected to behave like one. The protection from family and guardians takes a drop and one starts navigating challenges on their own. One has to make new friends, forge new relationships, and network with like-minded people, both to grow as an individual and to improve academically. It takes time to become your own person but university or college life is definitely a cornerstone for the same.

Ambitions and broken dreams

For some students, this is also the period when they feel the first emotion of broken dreams. Not being able to get into the course of one’s choice can be a major heartbreak. Students might have ended up in courses selected by parents. In such scenarios, they should be able to let go of the disappointment of past experiences and embrace this new life wholeheartedly. It is easier said than done. Some spiral downwards while some excel, some adapt and try to make the most of it, and some turn disappointment into opportunities for themselves.

Educators play a crucial role in helping students navigate these challenges. Hence, teaching students in the first year of college comes with many responsibilities.

Creating a sense of trust in new students

This is a trust-building phase where both parties are getting to know each other in a professional set-up. A teacher has to be a firm individual and treat each student with grace and kindness. Building trust is a long process and initial days hold a lot of importance for this lifelong bond. Hence, one has to tread carefully and make informed decisions in matters of disciplining students

Mentoring students

From social, emotional, and financial to family issues, a mentor plays a crucial role in many aspects of a student’s life. Mentees (the students) come from mixed backgrounds and it is challenging for the mentor to be the guide, philosopher and friend to the best of their ability. The education systems worldwide are moving towards a phase of entrepreneurship and research-oriented courses. The encouragement to pursue one’s dreams or start one’s own venture has gained a lot of momentum. Students often approach educators first with nascent ideas that have the capacity to bring about a big change in the near future. We need to provide them with support and guide them towards ways to turn such dreams into reality. In this regard, there is hardly any formal training for educators but one should step up to be a role model and a mentor for these young minds who tend to look up to them at every step.

Privacy and a clear line of boundary between both sides

In the process of building a teacher-student relationship, very often, lines become blurred when it comes to privacy. In today’s times of incessant pings on your phone through various apps, an educator has to be firm from the start about their personal space and not let it be infiltrated. Matters that require immediate attention can be discussed beyond work timings but that clarity has to be established in students’ mindsets. It is a tricky thing to achieve but once clear boundaries are set, the road ahead becomes much smoother and clearer.

In conclusion, the way forward for both sides is to build a solid base of trust, understanding and kindness towards each other. Infrastructure, teaching modules, regulations and day-to-day activities/circumstances play an integral part in this too. No relationship is perfect unless one is willing to put in the effort from the beginning. Keeping this in mind, students can embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey of college life with open minds to learn something new every day, and educators can put in that extra effort to make this journey worthwhile for them. Then it is a win-win situation for all.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 acknowledges that our educational ecosystem is fragmented. Among other changes, it proposes actively seeding research in universities and colleges for a multidisciplinary ecosystem. This article explores the possibilities and significance of including research experience in undergraduate studies, particularly in India.

Why is undergraduate research experience important in the Indian context?

India is on the cusp of many scientific achievements, especially following Chandrayaan-3’s successful soft launch. This has brought attention to many indigenous research startups that became integral to its success (see here, here, and here).

There’s a misconception that research happens only in academia. The awareness that research, in academia or in industry, can be a fulfilling career choice is needed. As pointed out above, indigenous research outside academia has led to translational outcomes and there is a demand for students trained in these skills.

A research-inclusive curriculum will strengthen the future of India's research workforce, and even benefit students who may not pursue research in the future. Many studies conducted outside India have shown that undergraduate research increases grades, skill development, and uptick in confidence. Hence, students need to invest time in their chosen research topic, deeply understand the issue, form research questions, and rely on trustworthy data analysis. Learning writing and research skills early on can help them become productive researchers later on.

Working with other undergraduates improves the undergraduate research experience. Working together as a team is common in research, and collaborations can enhance students' leadership abilities, teamwork, communication skills, and research proficiency.

Where do we stand now?

As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-2021 released by the Ministry of Education, India has ~44000 colleges and the number of undergraduates enrolled is over 4 Crores (or ~28417 undergraduates per million population). On the other hand, as per UNESCO’s data from 2018 (the latest data available for India), India has only ~253 full-time equivalent (FTE) researchers per million population. In comparison, China recorded 1307 and the USA 4821 FTE researchers per million in the same year. South Korea topped the chart with 7980 FTE researchers per million that year. Needless to say, the undergraduate's enthusiasm for research is still largely untapped.

How can Indian students get adequate exposure to research?

Course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) is a solution that encourages students to take up research. CUREs are pedagogical methods that allow students to define a research problem, develop and test hypotheses, and discover something new. As described in this article, “CUREs are the mini-scientist experiences propelling students towards investigative tendencies through engagement in iterative work". This model has a positive effect on student learning.

Most students in India attend university-affiliated colleges, where the research component is minimal. Hence, the CURE is a good roadmap to follow, and there has been momentum in implementing CURE-based curricula in many institutions, including private institutions.

In some settings, due to infrastructural or funding constraints, CUREs may not be feasible for a student. To overcome this, the current undergraduate curriculum allows students to take up research for a period of one or more semesters, which is either conducted in the student’s own institution or elsewhere. In this case, the undergraduate research experience is a one-to-one relationship between the guiding mentor and the student. A student’s perspective on the transformative nature of research, along with the challenges faced, can be read here.

The pandemic, and the subsequent closure of educational institutions and research labs, encouraged many to conduct research computationally and in home labs. Research ideation or hypothesis generation was an alternative way to include a research component in the curriculum. These models can be integrated into the post-pandemic curriculum, potentially in a hybrid format with both computational and experimental approaches.

Recently, for students in tier-2 cities, where avenues for research are particularly sparse, a research institution is marked as a mentor for multiple mentee colleges nearby, where research exposure is provided to undergraduates. This network can be expanded with more institutions becoming mentors and initiating research dialogues between scientists, educators and undergraduates.

Private philanthropy could help colleges to kickstart research and identify sustainable private funding. Starting early is another solution, where half-semester or one-semester courses contain aspects of research.

Teachers in colleges play an important role in exposing students to research, and many institutions are focusing on training educators. I was part of a group at Rice University that taught BIOC115 - Freshman Seminar in Local Biology Research, a one-credit course. We met weekly with a small group (20 students maximum) of first-year undergraduates. Using a discussion/roundtable format we picked one published paper by a local researcher and we went about dissecting the paper and discussed the various aspects of research work. The course culminated in a lab visit where the students, now familiar with the work, interacted with the scientist in-depth.

Catch them early

Exposure to research could even begin at the school level to help children understand the process of science early on. In middle school, I participated in the Children’s Science Congress, where many teams, guided by their teachers, showcased impressive research work at state and national levels. My presentation covered my research on vermiculture pits and the generation of biocompost from school lunch waste. Planning the dimensions of the pit, executing on a daily basis, collecting the data, preparing the presentation (there was no PPT then), and writing the report exposed me to the meticulous rigour required, and this inspired me to take up research as a career.

Publication of a student's work is a more tangible outcome. Numerous micro publications and journals accept high-school and undergraduate research work, publishing them after rigorous peer-review. I peer-reviewed for one such journal called The Journal of Emerging Investigators. We assessed the results presented and kept in mind the limitations of how much additional work can be performed. Then, there are other rare examples, such as the research on Blackawton bees by a group of 8-year-olds, published in Biology Letters.)

To conclude, undergraduate research has both tangible and intangible benefits for students and India. A student-centric framework to facilitate undergraduate research will help tap into the potential of research in India. Also, the framework should be tailored to Indian needs, Indian students, and Indian setup, and not a cookie-cutter approach from the West.

In the realm of global health concerns, an overwhelming 90% of the disorders in focus belong to the category of neurodegenerative disorders (NDD), a group of conditions related to or occurring in the brain. Neurodegeneration, thus, is a sought-after subject of research.

Unfortunately, practical training in this subject at the undergraduate level is challenging due to costly experimental procedures and equipment, which most of the colleges and universities in India cannot afford. Thankfully, research methodologies need not always be extravagant. In this article, we will explore how a simple and straightforward climbing assay serves as a valuable experimental module to study neurodegeneration in an undergraduate laboratory setting.

What is neurodegeneration?

Neurodegeneration refers to the gradual and progressive degeneration of neurons, the functional units of the brain. It is an inevitable process which gets amplified during a disorder. The causes of neurodegeneration encompass genetic, environmental, and metabolic factors. The common symptoms include motor and sensory function disability, loss of memory and seizures. Its clinical implications and its lack of cure make it an active area of research. One of the widely used experimental strategies to understand neurodegeneration is the climbing assay. It is a simple, non-cumbersome, cost-effective assay, which measures the motor ability in organisms.

The climbing assay: An experimental module for studying neurodegeneration

Locomotion is a tightly regulated neuronal function. Most of the neurodegenerative disorders display defects in motor coordination. The climbing assay is a simple behavioural experiment to study motor coordination in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). The experimental setup is minimalistic and cost-effective, requiring just a container or a column, a platform and the test organisms (fruit flies or worms).

The column can be as basic as a vial or a graduated cylinder. The flies are introduced into the measuring cylinder/glass vial containing no food, just prior to the assay. The cylinder is covered so that flies don’t escape. Flies are known to climb against the gravity. Thus, when enclosed in a container they naturally are prompted to move upward. This ability is subsequently calculated based on the time taken for the flies to move a predetermined length.

For instance, the number of flies that cross a 5 cm mark from the bottom of the vial/cylinder in under 3 seconds is counted. This gives the climbing index of the flies. As the flies age their climbing ability decreases. This happens in the case of NDD too. The detailed step-by-step protocol for conducting the assay is available here. A similar approach is also available in mice known as the gripping assay, which measures the paw strength in mice.

Conclusion

The climbing assay offers a budget-friendly experiment that requires no additional investment or specialized equipment. The assay, with its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and ability to provide quantitative data, offers a valuable tool for researchers and educators around the world.

Its adaptability makes it an ideal candidate for undergraduate laboratories seeking to explore aspects of ageing and neurodegeneration. In a relatively short span of two to three months, students can design and execute experimental modules that delve into these crucial areas, fostering hands-on learning experiences that contribute to our understanding of these complex processes.

Imparting this module in undergraduate education paves the way to harness bright students as future scientists. Furthermore, displaying a realistic scenario of ongoing research in the field paves the way to a better education system. The importance of imparting cost-effective yet reliable research at undergraduate education also inspires greater innovation which ultimately leads to the betterment of the country.

Education is the cornerstone of societal progress, a catalyst for personal growth, and the bedrock upon which nations build their futures. In this pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment, education research stands as a guiding light, illuminating the path forward for educators, policymakers, and institutions. This article embarks on a journey through education research, focusing on higher education, especially in the context of college-level biology education. It also addresses education research in general, emphasizing its significance and challenges, with a particular focus on the landscape in India.

The essence of education research

At its core, education research systematically explores the educational landscape. It probes, questions, and seeks to understand the nuances of teaching and learning, guiding us toward evidence-based practices that enhance educational outcomes. It is a dynamic field that explores a multitude of educational facets, all of which are of great importance in the Indian context:

Pedagogy: Research delves into the art and science of teaching, seeking methods that resonate with Indian students from diverse backgrounds and abilities.

Learning Environments: Understanding the impact of different learning spaces, from traditional classrooms to virtual ones, is crucial in a country with a vast rural-urban divide and varying infrastructural capabilities.

Curriculum Design: Crafting effective course materials is an ongoing endeavor driven by insights from research. Tailoring curricula to meet the unique needs of Indian students is essential.

Technology Integration:India's rapid technological advancements require researchers to investigate how innovation and technology can enhance education, especially in remote and underserved regions.

The significance of education research is multidimensional

Empowering Educators: Research findings empower educators to refine their teaching strategies, creating more effective and engaging learning environments for students across India.

Institutional Adaptation:Schools and educational institutions evolve to meet the changing needs of students. Research-driven adaptations to curricula and teaching methods ensure that education remains relevant and practical.

Informed Policymaking:Policymakers in India rely on insights from education research to allocate resources wisely. Evidence-based policymaking ensures educational systems are optimized for success, benefiting millions of students.

Education research in the context of college biology education

In the context of college biology education in India, the role of education research is paramount. Here's how it can be leveraged to address its unique challenges and maximize opportunities.

Diverse Student Backgrounds: College biology classrooms in India often comprise students from a wide array of backgrounds, including urban and rural, with varying levels of prior education. This diversity can pose challenges in ensuring that teaching methods cater to all students.

Education research should explore teaching methods that account for the diverse backgrounds of college biology students. Strategies that adapt to various learning paces and styles can enhance comprehension. Implementing active learning techniques, such as group discussions, case studies, and problem-solving exercises, can promote engagement and bridge knowledge gaps among students.

Vast Curriculum: The biology curriculum in colleges can be extensive and multifaceted. It covers a range of topics from molecular biology to ecology, demanding effective strategies for knowledge retention and application.

Education research can investigate the effectiveness of streamlining the curriculum to prioritize essential topics while providing students with the option to explore specialized areas of interest.

Formative assessment techniques, including regular quizzes and peer evaluations, can be employed to continuously gauge student progress and adapt teaching strategies accordingly.

Resource Disparities: There can be significant disparities in educational resources, laboratory facilities, and access to technology between colleges in different regions of India. Bridging this resource gap is a crucial concern. Researchers can explore the integration of online resources, open-access materials, and virtual laboratories to mitigate resource disparities and enhance accessibility.

Transition to Practical Application: College biology education must equip students not only with theoretical knowledge but also with practical skills necessary for careers in research, healthcare, and teaching. Effective methods for translating theory into practice are essential.

Collaboration between colleges, universities, and industry can help provide students with access to cutting-edge equipment and facilities for hands-on learning.

An example: The flipped classroom approach

An example of a research-backed pedagogical technique is the flipped classroom. In this approach students watch video lectures and read online materials at home before class. In class, students then engage in hands-on activities, solve problems, and participate in discussions. This approach is designed to promote active learning and to give students more opportunities to apply what they are learning.

For instance, in a flipped classroom cell biology class, students might be learning about the intricacies of cell structure and function. At home, students might watch a video lecture on cell biology and read an online article about the significance of cell biology in the context of life sciences. In class, students might then engage in hands-on activities and experiments to explore various aspects of cell biology. For example, they could work with microscopes to observe different cell types, their organelles, and their functions. Students might also collaborate in groups to solve problems related to cell biology, such as analyzing cell division processes or designing experiments to investigate the effects of various factors on cell behavior. Finally, students might participate in discussions about the broader implications of cell biology for fields like medicine, genetics, and biotechnology. They could explore how a deeper understanding of cell biology is essential for advancements in healthcare and disease treatment, genetic engineering, and the development of new pharmaceuticals.

Challenges to education research in India

While the potential of education research is boundless, it faces several hurdles in India, which, if overcome, could unlock its true power:

Limited Dissemination: In India, as in many countries, valuable research findings often remain trapped within the confines of academic circles, resulting in a significant knowledge gap. They must be effectively communicated to educators and policymakers.

Implementation Gap:A disconnect exists between the insights generated by education research and their practical application in educational settings. Bridging this gap is crucial to maximize the impact of research.

Resource Constraints:Education research projects often need more funding and access to research resources. These constraints hinder the advancement of research efforts, particularly in a country as vast and diverse as India.

The unwavering beacon of education research

Education research stands as the unwavering beacon lighting the way forward in India's quest for excellence, equity, and innovation in education. As knowledge takes center stage as the currency of the future, education research is the cornerstone upon which India can build a brighter, more prosperous tomorrow for its students and nation.

In conclusion, education research is critical to transforming India's education landscape. By addressing the challenges it faces and adopting strategies to unlock its full potential, India can ensure that its education system is robust and responsive to the evolving needs of its diverse student population. As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, education research remains our most reliable guide toward a brighter and more equitable future for all.

Science has always sparked the interest of people from both an educational and employment standpoint. The world needs leaders who can actively participate in community and professional forums for addressing ethical issues related to the impact of science and technology, more so than just being technologically literate.

Integrating art in science could help individuals see current problems from a unique perspective. It would foster students' disciplinary knowledge and skills as well as their capacity as critical consumers, imaginative and ethical citizens, innovative designers, competent communicators, and cooperative decision-makers. National Education Policy - 2020 has also highlighted the amalgamation of arts and sciences to eliminate the unfair hierarchies between the two domains.

Creative Expressions (CRX), a part of the common curriculum offered to UG students at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru provides a unique opportunity in bringing the language of art and science together. The course ‘Tales of Jungle’ provided a platform for students to explore several cultural, social, political, and ethical issues surrounding the forests and their inhabitants. The students were exposed to various creative forms such as folk paintings like Madhubani, Kalamkari, Pattachitra, Warli, Gond, Bhil, etc., and theatre to narrate the journey of the forest’s glorious past, the scientific advances it has witnessed, and the atrocities committed by humanity, through a series of workshops, guest lectures, and field visits.

Students then used these various art forms to depict the story of different forests in India, narrating the life and livelihoods of community members, flora, and fauna specific to these forests, and the nuances of the conflicts involved. This forest mapping activity helped students appreciate the interdependence of humans and nature. A few samples of students’ work can be found below.

Kalamkari art form

The semi-arid region encompasses parts of the Thar Desert, extending north into Gujarat, Punjab, and Rajasthan. The annual rainfall in this region is 400 to 1000 mm. Flora such as Cheronjee (Buchania lanzan), Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon), Kaim (Mitragyna parvifolia), Amaltas (Cassia fistula), Mokha (Schrebera swietenioides) and Bigasal (Ptercarpus marsupium) are found here along with several endangered fauna like Somlata (Ephedra foliata), Khejri (Prosopis cinereria), & Gugal (Commiphora wighti). Gir lions are one of the endangered species in this area. The most commonly found animals in this area are reptiles, coyotes, camels, pronghorn antelope, and gazelles.. The key conflict here is drought and rampant deforestation. The above Kalamkari art works try to capture these. This art form originated in the Kalahasti and Masulipatnam districts of Andhra Pradesh.

Patua art form

Patua is a folk art native to the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha. The depicted flora includes Khor (Gum Acacia – found in the dry rocky hills of Punjab and the drier parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan), Khejri (Prosopis cinereria – found in the dry regions of Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh) and various forms of cacti and shrubbery (deserts of Rajsthan). Depicted fauna includes Camel, Saw-scaled Viper, Asiatic wild cat, Chinkara, the Great Indian Bustard and the Indian Gray Wolf.

The artwork to the right documents the Khejarli massacre and Amrita Devi’s principal role in the struggle to save the Khejri tree. In 1731, Amrita Devi, a mother of three girls, and 363 other members of the Bishnoi community sacrificed their lives for this cause. The massacre later came to be known as a predecessor to the Chipko movement of the 20th century. The paintings tried to incorporate some of the twenty-nine commandments that the Bishnoi community must follow. For example, in the first panel on the right are signposts banning alcohol, meat and smoking. Engaging in these activities is banned within the community. There is also a depiction of a shelter provided for stray animals in accordance with the 22nd commandment- “अमर रखावै थाट” (To provide a common shelter (Thhat) for animals to avoid them being slaughtered.)

Warli art form

Western Ghats are a biodiversity hotspot and a UNESCO world heritage site, with many endangered species of flora and fauna. The painting in the Warli art form depicts threatened fauna like Tigers, Lion-tailed Macaques, Nilgiri Tahr, Asian Elephants, Gaurs, etc. It also depicts a critically endangered tree locally known as "Dhuma" and Echinops sahyadricus. The Warli art is native to the tribal people from the North Sahyadri Range in Maharashtra. This folk art uses simple geometrical shapes like triangles, circles, squares, and rectangles, which, it’s believed, is drawn from the nature, like the circle depicting the Sun and the Moon, and triangle derived from the mountains, and rectangle indicating a piece of land.

Cheriyal art form

Cheriyal scroll paintings, also known as cheriyal painting, originated in Telangana, specifically in the village of Cheriyal, from whence it derives its name. Cheriyal paintings are famous for their depictions of Hindu mythological figures and folktales. Cheriyal scroll painting is unique due to its use of bold lines, vibrant colors, and meticulous attention to detail.

The above Cheriyal painting is about the Deccan plateau – home to several tribes and groups, the most well-known of which are the Bhils, Gonds, Santhals, Kols, and Mundas. Most of these people rely entirely on the forest for their subsistence. They revere the forest as their mother and derive their gods from the natural world itself. In the painting, the artists chose to represent the Porja tribe by painting their well-known dance form called "Dhimsa," which is a line of women from the tribe dancing to the song sung by themselves and drums beaten by the men. It swirls like a snake with women at both ends holding a piece of cloth and waving it wildly. The conflict in this region includes fuelwood gathering, overgrazing by vast herds of cattle, and conversion of forests into cash crop plantations. Poaching is still a fundamental problem.

Outcomes

Students expressed their learnings via reflective journals and a final submission in the form of a creative performance - assimilating their contemplation, experiences, and research. The theme chosen by the students was about the wrath of Bonbibi - the celebrated goddess of the Sundarbans, where locals believe her to be the protector of the forests from the present impact of urbanisation. This was the core idea behind CRX course as embodied learning—learning by doing—that helps students discover more about who they are and how they fit into the environment.

Schools re-started in their ‘offline’ mode only last year. Resuming education after the lockdown was no cakewalk, as teachers were challenged with creating a friendly environment for students who had returned after a long gap. Students, too, struggled with acclimatizing to the classroom environment and catching up to close learning gaps. If this was hard for anyone who studied online, those on the other side of the technological divide had it worse. Among those who lacked access to online learning, few were able to resume education.

During the lockdown, most students aged 12–16 from rural and tribal regions helped their parents in farming, cattle-rearing, or other family occupations that would help earn them a living. Some got completely absorbed in such activities. These students had no access to textbooks, as shops were closed. Some educators recommended learning through simple kitchen activities. However, this was impossible for students whose families struggled to manage two square meals daily. All possible doors to learning had closed. Students were left with no option but to discontinue formal education. According to a report, between the years 2020-21 and 2021-22, an estimated 4.7 million children at the elementary level had dropped out for reasons including the pandemic.

To bridge the gap between accessibility and learning, educators from the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Mumbai offered a ray of hope– a newsletter in Marathi, based on STEM topics.

Anandi – reaching the unreached

Started in January 2022, the newsletter is named Anandi, which means ‘blissful’ in Marathi, and runs with the tagline “Edu-Reach: To reach the un-reached”. The bimonthly newsletter covers STEM content linked to, and complementing the curriculum for grades 8-10. It engages the readers through a mix of articles, stories, conversations, puzzles, and activities using informal and conversational language, and appealing visuals. The newsletter is printed and posted to school teachers from rural and tribal regions of Maharashtra, who deliver it to every student’s doorstep at no additional cost!

While the newsletter is written in Marathi, the mother tongue in most families of the rural and tribal areas is either a dialect of Marathi, such as Malvani, or a different language, like Madia and Gond. Hence, the Marathi written in the newsletter is pl­­ain in addition to being jargon-free. Aniket Sule, Professor and faculty-in-charge of Anandi at HBCSE points out the challenge in simplifying the language: “It is not always easy to convey scientific concepts in informal language as the scientific terminology in Marathi is primarily derived from Sanskrit words, which are again unfamiliar and alienating for the students. Thus, we always have to weigh the trade-off between easy-to-understand phrasing and precise scientific wording.”

Many readers of Anandi are also first-generation school-goers, with minimal learning support from family members. In this vein, the content is meticulously designed in the context of the student’s immediate vicinity, their everyday experiences, and their cultural practices. Moreover, the writers are mindful of students’ social and emotional development while creating the contents of the newsletter.

Raising the scientific temperament of students with Anandi

The topics in Anandi touch upon various concepts, such as the role of chemistry in our everyday lives, astronomy, physics, food and nutrition, the biology of soil, etc. The newsletter follows the "observe, inquire, reflect" pedagogy, and aims at introducing the nature of science and developing a scientific temper among students. For example, one article – Vidnyan mhanje kay? (What is science?) introduces students to the importance of detailed observation and recording what is observed. This is explained using the example of time-keeping using stonehenges or monuments that functioned like sundials in ancient times. Another example explained how extinct species were identified based on the study of fossils. Both examples emphasized the power of curiosity, inquiry, and scientific reasoning.

A major highlight of Anandi is that some articles tell stories of how different systems evolved with time – calendars, language, time-keeping systems, postal communication, etc. These topics have little, if any, space in textbooks, and make learners appreciate the changes science and technology bring to society. A few recent issues have also introduced students to different occupations such as writing & publishing, advertising, and administrative services. Another issue contained a crossword game to ignite students’ curiosity about the names of successful Indian women in various professions and sports.

The content raises many questions for students to think about and respond to. The newsletter provides a students’ response sheet, where students can write their responses, or record observations for various activities. For instance, a series of issues carried space for students to record monthly observations of farming taking place around them– ploughing, sowing, growth of crops, etc. What’s more, students can also send their feedback on business reply envelopes, that are sent along with the newsletters. Students’ responses, poetry, artwork, ambitions, etc., are published in some issues of Anandi.

The reach, far and wide

Currently, more than 6000 students from nearly 60 schools receive these colourful, printed newsletters. A paper discussing the journey of the newsletter from inception to the present was published in the epiSTEMe 9 conference proceedings last year. The paper mentions heartening responses from the students. “I liked the idea of how students came together to build a library (when schools were closed)”. This comment was in response to a vignette that appeared in the editorial section of the January 2022 issue. It mentioned how students from a village got together and started a community library from their own book collection!

Some responses can be disappointing though. As Aniket Sule points out “The challenge is getting the students to write individual feedback. As our educational system does not encourage students to take individual initiative, from some schools we have seen a bunch of feedback sheets returned with identical responses. Changing this mentality will take time”.

Meanwhile, the team working behind the newsletter is striving to “extend the boundaries towards an inclusive curriculum”, says Asmita Redij (Post-doctoral fellow at HBCSE), who is the editor of the newsletter. She conceptualized the idea of Anandi and now co-ordinates a team of STEAM educators, illustrators, and administrative personnel, among other institutional members who contribute to the success of every issue of the newsletter. Samatvam Trust supports the printing and distribution of this newsletter.

The road ahead

The world may have gone back to pre-pandemic days. But for schools from rural and tribal regions, the effects of lockdown persist. Even now, school teachers go door-to-door ensuring students attend school regularly. Is Anandi the magic bullet to prevent more dropouts? Only time will tell!

Anandi has shown that technology cannot solve all problems, especially those created by technology itself. Even today, old print media, such as newsletters, and postal services can potentially move mountains for the future of education.

Drawing from the experience gained so far, Aniket says, “There is an appetite among students for digestible and relatable content. Given the size of our student population, our education and outreach efforts so far have only reached a small fraction of the students. We need to prioritize large-scale outreach projects to make a difference in the overall system.”

The ecosystem of education in India is going through significant changes: even as Indian institutions continue to climb ranks in global metrics, textbooks are being rewritten and students from marginalised backgrounds in India’s elite science institutions are dying by suicide at an alarming rate. The representation of marginalised groups in Indian science classrooms continues to be abysmal, and students are bringing arms to resolve conflicts. In these contexts, it might not be wrong to say that education in India, including science education, is facing an unforeseen crisis. As sociologist Satish Deshpande has remarked, the future of education in India is “turbulent”.

To deliberate on this perceived moment of crisis, the Centre for Writing and Pedagogy, Krea University, and the Centre for Women’s Studies, University of Hyderabad, came together to organise an online conference titled “Education in India: Violent Desires, Exclusionary Tendencies and Transformative Potentials” on the 26 and 27 of May this year.

Invited speakers deliberated on the exclusion of marginalised groups from educational institutions, the role of learners’ identities in shaping their experience in these institutions, and the need for allyship and dialogue within these spaces. Further, the speakers also deliberated on how these dialogues and solidarities might transform the ecosystem of education from one where marginalised groups are actively eliminated (what the organisers call “necropolitical”) to one where their aspirations are recognised and their identities are affirmed.

In this report, we summarise the key takeaways from the different presentations in the conference.

(For the concept note, the complete list of organisers and speakers, and the abstracts, please see the abstract book of the conference here.)

How are marginalised groups excluded from education in India?

Recent reports uncontroversially demonstrate the underrepresentation of marginalised groups in educational institutions in India. Per a 2023 Nature report, the numbers of people from marginalised castes and tribes in elite Indian science institutions are abysmal, a fact that also holds true for (cisgender) women and transgender people.

Further, the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B), demonstrated during the conference that elite institutions like IIT-B fail to adequately adhere to the reservation criteria in their admissions and employment. Similar concerns have been previously raised regarding special recruitment drives of IIT-Madras as well.

Per the APPSC’s data, from 2015-2019, IIT-B has admitted only 19%, 7.5% and 1.64% of its PhD students from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) backgrounds respectively. These numbers significantly fall below the official reservation mandates of 27%, 15% and 7.5% respectively.

A rift between aspirations and experiences

Despite education being seen as a key driver of mobility for people coming from historically marginalised backgrounds, the experiences of learners whose parents have been engaged in historically stigmatised occupations indicates a contradictory reality.

These learners receive no support from teachers in the university, an experience that appears to be in stark contrast with that in school. In school, teachers established better interpersonal relationships with students from historically marginalised groups and actively assisted them in making important academic choices, such as selecting a particular stream of study.

Further, for learners coming from families of workers in stigmatised occupations, spaces of higher education are deeply isolating. The rift between their lifestyle and that of their more privileged colleagues’ forces many of them to conceal their marginalised caste and class identities, and the occupations of their parents.

In other words, the promise of education as the great equaliser remains unfulfilled.

The violence of silence

Educational institutions stigmatise not only certain occupations (and therefore, certain castes), but also people coming from non-normative genders, forcing transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender non-binary persons to live in the closet. The alternative to hiding their identity is facing intense violence and abuse of verbal, sexual and non-sexual nature. This is one of the reasons why a large number of transgender and gender non-conforming children drop out of education at different stages.

A more covert form of violence is the lack of conversation around the ways in which gender, caste, and class shape the experience of people in spaces of education, especially science education. This includes a hesitation on people’s part to address questions of caste and gender.

In the conference, this silence was attributed to the increasing depoliticisation of educational institutions, which reflects an increasing tendency to censor critical viewpoints in these spaces.

The lack of critical viewpoints in educational institutions appears to be in stark contrast with the purpose of education, including science education, which is to inculcate critical thinking rather than obedience to authority. Yet, as the narratives from the speakers highlighted, the overarching focus on “merit” coupled with the increasing depoliticisation of campuses is geared towards producing obedient and subservient citizens rather than those who can question policy and demand rights.

The way forward: Re-politicising and democratising education spaces

Acknowledging that education in India is a site of violence against marginalised groups inevitably compels us to put at front and centre the project of social justice in spaces of education in India.

However, conversations around social justice might be difficult to initiate in classrooms, given their hierarchical nature. Thus, democratisation of classroom spaces might be one way; rather than exerting unquestionable authority in their classroom, teachers can help students imbibe critical thinking and dissent by fostering spaces that encourage critical discussions.

Another way to ensure that classrooms and institutions reflect viewpoints from both privileged and marginalised groups is to ensure adequate representation of people from marginalised backgrounds in the classroom. Towards this, affirmative action policies – like reservations – have a major role to play. For example, at the time of writing this report, transgender persons in India have been demanding horizontal reservations in education and employment.

Intersectionality and interdisciplinarity

Interdisciplinary and intersectional ways of teaching and learning are also key to re-politicising and democratising education. This is because interdisciplinary pedagogies can help break traditional silos, provide new methods of inquiry and investigation, and help cultivate networks of solidarity and collaboration across different disciplines.

For example, consider the case of science institutions, where conversations on democracy, privilege and “merit” are rarely found. In such institutions, courses on history of science, and science and technology studies, can lead to transformative changes in how students see themselves and their disciplines.

By encouraging students to consider the social and political contexts in which science, scientists, and scientific institutions operate, educators can enable them to engage with questions surrounding democracy, privilege, and merit within the realm of science.

From institutes of eminence to institutes of (critical) empathy

Many of the exclusions mentioned in the first part of this report are exacerbated in the elite institutions of the country; this includes gender- and caste-based discrimination. As more and more elite institutions are recognised as “institutions of eminence” by the University Grants Commission, it is perhaps not eminence that should be at the heart of successful institutions, but empathy.

But how might empathy be exercised? By increasing the interaction between privileged and marginalised groups, one creates opportunities for people from privileged backgrounds to listen with care to narratives of marginalised groups. Listening with care allows the privileged to recognise the similarities and differences between their experiences and those of people from marginalised backgrounds.

This in turn allows people from dominant groups to critically look at their privileges, understand the limitations of their standpoints, and reinvent spaces of education as more democratic, inclusive of and accessible to people from marginalised backgrounds.

Listening with care, therefore, is the starting point for building solidarities that can make education in India more equitable. This conference was an attempt towards the same, and such attempts need to continue and grow.

Stories, whether based on history, mythology or fiction, shape our thinking and provide a framework for understanding the world around us, particularly in India where they are deeply ingrained in our culture. One such parable that has transcended generations is that of 'the elephant and the blind men'. Fascinated and intrigued by something new that has entered the town, blind (wo)men try to grasp what it is by touching the elephant. Unable to get a holistic picture, they share subjective interpretations based on their own experiences resulting in disagreements, and the situation comes to blows.

The story tells us that we have a tendency to claim absolute truth based on our limited, subjective experience, ignoring others' personal experiences that may be equally true. Could something good come out of such subjective views of holistic systems?

The teacher community: thoughts and actions

As science educators, we face new challenges in the classroom, almost every day, that require addressal, our version of the 'elephant' in the (class)room. Given these varied situations, each of us carry a unique perspective on science education and practice, based on personal experience. For the teacher community, sharing these perspectives can enrich collective understanding of challenges and approaches in teaching, which in turn, would help the community innovate and create better learning experiences for students.

The ‘community of practice’ concept has been successfully explored in many professions, enabling practitioners to share knowledge, ideas and solutions to advance their fields. However, the teaching community, has not fully embraced this concept. Wherever sharing happens, most of the sharing gets centred around administrative workings that don’t concern us or policies beyond our purview. This article shares a few steps towards initiating and building a 'community of practice' for educators in India.

Seeking support from peers

The teaching community needs platforms to discuss various concerns, including student challenges, science practice in resource-limited environments, digital pedagogy, and implementing NEP 2020 in classrooms. In today's demanding educational landscape, a teacher cannot be expected to navigate these challenges alone, relying solely on individual abilities to guide students towards effective learning.

One relatively low hanging approach to building a 'community of practice' in education is peer-support among educators. Building in person peer-support or meet up groups with teachers in local institutions or via regional collaborations, can offer insights into varied challenges, opportunities to share success stories and solutions, and build an understanding of larger educational initiatives such as policy and program changes.

Building communities of individuals

In addition to local peer-support groups, community-led in-person or online forums or ‘Kattas’ are good models for teachers to share ideas, concerns and solutions related to contemporary educational practice. These settings can prioritise topics that teachers want to listen to, discuss and act on. Nowadays, use of social media and communication applications like WhatsApp to engage teacher participants is very effective, and I can vouch for this via personal experience.

Steps could be taken to converge these practitioner groups to form a large and integrated community. While these systems may exist, it is up to us practising teachers to create a critical mass and extend the benefits of community sharing to practice. What comes out of these communities should also be tried and tested by individuals in their own classrooms, as there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. Effectively shared ideas, concepts, and philosophies can help to enrich the academic environment and loop the feedback into the community.

Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs)

FDPs are meant to upgrade teacher skills in select fields, but why can’t they also serve as a platform for building a community of practice? This could be done via well-designed teacher development programmes, focused on implementing a community of practice, via teacher education and training. Various educational and human resource development agencies could work together to network teachers nationwide and promote open forum environments for teachers to share practices and solutions. At the MS-DEED programme at IISER Pune, initiated with the MSFDA, Government of Maharashtra, we are trying out this approach by enabling environments for open interactions among teachers.

We observe that FDPs, workshops and meetings that encourage networking among educators and promote a community of practice are beneficial for an educator’s growth. We have developed a few sessions and activities that facilitate open discussions on challenges and solutions for implementing new skills and knowledge gained during our workshops. Some participants have started discussions without our interventions. These learnings have allowed us to unlearn traditional teaching methods, embrace ideas of inclusivity in a diverse classroom, and explore new assessment techniques.

Roles of academic administrators

In addition to community-led efforts, sustained initiatives will require continuous support from multiple stakeholders. Along with educators and academics, the administrators of Higher Education Institutes (HEI), such as Principals, Directors and Deans, can specify long-term visions and actions to bring teachers together to enrich local academic environments. Often, administrators belong to, or hail from, the same pool of educators working in the Indian education system, and therefore possess the insights and understanding needed to update policies and practices.

Administrators can design nationwide networking programmes for teachers, including those based on affinities to the subject being taught, regions, or languages. These formal networks will not only encourage teachers to share their professional experiences, but also enable modes of evaluation and assessment of teaching practices and interventions.

Taken together, 'community of practice' platforms can foster the sharing of challenges, solutions, and approaches among teachers, with benefits across the teaching and learning spectrum. There’s strength in numbers, and together we can make sense of the elephant.

It would be quite appropriate for a college professor to assume students know that a tree is alive and a rock is not.

Or would it?

For several summers, I have had the pleasure of teaching biology to Tibetan Buddhist monks exiled in India. This program, called the ETSI (Emory-Tibet Science Initiative), was sparked by discussions the Dalai Lama had with Emory University researchers in the 1990s and has blossomed into a way for monks of all ages to learn about science in the decades since.

The differences between modern biology and traditional Buddhist understandings of nature can seem significant – even in their definitions of what is “living.” Biologists’ understanding of life incorporates animals, plants and bacteria. Traditional Tibetan monastic teachings, on the other hand, base life on the idea of consciousness. Bacteria and animals, including humans, are recognized as having consciousness, and therefore are considered “living” beings. Plants, according to these traditional teachings, do not have consciousness and are thus “nonliving.”

But differences like these have led me to understand what I take for granted in my teaching at the University of Richmond and how much richer learning can be when we step back to explore the most basic – yet biggest – questions together. Thinking about how I would present various topics to the monks has given me concrete lessons to take back to my classroom in Virginia.

Looking at life up close

I study the relationship between bacteria and plants. In most introductory biology courses, college students bring an intuitive sense for what science defines as “life,” one they have built since kindergarten. But what if educators don’t assume that students “know” what defines a living thing – or, better yet, what if we used assumptions to spark inquiry?

Developing a definition of a “living thing” can be an effective way to introduce scientific inquiry. Through an activity in which students place something in “living/nonliving/once-living” categories, students can explore questions at the edges. For instance, is a virus a living thing? How about artificial intelligence? How would we decide when we discovered extraterrestrial life? These philosophical discussions about life spark interesting discussions across both cultures.

In both educational settings, we can use students’ observations of pond water under a microscope to discuss how scientists have built their concept of life, based on the following characteristics: something that is made of cells, has the capacity to reproduce, grows and develops, has evolved, uses energy, responds to stimuli and maintains homeostasis – a way to maintain an appropriate level of all sorts of chemicals and large molecules.

Different biologists will include or exclude some of these properties, and discussing whether to include them in our classroom’s definition can be an exciting process for students. In addition, we often extend this conversation to discuss how the definition of life has changed throughout human history and consider what questions biology may not be able to field, such as the notion of a soul or the Tibetan Buddhist concept of consciousness.

Asking questions

There are seeming contradictions between scientists’ and monks’ perspectives on other topics, as well. For example, traditional Buddhist teachings affirm spontaneous generation – the idea that life can arise from nonlife – which biologists rejected in the 19th century, based on experiments by Louis Pasteur and others.

According to Tibetan Buddhist perspectives, some life, like worms and bacteria, can be created through “dampness.” In the monks’ view, too, all animals are sentient, meaning that they have consciousness, as opposed to plants, which do not. This has traditionally been how Tibetan Buddhism forms a definition of life.

To explain the biologists’ view, we ask ourselves: How can biologists truly show what makes something “living”?

The key is the scientific method, based on testing and analysis. At the monastery, science instructors approach questions about spontaneous generation or sentience through the method’s series of questions: What experiments could you perform that could test your hypothesis that life arises from nonlife? What controls would you include to be confident in your results? How do you increase your confidence in the conclusions?

These conversations highlight that the foundation of modern science, this scientific method, is extremely compatible with the Buddhism the monks practice.

In part, this is because debate is central to their monasticism. Like the scientific method, debate requires that the participants approach ideas with skepticism and request “proof.” Tibetan Buddhists practice debate for hours daily. As one monk challenges another, they volley a religious idea back and forth to develop a deeper understanding of the concept.

While scientists don’t practice formal debate, we exercise similar muscles when we try to build a deeper understanding of the processes of life through theory, experimentation and challenging one another’s ideas.

Where science and religion meet

As we go further in any kind of classroom – at the monastery, or at a university – teachers and students sometimes find questions for which biology does not have especially satisfying answers: What are the origins of life? What is the purpose of sleep?

As teachers, we can use those to spark students’ curiosity, along with additional questions about how religion and biology intersect. Though some may bristle at the idea of theological questions entering a biology course, raising them can engage students by integrating science with deep questions they may have about their lives. What does biology have to say about the evolution of religions? How does what we learn in biology influence the concept of a soul? If we believe in the idea of souls, what organisms have them?

For the monks, this last question is critical, as Buddhism teaches that all life is sentient and sacred. When working with the monks, visiting teachers are very careful not to dispose of the microorganisms we inspect using a microscope as I would at the University of Richmond. Out of respect for their views, we simply pour the microorganisms outside in the grass. The monks have given me a new perspective on experimentation, including reconsidering the necessity of using certain organisms in research and teaching.

Scientific inquiry truly crosses cultures. And when we engage our differences head-on, with openness and compassion, it can prompt more meaningful learning for teachers and students alike.

I would like to thank Geshe Sangpo la for insights into Tibetan Buddhism that helped guide this article.