December 04, 2024
At Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham actively organizes educational outreach programs outside the campus, developing connections with local schools and the larger community. This involves participating in international initiatives such as the Amrita led C20 Education and Digital Transformation Working Group as part of India’s G20 presidency in 2023.
Furthermore, the university has implemented teacher development programs, promoted global citizenship education, and prioritized education for sustainable development. By organizing and driving participation of diverse stakeholders in conversations about education policy, curricula, teacher education, and student assessment, technology adoption, inclusion and accessibility, the university endeavours to contribute to the overall betterment of the educational system.
As part of the Civil 20 India Education and Digital Transformation Working Group, youth parliaments were organized by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham on the theme Education for Life on April 1, 2023, and June 15, 2023. The discussions, both at the global and national levels, united young minds to engage in thoughtful discussions on holistic education.
Some of the contemporary challenges discussed by the delegates include unemployment, mental health, women’s safety, disability inclusion, addictions (media and substances), lack of self-confidence, malnutrition in rural areas, lack of values, disconnect with nature, female dropout rates at schools and colleges, lack of life skills, child marriage, and turning to crime.
The delegates proposed education-focused solutions to address these challenges in creative and innovative ways. The expert facilitators, for the national (India) Youth Parliament, were Shri. D. Ramakrishna Rao, National President, Vidya Bharati, and Shri. Ritesh Kumar Singh (IAS), Principal Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Karnataka, provided feedback and encouragement to the delegates.
Civil 20 Youth Parliament & International Youth Parliament for Education for Life
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham led Civil 20 Education and Digital working group organized the Education for Life, Global Citizenship, virtual event on March 11, 2023. The discussion was centred on the pivotal role teachers play in shaping the future of education. They must be equipped to understand and cater to the diverse needs of their students, creating inclusive learning environments. This involves fostering empathy, acceptance, and emotional literacy. Educators can achieve this by implementing strategies that promote respect for others, animals, and the environment.
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Shivsubramani Krishnamoorthy (Br. Ramanandamrita Chaitanya), Director of MA Centres and Professor, School of Computing, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. The distinguished speakers were:
The discussion focused on important but frequently overlooked aspects of teacher education. By creating awareness, encouraging teachers to adopt inclusive practices, and inculcating the ethic of care, empowering teachers to lead by example to nurture students to become compassionate and responsible global citizens.
Educators should instil values of love, compassion and empathy in youth
As part of the C20 Education and Digital Transformation working group led by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, organized a Policy Dialogue on Education for Persons with Disability on April 12, 2023. The expert discussants include:
To effectively educate persons with disabilities, it is critical to use appropriate technology. Advanced learning solutions, such as AI technology, can help these technologies reach a larger audience, supporting skill development from a young age. Furthermore, affordable aids and assistive gadgets are required to meet the educational needs of persons with disabilities.
Making present-day schools, and educational instructions, accessible is an important step toward inclusive education. Addressing the issues of early intervention, rehabilitation training, job creation, and social inclusion in rural communities is critical. It is equally crucial to protect disabled people’s rights through activism, education, training, and social programs, beginning with sensitizing the community and society.
Early identification of difficulties is critical for minimizing school dropouts. Physical and attitudinal challenges, as well as a lack of streamlined transition programs, provide substantial challenges to students with disabilities. To address these difficulties, in-service teacher training, paraprofessional training, and teaching assistant training are required. Investing in these areas will help build more inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students.
Towards Equity and Inclusion in Education for Persons with Disability
A panel discussion on Compassion, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Education was organized as part of the four-day Holistic Leadership in Education training program organized by Ayudh at the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri campus, on June 16, 2023. Over 100 educators from the Department of Education (DOE) and the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in Delhi actively participated in the event.
The panel was moderated by Dr. Prema Nedungadi, Director, Amrita CREATE, Associate Dean, School of Computing, C20 Coordinator of Education and Digital Transformation (EDT) working group. The panellists were
To foster a more inclusive and understanding society, it is crucial to address the lack of awareness surrounding disabilities. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a significant step towards achieving inclusive education, as it prioritizes equity and quality for all learners. In the Indian context, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 focuses on supportive systems for inclusive education is a progressive move by the government. By aligning policies, raising awareness, and collaborating with teachers, can lead to creating more inclusive learning environment.
Cultivating a culture of helpfulness among students is essential for their overall development. Teachers should receive specialized training to effectively support neurodivergent learners. Educators should strive to create a classroom climate that empowers and encourages neurodivergent and disabled students to build confidence and leverage their strengths. Utilizing technological tools can make resources accessible and learning experiences more inclusive, motivating learners with diverse learning needs.
Holistic Leadership in Education: On Compassion, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Amrita CREATE organized Computer Science OLabs teaching training session on 19 October 2023. Dr. Swaminathan J, Chairperson and Associate Professor, Department of CSE and AI, School of Computing, Amritapuri, trained teachers through an exciting Computer Science OLabs Training Session for teachers.
The OLabs training session sparked interest in the teachers as they are eager to incorporate the platform into their teaching methods. Their openness to sharing resources on various subjects demonstrated how computer science educators can work together and exchange knowledge, improving the quality of teaching.
Computer Science OLabs Training Empowers Teachers to Transform Classroom Learning
The C20 Education and Digital Transformation conducted an outreach program to provide yoga and meditation training to schools, villagers, and soldiers in regions closer to the India-China, Nepal, and Pakistan borders. The primary objective was to promote mental and physical well-being among the participants, enhance their resilience in extreme climatic conditions, and foster a sense of unity and peace. Over 3000 people were trained as part of the outreach program.
The training led by Narinder and Swetha was conducted successfully in various locations, including Kargil, Leh, Dhakad, Kutti, Gunji, Kalapani, Nabhidhang, Chitkul, Sangla, Raksham, Kalpa, Kothi, Mana, and Niti in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh. These regions have challenging weather conditions, including freezing temperatures, chill winds, and heavy snowfalls with an average temperature below 0 degrees Celsius.
As part of the Amrita-led Civil 20 Education and Digital Transformation working group initiative, IAM (Integrated Amrita Meditation) training sessions across six states and UTs for tribal school children were organized. The sessions reached 36 cities, spread over Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Ladakh, impacting 7895 students between February to July 2023. The outreach program embodies the spirit of the Civil 20 tagline #YouAreTheLight.
Many of the students, in remote tribal areas, had a lot of anger with no outlet and little guidance to work through these strong emotions. One student said there are times when her anger is uncontrollable. However, after the session, “I know how to manage my anger now.” Yoga and meditation offer many benefits, benefitting social-emotion well-being and helping one stay centered and balanced.
Children, particularly in tribal schools, are often isolated from the mainstream and face unique challenges, which they accept as a way of life. However, these sessions helped channel their energy into positive thoughts and actions, which in the long run, can help them build resilience and confidence to go to the world to be their best selves.