Science Utsav 2016
NAVI MUMBAI SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NMSF) in association with Shree Gujarati Samaj and Maharashtra Academy of Sciences conducted a two day Science Utsav on 6th and 7th Feb. 2016 at Gujarat Bhavan Vashi. The first day of the event was dedicated to Teachers' Conference.
Day 1: Teachers' Conference: The main theme for this year's conference was "Encouraging and Supporting students' thinking in class room learning/ teaching of science" and the four sub-themes were:
- Handling of "Students' questions - a pathway to learning science".
- Using students' out of school experience.
- Encouraging involvement of "non-participating students".
- Impact of language barrier on science learning.
- Dr. N. D. Deshmukh (HBCSE),
- Ms. Leena Kulkarni, Vice Principal, Dr. Antonio da Silva High School, Dadar, Mumbai,
- Ms. Norinha Fernandes Principal, Lilavatibai Podar High School, Santacruz [she was represented by her colleague, Ms. Preethi Kumar, (Head Mistress Lilavatibai Podar High School), as she could not make it].
- Dr. Meena Kharatmal (HBCSE).
- NMMC School No. 40: Kachra Vyavasthapan.By Puja Biswal, Umer Sana, Shweta Rajan
- Shreerang Vidyalaya, Thane: pH of Solution. By Rutuja Patil, Akanksha Yadav
- St. Mary's Vashi: Factors affecting rate of chemical reaction. By Vikarsh Jadhav, Sahil Valekar, Akash Shete
- NMMC School No. 40: Kachra Vyavasthapan.
- NMMC School No. 40: Kachra Vyavasthapan.
- Nehru Science Centre, Worli, Mumbai.
- Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE, TIFR), Mankhurd.
- Origami Thane, Thane.
- Prof. Kavathekar's "Science through Toys".
- Wavikar Institute of Eyecare.
A total of fiftythree science teachers from Navi Mumbai & nearby areas like Panvel, Mumbai, Anushaktinagar, Bhivandi & Pune participated. The number included nine teachers from NMMC schools as well. It was thus thus a congregation of teachers from varying backgrounds dealing with different syllabuses. The contributed papers were reviewed by a team of experts & the authors were requested to modify their presentations in the light of these comments.
The conference started with a welcome address & introductory remarks by Dr. A. M. Bhagwat, Chairman, NMSF.
This was followed by preliminary remarks on "Chitra Natarajan Memorial Lecture" by Dr. R. Rajgopal (husband of late Prof. Chitra Natarajan) & keynote address ("Chitra Natarajan Memorial Lecture") by Prof. K. Subramaniam, Dean, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE, TIFR), & a vote of thanks by Shri D. A. R. Babu, Convenor, Science Utsav 2016.
Invited talks on the sub-themes were respectively delivered by:
Beyond this, a total of 19 papers were submitted by the participating teachers. All the invited talks & contributed papers were followed by in-depth discussions, leading to significant exchange of experiences & information. Presentations were followed by a feedback session which witnessed lively discussions among the participants and the experts. NMSF and the participants expressed their gratitude to Prof. Subramaniam, Dean HBCSE, who has been a guiding figure for the teachers' conference right from its planning stage.
The volume containing the proceedings of the conference was also released during the conference.
Second day of the Science Utsav was devoted to "Exhibition of Science Experiments by students" of Std. VII to IX. Through this exhibition, NMSF encourages the students to display their creativity and understanding of scientific principles by exhibiting the experiments designed by them. A total of fifty teams (including eight from Navi Mumbai Municipal Schools) participated. A team of judges evaluated the experiments and the understanding of the students.
The winning teams were:
Top Prize: Lokpuram Public School, Thane: Study of Co-efficient of friction on an inclined plane. (Prabuddha Gope, Sankalpa Bhadoria, Himanshu Kulkarni)
Three Teams won prizes at the science exhibition :All the participating teams received "Participation Certificates" while the winning teams were suitably rewarded additionally. Similarly, the two teams from Navi Mumbai which qualified for national level presentation in "NCSC 2015" and their teacher guides were specially rewarded on this occasion.
Scientific Demonstrations:
During the Utsav, NMSF also organized Scientific Demos from premier institutions and individuals in Mumbai for the benefit of the students and general public. The following organizations participated:
SCIENCE UTSAV 2015
Please click this image for: Science Utsav 2015