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The NGDS Pilot Project University of Karachi |
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½ About the NGDS
Pilot Project ½ The NGDS Team
½ Subprojects
½ Results
½ Publications
½ Links
½ Homepage of Project
Director ½ |
The NGDS Pilot Project URL: http://ngds-ku.org
The NGDS Pilot Project e-mail: info(at the
rate of)ngds-ku.org
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Subprojects of the NGDS Pilot Project
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The
Early Talent Research Participation Program (ETRPP)
High-School
Students are introduced to the ongoing research programs of University of
Karachi.
Aims and Objectives
Aims and objectives of ETRPP may be
summarized as:
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a) |
To identify and to groom talent at the school level |
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b) |
To motivate young students to take up study of science |
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c) |
To inculcate scientific thinking in young brains |
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d) |
To train to seek innovative solutions to problems |
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e) |
To help students determine their professional direction |
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f) |
To counsel the students in choice of their undergraduate
program |
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g) |
To chalk out and to help organize programs aimed at creating science
awareness in our society |
e-mail: ETRPP(at
the rate of)ngds-ku.org
( details +
nomination procedures ) ………….
The
NGDS Student Internships
Pre-University Students participate in the ongoing
research programs of University of Karachi. Students, selected for internship,
have, preferably, participated in ETRPP. Nomination procedures are same as for ETRPP.
However, there are no deadlines for submission of nominations. Duration and
contact hours for internship are decided by mutual consultation. The students
get a chance to experience science and technology by hands-on training in
dealing with very simple R&D problems and refine their problem-solving skills. During
the course of internship the students develop habits of creative thinking (by
identifying a problem and developing Research Proposal
outlining a proposed solution) and critical analysis (by conducting a
short-term study/investigation and write a Project Report) combined with training in
presentation skills (students give short presentations describing the proposal,
which they prepared, and the results of the investigations conducted). To help
them secure positions in institutions of higher learning, they are trained to
prepare Curriculum
Vita and
Statement
of Purpose
(relating knowledge and skills possessed with future plans).
The
NGDS School Health Training Program
Since 1998 this
program is being conducted in order to train school health team (school doctor,
school nurse, physical-education instructor) in the indigenously-developed
anthropometric techniques, in observing the signs of anemia, trunk
deformities and cardiac problems. In addition, they are briefed on how to look
for poor posture
and abnormalities of
gait.
The
NGDS Health Professional Training Program
2002
A seminar was given and growth software demonstrated as part of Postgraduate
Training Program, Department of Pediatrics, the Aga Khan University Medical
College on April 24, 2002
2003
During April 2003, the Project Director trained master anthropometrists of TAWANA
PAKISTAN. The height-measurement system, developed by the NGDS Team, was
adopted for the Tawana Pakistan Project. This is a nation-wide project,
conducted by the Aga Khan Foundation, aimed at nutritional assessment and
intervention of the Pakistani girl child. The then President of Pakistan
announced this project on March 23, 2002, who was, also, the Chief Patron of
this project. A manual for
obtaining anthropometric measurements was prepared for
this purpose.
2004
The NGDS Team provided technical support to the pediatricians working on
anthropometry projects at the Nishtar Medical College, Multan. A seminar was
conducted in the Department of Pediatrics on March 22, 2004.
2005
Our team gave seminars at Frontier Medical Colege, Abbotabad, NWFP (August 27,
2005) and Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi (October 26, 2005).
2006
Students of Department of Special Education, University of Karachi were trained
in obtaining anthropometric measurements on November 10, 11 and 13, 2006.
The Sibling Growth Pilot Project (SGPP)
In this project, all the siblings in the age range 4-8 years are included. They
are followed up till they reach the age of 11. At the initial visit detailed
history is taken, heights and weights of both parents are recorded and a
detailed physical examination is conducted. In addition to anthropometry, the
children are screened for anemia, cardiac problems and trunk deformities.
Interested parents may fill out consent form PDF (open Acrobat Reader before clicking
on the above link) OR Word. Mail the filled-out form to Professor
Dr. Syed Arif Kamal, Project Director, the NGDS Pilot Project/SGPP, Box 8406,
University of Karachi, Karachi 75270. If
qualified, the parents shall receive appointment letter/e-mail with date, time
and venue of check up as well as instructions to prepare the children. For
clarifications/querries, e-mail to the following address:
e-mail: SGPP(at
the rate of)ngds-ku.org
The Pre-University Integrated Science and Mathematics Curriculum
A child's mind is clean as a slate. Whatever one puts on it
during the first ten years of life shall have a lasting impression for the rest
of life. All the nations - past and present - who have excelled above others
for a considerable portion of time have developed their own educational
systems. Today one sees a vacuum in our
educational system. Over 70% of the people in Pakistan cannot read or write?
Over 2 500 schools in the Sindh Province of Pakistan alone are empty because of
lack of trained teachers. More than sixty years have passed since the formation
of Pakistan, but we have not been able to adopt and to implement an education
system, which cultivates self-esteem and scholarship, creates pride in our
heritage, and prepares the student to meet the challenges of the third
millennium. Here is an example of the technical expertise of our professionals:
A BE in mechanical engineering was asked whether a passenger-carrying bus with
baggage compartment above the passenger compartment (as is the practice in
Pakistan) is more prone to toppling or the one having luggage compartment below
the passenger compartment (as is the practice in the United States). He could
not answer this simple question. It turned out that the student had no concept
of center of mass.
One would not be surprised to know that books written ten to twenty years ago
are being taught in our schools and colleges today. Heavy school bags do not
contribute to scholarship but curvatures of the spinal column. Books do not
invite thinking and analysis but mere memorization of facts.
Attempts of
patchwork from foreign curricula have failed many times, because they do not
take into account of the complete picture.
It is, therefore, mandatory to prepare integrated science and
mathematics curriculum. The curriculum needs to be prepared in the following
stages:
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a) |
Outline
preparation (to link with knowledge obtained in other disciplines and a systematic
planning of gradual building-up of concepts and problem-solving skills, the
chart contains the level, the concept, the activity/the experiment to
reinforce this concept, the reference and the philosophy behind teaching this
concept) |
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b) |
Textbook,
workbook and lab manual preparation |
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c) |
Video lecture
and demonstration series |
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d) |
Interactive
software series |
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e) |
Testing and
evaluation |
Participation in the in-service training and in the refresher courses shall be mandatory
for all teachers using this curriculum. A monthly parents' link magazine shall
discuss topics to be taught and goals to be achieved during the month. Details of some work was presented in the keynote
lecture delivered during the Sindh
Educational Conference in 2009.
The NGDS Workshop Series: Improving the Quality of Mathematics
Education in Pakistan
Mathematics teachers must
have the willingness (achieved through motivational programs) and the ability
(achieved through teachers-training programs) to bring about a sustainable
change in mathematics education in Pakistan.
Aims and Objectives
Aims and objectives
of the NGDS Workshops may be summarized as:
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a) |
To appraise teachers about state-of-the-art contents
and pedagogical techniques in mathematics |
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b) |
To develop a state-of-mind in teachers, so that they are
constantly seeking new information through the print and the electronic
media, as well as educating themselves through discussions and interaction
with working scientists |
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c) |
To motivate teachers to prepare effective lectures,
demonstrations and activities in mathematics using the latest AV- and
IT-tools available |
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d) |
To train teachers to develop and to conduct quizzes,
tests and examinations in mathematics |
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e) |
To sharpen their problem-formulating and
problem-solving skills in mathematics |
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f) |
To involve them in various activities aimed at creating
mathematics awareness in our society |
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g) |
To provide guidance for chalking out a program of
lifelong learning for self in mathematics |
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h) |
To assist them in curriculum, textbook and
teaching-software development in the subject of mathematics |
e-mail: workshops(at
the rate of)ngds-ku.org
( details + nomination procedures ) ………….
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Updated: December 1, 2011 (0000h GMT)
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½ About the NGDS Pilot
Project ½ The NGDS Team ½ Subprojects ½ Results ½ Publications ½ Links ½ Homepage of Project Director ½ |
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