Kathmandu, June 17 : Academic institutions are the holy place where knowledge is imparted and shared by means of teaching-learning activities. When we talk about universities, then it is an evident fact that research is done and conducted for the progress of mankind. Here, we shall confine ourselves within the limit of schooling education in Nepal in an attempt to provide our overview regarding the research activities that can be done to fuel the students with interest in research activities being based on subject.
Maths: When we consider maths at schooling level, then we do doubt if any research activities can be conducted or not. Yes! As a matter of fact, we can do study in mathematics. Till grade 10, a chapter in Set is taught where students learn to solve problem based on Venn diagrams. Mathematics teachers can conduct a survey among students with questions about their likes and dislikes which would not only be immediately applicable on solving problem but would provide a general overview of students regarding their likes, dislikes as well as intersections and compliments to discuss on the basis of chapter. For students of +2 too, such datas helps to calculate the statistical parameters like dispersion, correlation, and regression. With the aid of teacher they can attempt to transform the data into equations which would boost their research activities. Other chapter too has similar real life implications.
Science: Whether it be physics, chemistry, biology or any other field, Science relies on empirical observations from which data ate taken about real world phenomena. Life cycle of plants, time taken by covered leaf to decay, as well as taking measurement of everyday pressure, temperature, humidity and other physical factors can be a good initiation for conducting the experiments to the students of science. The data taken becomes a specific case study which can then be attempted to generalize to obtain certain facts on the topics.
Language (English and Nepali): Language plays a central role in communication. English and Nepali are included as compulsory subjects in schooling. Students can be made to learn about theme of particular literature, provide their opinions on certain chapters regarding their understanding as well as can be encouraged to express their opinions as reviews on certain topics. This boosts their fluency over language and their writing habits gets improved allowing them to excel on any field they would choose to pursue during their higher studies.
Social Studies: Social studies is one of the most disliked subjects by students of schooling level education where they study about society, civilization, nation, administrations, history, geography, international relations and lot. They can be made to observe the society and let them find out why any particular chapter that they have studied can have profound impact on society. Launching campaigns, collecting data on social problems, and being a social creature is the goal of this subject, which would also accelerate the research and promote consciousness in peoples regarding societal values.
Account and Economics: Account and economics deals with currencies and transactions, and methods of management of those transactions. Besides theoretical concepts students can be taught to write their daily accounting activities of expenses (or income too) in terms of book-keeping methods like Journal, Ledger, and Trial Balance. Students of economics can learn how economic theories are discuss to address the economic needs of the society. This would allow them to know the application of their learning.
Computing: Computing is need of today. Students studying computing can be taught about various areas where computing is needed to perform a certain task by the aid of machine. This paves the way for innovation and inventions making students creative as well as allowing their creativity to be shown to the public.
These were the basic things that can be done in schooling to promote research activities. This comes with the challenge which is even the teachers must prepare themselves for such activities and be experimental to cope with the students. Teachers themselves must be enthusiastic so that students can perform things on research oriented activities. And for this students must seek activities outside of the class because in class we have a trend of studying theoretical topics. Labs have to be well equipped. In governmental schools, teachers are supposed to complete a action research for their appraisal process which itself is a research oriented activity. Formal measures should be adopted, plagiarism should be avoided in such works, and they should be encouraged. And most of all each academic institution must have their own journals and magazines to publish the work of teachers as well as students. #nepal
