“Science learning in non-formal setting” catches my ear like anything. Subhajit

What I love to do is to become surprised and curious. Rajat

 I want to eradicate that problem which I faced in childhood, not understanding science properly from merely school education and this is the place where I can best fulfill my mission. Subhalaksmi

If you are having a bad day, wondering why in the world you chose a museum career, take a look at some of these inspired and inspiring thoughts from science museum staff and Fellows from India.

Once again my colleague Karen Lee and I are teaching in the MS program for Museum Studies and Science Communication in Kolkata, India. Karen is a Curator in the Numismatics Dept of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American history and also has long experience as an exhibit evaluator and developer.  The MS program is a professional development initiative of India’s National Council of Science Museums, a consortium of more than 25 science centers and museums throughout India.  We have 15 students this year, six of them staff members in NSCM museums and nine Fellows who are apprenticing in NCSM museums.

I asked the students to comment either on why they wanted to work in museums or on the challenges science museums in India face today.    As part of an effort to familiarize them with social media formats such as blogging, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc, I told the students their responses would be posted on this blog.  They’re all on Twitter now too, and beginning to follow other museum voices, comment and retweet on museum news and views on Twitter.

Here are excerpts from the thoughts of the students who wrote about why they want to work in science museums. In the next post I’ll feature the comments of students on current challenges in Indian science museums.

MK Balaji is a Project Coordinator at the Goa Science Centre in Panjim

Through this profession I can contribute for the growth of the nation and can inspire the young blood in choosing science as career.

Earlier I was in teaching profession where I used to teach formal education in which the syllabus and standards are fixed. And the scope of learning is very limited. A science museum profession is a challenging one where science can be taught in Non formal system and we can interact with different types of people (students & mass public) in the society to popularize science. In museum profession I can educate them through exhibits, educational activities designed and developed on various disciplines for example physics, mathematics, biology, history, electronics etc. In this profession I can update my knowledge with the current developments in the field of science & technology and also I can communicate it to the visitors in the way they like. This is not possible in formal education system.

  Ramaiah Bharadan is Education Officer at Visvesvaray Indian and Technical Museum in Bangalore

Science museums are not a hobby for me;

they are a huge part of my life.

 Working for science museums is a great opportunity for gathering knowledge in multidimensional way. It is the place where we can show our creative thinking, innovative ideas, communication and organizational skills. Only because of the science museum, I had a great opportunity to work on various subjects. I could able to develop science shows on physics, chemistry and mathematics only because of the science museum environment and resources available in and around me.

Only because of the science museum, I had a great opportunity to work for 3810 rural schools in the state of Karnataka and Tamilnadu for organising Mobile Science Exhibition and Sky observation programme through Telescope during my service of 25 years.

Only because of the science museum, I learnt and conducted teachers’ training programme on chemistry, physics and mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, and physics & mathematical labs. I gained the knowledge of executing multi tasks only because of science museum.

I am surrounded by science exhibits. I am constantly involved in conversations regarding contemporary interpretation of science events, people and places. Science museums are not a hobby for me; they are a huge part of my life. I work in science museum because science and educational access/participation is my passion. My leisure time hobby is also preparing for science. Science is everything in my life because I strongly believe that science can only solve all our problems. For that science museum is a very big tool for me.

 

Subhanwita Bhattacharyya is an MS Fellow at the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum, Kokata

People need to be taught science in a non-formal manner

so that they could link science with their daily lives.

As a student of science communication, I am learning how to make science accessible to the general public. Science is not something restricted to be used only by scientists or people having science backgrounds. Science is in our daily life, and people must be able to relate to it. It is very difficult to teach the rural population (which contribute to a large number of total Indian population) scientific laws from text books because their minds are pre-occupied by religious or superstitious beliefs and hence they may be repulsive towards science. They need to be taught science in a non-formal manner so that they could link science with their daily lives. On being a museum professional, I will engage myself in making exhibits more interesting, not necessarily interactive, but immersive so that they lead to full engagement of visitors. I would try to design science lectures, shows more active to enhance visitor participation. In a nutshell, working in a museum with a dream to bring about scientific literacy in India, will contribute in fulfilling some amount of my social responsibility.

  Kapil Jain is a Curator at the Nehru Science Centre in Mumbai, India

I was not satisfied by the formal system of education

  My entry in the Science Museum field particularly in National Council of Science Museum was not by choice but the interest to do some government job which gives a kind of satisfaction apart from earning money. Before joining the museum field I was associated with an academic institution and teaching the students about the various engineering based subjects. But I was not satisfied by the formal system of education designed by the University. When I joined the field of Science Museum approx. 3 years later, initially I struggled to understand the work culture inside the museum.But slowly I could get the real glimpse and clear mission for propagation of real Science to  the general public.

Now being as a Science Museum Professional I want to contribute the following:

i).  Contribute in popularising the Science to the people who are not having access to the facility.

ii) Work for uplifting the knowledge towards the Indian History of Science

iii) Work for the school children who are surrounded from all sides by the forced formal system of education and provide them a platform to grow their interest in a free choice environment and build the nation a driver in global scenario.

iv). Design and develop the kind of exhibits, teaching aids which really develop the scientific temper and help them to understand the beauty of Science at right time of their career.

v) Build an association of positive minded, enthusiastic people around the country having practical understanding of the world.

Apart from above points, after working 3 years in the field of Science Museums I could understand the concept behind the development of Science Museums/Centres. One of the major focus areaof Science Museums are its collections and I feel a lot of work has to be done in Indian context to develop a task force for proper care, proper documentation, proper display etc. as they are the building blocks of any Museums.

 Subhajit Mukerjee is an MS Fellow with Creative Museum Designers in Kokata

“Science learning in non-formal setting” catches my ear like anything. A classroom beyond class room, not the same old book but a virtual flipbook, not the teachers with rulers and strict disciplines but a smiling caregiver to explain the various topics of Science mainly Physics, Biology fascinates me to become a science museum professional.

According to many, Science in India is a topic which can only be taught in a formal set up with proper methods. But nowadays with various methods of learning we can take out the boredom of class and convert the ambience into a truly inspiring and motivating atmosphere where the children not only learn but also help another to learn.

In India where the formal schooling is still a dream to many of the village science education can be addressed by a science museum or at least a mobile science exhibition where the caregiver can provide a basic learning. In final note it will also be a pleasure to work with the people in a day to day life which in turn helps me to be a better person altogether.

 

Rajat Nath is an MS Fellow with Creative Museum Designers in Kolkata

As I write this, it gives me a chance to tell something about my aspirations. In the chaotic flow of everyday life we tend to forget our purpose of doing things.

Frankly speaking, I never thought of becoming a science museum professional, rather I was not aware something like this existed. What I love to do is to become surprised and curious. I like to be emotionally connected with something which gives me pleasure. A pleasure that stays for a long time and not just temporary excitement. I discovered a craving for knowledge which may not be very helpful to push me forward in my career however. But for me “useless knowledge” very often comes as gratifying. Among all the disciplines – science, arts, humanities, paintings, music which are equally appealing to me science is just a way to explore us and our surroundings. I hooked on.

Ironically, while sitting in a classroom to learn about those same things I feel averse rather than being happy. The method of teaching, lack of novelty in the whole process of learning, lack of choice what people really want and how, never care for any feedback, these all become huge barriers in the learning process.

Suddenly I stumbled upon some phrases like science centres, interactive exhibits, non-formal learning and found those are the things I wanted to embrace all the time. Gradually I found that the science museum has a long and rich tradition and academicians are actively working on this field. I feel science museums and centres can contribute in a large way to educate people and nurture scientific temper among people of our country where formal education could not penetrate the whole country in an effective way. I want to become a part of the force and enjoy my life and encourage others to whom I am connected.

 K. Srinivasa Nehru is a Curator at Science City, Kolkata

 More than 60% of what I learned is through informal way only.

When I was studying third standard, my father used to give me a lot of activities. With a lot of curiosity and interest I used to do them. But gradually he stopped giving me. But day by day my curiosity to do things has increased exponentially. I used to do experiments suggested in the text books. But it hardly gains appreciation from the parents as well as the teachers. Even then I continued to do things and at times they are also useful.

Later on, I came to know that the education system in India is mostly formal. But more than 60% of what I learned is through informal way only. This made me to decide my career as a science teacher.

So, I decided to teach students and help them in understanding things more in the form of informal way rather than formal way. After visiting B.M. Birla Science Centre in Hyderabad, I made my final decision to join a Science Centre. Since then I am in the search…and finally I got it in the year of 2010.

 

Subalakshmi Roy is an MS Fellow in the Central Research and Training Laboratory, Kolkata

In my childhood I was very introverted. I did not open up my problems or tell anyone about my difficulties in understanding. Then one day when I was about twelve, my class teacher took all of us to Science City, Kolkata. It was a memorable day for me, for it was that day when I first time cleared my doubts with confidence, I felt like heaven! From that day I got interested in science and started loving the subject. I did my B.Tech in Information Technology and managed to be a part of this MS (Science Communication) course. I do not want to join as an engineer immediately after passing, I want to do something that will give me job satisfaction at the same time do at least some good to the society. Science museums are the ideal places where one can find multiple disciplines of science like physics, chemistry, mathematics, biotechnology etc. I want to eradicate that problem which I faced in childhood, not understanding science properly from merely school education and this is the place where I can best fulfill my mission.

In our country like India, where a majority of people think that studying science is very costly, science museums can act as a scaffolder to break that dogma and bring science to the masses and I want to be a part of this social cause. In this 21^st century still a larger section of our society believe in different spiritual myths, I want to make people believe by themselves that those are all ill faiths and I feel that it would be possible for me if I join science museums and take science to general audiences. Being an Indian and a science professional I want to generate scientific temper which is one of the fundamental duties of every citizen. Moreover working in such esteemed institutions will definitely feel me proud and help me to build my own identity.

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