Prof. Jan van Driel From University Of Melbourne Talks STEM Education At JMI

The Department of Teacher Training and Non-Formal Education (IASE), Faculty of Education, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) organised an Extension Lecture on “Opportunities for STEM Education in the Present Scenario” on October 15, 2024 at New Hall of the IASE. On the invitation of the department, Jan Van Driel from Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne, Australia, delivered the lecture which drew attention to the importance of STEM education in today’s rapidly evolving world.

Notably the University of Melbourne has established its centre in New Delhi, two months back in Connaught Place, named as Melbourne Global Centre. One faculty and research scholars were invited to the centre on October 14, for a day-long workshop on STEM Education. In continuation to this programme the lecture in the IASE, JMI was organised.

The lecture commenced with a warm welcome by Aerum Khan, programme convener, who honoured the guests, Driel and Juhee Ahmad Strategic Advisor, University of Melbourne, with shawls, mementos and saplings as a gesture of appreciation and respect. Five recently published books from the faculty were also presented to the guests. The session was held in the esteemed presence of Sara Begum, Dean, Faculty of Education and Jessy Abraham, Head, Department of TT & NFE, JMI. The programme was coordinated seamlessly by Jasim Ahmad and Veera Gupta.

Jan van Driel, the guest speaker, is a Professor of Science Education and co-leader of the Mathematics, Science & Technology Education Group in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. He captivated the audience with his in-depth exploration of STEM education, emphasising the crucial role the discipline plays in the development of modern society. He provided an in-depth exploration of STEM fields, discussing their role in shaping the future. He emphasised the role of active learning and the challenges of the examination system in the curriculum of Australia while implementing STEM education. His talk focused on the importance of STEM education in an age of fake news and misinformation.

Driel drew parallels between the Indian and Australian curriculum, stressing the importance of the content of the curriculum and the competence of teachers. Moreover, to enhance STEM education, teacher training was one aspect that was highlighted by Driel. Skilful teachers will help future generations to make connections outside of school and engage with the community while learning the content. He further talked about the global perspectives of STEM education and the research areas that are still to be explored.

After his lecture, Jessy Abraham engaged with the audience, discussing opportunities for collaboration with the University of Melbourne and highlighting the critical role of teacher training in strengthening STEM education. Her insights offered valuable perspectives on international cooperation and the professional development of educators.

Jasim Ahmad shared his perspective on STEM education. He pointed out that STEM education has been an integral part of the Australian curriculum for over 20 years, as told by Driel, whereas in India, it has been introduced only recently. Ahmad provided his knowledge about the progress and challenges in STEM education. He highlighted the importance of STEM education as mentioned in the NEP-2020 and the possible implementation in the curriculum. Moreover, he discussed that the Indian education system is catching up with global standards with the introduction of NEP-2020.

The programme was graced by the faculty members, research scholars and postgraduate and undergraduate students of the department as a keen audience. All of them actively asked intriguing questions from the guest speaker and enhanced their horizons of knowledge on STEM education and interdisciplinary approaches. Their presence as an active audience made the extension lecture a success.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Shaista Tanveer, a research scholar at the department. Researchers and students left with renewed inspiration to delve deeper into the possibilities of STEM education.