Looking Ahead by Looking Back - 2019 - 2018

It is that time of the year to recollect what happened in the last one year, as a way of preparing, planning for what lies ahead. Apart from the usual academic classes that I handle, there have been a few more eventful things.

The 'eventful' things of the year that I could recollect starts with the Chennai ThinQ Retreat in March. It was indeed an eye opener into Philosophy and the overall alignments of ThinQ (www.schoolofthinq.com) towards education. While the mainstream education focuses on the Ontology, ThinQ proposes to focus on epistemology  and base the curriculum based on a detailed study of comparative epistemology across disciplines.

Later in March, I was selected as the mentor of change by the Atal Innovation Mission. The AIM aims at getting school students to find innovative solutions to the local problems that they find. While this is a wonderful initiative by the GoI, I am afraid it needs a little more backing up for both the school and the mentors. More of it later.

After a memorable family vacation in May, the academic year started with a good note - the sanction of a grant from the GoI. The grant proposed to investigate the effects of osmolytes on protein-DNA interaction with an aim to delineate general principles and ability to tune the specificity of protein-DNA interactions.

The IIE-2018 course of ThinQ started in May and extended until late October, which was again a great learning experience. Had the opportunity to attend two of its One-Day-Meetings, which, as usual was illuminating. Later, the November retreat sensitized to the typology of arguments and the separation of the "why" and "how" questions. But the main take-away of the retreat was the sensitization to trans-disciplinarity and the ability to identify "ideas" (at least, I got what I meant as "idea" only now!).

November also saw the "Gaja" cyclonic storm in Thanjavur and nearby districts which was extremely devastating. We, at home, had no power for three days - a unique experience. Luckily we had a relative at the heart of the city where there was power. The important learning: One can live without power, but not without water!

Comes December then with my son's 4-th birthday. This year, I didn't get myself too much involved in the conduct of the INSPIRE camp at SASTRA. Handed down the torch two years ago and sort-of hand holded it until last year. But this year, the coordinator of the last year hand-holded for this year's coordinator. So, I am happy that what I initiated has been successfully passed on and trained to be passed on for the fourth consecutive year. With this, the year comes to an end on a good note.

The year ahead is starting with the IIE-2018/19 F2F workshop in Pune - eagerly waiting to experience - a new set of participants, a new set of lesson plans! A few more pending commitments, satisifying grant requirements/objectives are things that carry over from 2018. As for new initiatives for the year ahead, looking forward to establishing the Teaching-Learning club at SASTRA such that the Department of Education can take over. Need to plan something so that ThinQ's educational goals can be taken forward. With this, let me stop by saying that I am looking forward to 2019!! :-)

Language & Children

Would like to catalogue an interesting thing that we noticed in our Son yesterday:

He was playing with ice cubes and he said "Jillu potruchu". First I couldn't understand it and then my wife pointed it out that he is using it similar to "Soodu  potruchu".

மொழிமுதல் எழுத்துக்கள்

Suppose you are asked to go through the entire lot of Tamil books and identify which letters (of Tamil) can form the first letter of the word, which letters canNOT form the first letter of a word, what would you find? Try it!

The early tamil grammarians probably undertook this exercise to find rules that have been followed in our language use. This has been compiled in Tholkapiyam - Nannool books.

For the above specific question, here is the answer: http://www.tamilvu.org/slet/l0100/l0100son.jsp?subid=11

The content of the same is being pasted here in case the above link goes defunct:

1. பன்னீர்-உயிரும் மொழி முதல் ஆகும்.
2.  உயிர்மெய் அல்லன மொழி முதல் ஆகா. 
3. க, த, ந, ப, ம, எனும் ஆவைந்து எழுத்தும்
எல்லா உயிரொடும் செல்லுமார் முதலே.
 4. சகரக் கிளவியும் அவற்று ஓரற்றே-
அ, ஐ, ஒள, எனும் மூன்று அலங்கடையே.
 5. உ, ஊ, ஒ, ஓ, என்னும் நான்கு உயிர்
`வ' என் எழுத்தொடு வருதல் இல்லை.
 6. ஆ, எ, ஒ, எனும் மூஉயிர் ஞகாரத்து உரிய
7. ஆவொடு அல்லது யகரம் முதலாது
8. முதலா ஏன தம் பெயர் முதலும். 
9. குற்றியலுகரம் முறைப்பெயர் மருங்கின்
ஒற்றிய நகரமிசை நகரமொடு முதலும். 
10. முற்றியலுகரமொடு பொருள் வேறுபடாஅது-
அப் பெயர் மருங்கின் நிலையியலான.
For a detailed explanation of the above rules, see https://ta.wikipedia.org/s/rra
Briefly,

12 உயிரெழுத்துக்களும் மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும்
க வரிசை 12 எழுத்தும் மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும்
த வரிசை 12 எழுத்தும் மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும்
ந வரிசை 12 எழுத்தும் மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும்
ப வரிசை 12 எழுத்தும் மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும்
ம வரிசை 12 எழுத்தும் மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும்
ச வரிசையில் 9 எழுத்து மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும். (ச, சை, சௌ வராது)
வ வரிசையில் 8 எழுத்து மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும். (வு, வூ, வொ, வோ வராது)
ஞ வரிசையில் 3 எழுத்து மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும். (ஞா, ஞெ, ஞொ)
ய வரிசையில் 1 எழுத்து மொழிக்கு முதலில் வரும். (யா)


The word 'சரி' wasn't in existence in those days. The equivalent word was 'ஏற்பு'. Hence the rule that says ச cannot be the first letter of a word is obsolete today. However, certain rules are not made obsolete today - perhaps because of people who are sticklers to rules. For instance, ராமன் is written as இராமன் today because  ரா cannot be the first letter as per the rules. I don't understand why certain rules can become obsolete and certain others cannot!

Now, suppose we give the above tasks to kids and ask them to formulate the rules, then we will help them to

1. Explore the language
2. Generalize and make abstractions

If we value the above to outcomes, then we need to rethink linguistic education. 

Grammar

Well, for anyone who has been through school, grammar is a set of rules that have been pushed down into our throats. This makes everyone of us dread about grammar classes. However, grammar is not just the set of rules. It is about discovering oneself - the framework of language within us. Take a look at this link to understand what I mean: https://allthingslinguistic.com/post/48308402369/teaching-linguistics-to-elementary-school-students I am also posting the contents of the link here - in case the link goes defunct.

Several interesting posts from Literal Minded by Neal Whitman on teaching elementary school students linguistics. Excerpt: 

“Before we start,” I said, “I need to make sure I know what language you guys speak.”
“English!” they said.
“Ah, good! That’s what I speak, too. So Mrs. K,” I said, turning to Adam’s teacher, “Do they speak English pretty well?” She said they did. “OK,” I said. “Let me try a little test. See Mrs. K. here? Could I say, ‘Mat the on Mrs. K. sitting is’?”
I called on one of Adam’s classmates. “Jenny, is that good English? ‘Mat the on Mrs. K. sitting is’?”
“No,” Jenny said.
“It’s not? Then how would you say it?”
“Mrs. K. is sitting on the mat.”
“Really? How about the rest of you? Who would say ‘Mrs. K. is sitting on the mat’?” Most of the hands went up. (Well, more accurately, most of half of the hands went up.) “And would anyone say, ‘Mat the on Mrs. K. sitting is’?” None of them would.
“What? Why not? It’s the same words!”
“It’s the wrong order!” one or two of them said.
“Who told you that? James, did Mrs. K. tell you that it’s ‘on the mat’, not ‘mat the on’? No? Carly, did your mom tell you it’s ‘is sitting’ and not ‘sitting is?’ She didn’t? Then how did you know?”
“It just sounds right,” she said.

That's how grammar starts!

Some order of words sounds right and some others don't. We derive rules based on what sounds right (for the native speaker). Consider the case where we teach children how to derive the rules and a case where we push a set of rules down their throat. Which one do you think has more value to teaching to kids? I am sure you would say the former. When we teach kids to derive the rules by themselves, they not only automatically learn grammar, but also learn the norms of scientific inquiry.

There is an excellent article by Prof. Samuel Jay Keyser on "The role of linguistics in elementary school curriculum" (I cannot find a link; you can leave your email id in the comments section if you want a pdf copy of the article) that articulates how linguistics can be used to teach kids scientific inquiry.

Ullurai Uvamum

In Tamil literature, this is a way of alluding to something else than that which is specified in the poem. That is the meaning goes beyond the literary meaning (hidden meaning). A good example is what I found in the book "Smile of Murugan": (page 109).

" Look there my lord,
Near that lovely pond
With its broad green lotus leaves,
The heron
Motionless and without fear
Stands shining
Like a white and golden
Conch".

Heron is a white bird (naarai). Conch is sangu.

The above is a poem, a lady love tells her hero.

The first layer of meaning is the above.
The second layer of meaning comes from the fact that the bird stands motionless and without fear. When a heron stands motionless and without fear, it means no one is around. That is, the place is deserted.

The next layer of meaning that the author states in the book is that, the lady love indicates that the place is deserted, and hence is ideally suited for making love.

Thus, in the poem, the lady love, very elegantly and indirectly conveys her emotions to her lover. This is ullurai uvamum.  The other stunning part is the acute observation that the heron stands motionless and without fear only when there is no one around. How much they have observed nature!! 

Features of Akam Poetry

There seem to have been some rules/committment that has been followed in the Akam poetries:

They are: 

1. Men and women in the poems should not be mentioned by real or imaginary names. They can be referred to by as "turaivan", "natan", "ulavan" etc. - the general names or as pronouns "avan, aval". 

2. Not to deal with the dead and the supernatural. As Kamil puts it, they are the unliving and uncreative. "...great poetry should  be that which generates life, relives and recreates the splendour and music of life, at the living moment." 

These commitments render these poems a cosmic effect, that which is perennially alive. 

Another unique feature of these poems is the metaphors used. Almost all of the metaphors are related to the immediate natural surrounding of the hero/heroine. For instance, in Kuruntokai 399, the poet says: 

ஊருண் கேணி யுண்டுறைக் தொக்க
பாசி யற்றே பசலை காதலர்
தொடுவுழித் தொடுவுழி நீங்கி
விடுவுழி விடுவுழிப் பரத்த லானே.

Translation from the source: 

My pallor is like the green algae 

growing on the pond

where the village gets its drinking water; 

every time my lover touches me

it disappears;

every time my lover leaves me

it spreads back again. 

Here, the poet compares the changes in the pallor of the "talaivi" to the movement of the algae in the pond when one touches it. Thus, it implies that people were acutely observant of the natural surroundings and lived a life of harmony with nature.  Perhaps this is a message in itself to the people - live in harmony with nature!

(source: Literary Conventions in Akam Poetry by Kamil V Zvelebil).

Ainkurunuru 409

Below is a poem from Ainkurunuru (poem number 409) that I think is extremely nice and portrays the love in a family in a very creative way. 

புதல்வன் கவைஇயினன் தந்தை, மென் மொழிப்

புதல்வன் தாயோ இருவரும் கவையினள்,
இனிது மன்ற அவர் கிடக்கை,
நனி இரும் பரப்பின் இவ் உலகுடன் உறுமே.

Translation by AK Ramanujan: 

The father holds his son close, 

the son's mother holds them both in her arms. 

Such a state is beautiful. In its little space, 

it is large enough to hold the wide world and all the lives in it. 

[I read this from: "Literary Conventions in Akam Poetry" by Kamil Zvelebil. 

Self Learning

Below is an outcome of discussions with a friend, Gautham Jegadeesan, and from tricklings imbibed from the School of ThinQ.

A small preamble: We all have been talking about goals of education, but as the Mohanans in the School of ThinQ, put it, it is important flesh it out in great detail. Below is an attempt on one strand of what we think education ought to do. 

A. A set of questions is given to students. The resources that will help the student find answer to  these questions are also provided. The students have to go through the resources and find the answer to the questions.  (Here, the student is expected to develop the ability to go through a given resource, assimilate the information provided in the resource and apply the knowledge to answer the questions provided. The outcomes these questions could test could include identification of the right resources, application, critical understanding etc.)

B. Questions are given to students. Resources not given, students have to find the resources and learn from them. (In addition to the outcomes of (A), here, the ability to identify relevant resources and learn from it is targeted.)

C. No resources or questions given – students identify resources by themselves and learn from it themselves and revise their understanding by themselves or from interactions with others.

While A & B can be called as guided self-learning, C may be called as independent learning.

(C) above is an ideal quality that we aspire for in any educated individual. However, the pre-requisite to undertaking (3) is

i.   Ability to identify and formulate clearly what one wants to learn

ii.  The mindset to persist and learn and

iii. Ability to engage in reflection and the mindset to revise/change understanding when presented with arguments/evidences to the contrary.

When we say the ability to learn, we may refer to it at various levels:

1. Familiarity of terminologies

2. Understanding of the concept that the terminologies denote (ability to identify counterexamples is an important in conceptual understanding)

3. Piecing together various concepts to make a big picture

4. Applying the concepts to unknown situations (this could simply be identifying the right formula for a given problem and able to do the relevant mathematical calculations)

5. Critical understanding of a phenomenon (e.g., How do we know that liquids at surfaces have zero velocity?)

6. Design thought/real experiments to test understanding.

I would presume, in the context of a BTech curriculum, we should aspire for at least (B) in the higher semesters.

Suppose we agree that (B) is a desired outcome for our graduates and the above are broadly the various strands/levels that go into self-learning, we then need to ask ourselves, which of the topics in our courses will lend itself easily to inculcate this ability. Needless to say, there are two assumptions that underlie this:

1. We believe all students can be helped to become self-learners

2. Students are willing to become self-learners.

Some challenges

Challenge – 1

One of the challenges that I faced when I tried to attempt at inculcating self-learning through some activities was that students don’t spend time for this.

This was partially because they are victims of an educational system that hasn’t focused on this ability (B) so far. Therefore, they find it daunting or anxious. Or, this is because they don’t have time to invest. Or, because they don’t have the patience to engage in a process for long time (this is supplemented with the distractions in the form of smart phones).

To overcome these, I started giving time within the class hours. This seemed to have some effect and at least some of them started to engage in the process seriously.

The above understanding is based on what I have done over the last semester for only one batch of students. Needless to say, there must be more challenges and solutions that would come out upon subsequent implementation to different batches.

I am also pretty sure that most of us are trying something of this sort in our classes. Would like to invite you to share your experiences and strategies you adopted with the goal that this would eventually enhance our collective teaching process.

Challenge – 2

One of the other challenges that can be foreseen is ‘covering’ the portion when a significant number of class hours are spent for activities of self-learning. Luckily, the syllabus I had was just enough to be covered within the prescribed time. However, I can easily see the difficulty for other courses that will require a full 60 hours. The only solution at this point of time that I can think of is to tailor at least one or two courses per semester (whichever is possible) to adopt this mode, of course, with the instructor’s willingness.