And with good reason.

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) tested one-half million students from 41 countries. On the science portion, American fourth graders came in third, but slipped to 17th place in grade 8 and sixth from the bottom in grade 12. In advanced science, our kids came in last.

In math, our fourth graders placed 12th, our 8th graders placed 17th, and our 12th graders scored sixth from the bottom.

It is for such reasons that the Obama administration has launched its “Educate to Innovate” campaign, focusing on improving America’s performance in these STEM subjects and gaining the support of major corporations, foundations and non-profits–even Discovery Communications and Sesame Street.

Their aim: every child. Yes, even your preschooler. It’s coming, of that you can be sure. Reassuringly, though, Temple University’s Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pacek says, “Efforts to expand preschool science teaching need not necessarily conflict with young children’s need for playtime. Science can be taught in the context of play.”

And you can support those efforts at home by doing simple experiments right there in your kitchen, starting with your toddlers and then continuing as they get older. Such activities serve to pique curiosity and engage youngsters in seeking answers, as they learn more and more about how the world works. And that’s crucial.

As President Obama has said, “Reaffirming and strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation is essential to meeting the challenges of this century.”

As you know, science has been included in the No Child Left Behind testing mandate since the 2007-08 school year. And now with “Educate to Innovate,” there’s an even stronger push to engage all of our students in thinking deeply and critically in STEM subjects, boosting our international standing and informing our kids about careers in related fields–opening up possibilities for girls, as well as boys.

According to the National Science Foundation, while women make up 46% of the American workforce, they hold only 25% of the jobs in engineering, technology, and science.

Helping to change those numbers is the stated purpose of the non-profit organization Expanding Your Horizons, which says it is “encouraging young women to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers.” To that end, EYH coordinates 85 hands-on math and science conferences annually-and one is sure to come your way.

For instancee, open to middle school girls, an Expanding Your Horizons conference will be held on March 20th at Swarthmore College. “All workshops are led by female role models who not only have a deep knowledge of the topics they teach, but also serve as positive examples of successful women in technical fields… Our conference is perfect for girls who have already discovered a passion for math or science, but it is also a great opportunity to reach those who may be beginning to lose interest in these typically male-dominated fields. We hope you or the special young women in your life will consider spending a day learning and discovering with us.” Average cost to participants: only $10.65.

Meanwhile, Wilkes University has received a $2.9 million Pennsylvania Department of Education grant to train middle-level teachers from five counties in math and science, including those in Montgomery County’s Springford, Upper Perkiomen, and Perkiomen Valley school districts. This specialized program integrates content with teaching skills, thus enhancing our students’ classroom experience in these core subjects–and the timing couldn’t be better.

Says John Holdren, Obama’s science advisor and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, “America needs a world-class STEM workforce to address the grand challenges of the 21st century, such as developing clean sources of energy that reduce our dependence on foreign oil and discovering a cure for cancer.”

Carol is a learning specialist who worked with middle school children and their parents at the Methacton School District in Pennsylvania for more than 25 years and now supervises student teachers at Gwynedd-Mercy College. Along with the booklet, 149 Parenting School-Wise Tips: Intermediate Grades & Up, and numerous articles in such publications as Teaching Pre-K-8 and Curious Parents, she has authored three successful learning guidebooks: Getting School-Wise: A Student Guidebook, Other-Wise and School-Wise: A Parent Guidebook, and ESL Activities for Every Month of the School Year. Carol also writes for examiner.com; find her articles at http://www.examiner.com/x-6261-Montgomery-County-Wise-Parenting-Examiner For more information, go to http://www.schoolwisebooks.com or contact Carol at carol@schoolwisebooks.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_Josel

For this, one of the sites on the internet that is Tutor Vista provides so many services that can be used by college student to increase their ability in so many difficult subjects, such as Calculus help, Precalculus help, Math homework help, Algebra homework help, and many other helps in many subjects. This will be a great service since they will be able to have their time to learn the subject even though they are working.

This is the service that can be very helpful, since students will be able to solve so many problems, such as College algebra problems, Math problems, and many other problems. The professional tutors will be able to serve them the best in the Free college algebra help as well as the free college math help to get the algebra and Math answers by themselves.

There are many different problems on Mathematics and it is very awful when you have tried to find the answer but you cannot come up with what you want. TutorNext will be the solution you must consider. The online system will be helpful indeed for you to fix the schedule based on your needs. The professional tutors will help you to do and solve your Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 problems. What about the college students? Definitely, they can make use of the best assistance from TutorNext as well.

The presence of online tutorial is basically helpful indeed for students. They can manage their schedule and can get the guides without any need to come to the class directly. The professional team is what you need to find the Algebra 1 Answers and the Algebra 2 Answers. What about the price? You will have to pay for the quite reasonable price, thus the amount of money you would have spent will be worthy to exchange the good assistance you would have got.

In India, there are countless number of leading universities, such as IITs, Private Institutes, State Level Engineering Colleges and Regional Engineering Colleges that are engaged in making the career of future computer and IT engineers.

The demand of Indian Computer Science and IT Professionals is increasing day by day on a worldwide level. That’s why in a current scenario becoming a computer science and IT professional is a dream of many a young youth of India.

There is a broad spectrum of computer training comes under the study of computer science and information technology. When it comes to finding computer science schools, anyone has to go through a deep research that sometimes open different choices to the users. Computer courses can offer high-tech training for professional certification and several levels of college degrees in computer technology and computer science. It is completely up to you whatever you decide.

The main purpose of computers and IT colleges and institutes in India is to design programmes in a way that can prepare future network engineers, programmers, computer technicians and others for professional employment in the computer sciences field. A huge range of computer technology is covered under the study of computer sciences, so anyone should think think about his/her ultimate goal before enrolling himself/herself in any computer science courses.

If you are one of them who are looking for professional certification in one area of computers and information technology, you can find a number of colleges and institutes in India that provide computers and IT education. Among them, there are some institutes that demand for previous experience or training in computers and information technology. There are also some colleges that allow you to start from scratch.

If you are one of them who always seek for getting an advanced position in computer networking or information technology, you will have to find complete information about all college degrees in computer science. Some highly respected degrees of this field are Master of Science Degrees (MS),Bachelor of Science Degrees (BS) and Associate of Science Degrees (AS). The terminal degree of this filed is Doctorate of Science in Computer Science offered by renowned and widely-known universities in India. The higher degree you have, the more salary will come into your hand.

You can also include some business courses along with your computer and information technology education, if you are thinking to pursue your career in management, office administration or business technology.

There are a huge number of widely-renowned computers and IT colleges and institutes in India offering excellent computer science and information technology education required to be a computer and IT professional. You can get this education by enrolling yourself in any of the top colleges and institutes. These colleges and institutes help you to earn a diploma or a degree course according to you potential and skills by practicing them as professional.

Some colleges that offer excellent and specialized computer science and information technology courses and fellow programs are Amrita Institute of Computer Technology, Bankatlal Badruka College for Information Technology, Academy of Computer Technology, B.I.I.T. Heights Institute of Information and Technology, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Technical Educational Society, Alakananda Computer Training Centre, Department of Computer Science, Godavari Institute of Information Technology, etc. Some other institutes are A.J. College of Science and Technology, Axis College of Economics and Commerce, Academy of Computer Studies, Allahabad Agricultural Institute Deemed University, Banaras Hindu University, etc.

Shefali Roy is a webmaster of latestt.com. Here u can get the information related to career options and computers and IT colleges in India. For more details visit latestt.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shefali_Roy

Fortunately for students, many of these initiatives include financial incentives to help them complete campus-based or online degree programs in these fields. Texas Governor Rick Perry recently announced his support of a $100 million program to help students pursuing STEM-related degrees or certificates.

The STEM Challenge Scholarship program is intended to foster regional partnerships between colleges, school districts and employers in order to create and distribute financial aid awards in order to attract students to degree programs and careers in related industries.

Governor Perry said the scholarship program is intended to “encourage higher education institutions to design STEM programs that meet local employer needs, while providing Texas students the opportunity to pursue the education they need as they fulfill their potential.” He also proposed a plan to expand the state’s UTeach program, which provides tuition assistance to college students pursuing teaching careers in math and science.

Currently, the state provides $80 million to universities to help them increase their graduation rates, particularly in STEM fields. Prospective employers in these industries are launching similar initiatives to entire students to pursue STEM-related careers. For example, Tech Collective, a Rhode Island-based information technology (IT) and bioscience association, recently partnered with three other organizations to launch scholarship programs for students working toward degrees in IT-related subjects.

A total of five scholarships worth $7,000 are available through three different awards. The Lighthouse Computer Services/Tech Collective scholarship will provide two $1,000 awards to high school or college students who are working pursuing careers in the IT industry and have some affiliation with the U.S. military.

The company will partner with Fibertech Networks to award a $3,000 scholarship to a female high school student planning to enroll in a college degree program in information systems, computer systems or another IT-related field. Female and minority students who demonstrate commitment, dedication, academic excellence, leadership and determination are eligible to apply for the $1,000 Doug Schwinn/Tech Collective Scholarship.

Students who wish to take advantage of the growing opportunities in STEM-related industries may consider applying for similar awards that can help them finance higher education.

Now there are student loans and grants
available for degree programs online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natasha_Bright

The compound is situated within an area of 100 acros. This university has two academy buildings, one administration building, three dormitory for boys and one dormitory for girls. The majar of Mawlana Bhashani is situated on the campus. There are school for boys and girs, technical college, madras with their hostel are situated along with the campus. There is a nice food court or cafeteria is situated in the center of campus beside the central library. The library is very rich in its collection.

There are two faculties in this university,one is LIFE SCIENCE FACULTY and other is ENGINEERING FACULTY.

LIFE SCIENCE FACULTY Department -
* Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
* Criminology and Police Science
* Food Technology and Nutritional Science
* Environmental Science and Resource Management.

ENGINEERING FACULTY Department -
* Information and Communication Technology
*Computer Science and Technology
* Textile Engineering

There are above 2000 students in this university and 62 Teachers for guiding them. All of the teachers are highly qualified and trained. They are very supportive to students. The classrooms provide well facilities and ventilation.

The university provides excellent lab facilities for every department.the computer classes held for students of engineering department and also for other students. The university also provide medical facilities and transport facilities for students. There are seats available for foreign students. The students of this university takes part in various cultural programs. Programs are arranged in every occasion in the by the students.

The university has wonderful view.
MAWLANA BHASHANI SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY
SANOSH,TANGAIL-1902,BANGLADESH.
The website URL is – http://www.mbstu.ac.bd

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=MD._Hafizur_Rahman

Let’s look at some of the reasons why girls come to the STEM classroom with less of the core skills needed for success in this subject area. Overall, girls and boys play with different kinds of games in early childhood that provide different types of learning experiences. Most girls play games that emphasize relationships (i.e., playing house, playing with dolls) or creativity (i.e., drawing, painting). In contrast, boys play computer and video games or games that emphasize building (i.e., LEGO®), both of which develop problem-solving, spatial-relationship and hands-on skills.

A study of gender differences in spatial relations skills of engineering students in the U.S. and Brazil found that there was a large disparity between the skills of female and male students. These studies attributed female student’s lesser skills set to two statistically significant factors: 1) less experience playing with building toys and 2) having taken less drafting courses prior to the engineering program. Spatial relations skills are critical to engineering. A gender study of computer science majors at Carnegie-Mellon University (one of the preeminent computer science programs in the country) found that, overall, male students come equipped with much better computer skills than female students. This equips male students with a considerable advantage in the classroom and could impact the confidence of female students.

Are these gender differences nature or nurture? There is considerable evidence that they are nurture. Studies show that most leading computer and video games appeal to male interests and have predominantly male characters and themes, thus it is not surprising that girls are much less interested in playing them. A study of computer games by Children Now found that 17% of the games have female characters and of these, 50% are either props, they tend to faint, have high-pitched voices, and are highly sexualized.

There are a number of studies that suggest that when girls and women are provided with the building blocks they need to succeed in STEM they will do as well if not better than their male counterparts. An Introductory Engineering Robotics class found that while males did somewhat better on the pre-test than females, females did as well as the males on the post-test following the class’s completion.

Another critical area of gender difference that teachers of STEM should keep in mind has less to do with actual skills and experience and more to do with perceptions and confidence. For females, confidence is a predictor of success in the STEM classroom. They are much less likely to retain interest if they feel they are incapable of mastering the material. Unfortunately, two factors work against female confidence level: 1) most girls will actually have less experience with STEM course content than their male counterparts and 2) males tend to overplay their accomplishments while females minimize their own. A study done of Carnegie Mellon Computer Science PhD students found that even when male and female students were doing equally well grade wise, female students reported feeling less comfortable. Fifty-three percent of males rated themselves as “highly prepared” in contrast to 0% of females.

It is important to note that many of the learning style differences described above are not strictly gender-based. They are instead based on differences of students with a background in STEM, problem-solving, and hands-on skills learned from childhood play and life experience and those who haven’t had the same type of exposure. A review of the literature on minority students and STEM finds that students of color are less likely to have the STEM background experiences and thus are missing many of the same STEM building blocks as girls and have the same lack of confidence. Many of the STEM curriculum and pedagogy solutions that work for female students will also work for students of color for this reason.

Bridge Classes/Modules to Ensure Core Skills

Teachers will likely see a gap in the core STEM skills of female and minority students for the reasons described above. Below are some solutions applied elsewhere to ensure that girls and women (and students of color) will get the building block STEM skills that many will be missing.

Teachers in the Cisco Academy Gender Initiative study assessed the skill levels of each of their students and then provided them with individualized lesson plans to ensure their success that ran parallel to the class assignments. Other teachers taught key skills not included in the curriculum at the beginning of the course, such as calculating math integers and tool identification and use. Students were provided with additional lab time, staffed by a female teaching assistant, knowing that the female students would disproportionately benefit from additional hands-on experience.

Carnegie-Mellon University came to view their curriculum as a continuum, with students entering at different points based on their background and experience. Carnegie-Mellon’s new frame of a “continuum” is purposefully different than the traditional negative model in which classes start with a high bar that necessitates “remedial” tutoring for students with less experience, stigmatizing them and undermining their confidence. Below is a list of ideas and suggestions that will help ALL students to succeed in the STEM classroom.

1. Building Confidence

How do teachers build confidence in female students who often have less experience than their male counterparts and perceive they are behind even when they are not?

1) Practice-based experience and research has shown that ensuring female students have the opportunity to gain experience with STEM, in a supportive environment, will increase their confidence level.

2) Bringing in female role models that have been successful in the STEM field is another important parallel strategy that should be used to assist your female students in seeing themselves as capable of mastering STEM classes: if she could do it, then I can too!

3) Consistent positive reinforcement by STEM teachers of their female students, with a positive expectation of outcome, will assist them in hanging in there during those difficult beginning weeks when they have not yet developed a technology schema or hands-on proficiency and everything they undertake seems like a huge challenge.

2. Appealing to Female Interests

Many of the typical STEM activities for the classroom appeal to male interests and turn off girls. For example, curriculum in robots often involves monsters that explode or cars that go fast. “Roboeducators” observed that robots involved in performance art or are characterized as animals are more appealing to girls. Engineering activities can be about how a hair dryer works or designing a playground for those with disabilities as well as about building bridges. Teachers should consider using all types of examples when they are teaching and incorporating activities in efforts to appeal female and male interests. Teachers can also direct students to come up with their own projects as a way of ensuring girls can work in an area of significance to them.

Research also shows that there are Mars/Venus differences between the genders and how each engages in technology. Overall, girls and women are excited by how the technology will be used – its application and context. Men will discuss how big the hard drive or engine is, how fast the processor runs, and debate the merits of one motherboard or engine versus another. These are topics that are, overall, of less interest to most females.

The Carnegie-Mellon Study took into account the differences of what engages female students and modified the Computer Science programs’ curriculum so that the context for the program was taught much earlier on in the semester and moved some of the more technical aspects of the curriculum (such as coding) to later in the semester. Authors observed that the female students were much more positive about getting through the tedious coding classes when they understood the purpose of it. Teachers should ensure that the context for the technology they are teaching is addressed early on in the semester by using real world stories and case studies to capture the interest of all of their students.

3. Group Dynamics in the Classroom

Research studies by American Association of University Women and Children Now have found that most females prefer collaboration and not competition in the classroom. Conversely, most males greatly enjoy competition as a method of learning and play. Many hands-on activities in technology classes are set up as competitions. Robotics for example, regularly uses competitiveness as a methodology of teaching. Teachers should
be cognizant of the preference of many girls for collaborative work and should add-in these types of exercises to their classes. Some ways to do this are by having students work in assigned pairs or teams and having a team grade as well as an individual grade. (See Reading 2 on Cooperative Learning.)

Another Mars/Venus dynamic that STEM teachers should be aware of occurs in the lab there male students will usually dominate the equipment and females will take notes or simply watch. Overall, male students have more experience and thus confidence with hands-on lab equipment than their female counterparts. Teachers should create situations to ensure that their female students are spending an equal amount of time in hands-on activities. Some approaches have been: 1) to pair the female students only with each other during labs in the beginning of the class semester so that they get the hands-on time and their confidence increases, putting them in a better position to work effectively with the male students later on, 2) allot a specific time for each student in pair to use the lab equipment and announce when it’s time to switch and monitor this, and 3) provide feedback to male students who are taking over by letting them know that their partner needs to do the activity as well.

4. Moving Female Students from Passive Learners to Proactive Problem Solvers

The main skill in STEM is problem solving in hands-on lab situations. For reasons already discussed regarding a lack of experience, most girls don’t come to STEM classes with these problem-solving skills. Instead, girls often want to be shown how to do things, repeatedly, rather than experimenting in a lab setting to get to the answer. Adding to this issue, many girls fear that they will break the equipment. In contrast, male students will often jump in and manipulate the equipment before being given any instructions by their teacher. Teachers can address this by such activities as: 1) having them take apart old equipment and put it together again, 2) creating “scavenger hunt” exercises that force them to navigate through menus, and 3) emphasizing that they are learning the problem solving process and that this is equally important to learning the content of the lesson and insisting that they figure out hands-on exercises on their own.

Research has also shown that females tend to engage in STEM activities in a rote, smaller picture way while males use higher order thinking skills to understand the bigger picture and the relationship between the parts. Again, moving female students (and the non-techsavvy student in general) to become problem solvers (versus just understanding the content piece of the STEM puzzle) will move them to use higher order thinking skills in STEM.

Finally, many teachers have reported that many female students will often want to understand how everything relates to each other before they move into action in the lab or move through a lesson plan to complete a specific activity. The female students try to avoid making mistakes along the way and will not only want to read the documentation needed for the lesson, they will often want to read the entire manual before taking any action. In contrast, the male student often needs to be convinced to look at the documentation at all. Boys are not as concerned with making a mistake a long the way as long as what they do ultimately works. The disadvantage for female students is that they often are so worried about understanding the whole picture that they don’t move onto the hands-on activity or they don’t do it in a timely fashion, so that they are consistently the last ones in the class to finish. Teachers can assist female (and non-tech-savvy) students to move through class material more quickly by providing instruction on how to quickly scan for only the necessary information needed to complete an assignment.

5. Role Models

Since the numbers of women in STEM are still small, girls have very few opportunities to see female role models solving science, technology, engineering or math problems. Teachers should bring female role models into the classroom as guest speakers or teachers, or visit them on industry tours, to send the message to girls that they can succeed in the STEM classroom and careers.

Bibliography

Medina, Afonso, Celso, Helena B.P. Gerson, and Sheryl A. Sorby. “Identifying Gender Differences in the 3-D Visualization Skills of Engineering Students in Brazil and in the United States”. International Network for Engineering Eucation and Research page. 2 August 2004: [http://www.ineer.org/Events/ICEE/papers/193.pdf].

Milto, Elissa, Chris Rogers, and Merredith Portsmore. “Gender Differences in Confidence Levels, Group Interactions, and Feelings about Competition in an Introductory Robotics Course”. American Society for Engineering Education page. 8 July 2004: [http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie2002/papers/1597.pdf].

“Fair Play: Violence, Gender and Race in Video Games 2001”. Children Now page. 19 August 2004: [http://www.childrennow.org/media/video-games/2001/].

“Girls and Gaming: Gender and Video Game Marketing, 2000”. Children Now page. 17 June 2004: [http://www.childrennow.org/media/medianow/mnwinter2001.html].

Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age. District of Columbia: American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, 2000.

Margolis, Jane and Allan Fisher. Unlocking the Computer Clubhouse: Women in Computer. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2003.

Taglia, Dan and Kenneth Berry. “Girls in Robotics”. Online Posting. 16 September 2004: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/roboeducators/.

“Cisco Gender Initiative”. Cisco Learning Institute. 30 July 2004: http://gender.ciscolearning.org/Strategies/Strategies_by_Type/Index.html.

Donna Milgram is founder and Executive Director of the National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science (IWITTS). She is currently the Principal Investigator of the CalWomenTech Project, a $2 million National Science Foundation grant awarded in April 2006. She was also the Principal Investigator of the WomenTech Project, funded by the National Science Foundation, which had a goal of increasing the number of women enrolled and retained in technology education in three national community college demonstration sites. She led IWITTS’s partnership with the Cisco Learning Institute (CLI)/Cisco Gender Initiative. Ms. Milgram produced the interactive teacher training video “School-to-Work: Preparing Young Women for High Skill, High Wage Careers.”

Additional Resources:

http://www.iwitts.com/

http://www.womentechworld.org/

http://www.womentechstore.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Milgram

But, somehow, sometimes there are difficult times in my college period. Most of the times, it is related to the assignments of the classes that I am joining in. The excessive College Term Papers and other kinds of Research Papers are burdening me, moreover when the submitting date is coming and I don not have any idea to write about. Generally, when this condition occurs, I will find help for doing my assignment. Of course, I cannot reach for the expensive service one, but, I also cannot take the amateur help either. The most reliable site which is providing me with the most valid service in creating College Research Paper is masterpapers.com. I have already used this service for quite long time and I feel much satisfied with the result papers that they make.

Breaking the Technology Barrier: Using Technology in Education

Technology and education have always seemed to go together. In order to prepare students for the workplace or college they need to be able to be exposed to it. Teachers in the classroom use technology believing that the students are gaining valuable information and retaining the concepts taught but in reality the students need to be involved in the lesson and actively participating in activities that include technology. Student engagement is critical to student motivation during the learning process. The more students are motivated to learn, the more likely it is that they will be successful in their efforts. (Beeland, 2002).

Uses of Technology

There are numerous uses of technologies that are available to teachers to include students into the classroom’s lesson. These include Interactive Whiteboards, Proximas, PowerPoint games, interactive DVDs, Ventrilo chat software, Myspace, Blackboard, and scavenger hunts. To put the uses of technology into an effective practice, teachers need to help students set achievable goals; encourage students to assess themselves and their peers; help them to work co-operatively in groups and ensure that they know how to exploit all the available resources for learning (Hall, 2006). The following are how some technology is used to help students learn.

Interactive Whiteboards

There are two different types of whiteboards. The first is a virtual version of a dry erase board. It allows students to see what the instructor or other students write or draw using a special pen. The second functions similar to a normal whiteboard but also contains a projector screen, an electronic copy board or as a computer projector screen on which the computer image can be controlled by touching or writing on the surface of the panel instead of using a mouse or keyboard. They function by connecting a projector to the whiteboard panel with the use of a computer and software. It is important to know the different functions in order to determine which whiteboard is right for the educator. By knowing the difference you can also learn the terminology and understand the basic functions of each.

Proximas and PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a software program
that is being used in the classroom as a tool to incorporate learning activities into the curriculum. PowerPoint enables teachers and students to actively create presentations with graphics, charts, diagrams, and pictures in their slideshows to help make often complicated ideas and lessons more manageable and understandable. It is a way for students to engage in research, and present information to their peers. When students are actively learning, taking an active role in the learning process, they seem to understand the information better, and enjoy the lesson. The use of a game also allowed Jones and Mungai to directly address the learning style needs of the visual (58%) and tactile learner (22%), which represents eighty-percent of those involved in the content related courses. When constructed with different learning styles in mind, games can often accelerate the learning process (Jones & Mungai, 2003). By itself PowerPoint is not a cure-all remedy, but rather a tool that needs to be understood and used properly for it to be effective as an active learning tool. It also has shown that students that did use PowerPoint as a learning tool were more engaged in the discussions (Rowcliffe, 2003). This will encourage teachers to use PowerPoint as a way to involve students into a lesson by stimulating discussion. For PowerPoint to take place in a classroom an Interactive Whiteboard or a Proxima is needed. A Proxima displays a computer screen onto a screen much like a projector at a movie theater. The user is able to display items such as websites, PowerPoint, and interactive games. A way for students to interact using this technology is through games created by teachers and used in the PowerPoint lesson. Games such as Hollywood Squares, Jeopardy, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire are created using slides and links to answer the questions. Teachers may use a blank template and fill them with different answers for the students to use as a review. Teachers may even let the students create their own review using the blank templates. This activity can also be used in a small group or team setting.

Advantages to the Students

Learning sciences research tells us that students learn much better “by doing” rather than “by listening.” This means that passive learning – the traditional lecture – is being replaced in our classrooms by more active learning activities that emphasize student problem solving, discussion, presentation and other “authentic” learning-by-doing-activities. (Day, 2004). By including students into the lesson it opens up a realm of possibilities because students can retain roughly only 10% of what they write down.

Teacher Apprehension

So why are teachers not using technology that engages and interacts more frequently with students? There are many reasons why teachers feel apprehensive or uncomfortable using an interactive whiteboard, proxima and PowerPoint. The first of which could be the length of time from their college prep program until now. Teachers often get exposed to and learn new technologies in their teacher prep courses. Some might not have been prepared enough upon entering the workforce. Although the availability of technology in American schools has increased (US Department of Education, 2000), information released by The National Education Association (2004) indicates that less than 35% of public school teachers feel they are “well prepared” or “very well prepared” to use this technology effectively.

The second reason is blockage from the school’s control or security system. Teachers claim that the firewalls and filtering systems create blockage in their attempts to educate and communicate with others with technology (Murray, 2004). The teachers and other users can become frustrated when they do not understand why a certain item like a website used for a scavenger hunt or a hyperlink in a PowerPoint are not available.

The inconsistency from school to school is another reason. At one site there may be access to all different types of technology while at another the absence is very evident. The general public perception is that our schools are using technology and managing our resources in that area well. In several surveys done some schools do show nearly 100 percent use of technology while in others the use of technology is nonexistent (Starr, 2003).

Summary

The research has shown that there are proven benefits to using technology in the classroom. The ability to integrate technology into the classroom can add valuable information and ideas to our students.

By facilitating Proximas, PowerPoint, and interactive whiteboards our teachers will be able to reach a broader audience of learners.

References

Beeland, W.D. (2002). Student engagement, visual learning and technology: can interactive

whiteboards help? Retrieved May 31, 2008, from www.apexavsi.com

Day, J. (2004). Enhancing the classroom learning experience with web lectures. Retrieved May 31, 2008 from http://smartech.gatech.edu/dspace/handle/1853/65

Hall, B. (2008, March 4). Explorations in learning. Message posted to Student Centered Learning, archived at http://secondlanguagewriting.com/explorations/Archives/2006/Jul/Studentcent
eredLearning.html

Jones, D. C. & Mungai, D. (2003). Technology-enabled teaching for maximum learning.

International Journal of Learning, (10), 3491-3501.

Murray, C. (2004). Teachers: Limited time, access cut school tech use [Electronic version] e School news, 1-5

National Education Association. (2004): Technology in Schools. Retrieved May 31, 2008 from

http://www.nea.org/cet/

Rowcliffe, S. (2003) Using PowerPoint effectively in science education: lessons

from research and guidance for the classroom. School Science Review 84 (309).

Starr, L. (2003). Encouraging teacher technology use [Electronic Version] Education World, pg 1

US Department of Education. (2000). Internet access in public schools. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistic.

About the Author

Patrick Wellert

Want to Own a Franchise?
Join the Worlds Leader in Science Education and Entertainment
www.MadScience.org

MSc Project Mgmt (UK)
Develop career w/ APM, PMI course Study online or full-time in Sept.
www.rgu.ac.uk/abs/postgraduate

Study in Australia
Learn English in Australia. Find out more now!
StudiesInAustralia.com/LearnEnglish

Portable Planetariums
Four Distinct Educational Models Consulting Educators for 36 Years
mmicorporation.com

Study Education Abroad
1000s Education Courses Abroad Find Out More & Apply Online Now
StudyLink.com/Study-Education
Syndicate this Article Copy to clipboard
<h1>The Concept of Science Fair and Its Importance on Science Education</h1><strong>Author: <a title=”Kh. Atiar Rahman” href=”http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/kh.-atiar-rahman/24714.htm”>Kh. Atiar Rahman</a></strong><br /><p>The concept of science fair has been come down to us from European education pattern and their growth of culture. They firstly thought ” Science fair must be based on creativity by cultivating knowledge and intelligence of the learners”. Indeed, science fair needs to be introduced in different educational institutions by considering its pedagogical phenomena based on practical knowledge and skills. Hence, there is no alternate of practical knowledge to gain proper education in the field of Science and Technology and hence the steps for science fair is needed as a taken of creativity and awareness for acquiring knowledge among the students. Hence, the steps for science fair in the educational institute are ideally envisaged and contemporary.<br /><br />In our country, every year science fair is held in different educational institute annually to create motivation of research work and enthusiasm. The teachers first collect the names and list them that they will create a project based on science and technology. The students who are found interested to introduce a new science work take a challenge and become capable of showing a different creative work. He selects a project and thinks over the work and the nature of technology behind it. Actually, he becomes responsible of inventing something like a scientist. So, it is found off and on that the students are being able to show a nice presentation in science fair. He sometimes shows something different from modern age. They can project from ancient and mediaeval age. <br /><br />The authority of different schools and colleges arrange science fair in order to show the eagerness of actual knowledge and skills among the students. At this, a congenial atmosphere is developed in the institution because, they are concerning their heads about new inventions and discovery and they become conscious of awakening their ideas and thoughts. In the context of Bangladesh, every year different schools and colleges arrange science fair. They first invite names from the interested students who are willing to make the project work and to focus it in the science fair. They, like the scientists carry on research work like making law, hypothesis and theory. They seek respective ideas from different books and the achievement of scientists of the world. At last they present their creativity and thus a systematic project is reflected.<br /><br />Arranging science fair is a significant step of different educational institutions through which an intensified effort is led to flourish and enrich the knowledge and skills on application of science for the students. It is hoped in future that the steps to arrange science fair is a predominating criteria to strengthen the cultivation of knowledge in applying the definitive sense of technical know- how of science. A science fair is quite different from other fairs existing in our country like a village fair and an industrial fair and so on. These fairs serve the purpose of the business where the commodities of qualitative nature are sold and displayed for making profit in question. Here, the commodities are served in the market in such a manner, where the companies good will and the nature and quality of product are vividly disclosed so that the people are much attracted to purchase it to a great extent. Besides this, in organizing science fair, the business importance is not treated as the prime factor; rather the pedagogical manifestation to gear up the intensity and potentiality of the students is given priority. Actually, the eagerness for knowing the unknown world is reflected and a better environment is flourished among the students in any educational institute where science and technology are studied extensively. Even though, there has been provided a wide range to the students in European countries for creating a broad based project as a part of their education. The students who are found attracted for learning technological skills and knowledge generally shines in life by contributing a lot in the field of education. For science fair, the following things are important:<br /><br />• Environment: Like western country, appropriate environment is needed where necessary equipment will play a vital role. In many cases, only theoretical teachings are offered beside practical knowledge and skills. It is a matter of great regret that the students are deprived of gaining actual knowledge in the relevant field. Besides this, technological instruments need to be placed in different institutions so that the utilization of those equipment are properly made in a systematic manner.<br /><br />• Knowledge and skills relating to science fair: The teacher should select a number of topics before allocating on the project work to the students and they should give knowledge on the steps of spreading and analyzing the topics in question. He should engage himself in creating awareness and necessary skills in the field of the application of mathematical model of science based on constructive exploration of modern appliances. The teacher should set problems on real life situation like building a model of the relevant topics. The problems must be based on practically oriented which set forth the topics covering science and its technological aspects of nature. Assuming in a teaching classroom, on Modern and electronic physics is going on. The students are feeling boring because the teacher was not well dressed and well rested. Rather he has arrived late and he has not greeted them. Some students do not understand his lecture. He is running fast. He is not identifying and helping the less able students. In this case, despite his sound knowledge in the relevant field of modern physics, he may not be treated as a good teacher. Henry Fayol defines a teacher as an active student of the students who can play very much attractive and fascinate role upon overall performances in the class. An ideal teacher needs to play a vital role in active advisor among the students. He needs to be careful about the criteria on Control, Guide, Consult and Facilitate. He should have meaningful learning experience with which he can produce constructive and mathematical presentation for creating awareness for teaching in a significant manner.<br /><br />Being a science teacher, his attitude may vary according to the nature of the students’ subject area and to substantiate the actual skills. He needs to be very careful in using his voice for effective teaching. In our country, in many cases, the parents regarding performance of the teacher lodge complaints. A good teacher need not be excited and agitated towards the students. He should give chance to ask question to the students so that transfer of behaviour is made possible in a significant manner. According to Franchise Bacon, there are two types of learning: One is Pedagogy- children’s learning and the other is Andragoggy- Adult learning. In case of adult learning, we cannot teach anybody, we only help him or her to learn. So in the case of using our voice we need to be responsible and tactful. <br />That is to say, a teacher’s behaviour will be in such, which must attract the students for effective and efficient delivery of the relevant topics.<br /><br />In delivering lecture on the topics of science, there are limitations, which may create hindrance to learning on the part of the students. Sometimes the lecture may be monotonous and boring due to continuous saying and without emphasising practical orientation and presentation on the applicability of science and technology. If there exists dryness amongst the students, the teacher should change the policy of his lecture. He should ask open-ended questions. Open ended questions help get the students involved. Assuming to know a particular thing, one may get interested if he is intended to know those particular items. In many cases, it is found that the teachers are not well experienced and they have no meaningful learning experience to show the actual answer of the problem and the topics. Even, without sufficient skills and knowledge, they are appointed as teacher which is totally insignificant. Some of the limitations of delivering a lecture are as follows:<br /><br /> To ask question for ‘Yes’/ No answer.<br /> Not to ask open ended question to get people involved.<br /> Not to use agitated words<br /> Not to say repeatedly while delivering lecture<br /> Not to ask meaningful questions<br /> To ask several question at a time<br /> Not to give feedback on answers yourself, or involve others<br /> Not to give people a chance to absorb the question and answer it.<br /> Not to welcome answers<br /> To be critical in answering and asking questions.<br /><br />An ideal science teacher needs to be well conversant about using the language. It is indispensable to create awareness and congenial atmosphere on the part of a teacher. The following are the different ways to improve lecture.<br /><br /> To manage intersperse lecture with opportunities to challenge and discuss what is being delivered. In case of critical problem, he needs to synchronise and simplify it so that the actual topics become easy and understandable.<br /> To break the students into groups for exercises which develop lecture themes and need to be reported back and analysed. Specifically, in presenting nuclear and magnetic topics, he needs to show it with necessary apparatus and relevant calculations.<br /> To use case studies, which challenge students to apply the teaching, they are being given. Normally, chapter wise topics are needed to diversify to present the topics on practical themes and critics.<br /> To use Video record teaching sessions and analyse progress and results.<br /> To use role-plays to demonstrate examples of what is said in lectures.<br /> To split into teams which analyse the days lecture theme and give a resume of it on same / next day.<br /> To be prepared to facilitate and contribute to discussions and help groups prepare feedback.<br /> To develop feedback techniques on what a teacher observes groups doing.<br /> Self will agent<br /><br />Regarding the teaching method, the following are important to apply in teaching the students virtually.<br /> Telling is not teaching<br /> Age is not a bar to learn<br /> Meaningful learning experience<br /> Voice, image and body use<br /> Practically oriented way of teaching<br /> Repeat, Recap and Review<br /> Mnemonics<br /> Visual Hearing and Feeling and F-ULLER<br /><br />In view of the above, a good teacher selects any method to teach the students but according to Franchise Bacon, most of the good teachers select the sixth Rule of teaching that is ‘ Repeat, Recap, Review ‘ which is the most important one to make the teaching vitally effective, meaningful, fruitful and up to the mark <br /><br />The reasons in support of the argument are stated as follows. <br /><br />Repeat: According to Franchise Bacon, ‘when you tell something in the class to a group of students, it is only a saying but when you recapitulate it, repeat it and ask the question on the progress, it will be interacted and if you further emphasize the concept, they will be conversant with the relevant knowledge’. Indeed, incase of delivering an important message, if it is stated once-only 10% will be memorized but if it is stated 6 times then 90% are memorized after one year. So, reiteration/repetition is the most important tools for the teaching to make the topics rememberable. If the message is not remembered and understandable then the whole thing will be treated as useless.<br /><br />Recap: It is generally meant by recap to go over again the vital point of the relevant contents. Using FULLE-R and VHF for better memorization can do the recap. As the first events are best memorized so to start with big message. Thereafter unusual event like cartoon, exercise etc. be used. Thirdly, linked event, here mnemonics or analogy can be used and lastly to end with big messages of fascination towards the topics. In this context, summing up the ideas to arrive the conclusion that is the gist in question to be communicated to the students as a good communicator of the teaching course. We should remember one thing that ‘ Telling is not teaching; we need to make teaching active and interesting; get students involved; see it from the student’s view; we should use VHF and FULL-R. According to Commoneus, a famous educationist, for an effective teaching, ‘only lecture is immaterial but in order to ornament it for better memorization, ideal approach, demonstration, visual display and varieties of attractions of the students are needed’<br /><br />Review: A proverb always goes like ‘ To err is human’. It is human nature to forget the things/message, which is not reviewed that are we losing what we don’t review. To review we are to regularly sum up where we have reached and invited questions.<br />At the end of every topics if the teacher repeats, recap and review, ask questions and help them to answer properly, the trainees will be more motivated and conversant with the subjects and grasp it properly so that teaching will be effective and fruitful.<br /><br />In view of the above, it is obvious that the role of teachers for science education cannot be ignored. The expansion of science fair is inevitable in the domain of practical oriented type of teachings where a student will achieve proper knowledge in creating constructive project work that will be ultimately helpful for the country. If the educational institutions emphasise technological aspects on science, the integrity to work in the field of science and its application of science fair will be enhanced intensively. As a result the country will be much benefited in due sense of technology.</p><strong>About the Author:</strong><br /><p>Kh. Atiar Rahman’s articles are based on real life situation. he has worked hard to present his theme on the relevant topics with utmost efforts.He has many publications in national and International Media.<br /> He was born in the former Kushtia district in 1955</p><p>Article Source: <a href=”http://www.articlesbase.com/”>ArticlesBase.com</a> – <a href=”http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/the-concept-of-science-fair-and-its-importance-on-science-education-200444.html” title=”The Concept of Science Fair and Its Importance on Science Education”>The Concept of Science Fair and Its Importance on Science Education</a></p>

The concept of science fair has been come down to us from European education pattern and their growth of culture. They firstly thought ” Science fair must be based on creativity by cultivating knowledge and intelligence of the learners”. Indeed, science fair needs to be introduced in different educational institutions by considering its pedagogical phenomena based on practical knowledge and skills. Hence, there is no alternate of practical knowledge to gain proper education in the field of Science and Technology and hence the steps for science fair is needed as a taken of creativity and awareness for acquiring knowledge among the students. Hence, the steps for science fair in the educational institute are ideally envisaged and contemporary.

In our country, every year science fair is held in different educational institute annually to create motivation of research work and enthusiasm. The teachers first collect the names and list them that they will create a project based on science and technology. The students who are found interested to introduce a new science work take a challenge and become capable of showing a different creative work. He selects a project and thinks over the work and the nature of technology behind it. Actually, he becomes responsible of inventing something like a scientist. So, it is found off and on that the students are being able to show a nice presentation in science fair. He sometimes shows something different from modern age. They can project from ancient and mediaeval age.

The authority of different schools and colleges arrange science fair in order to show the eagerness of actual knowledge and skills among the students. At this, a congenial atmosphere is developed in the institution because, they are concerning their heads about new inventions and discovery and they become conscious of awakening their ideas and thoughts. In the context of Bangladesh, every year different schools and colleges arrange science fair. They first invite names from the interested students who are willing to make the project work and to focus it in the science fair. They, like the scientists carry on research work like making law, hypothesis and theory. They seek respective ideas from different books and the achievement of scientists of the world. At last they present their creativity and thus a systematic project is reflected.

Arranging science fair is a significant step of different educational institutions through which an intensified effort is led to flourish and enrich the knowledge and skills on application of science for the students. It is hoped in future that the steps to arrange science fair is a predominating criteria to strengthen the cultivation of knowledge in applying the definitive sense of technical know- how of science. A science fair is quite different from other fairs existing in our country like a village fair and an industrial fair and so on. These fairs serve the purpose of the business where the commodities of qualitative nature are sold and displayed for making profit in question. Here, the commodities are served in the market in such a manner, where the companies good will and the nature and quality of product are vividly disclosed so that the people are much attracted to purchase it to a great extent. Besides this, in organizing science fair, the business importance is not treated as the prime factor; rather the pedagogical manifestation to gear up the intensity and potentiality of the students is given priority. Actually, the eagerness for knowing the unknown world is reflected and a better environment is flourished among the students in any educational institute where science and technology are studied extensively. Even though, there has been provided a wide range to the students in European countries for creating a broad based project as a part of their education. The students who are found attracted for learning technological skills and knowledge generally shines in life by contributing a lot in the field of education. For science fair, the following things are important:

• Environment: Like western country, appropriate environment is needed where necessary equipment will play a vital role. In many cases, only theoretical teachings are offered beside practical knowledge and skills. It is a matter of great regret that the students are deprived of gaining actual knowledge in the relevant field. Besides this, technological instruments need to be placed in different institutions so that the utilization of those equipment are properly made in a systematic manner.

• Knowledge and skills relating to science fair: The teacher should select a number of topics before allocating on the project work to the students and they should give knowledge on the steps of spreading and analyzing the topics in question. He should engage himself in creating awareness and necessary skills in the field of the application of mathematical model of science based on constructive exploration of modern appliances. The teacher should set problems on real life situation like building a model of the relevant topics. The problems must be based on practically oriented which set forth the topics covering science and its technological aspects of nature. Assuming in a teaching classroom, on Modern and electronic physics is going on. The students are feeling boring because the teacher was not well dressed and well rested. Rather he has arrived late and he has not greeted them. Some students do not understand his lecture. He is running fast. He is not identifying and helping the less able students. In this case, despite his sound knowledge in the relevant field of modern physics, he may not be treated as a good teacher. Henry Fayol defines a teacher as an active student of the students who can play very much attractive and fascinate role upon overall performances in the class. An ideal teacher needs to play a vital role in active advisor among the students. He needs to be careful about the criteria on Control, Guide, Consult and Facilitate. He should have meaningful learning experience with which he can produce constructive and mathematical presentation for creating awareness for teaching in a significant manner.

Being a science teacher, his attitude may vary according to the nature of the students’ subject area and to substantiate the actual skills. He needs to be very careful in using his voice for effective teaching. In our country, in many cases, the parents regarding performance of the teacher lodge complaints. A good teacher need not be excited and agitated towards the students. He should give chance to ask question to the students so that transfer of behaviour is made possible in a significant manner. According to Franchise Bacon, there are two types of learning: One is Pedagogy- children’s learning and the other is Andragoggy- Adult learning. In case of adult learning, we cannot teach anybody, we only help him or her to learn. So in the case of using our voice we need to be responsible and tactful.
That is to say, a teacher’s behaviour will be in such, which must attract the students for effective and efficient delivery of the relevant topics.

In delivering lecture on the topics of science, there are limitations, which may create hindrance to learning on the part of the students. Sometimes the lecture may be monotonous and boring due to continuous saying and without emphasising practical orientation and presentation on the applicability of science and technology. If there exists dryness amongst the students, the teacher should change the policy of his lecture. He should ask open-ended questions. Open ended questions help get the students involved. Assuming to know a particular thing, one may get interested if he is intended to know those particular items. In many cases, it is found that the teachers are not well experienced and they have no meaningful learning experience to show the actual answer of the problem and the topics. Even, without sufficient skills and knowledge, they are appointed as teacher which is totally insignificant. Some of the limitations of delivering a lecture are as follows:

 To ask question for ‘Yes’/ No answer.
 Not to ask open ended question to get people involved.
 Not to use agitated words
 Not to say repeatedly while delivering lecture
 Not to ask meaningful questions
 To ask several question at a time
 Not to give feedback on answers yourself, or involve others
 Not to give people a chance to absorb the question and answer it.
 Not to welcome answers
 To be critical in answering and asking questions.

An ideal science teacher needs to be well conversant about using the language. It is indispensable to create awareness and congenial atmosphere on the part of a teacher. The following are the different ways to improve lecture.

 To manage intersperse lecture with opportunities to challenge and discuss what is being delivered. In case of critical problem, he needs to synchronise and simplify it so that the actual topics become easy and understandable.
 To break the students into groups for exercises which develop lecture themes and need to be reported back and analysed. Specifically, in presenting nuclear and magnetic topics, he needs to show it with necessary apparatus and relevant calculations.
 To use case studies, which challenge students to apply the teaching, they are being given. Normally, chapter wise topics are needed to diversify to present the topics on practical themes and critics.
 To use Video record teaching sessions and analyse progress and results.
 To use role-plays to demonstrate examples of what is said in lectures.
 To split into teams which analyse the days lecture theme and give a resume of it on same / next day.
 To be prepared to facilitate and contribute to discussions and help groups prepare feedback.
 To develop feedback techniques on what a teacher observes groups doing.
 Self will agent

Regarding the teaching method, the following are important to apply in teaching the students virtually.
 Telling is not teaching
 Age is not a bar to learn
 Meaningful learning experience
 Voice, image and body use
 Practically oriented way of teaching
 Repeat, Recap and Review
 Mnemonics
 Visual Hearing and Feeling and F-ULLER

In view of the above, a good teacher selects any method to teach the students but according to Franchise Bacon, most of the good teachers select the sixth Rule of teaching that is ‘ Repeat, Recap, Review ‘ which is the most important one to make the teaching vitally effective, meaningful, fruitful and up to the mark

The reasons in support of the argument are stated as follows.

Repeat: According to Franchise Bacon, ‘when you tell something in the class to a group of students, it is only a saying but when you recapitulate it, repeat it and ask the question on the progress, it will be interacted and if you further emphasize the concept, they will be conversant with the relevant knowledge’. Indeed, incase of delivering an important message, if it is stated once-only 10% will be memorized but if it is stated 6 times then 90% are memorized after one year. So, reiteration/repetition is the most important tools for the teaching to make the topics rememberable. If the message is not remembered and understandable then the whole thing will be treated as useless.

Recap: It is generally meant by recap to go over again the vital point of the relevant contents. Using FULLE-R and VHF for better memorization can do the recap. As the first events are best memorized so to start with big message. Thereafter unusual event like cartoon, exercise etc. be used. Thirdly, linked event, here mnemonics or analogy can be used and lastly to end with big messages of fascination towards the topics. In this context, summing up the ideas to arrive the conclusion that is the gist in question to be communicated to the students as a good communicator of the teaching course. We should remember one thing that ‘ Telling is not teaching; we need to make teaching active and interesting; get students involved; see it from the student’s view; we should use VHF and FULL-R. According to Commoneus, a famous educationist, for an effective teaching, ‘only lecture is immaterial but in order to ornament it for better memorization, ideal approach, demonstration, visual display and varieties of attractions of the students are needed’

Review: A proverb always goes like ‘ To err is human’. It is human nature to forget the things/message, which is not reviewed that are we losing what we don’t review. To review we are to regularly sum up where we have reached and invited questions.
At the end of every topics if the teacher repeats, recap and review, ask questions and help them to answer properly, the trainees will be more motivated and conversant with the subjects and grasp it properly so that teaching will be effective and fruitful.

In view of the above, it is obvious that the role of teachers for science education cannot be ignored. The expansion of science fair is inevitable in the domain of practical oriented type of teachings where a student will achieve proper knowledge in creating constructive project work that will be ultimately helpful for the country. If the educational institutions emphasise technological aspects on science, the integrity to work in the field of science and its application of science fair will be enhanced intensively. As a result the country will be much benefited in due sense of technology.

About the Author

Kh. Atiar Rahman’s articles are based on real life situation. he has worked hard to present his theme on the relevant topics with utmost efforts.He has many publications in national and International Media.
He was born in the former Kushtia district in 1955