Combating ‘Scourge of India, the Terminator’
Tiny beetle leads a biological Warfare to control congress grass
By
Dr Kiran Thakur
Professor Emeritus
Director
VU Centre of Communication for Development
Department of Journalism & Mass Communication
E-Schooling for Pre-Schooling?
by Anamika Chauhan
Education institutions across the country still remain close in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and its severe waves.
With the closure of schools, educational institutions had turned to online classes. Online classes are providing students a way to catch up on the lost classes and continuation in education due to prolonged lockdowns.
However, attending classes online has given rise to a host of problems, not just for students but also for their parents.
Arohi Vairadkar is a student from the 2nd class. Over the past year, she has been studying online.
“Covid-19 not only suspended normal childhood activities such as attending school, interacting with extended family and friends, playing outdoors, and exploring nature but also disrupted the consequent socio-emotional benefits that accrue from children’s engagement in these experiences,” says Arohi’s mothers.
Online classes have taken a toll on students as they are facing eye problem and is even affecting them mentally.
Over the one-year period of e-classes, everyone has addressed health complications including obesity and lack of social skills and the other long-term effects of excessive screen time because children are glued to screens.
On the other hand, it is not just about students; but also their parents.
The parents are working, teaching, and parenting at the same time thus online classes have taken a toll on them too.
“My daughter is in second class now. Even after one year of adjusting to this new normal, things are getting worse. The schedule has changed, I run late for my work every day because she needs me before, during, and after the class. Because everything is online he easily gets distracted. Now I need to pay more attention to her and my workload has increased. She always complaints to me that her eye is paining .” said Arohi’s mother.
There was a time when children were not allowed to spend much time watching television but now it is related to their future. Even after such adverse effects on children, parents can’t even stop them from using laptops and phones because it is concerned with their future.
Undoubtedly, this is the strangest period of a growing kid’s life as well as parents, being trapped in a house, not being able to meet friends, no travel, and increased workload.
Anamika Chauhan
SY-Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Vishwakarma University, Pune.
Revamping and Automating Children’s Lifestyle?
by Prajakta Khedkar
“We sense that normal is not coming, that we are being born to the new normal: a new kind of society, a new relationship to the earth a new experience of being human.”
-Charles Eisenstein
Sooner and little did we know we all were going to caged within four walls because we did see what is coming our way. My younger brother who used to crib about going to school every day now misses and keeps wishing that he gets to attend an online school. But also, is happy that he is able to spend time with us all and on himself.
Making real-world connections and spending quality time with friends and family in person is now just a memory in albums. Studying in real classrooms was so much fun, says my younger brother. But on the other hand, he enjoys helping us in the kitchen and doing more of his table tennis sessions, doing python and java courses at the age of thirteen, which really amuses me and I start retrospection.
Not being able to attend schools, stuck at home now understands that the world around us is falling apart and responded by saying if there is no better time for this to happen. My younger brother says how beautiful it is outside; scorching heat of summers and everyone is at home having lunch and dinners together- little of what we used to do before lockdown, chit-chatting, dancing to random music and playing cards, doing fun things together, everything is in place even when the outside world is unstable. This coming from a 13-year-old, just thought to myself that my brother is becoming wiser and growing mature. While we, grown-ups and adults are complaining about stepping out and do our things, these kids definitely are raising us.
Ending with a big shoutout to everyone who won’t be going back to normal! Those who will refuse to allow the nonsense they used to. Those who will set new healthy standards. Those who will let go, forgive, and move on. Those who will finally act upon their goals and dreams. Those who will come out of this stronger than ever!
Prajakta Khedkar
TY-Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Vishwakarma University,Pune.