Search

Contrary to common assumptions, the vast majority of the world's refugees reside in neighbouring countries in the Global South. This paper explores the complex interaction of global vocational education policies with the local realities of five communities within the under-researched yet highly relevant refugee context of India, across three major cities. It examines whether the stated policy purpose of VET addresses the practical requirements and aspirations of refugees. Drawing on interviews, focus groups, and participatory drawing with 66 respondents from Afghan, Rohingya, Somali, Chin, and Tibetan communities, and staff members from refugee organisations, this paper argues for a move away from the unidimensional goal of economic self-reliance for refugees. By bridging the capabilities approach with intersectionality, the paper calls attention to, and draws policy suggestions for, increment and diversification of VET opportunities to address multiple facets of refugees' lives, and their inclusion in national VET institutions.

This paper presents simple and intuitive strategies for effective online assessment of a freshman engineering course. The proposed strategies for unproctored online exams include creating multiple sets with identical options, using image-format questions, maintaining short duration of exam, and employing a rotational assignment. Unlike a single-set paper where the class average was found to be disproportionately high, the proposed strategies helped in correctly restoring the class average. Feedback and results from 141 students show a significant statistical difference in the scores obtained using the proposed multi-set quiz framework, as opposed to conventional single-set papers. The paper also presents a simple setup of remote proctoring using dual-video and screensharing to replicate in-person classroom exams without the need of commercial proctoring services.

Background: Dealing with uncertainties is inherent in the engineering design process and often poses challenges for young learners. This necessitates providing learners with adequate support to navigate their uncertainties effectively. However, achieving this requires a deeper understanding of the factors influencing learners' uncertainty management processes. Method: In this paper, we analyze learners' framing of uncertain situations in collaborative engineering design tasks. Using the case study method, we explore two framing dimensions--epistemological and positional--to understand their impact on collaborative uncertainty management processes. Specifically, we examine how learners' framing dynamically shifts during uncertainty management activities by analyzing two contrasting cases from a sixth-grade classroom where groups tackled an engineering design problem, employing interaction analysis. Findings: Learners' epistemological and positional framings are intertwined, collectively influencing their own and their team members' uncertainty management actions. Additionally, contextual factors such as mentor intervention, early success, affect induced by prolonged failure, and time constraints can prompt shifts in learners' framing, both in productive and unproductive manners. Contribution: The paper provides nuanced insights into how learners' evolving epistemological orientations and positioning influence uncertainty management, offering practical insights into supporting learners' uncertainty management processes in problem-solving contexts such as engineering design.

Purpose: This research intends to analyse the trend in educational technology (EdTech) over the last 20 years using systematic scientific mapping and bibliometric analysis and how it relates to the Indian context. Considering the anticipated growth in this field over the previous three years post-pandemic, an existing literature analysis is required. This study aims to map the existing intellectual structure in EdTech applications to extend the knowledge base further in this field. This study also intends to research how the Indian education sector compares in terms of the research output for the EdTech sector, considering the increased government focus on online learning as per the education policy in 2020. The study's findings will pave the way for sustainable research that will be extended in the future. Design/methodology/approach: Bibliometric analysis is conducted on the manuscripts extracted from Web of Science databases for the last 20 years (from 2003 to 2023). This study uses a descriptive research approach for bibliometric analysis as, by nature, this is an exploratory investigation, and no physical or existing experiment can be performed on the quantification, characteristic or productivity of EdTech applications. VoS Viewer and R software are extensively considered for a detailed bibliometric analysis. Findings: E-learning, blended learning and distance education emerged as the most frequently used keywords. The results reveal that technology adoption, higher education, technology and modelling are the most researched topics in this field. Research limitations/implications: This research is limited to the last 20 years' database obtained from the Web of Science database and limited to educational, management and operation databases only. Practical implications: The paper intends to analyse the global scenario of EdTech research and ensures that the paper will effectively connect with researchers, educators, policymakers and practitioners from different parts of the world. The results derived from the bibliometric analysis, cluster analysis and identification of key authors, journals and countries can contribute towards the improved contribution in this area. Originality/value: The paper discusses the research in EdTech over the last two decades and effectively tries to bridge the gap in global research. Integrating systematic scientific mapping and bibliometric analysis is an innovative way to assess the growth and impact of EdTech. Considering the post-pandemic scenario and the government's emphasis on online learning, these are consistent with current developments.

This paper narrates the concept of Sustainable Peace Leadership and examines how three prominent Peace Activists from South and Southeast Asia measure up to the concept. The article will consider the works and ideas of Mohandas K. Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi), Lhamo Thondup (The 14th Dalai Lama), and Nguyen Xuan Bao (Thich Nhat Hanh). Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in achieving Indian independence from the British Empire. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and has managed a difficult relationship with the Chinese government following the occupation of Tibet. Thich Nhat Hanh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist and is known as the 'father of mindfulness'. The paper identified several characteristics of Peace Leaders. These include being a charismatic leader who motivates their followers to achieve their goals in a non-violent and inclusive manner. Peace leaders meditate and spend time developing inner peace which then leads to outer peace. The paper also asserts that peace leaders are capable of recognizing the humanity in their opponents and seek a mutually beneficial solution. The three chosen individuals are all recognised as being charismatic leaders who were prominent peace leaders. All were deeply spiritual and practiced meditation and other inner work on a regular basis. They stressed the humanity in their opponents, based on their religious beliefs and the concepts of non-duality and interdependence.

Several communities in India have defined the contours of the extent and quality of women's education based on the shifts in the demands of marriage within the community. The following paper traces a similar pattern in the educational trajectories of first-generation women of the Meena community across the rural and urban areas, to access the state government's women's college in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, India. The relevant data has been collected through fieldwork conducted in Sawai Madhopur in the year 2017. The paper explores the complicity of the women's college with the institutions of family and marriage that result in a complete elimination of the classroom as a meaningful space of learning for women. The paper focuses on these and other such costs that Meena women bear for access to education.

Most of the world's refugees live in Global South countries, where they struggle to find quality education and opportunities for decent livelihoods. This paper explores the underexamined yet highly relevant interlinkage between sustainable livelihoods and adult learning among urban refugees residing in three major cities in India. It speaks to the tight intersection of education, livelihoods and aspirations of five refugee communities: Afghan, Rohingya, Somali, Chin and Tibetan. Building on interviews, focus groups and participatory drawing sessions involving 66 refugee and staff respondents, the study highlights the refugees' extremely limited learning opportunities, which result in low skills and being forced to take discriminatory and undignified work in the informal sector. By integrating the capabilities approach with sustainable livelihoods, the paper argues for more diverse educational opportunities and a broader understanding of refugee livelihoods that goes beyond pure economics to encompass consideration of freedom and human dignity.

This paper explores teachers' conceptions of climate change knowledge, contributing to the growing body of work on the geographies of climate change. The paper focuses on the data generated through in-depth semi-structured interviews with a sample of 48 teachers in India to address the research question: What discourses about climate change knowledge are being constructed by teachers in India? We argue that teachers' lesson planning and searches for information are at the forefront of the changing ways in which individuals engage with, find out and construct meaning about climate change. These teachers' beliefs about climate change are very strongly held, even in the face of a perceived lack of expertise or understanding: climate change is described as the 'need of the hour', which this work understands as not only involving material impacts and processes but also important epistemological, collaborative needs through which education might contribute to public reasoning about climate change. Through this analysis we present a 'certainty problematic' as a heuristic device that foregrounds tensions between the inherent uncertainty of knowledge and (against climate denialism) certainty about anthropogenic climate change.

This paper aims at identifying and explaining the correlation between the Covid-19 and multi-lingualism through cross-country research, drawing on three datasets: WHO data on the expanse of the pandemic, UNESCO data on endangered languages, and the LDI (Linguistic Diversity Index). Results establishing a direct correlation between the pandemic and multi-lingualism vary across the countries, except the USA, India, and Brazil. The three countries experiencing the highest global pandemic caseload occupy the top positions in the number of endangered languages and are among the top ten linguistically diverse countries. Drawing from the research findings, the paper addresses the criticality of investing in multi-lingualism and calls for a shift of perspective among policymakers driven by neoliberal rationale towards greater recognition and higher funding for multi-lingual education.

Purpose: This research paper investigates the theoretical frameworks encompassing a nuanced analysis of the digital divide in the Indian educational context, recognising that it is not merely a matter of technology access but also the ability to effectively use the resource for enhancing learning outcomes. This research provides valuable insights for fostering a more equitable and digitally inclusive learning environment by integrating conceptual insights with empirical evidence. The New Education Policy (NEP), India 2020 firmly emphasises the appropriate integration of technology into the teaching-learning process to develop relevant competencies. The pertinent question is, for India to conquer the second digital divide challenge, is the pace of technology accessibility and skill development sufficient? Design/methodology/approach: The paper is a desk research, using secondary data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+), the Indian Government database of schools. A structured dataset has been created for all years, where states are grouped in descending ranking order of availability of infrastructure and teachers trained. A colour key segregates the States into three zones demonstrating their different levels of performance - high (green), moderate (blue) and low (yellow). The purpose is to identify state/s that have moved from one zone to another and, thereafter, analyse the reasons behind the movement. Findings: Almost all states remained in the same digital resource availability zone for the four years studied, except for a limited few. Despite government interventions through higher budget allocation and targeted policies, growth rates of teacher training in computer usage slowed down post-COVID-19. A high positive correlation between Teachers' training in computer usage and the availability of computer and Internet facilities in schools indicates that an increase in digital infrastructure in schools is highly linked to teachers' training in computer usage and would ultimately translate into better use of digital resources to impart equitable education opportunities. Research limitations/implications: Primary data collection through interviews might have added to the critical findings. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further on a case-by-case basis for any state under consideration. Practical implications: Enhancing digital infrastructure in schools and building digital competence in teachers must be understood in the context of the learning organisation and the beneficiaries' attitudes at the meso-level to expand stakeholder motivation towards digital internalisation. This requires continuous engagement with education institutions as professional learning organisations, which will thereby help develop a decentralised context for teacher competency building. Collaboration, continuous monitoring of the outcomes of professional development programs, and sharing best practices are crucial in improving teacher readiness for digital education. Social implications: Access to tangible resources, such as computers, Internet connectivity and educational software, and developing intangible resources, such as teacher digital competencies, will play a pivotal role in shaping students' learning experiences. By studying the discrepancies in digital resource accessibility and teacher technology adoption, this research endeavours to add to the efforts towards enhancing the educational landscape. Originality/value: This paper seeks to address a critical issue in the Indian education system and contribute to the ongoing effort to prevent the widening of the second and third digital divide in schools, and help achieve UN SDG Goals 4 and 10.

As universities shifted to online education with the onset of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, both pedagogy and assessment patterns across disciplines underwent a change, with a shift towards collaborative digital assessments. In this context, using qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection from an assessment conducted for 55 students who worked in groups to create YouTube videos on pre-selected modules, our analysis reveals that this assessment tool had a significant impact on peer learning, motivation and group dynamics. Students were more motivated to learn and share their learning, and they could also successfully engage in recognising and addressing group dynamics, thereby cultivating more than just subject knowledge. This finding aligns with existing scholarship and the paper adds to research about pedagogy and assessment via digital education in the Indian context, which is still upcoming.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 of India reframed the present structure of higher education such as syllabi, examinations, and assessments. Due to the pandemic, many educational and research institutions are building a knowledge and skill-based curriculum and designing new credit-based courses, while encouraging students to attend online courses as a way to meet the recommendations of NEP. Any e-learning platform or online course has four basic components: Videos, Activities, Additional Reading Material, and Discussions, with Additional Reading Material being a more important component. Online courses that are open to everyone (MOOCs) can be adopted irrespective of the students' specialization or area. The instructor provides the reading material to the learners as a fixed, recommended list irrespective of the learner's interest or specialization. Instructors are finding it difficult to cater to the diversity of learners' interests and learning styles. In this paper, I have focused and analyzed the additional reading material and digital reading patterns of learners in various MOOC platforms by conducting online surveys. I concluded that there is a need to use learning eXtension Trajectories (LxT) in the learner-centric MOOC model where an instructor can identify various supportive domains and provide a shortened list of resources comprising various media to the learners.

The review article presents an analysis of the literature on environmental literacy in sustainable development. By utilizing techniques to examine multiple documents published between 2013 and 2023, including citation analysis, co-authorship analysis, subject area analysis, and keyword analysis, this study aims to provide valuable information and insights into the research landscape surrounding environmental literacy and its contribution to promoting sustainable development. A systematic search was conducted to gather several scientific articles, conference papers, and publications from the Scopus database from 2013 to 2023. The findings of this analysis shed light on authors, influential institutions, and active research groups that contributed to the study of environmental literacy and sustainable development. This comprehensive review offers an understanding of the state of research in this field while identifying areas for further exploration and research gaps. The insights gained from this study can be highly beneficial for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to advance knowledge and take action toward promoting literacy's role in sustainable development. This analysis is a foundation for advancing our understanding of literacy's significance while emphasizing its vital role in sustainable development efforts.

The study analyses papers published in DESIDOC Journal of Library and Information Technology (DJLIT) using bibliometric techniques for the period of 1992-2019 (28 years) and citations received by these papers until 20th March 2020 as reflected by Google Scholar. The study examined the pattern of growth, geographical distribution of the articles; identified the prolific authors & institutions, and their output; and the pattern of citations of the papers and identified most cited authors. The findings indicate that the highest number of articles was published during 2012-2015 followed by 2016-2019. The distribution of output by countries indicates that 39 countries contributed 1,698 articles, including India. Indian authors published the highest percentage (86.1%) of articles followed by USA and had the highest value of CPP and RCI. Authors affiliated to different institutions of Delhi contributed the most (30.7%) followed by Karnataka (13.1%) and Maharashtra (10.5%). Among the institutions, DRDO-DESIDOC and CSIR-NISTADS topped the list. Among the 26 most prolific authors, B.M. Gupta (CSIR-NISTADS) published the maximum number of articles. However, B.R. Babu (University of Madras, Chennai) had the highest value of CPP and RCI. During the studied period, 1,698 papers obtained 15,538 citations, of which 248 (14.6%) articles did not receive any citation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to bring out the contributions, funding and un-funding publications in the field of Mechatronics in global scenario. The study focuses on country-wise distribution, funding and un-funding in the field of Mechatronics paper publications, type of documents, top funding agencies and top funding journals. Compared to other subjects of science and technology the field of Mechatronics has seen considerably less number of papers being published. Statistics shows that approximately 1% of publications are done in the world as compared to 30 to 35 percent in other fields. The total number of published papers in the said field is3,359 with 46,043 citations. USA shares the highest portion with a total of 413 (12.27%) published papers and 7,157 (15.55%) citations, India stands twenty-fifth with total paper publications of 53 (1.58%) and 693 (1.51%) citations during a period of 20 years from 2001 to 2020. Out of 3,359 papers with 46,034 citations, 1,446 (43.05%) papers with 17,972 (39.04%) citations received funding and the remaining 1,913 (56.95%) papers with 28,062 (60.96%) citations received un-funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National Rabies Control Programme, India, is in operation since 2012–2013 without much impact due to poor funding and no set policy for the rabies prevention and control. An effort was made to develop a draft policy paper which can help the Government of India to develop a national rabies vaccination policy for humans and for achieving the goal of zero dog-mediated human rabies deaths by the year 2030. A technical stakeholders meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Drug Controller General of India at New Delhi in December 2017 to discuss the problems and solutions for providing essential rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). The following problems and dilemmas were identified: frequent shortages of life-saving rabies vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin for PEP; as rabies vaccines are mostly procured by the state governments that often face resource crunch and hurdles in logistics within the states; production levels of rabies biologicals in the public sector are low; and the export of rabies biologicals from the private sector needs to be critically evaluated in the context of frequent stock-outs in the domestic market and also the national vaccine security.