It was nice to hear from two of my best friends in the past week. These two gentlemen are a generation apart by age and worked with me in different periods of time. One of them is Jos. He and I taught at a school in Bhutan from 1978 to 1981. We are nearly of the same age. The other is Sreejith. He is a brilliant young flash programmer in his late '20s (or early '30s). He and I worked in an e-learning Company in Madras a few years back. Today is Sreejith's birthday. 

Wish you a very happy birthday and many happy returns of the day, Sreejith.

Science in a social context: Speeding train and centripetal force

Educationists all over the world agree that basic education is important to all people. It is reflected in K-12 school systems that include core sciences and social sciences across the curriculum. It is also generally agreed that not only professionals taking up scientific or technical careers but also skilled and semi-skilled workforce needs to be well versed in basic science concepts and their practical applications that are useful to communities. If we teach the applicability aspect of textbook concepts effectively to students in K-12, it is possible that they become scientifically literate.

Day before yesterday there was a newspaper report about an accident due to derailment of a high speed train in Spain. In middle school physics, we come across a concept known as `centripetal force'. This force acts on all objects that travel in curved paths. The force increases when the object's mass or square of its velocity increases. In this accident, the velocity seems to have doubled. This means that the square of the velocity has increased four fold. This means an enormous increase in the centripetal force which would have probably derailed the train as illustrated in this example.  

I think that it is important not only to learn textbook concepts but also analyse their application aspects and use them for the benefit of communities. It is good if people in responsible positions such as the driver of this train understand basic science concepts and apply their knowledge to avert accidents.

Nearly 30 years back, there was an interesting science curricular project in the UK known as `Science In a Social Context' (popularly known as SISCON) that worked with applicability aspects of textbook science concepts.

If I were still teaching Physics in a high school today, I would have asked my students to discuss the news report from their physics point of view.

I share a viewpoint shared by most people in our country (India): Though we have law and order rules and regulations on paper, in reality our country remains to be one of those topping the list of corrupt countries if we go by authentic multinational sources of information. Well, every community has good and evil people and every country is corrupt to some extent. The density of corrupt people and corrupt organisations in a country (or in any community for that matter) makes all the difference.

I was recruited by a Delhi based K-12 Educational Software Company (with its Main Office in the US) last September as Curriculum Specialist on a reasonably decent salary and perks (which I demanded) and worked as hard as possible and to the best of my knowledge and abilities (even on Sundays). I was provided with a proper written Agreement between me and the Company. 

But, after working for several months, communication channels between me and the MD of the Company (to whom I reported on almost daily basis via Skype) ceased. Moreover, the Company didn't pay my salary for a few months (Rs 40 000 per month is not a small amount).

I communicated to my employer over phone, by email as well as via Skype but never received any response. One fine morning the Company removed its presence from the World Wide Web. 

I communicated to all officials concerned explaining what happened and seeking justice. However none of them including Delhi Police, have responded.

I think that our law and order agencies including Police and Justice Departments should strive to implement law and order strictly in practice.