Our Scientific Institutions

Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education

Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, established in July 1974 and supported by DAE as part of TIFR since 1981 in now a National Centre of TIFR, devoted to R&D work in science & mathematics education from primary to introductory college level. The broad goals of the Centre are to promote equity and excellence in science and mathematics education and encourage the growth of scientific temper in the country. To these ends it carries out a wide spectrum of interrelated activities, as described briefly here.

HBCSE focuses on four important areas of work in its drive for equity. First, since a great majority of schools in the country have ill-equipped (or non existent) laboratories, an innovative low-cost school science and mathematics laboratory is under continual development at the Centre. Second, since mathematics is major cause of failure among the disadvantaged, it focuses on developing remedial techniques in mathematics pedagogy. Third, since language is basic to cognition of science, it emphasizes simplification of the language of science, explication of technical terms of science, etc. Fourth, the general issues surrounding equity : gender, health, cognitive and affective aspects of learning receive special attention in all of HBCSE's work.

These features of the Centre's work have evolved from and feed into a number of notable grassroots projects carried out by the Centre since its inception. Important among these is a Language Simplification Project, a pilot project for disadvantaged students from Municipal Schools of Mumbai and more recently, a Tribal Education Project involving the residential tribal schools in some districts of Maharashtra. Several books/reports on these themes have been brought out for wider dissemination. The low-cost (portable) HBCSE laboratory is used in workshops for teachers and students held in different parts of the country.

From its rich field experience and research on cognitive and related issues has emerged the Centre's most ambitious programme : development of an alternative curriculum in school science and mathematics (especially at the primary and middle levels) that is good and wholesome for all, but is especially sensitive to the problems of the disadvantaged. The alternative Class III book (science) developed by HBCSE is now ready for field trials and several other books are in different stages of completion.

Another notable effort of the Centre is the development of an activity-based Foundation Curriculum in Science, Technology and Society for post-school students. This is an issue-based interdisciplinary curriculum aimed at preparing citizens for coping with the complex demands of a modern technological society. A series of 8 books has been brought out to give a concrete shape to this novel conception.
HBCSE has also contributed substantially to text-book writing in science both at the State and National levels from primary to senior secondary stages, and to the innovative mathematics materials brought out by IGNOU.

HBCSE is the country's premier Centre for teacher orientation in science and mathematics from primary to senior secondary level. It also orients teacher education. The Centre has strong collaborative programmes with national networks of schools, especially that of the Atomic Energy Education Society. Collaborations are emerging with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. National Council of Teacher Education and several other organization. creating popular awareness of science and mathematics, its methods, history and current frontiers and its linkages with the society is an important area of the Centre's work. A new initiative of the Centre is to focus on History of Science. A comprehensive (portable) exhibition on the theme has been developed by HBCSE for disseminating a developmental view of science among students. Promoting awareness of health, nutrition and diseases is another important aspect of the centre's work. Several books aimed at popularizing science and mathematics have been brought out. Encouraging excellence in science and mathematics, particularly at the senior secondary stage, is a major objective of the Centre. For 13 years, the centre ran a weekly study circle for promising physics undergraduates. Advanced laboratories in chemistry, biology and physics have been set up at the Centre for orientation of teachers and students at post-school level.

The Centre has now a National Science Olympiad Programme covering Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology with active support of DST, DAE and MHRD. The chemistry olympiad team participated for the first time in 1999 in the International Chemistry Olympiad at Bangkok, Thailand and won 2 silver and 2 bronze medals. The Biology team participated in International Biology olympiad in  year 2000. Now the centre is hosting International Chemistry olympiad in 2001.

Despite its wide-ranging outreach activities, HBCSE is fundamentally an institute for research & development in the area of science and mathematics education.  It lays great emphasis on research & contemporary scholarship to ensure quality and high professional standard of its work.

HBCSE's research work has been part of the global effort in investigating congnitive and related aspects of learning and students' misconceptions in science. The Centre has carried out significant studies on effect of language simplification, picture comprehension in non-formal education and remedial measures for scholastic  improvement of the disadvantaged students.

With its emphasis both on research and grassroots experience, content and method, equity and excellence, HBCSE aspires to have a lasting impact on the science and mathematics education in the country.

(Based on the information
supplied by the centre)