Always Learn!

By Sadaket Malik

Gone are the days when improvised areas like of Bhalessa witnessed grim educational face. There is an irreversible tide in the sphere of education right from elementary to higher and technical sectors. This paradigm shift may be due to the upcoming of the institutions of excellence in the area.

The institutions booming in the area are to be credited in this direction.

Bhalessa- nestling amongst high mountainous and cliffy terrain of Doda in Jammu and Kashmir state of India Himalayan region, off shooting high where skies are the limits, it is most prominent township called Bhalessa.
Where spirituality attunes the skies resting aside castes, creed and colours and above all religions, it is here, that is Bhalessa. It is Bhalessa where Ruby Gems on mountainous slopes glows and glitters and marble of Thathri twinkle amidst dense, vibrant, lush green uplands it is here that Perched securely among the lofty snow-sprinkled mighty Himalayan mountain chain, the emerald blue skies peeping through the chinks of the clouds, the tall coniferous trees swaying to the rhythm of the gusts of wind, all condense into a kindly smile, forming the lovely Bhalessa.
Once upon a time, the education was rare, there was a single primary school at Kalgoni Bhalessa where in rare people got enrolled to get education. Ghulam Rasool Azad and Munshi Mohammed Anwer were the first to get education from this primary school. Both Munshi and Azad Munshi Sahib studied at the Government Primary school in Kilhotran and then were sent to Bhaderwah for further studies.
Presently the area seemed full of enthusiasm and attire to recieve education initiated by the state and centre.

Besides this, the tattering educational affairs of the area was shaped by the then Director Education Ghulam Rasool Azad who belongs from the area. Packed with outstanding achievements, Ghulam Rasool Azad left no stone unturned to revamp the education system of the area. As ill luck would have it this legendary man not remained among the people.

At this moment, Bhalessa has been revealed as a hub of education as the introduction of new institutions of higher learning and increases impetus on the information technology and professional education. IGNOU and some other organisations have started churning several industrially employable graduates from the area.

The tattering educational affairs have been altered after G R Azad era. The people seemed interested to access the rural information centres in this hilly terrain.

The setting up of Government Higher secondary schools in Gowari, Sinoo, Jakyas, Gandoh, Malanoo has had its great significance over the past five years as the people of these areas thought of higher objectives.

The local people were demanding immediate setting up of Government Degree College at Bhalessa and the government finally established the same. IGNOU and some other organizations like ITI started churning several graduates in diverse disciplines is an unprecedented growth towards the education of this hilly terrain. IGNOU set up its centre in Bhalessa in the year 2006 and was galvanized by the local masses and administration.

Apart from academic and vocational side, there has been an unprecedented growth of Maddersa’s in this improvised area. There is rising tide in madersa education, as is being witnessed today. The Madersa’s increased in number.

Interestingly, the number rose to 10. Besides nurturing the Islamic clerics from these Madersa’s including Hafiz and Ulema, these institutions seemed increasingly imparting modern education also at the pattern of other government schools under the ambit of the state government.

Innovative madrasa’s like the Jamia Gunyat ul Uloom are increasingly visible today, Jamia Gunyat ul Uloom Bhatyas established in the year 1983 and was named after Hazrat Abdul Gani Sadiqui. The madersa is managed by Gunyat Ul Uloom Trust Bhalessa is the largest Institution imparting Madersa and academic education to the students of hilly terrain of Bhalessa.

It currently has more than a thousand students on its rolls. Patterned on the Dar ul Uloom Deoband model, it is one of the few madrasas in the state of Jammu and Kashmir that provide Islamic education till the Alim Fazil or specialization level.

Besides Jamia, there are several other maddersa’s like Maddersa Asrar Ul Uloom at Neeli Bhalessa named after Shah Asrar ud Din Bagdadi (RA). Other Madersas are:-  Maddersa Anwar-e-Madina Gandoh, Maddersa Aweesya Ameenya Dhraveri, Gulshan-e-Madina at Dhadkai hamlet, Akhyar ul Uloom at Kahara, Gayas Ul Uloom at Gingota hamlet, Inam ul Uloom at Donadi, Ume-Sadiqa at Kilhotran, and Zia-ul Uloom at Thathri.

In these madrasah’s, the academic education envisaged by the state education department is being provided besides the Islamic and Arabic studies like recitation of Quran popularly known as Hifz and Ulema to become isamic clerics.

There were several forces at work help to create educational assess to assess to information to the elites inhibiting the villages nearby,  Such forces include NGOs framed by intellectual strata.

The NGO culture seemed its head high Educational Environmental social sports and cultural society Bhalessa, National Students Welfare Association Bhalessa, Kohistan Association Bhalessa. These NGOs involved themselves in mass cultivation programmes including education I mention here the contribution of these NGOs here,

Over 10 years all these NGOs started free education camping’s/ summer schools for the needy students of the area, NGO- Kohistan Association, NHRDS has to be credited in this direction as the NGO organized six free education camps in Bhalessa in early five years.

NGO National Students Welfare Association Bhalessa is having its big contribution for setting up of an IGNOU Special study centre in Bhalessa and putting forth the demand for setting up of Government Degree College at Kilhotran.

On the other hand, In the summer of 1996, a few NGOs  got together to think of ways in which they could play a role in the development of education in hilly terrain of Bhalessa Doda of J&K state. These young people shared the belief that education is a critical requisite and an effective catalyst for social and economic change in the area. Educational awareness became the agenda for the action group that emerged from this gathering, to represent the hope that had brought these individuals together and the hope that they aimed to bring into the lives of youth of the area.

The organization like Kohistan Association headed by Ghulam Hussain Bhall, National Students Welfare Association and NHRD Society headed by Basharat Hussain Malik managed free education camps for the students who were unable to perceive their education. The camps were hghly endorsed by local scholarly community like Shoket Ali Mattoo and Noor ul Hassan Wani.

As far as primary education is concerned, there are two separate educational zones controlled by ZEO Gandoh covering all area of Gandoh, Neeli, Dudwar, Gowari, Jitota upto Khaljugasar Panchayat, and ZEO Bhatyas covering areas like Malanoo, Kahara, Jakyas upto halaran village.

On being prompted by the Tehsil Administration and Sub Divisional Megistrate Bhalessa, students and teachers of all these Institutions share a single table on the eve of Independence Day celebrations where they deliver patriotic speeches.As per the preliminary survey conducted by local NGO-National Students’ Welfare Association (NSWA) Bhalessa, there are —–schools wherein the students have to stay under open air to get education. Some such schools are either having no building or damaged infrastructure.

Ironically, The Government Middle School in Manoie Bhatyas is the testimony of the state of sorry affairs as the students has to stay under the lap of nature to get instructions from their teachers. The school building is totally damaged and students in a bad weather conditions have to leave their studies. In summer it becomes difficult for innocent poor children to stay in the school owing to the inadequate infrastructure like buildings.

The infrastructure of the most of these schools is in a bad shape. Some schools are without buildings and some are lacking teachers.

Very recently, the government under the leadership of the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mohammed Sharief Niaz MLA Bhaderwah sanctioned one Degree College at Kilhotran, that too is confronting inadequate infrastructure facilities like accommodation, the college is being run from single or two rooms vacated by Government Higher secondary school kilhotran, and finally the school has become prey of inadequate infrastructure forcing the students to sit in an open air.

Sadaket Malik is a researcher in Education and can be contacted at sadaketmalik@rediffmail.com

Find Physical Therapy Careers in the United States and Canada. Whether you pursue a career as a physical therapist, rehabilitation counselor or occupational therapist, you will definitely need to attain a certain level of education and training in order to fulfill your career aspirations. In addition, it is important that prospective candidates possess good communication skills, compassion and like the idea of working with people.

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Salary source: Bls.gov (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Physical Therapy Careers: Educational Programs and Occupational Outlook

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Iran, as a historically, culturally, and scientifically ancient country has had a prosperous status in the human life and worlds education. To give an example, Iranian cosmopolitan scientists and educators such as Bozorgmehr, Ferdowsi, Birooni, Razi, Avicenna, Sadie, Khayyam, Nasir-oddin-Toosi, and many others are among the great educators and scientists who have played an important role in human life. When we compare this with other main ancient countries of China, India, Egypt, and Greek, it becomes clear that only Greek scientists and educators are comparable to Iranians in the amount of influence of their science and education on international and historical basis.

But, nowadays, in terms of innovations in culture, education, and other sciences, both philosophically and methodologically, Iranian scientists and educators research products are not remarkable. Todays Iranian human sciences are academically and socially struggling with some essential problems and challenges that block the process of qualitative growth and development of sciences and education in this ancient land which was once one of the most valuable cradles of knowledge and wisdom.

Research indicates that the qualitative development of higher education in our country is much lower than its quantitative growth. During the past 25 years (1981-2005), the Iranian academic community and its institutions have expanded dramatically (Yalpani, et. al, 2006). Currently, there are more than 50 state universities, and nearly 150 non-private technical undergraduate schools, which enroll about 750,000 students. There are also about 60 official research institutions throughout the country. In addition, since 1984, an extensive country wide private university system (mostly undergraduates) was started which enrolls another 750,000 full time students.

We may ask why the qualitative development and scientific products, especially in social sciences and humanities, are not worthy to mention. According to the data provided by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology for the academic year 2003, the total numbers of master and doctoral students and available faculty were 68287, 12189, and 25723, respectively. Subtracting from the latter the 50 percent of instructors/tutors, who are not directly involved in any meaningful research activity, there still remain 12861 potentially researching faculty members.

The same source gives the total numbers of national scientific output for 2003 as 3326 counts. This means that each faculty member has produced in that year 0.23 indexed scientific publications. Should we include all those who with their daily work collect the needed scientific data, i.e., the graduate students, each year we end up with a publication per scientific worker ratio of only 0.034. This number is the resultant when we include all academic disciplines. When we now focus our attention to the Social Sciences and Humanities group, the situation seems to be significantly worse (op. cited). In a research conducted by the present author himself, it has been found out that there are only seven research-based scientific journals of education. in our country with maximum publication volume of 10 thousands for about one million teachers and about one hundred thousand educational experts. All these mean that we are confronting huge problems and challenges with regard to the educational research products and publications.

The question is why there is such a shortage in scientific review articles, especially in education, in our country. Our understanding is that there are different problems confronting scientists in Iran. These problems are tremendously larger and much more complicated for researches in social sciences and humanities than natural and pure experimental sciences. Ideological problems are the most difficult ones in human sciences and education as well. The more brilliant the scientists of human sciences, the more frustrated they are from scientific institutions. Medium-range researchers seem to be much happier with the scientific institution to which they belong compared to the brighter scholars. These institutions seem not to play a positive role in the case of the best scientists. Shortage of facilities provided by institutions are one other major problem for research. Another is the tenuous cooperation among scientists.

In such a situation, the Quarterly Journal of Educational Innovations aims to focus on most significant preoccupations and questions concerning educational issues and then to answer them. The articles of this journal explain some problems and challenges of education and try to show the main roots and factors of the problems that the education system is encountered with. As well, it seeks to reach an understanding and offering of the specific and applied ways through which the educational sciences can be grown and developed. In this special issue of the Quarterly Journal of Educational Innovations, nineteen articles are presented in English language to follow its six years of publication in Persian language. We welcome the researchers and scientists of education and psychology to send their articles in English language to be considered and reviewed for publication. As a prospective aim, we are looking forward to publishing the journal in both English and Persian in parallel form to reach the international scientific society as well as the one inside Iran as we have done in the past time.

History
On June 30, 1929, the Cabinet ratified that the government print and edit the primary textbooks exclusively. The responsibility was transferred to the office of Examinations and Programs.
.The activity began in 1967 at the General Office of Studies and Programs under the supervision and management of five foreign advisors.
.The Organization for Research and Educational Innovation was established under the law passed by the Consultative Assembly and the Senate on July 8, 1976.
.In 1977, the Organization for Text-books and the Organization for Research and Educational Innovation joined to form a new organization.
. On March 3, 1979, under the ratification of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution, the new organization was named the Organization for Educational Research and Planning (OERP).
Objectives:
.To research and survey on the quality issues of the education
.To develop educational programs
.To write and edit text-books
.To support Schools and educational institutes in using new tools and methods
All of these objectives support the major aim of increasing the quality of the educational system
OERP Responsibilities :
1. To research on the content of the educational
2. To study and develop simple methods for examinations and educational assessments
3. To write, edit and print text-books.
4. To identify and provide educational tools and the list of standards for educational tools and equipments
5. To run pure research on improving the quality and quantity of education
6. To perform other responsibilities issued by the OERO Council

NATIONAL FORUM OF APPLIED EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL

Volume 23, Numbers 1&2, 2009-2010

FOREWORD

STRATEGIC PLANNING USING THE WAYS OF KNOWING THROUGH THE REALMS OF MEANING By Queinnise Miller, PhD Student in Educational Leadership, Cohort 5 – PVAMU – The Texas A&M University System

About the Issue

The year 2004 marked the inception of the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program in the Whitlowe R. Green College of Education at Prairie View A&M University.  Since then over 32 educational professionals have graduated and joined the academy of Doctors of Philosophy in Educational Leadership.  As the program grows each year new cohorts of educational professionals are established, and the future of research becomes brighter.  This special issue contains the thoughts and theories based on research  of  Cohort  5, as  it  relates  to  strategic  planning as a theoretical framework by utilizing  the Ways  of  Knowing Through  the Realms of  Meaning (2007) by Dr. William Allan Kritsonis.  These articles were a partial requirement for a course in the doctoral program taught by Professor Kritsonis.

In the first article, Queinnise Miller explores professional learning communities while taking a look at how they impact school improvement and their place in strategic planning in education.  In the second article, Rosnisha Stevenson discusses ways school districts can meet one of their goals on their campus improvement plan and increase their standardized test scores by using the six realms of meaning in the classrooms.  In the third article, Carmelita Thompson discusses ways in which strategic planning implemented by utilizing the Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning (Kritsonis, 2007) creates a high performing educational organization.  In the fourth article, Barbara Thompson discusses significant aspects of the six realms of meaning as it relates to strategic planning in instructional leadership.  In the fifth article, Kashan Ishaq discusses how school leaders’ understanding of the six realms of meaning can be strategically integrated in solving the educational problems of today and improving the schools of tomorrow.  The sixth article, Christine Lewis discusses ways our educational leaders in public schools can incorporate the Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning (Kritsonis 2007) to take strategic planning from the modernism age to postmodernism age to improve our nation’s educational system.   In the seventh article, Tyrus Doctor discusses strategies used within our current school environment, while implementing postmodern thinking. In the eight article, David Palmer shows the linkage between the realms of meaning and strategic planning and to show how symbolics, empirics, esthetics, synnoetics, ethics and synoptics has an under pinning value to the planning that is required for successful schools.  In the ninth article, Sheri Miller-Williams introduces the concept of systems thinking and suggest two frameworks that could work to support comprehensive school reform. In the tenth article, Simone Gardiner discusses how postmodernism and the realms of meaning can be implemented in students’ learning with the use of strategic planning.  In the eleventh and final article, Demetria Diggs apprises educators of how incorporating the six realms from the Ways of Knowing Tthrough the Realms of Meaning (Kritsonis, 2007), into school improvement and strategic plans to yield avant-garde results for all educational stakeholders.            (Over)…

Cohort 5 at PVAMU sincerely appreciates the opportunity to publish in the National FORUM of Applied Educational Research Journal. We thank the National Policy Board representing all National FORUM Journals for their confidence in our work. To be published as doctoral students in a national refereed journal is professionally rewarding. We thank our professor Dr. William Allan Kritsonis for providing outstanding mentorship in guiding us in our writing pursuits.

Queinnise Miller

PhD Student in Educational Leadership – Cohort 5

Prairie View A&M University

Teacher

Alief Independent School District

National FORUM of Applied Educational Research Journal

Volume 23, Numbers 1&2 2009-2010

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