- Iken Scientifica Summer camps to provide students hands-on, practical-driven, real-world learning experience which goes beyond classrooms
- Summer camp to be held from 15th to 30th April 2010, registrations open from 1st April 2010
- Will be conducted in schools across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai
Mexus Education launches “Iken Scientifica Summer camp” a series of summer workshops for students to gain hands-on experience and apply theoretical concepts in a real-world simulation of the industry as a market place.
Mexus Education, a Mumbai based education innovations enterprise, launches “Iken Scientifica Workshops” where students get a chance to experience real-world situations in a simulated learning environment. The summer camps will be conducted from 15th April to 30th April in schools across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai in two sessions for 3.5 hour everyday.
At the summer camp, students work in teams in an open market of raw materials, tools, fabricators and knowledge experts to create useful machines. The educational objectives of the workshops in the summer camp are – design technology, application of scientific principles, planning, team-work, time management and negotiation skills. Like in an ecosystem, a student benefits & evolves through the workshop series
The workshop focuses on product design and development wherein students are challenged with 70 different unique problem statements which covers topics like design technology, mechanics, scientific concepts, model making, sustainable development etc. that they can resolve by applying theoretical understanding of concepts. For instance, a problem statement such as ‘make a mobile phone charger which runs on wind energy’ or ‘make a robot using a watch, cell phone and a toothbrush’ will be given to students for which they need to find solutions to and execute their concept with materials & resources available at the workshop.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Saurabh Saxena, Director, Mexus Education says, “These workshops at the Iken Scientifica Summer Camp will give students, for the first time ever, a chance to experience, experiment & learn in a real-world environment beyond the classroom. It is an extension of our education philosophy which emphasizes practical, hands-on, interactive learning is the best method of teaching a child. With Iken Scientifica Summer Camps we hope to encourage out-of-the-box thinking and provide an ideal environment for students to have freedom to think, innovate and apply theoretical knowledge while gaining critical life skills like working in a team, leadership, negotiation and persuasion skills. We intend to scale-up and conduct these workshops under the Iken Scientifica banner across India after the first phase is completed in Mumbai.”
The phenomenal response to Iken Scientifica 2009, the annual science & technology competition conducted by Mexus Education, built the need and momentum to launch Iken Scientifica Workshops.
Mr. Royomand Irani, father of Master Pashangh Irani (Iken Scientifica 2009 winner) sharing his views about the competition and summer camp said, “The Iken Sceintifica competition is an innovative and encouraging platform where children can showcase their talent. The most essential part is that the child enjoys the exercise and no formal preparation is required. It brings out the child’s creativity in an exciting manner. I believe the upcoming Summer camps will help children learn through various experiential methods that enhances their knowledge.”
The core of the workshop is the ‘Knowledge Marketplace’ which operates on ‘Kens’ or knowledge currency. Each student participating in the workshop is given an initial amount of kens which enable him to conduct transactions at the market place. To make their solution-oriented design prototypes the students need three basic things which are knowledge, raw materials and fabrication expertise that can be acquired here.
‘Knowledge Marketplace’ comprises of the following constituents which enhance the real-world learning experience.
• Design Companies are student teams that start with an initial capital on kens and are faced with market needs in the form of problem statements. They can buy raw materials from shops, scientific know how from SME (Subject Matter Experts) and make prototype of machines, sell them to Large Scale Industries and earn money.
• Raw material shops are store houses of raw materials and control its prices at the marketplace on the basis of demand and supply. Fabricators sell fabrication services such as cutting, drilling & grinding to student teams.
• Subject matter experts (SME) & Fabricators are the centre points of scientific know how. They sell expert advice to Design Companies or student teams.
• Large Scale Industries are the ultimate buyers who analyze the design concepts, look at the feasibility and scalability of the designed product, negotiate on the pricing and then buy the final prototype from design companies. During the workshop they critically analyze designs, which act as an input for the design companies to improve upon their designs.
Everyday, students attending the workshop will be conferred with prizes in various categories like best design, best product, fastest design and several on the spot challenges
The students will receive a starter kit at the workshop which has guidelines, workshop Instruction, stationary and virtual currency. If a student wins any of the challenges, they earn in kens which can be redeemed by buying engaging & innovative educational Iken products from retail outlets present across Mumbai.
About Mexus Education
Mexus Education is an educational innovations enterprise started in 2008. It is a global venture by the Bilakhia Group. The company believes that 21st century education goes beyond school text books. It engages a student in a fascinating process of exploration, experience and extrapolation. This experience is enhanced with specially designed products which facilitate active participation. The various content forms used are films, graphic novels, games and hands-on kits that bring out a fusion of entertainment with education.
‘www.iken.in’ and ‘Iken Scientifica’, the two landmark endeavours of the company encourage the process of ideation and innovation among the students, teachers, schools and parents alike.
Mexus is now serving more than 4 lakh students in 1200 schools in 20 cities at present and aims to pioneer many more education changing innovations by 2012.The company has a dedicated team of over 300 professionals, from India’s top institutes like IIT’s, BITS, NID, top Business Schools, experienced Teachers and child psychologists, involved in research & development.
For more details you can visit www.mexuseducation.com.
