Interdisciplinary postgraduate programs in science and mathematics

Excellence in Curriculum Design (CURRICULUM DESIGN FOR INDUSTRY RELEVANT AND INTERDISCIPLINARY GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS IN APPLIED SCIENCES, NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS)

V.Thanikachalam B.E., M.Tech., Ph.D., M.S., FIE., FIGS. FMR Professor and HOD, CIA, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chennai Abstract Most of the high performing students migrate to various professional programs. Hence, the arts and science programs have to be developed to attract them. Innovative methods of curriculum development in arts and science programs could be based on the reverse system approach. This would provide promise to develop industry relevant graduate and postgraduate programs in applied science, applied mathematics and natural sciences. By close collaboration with the association of national laboratories, various Indian Institutes of Science Education Research the faculty can design innovative programs which would enable the candidate’s employer ready. The programs could also meet the career developments of the candidates. The Indian economy requirements could be assessed through various national and state projects. The program educational objectives are to be planned to meet the expected job specifications in science related jobs. The faculty members are to be developed to plan interdisciplinary programs and implement them.

Keywords: Curriculum development process. Reverse system approach, enhancement of the relevance of postgraduate programs Introduction Profound changes are occurring throughout the world in the new age of rapidly advancing information technology and globalization. The need for the research- based applications of the social sciences, natural sciences, and applied sciences has never been greater, and is growing stronger as the 21 st century unfolds. In 1950s five Indian Institutes of Technology were established by the Government of India. These institutes organized master degree programs and Ph.D in applied Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. Indian Institute of Science provides master degree programs for science graduates. In 2000 Government of India established Indian Institute Science Education and Research. The need for applied science graduates increase due to advancement of economy.

Most of the Indian universities in arts and science and autonomous colleges largely adopt traditional approach to design new programs or marginally improve the obsolete programs.

In this 21st century, there is a need for more applied science programs to meet the demands of the growing needs of Indian economy. Most of the high performing students migrate to professional programs where as the applied sciences provide strong foundation for the development of advances in the professional programs. The universities could constitute empowered planning committees in each branch of arts, commerce, and science and evaluate the programs against the current needs of the 1

Indian society. They can modernize the programs in collaboration with scientists working in the national laboratories, industries and other end users. The colleges have to plan appropriate new programs with program objectives. This would be reversing the trend and bring more values to the programs. Also the arts and science programs could contribute more to the advancement to the technology and economy.

Program Educational Objectives •

Provide in-depth training to the students in natural sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, computer sciences, applied sciences, arts and commerce

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Provide students with an opportunity to develop their professional knowledge and expertise to reach a high caliber and to qualify for leadership positions in teaching, in research, in administration, in management and in policy analysis and project development

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Inculcate a broad analytic understanding of advanced experimental, theoretical and computational methods in applied science/ natural science

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Create substantive knowledge in selected fields or areas of applied science/ natural science

Desired Program Outcomes •

Pursue a career in academia in teaching and/or research

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Pursue a career in research and development

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Identify all well-defined applied science problems of importance to the profession or community, as well as generate new ideas and approaches to solve such problems

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Apply advanced experimental, analytical and computational techniques to solve complex science and interdisciplinary problems

A Board of Studies could be constituted for each program which may consist of four or five senior faculty members, specialists from national laboratories and one or two industry representative(s). The Board could be granted sufficient period and funds for this. In one or two sittings the board has to complete the draft document and submit to the academic council for its consideration. The program could have detailed list of program educational objectives (PEO), credits, electives and industry relevant advanced courses and community specific dissertation works. Once in three years, the program could be reviewed by another board that may add some necessary new courses or delete a few courses. There is incremental innovation in the curriculum design process.

Literature Review According to Finch and Crunkilton curriculum development should be based on the following rationale: Data based: Student characteristics and community related data should be considered.

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Dynamic: Frequent evaluation on the effectiveness, removal of obsolete topics and courses has to be done.

Explicit outcomes: Well defined program educational objectives are to be specified.

Fully articulated: Sufficient basic, core, applied and advanced courses are to be included.

Realistic: Should offer sufficient society oriented planning, and manufacturing skills.

Student oriented: Should meet student career needs.

Evaluation –Consciously built in to the program.

Future oriented: Future industrial needs are to be assessed and incorporated.

World Class –Focused.

Hence, all these rationale issues are to be incorporated in the postgraduate applied science curricula.

Michael G. Dolence advocates learner centered curriculum (LCC) model. This consists of seven interrelated components as follows: 1. Learner populations served 2. Objectives they seek 3. Provider models available 4. Learning theory, methods and principles appropriate to successful learning 5. Overall curriculum architecture providing the full scope of programs and approaches 6. Specific curriculum configurations designed to meet learners’ needs 7. Services required by learners to meet their objectives This model could be used to evaluate the designed curriculum.

Reverse System Approach It starts with synthesized program educational objectives (PEO), planned course outcomes, desired products of the program, and continuous program improvement through improved instructional change process, and needed inputs from the faculty, industry, educational administrators, national commissions, national councils and students.

It is essential to prepare program educational objectives (PEOs)which will be taken as base for getting the accreditation later, and to compare the skills and competencies of the graduates with those of industry standards.

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In the last ten years many global initiatives have been well established in Europe, Russia, Australia and USA. They focus on the high end competencies in product planning, testing, improving and manufacturing to provide maximum assistance to their companies. Every industry publishes the desired skills and competencies expected of the employees. These are to be considered as standards for developing the curricula.

Research Studies on Program Planning and Evaluation Considering the dynamism of economy growth, University Grants Commission (UGC) could constitute research teams through state universities, Indian Institute of Science Education Research (IISER) and well performing autonomous colleges to conduct research on the needs of the economy, and evaluating the existing curricula.

Such studies could be planned once in four years and snap studies every alternate years.

After completing the studies, a working group consists of senior faculty and representatives of national laboratories, and industry could be constituted to review the draft curricula and suggest needed changes. Some of the Selected areas in arts and science which have more potential for the development of human resources are presented in Table-1.

1. Applied Mathematics (Table-1) Specialization

Focus

Development Issues

Probability

Development of mathematics disciplines especially oriented to complex problems of modern knowledge based society.

Dealing in a unified way with theory and methodology for probabilistic representation of chance phenomena, application of stochastic modelling to physical and social sciences, formulation of statistical models, fitting statistical models to data and interpretation of data.

Mathematical representation and modeling of uncertainty Statistics

Analysis and interpretation of data.

Operation Research

The design, analysis and improvement of actual operations and processes

Optimization

The determination of best or optimal decisions

Do General area dealing in unified fashion with the application of optimization theory and mathematical programming, computer modelling stochastic modelling and game theory to planning and policy problems, such as scheduling, allocation and facility location.

Do

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Discrete mathematics

Scientific Computation

The study of the finite structures, arrangements and relations

Traditional themes of graph theory and combinatorics.

All aspects of numerical computing in support of the sciences.

Computing, numerical analysis, advanced numerical analysis, advanced matrix analysis and mathematical modelling.

Newer topics arising from modern technological and theoretical development.

2. Applied Physics Applied physics uses the fundamental laws to understand phenomena that have practical applications; engineering in turn makes use of these phenomena for industrial purposes.

Applied physics then forms a link between the fundamental laws of nature and their applications. Students majoring in Applied physics can take courses in physics, engineering and applied physics. These graduates could be prepared for graduate programs in Applied Physics, in Physics, in Nanoscience, or in Engineering or in Law or in Management or in Medical Equipment Technology. They can choose careers in a wide range of technical and commercial fields or in fields such as patent law that draw on interdisciplinary subjects.

3. Applied Chemistry Modern contemporary and forward looking programs could be built upon the strong foundation of engineering chemistry. This combines with the latest advances in chemical technologies and application. Design applied chemistry would address the needs of modern knowledge based industries like cement, fertilizer, paper, polymer and plastics. Also many other fast growing industries in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, dyes, pigments, geochemistry, soil chemistry, textile chemistry, hazardous waste management, nuclear chemistry, crystallography, cheminformatics, paint, coatings, inks, environment, and advanced manufacturing using clean technology could benefit from the interdisciplinary programs.

4. Political Science

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There is a need for programs in international political economy, social change and revolution, transnational threats, comparative intelligence cultures, cybersecurity, global affairs, global independence, and international security.

5. Botany (Plant Science/Plant Biology) This is one of the world’s oldest natural sciences. Most of the universities offer graduate and postgraduate programs in botany, but there has been a decline in recent years since students move to other environmental studies, agriculture and horticulture, and forestry science. Varied areas of botany are given in the Table -2.

Table-2 Sl. No.

Area

Focus

1

Plant Pathology

Understanding disease as well as the potential problems caused by the climate change.

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Plant Ecology

Focus on how plants interact with their environment, with and in soils, with animal species, how it reacts to ecological change such as climate change and many issues of the wider landscape. This is very important in a world of understanding and adapting to climate change in working out how to breed or otherwise alter our staple plants to survive and adapt to changing environments.

Study on the growing science of genetically modified (G.M) crops and cross breeding for hardier crops.

Tissue culture of various trees like teak

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Palaebotany

Focus on extinct plants or fossilized plants recovered from geological strata.

Study fossilized algae, bacteria, and fungal lichens.

Deep focus required on changing climate of the past.

4

Archaeo botany

Focus on medicinal plants, crop farming, wetland drainage, irrigation and other forms of ecological engineering.

5

Forensic botany

Criminal investigation using pollen or other minute plant remains to determine the cause of death.

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Then the draft curricula could be placed before the academic councils and based on their approval they may be implemented.

All these citations indicate the scope of refining various postgraduate programs which will enhance the quality of the candidates. This will assure industry ready candidates and bring very good success in the industrial production and economy.

Faculty Orientation to New Interdisciplinary Programs There is a need for systematic faculty development on the need for appropriate programs in applied sciences. The faculty has to be systematically oriented to the planning and implementing new curricula by the private institutions. They could start strategic planning to establish applied science programs.

Based on their vision they have to be developed to plan and implement new programs. They have to be exposed to the fast growing industries to have a firsthand experience on the modern industrial processes.

Resource Development for the Implementation of New Curricula Most of institutes are to be modernized to implement the curricula. Necessary funds could be obtained by the Ministry of Science and Technology, TIFAC, and CSIR, since, the interdisciplinary program development could reflect on the industrial performance and economy.

Research and Development Many global studies reflect that India is spending more in research and development ( National Science Foundation, Globalization of Science and Engineering Research). There is a need to plan postgraduate programs with interdisciplinary research focus. Academic productivity has to be increased through research, product design, and patents [Phillip G Altbach]. The postgraduate programs are to be evaluated against the National Engineering Qualification Framework.

Promoting Excellence in Post Graduate Programs This really calls for creating an enabling environment for promoting excellence which will need administrative and procedural reforms. As per the Ministry of Human Resource Development, project has been established to offer grants to engineering colleges and deemed to be universities to become Centers of Excellence. Hence, the institutions have to prepare proposals for getting such grants.

Conclusions The current method of planning and improving various curricula of applied programs need improvement. Many research workers have brought out many innovations in the curricula planning and development. Reverse system approach would assist the faculty in stating the program educational objectives (PEOs) which will meet the needs of the Indian industry. It is suggested to provide funds for enhancing the quality of the faculty and the institutional resources. There is a need for active

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collaboration between the government, universities, national laboratories and industry in planning industry relevant postgraduate programs in applied sciences.

References 1. http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsb1003/ 2. http://gradcatalog.ufl.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=8&poid=3321&returnto=1453 3. www.study.com/articles/careers_in_Botany_Job_Options_and_Education_Requirements.html 4. www.graduatescools.com/programs/environmental-science/botany-and-plant-science 5. https://www.fkit.unizg.hr/en/curicula/undergraduate_graduate_courses/applied_chemistry 6. http://www.qut.eduau/study/courses/master-of-applied-science-research3 7. http://www.unisc.eduau/Global/Research/study/Guide-to-research-degree-2015.pdf 8. www.acs.org/content/en/careers/college-to-career/chemistry-careers 9. www.iup.edu/chemistry/grad/chemistry-psm 10. http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/courses/options/botany/ 11. http://botany.org/bsa/careers/what_is_botany.php 12. http://www.livescience.com/14016-natural-products.nib.html 13. http://nhb.gov.in/fruits/banana/ban002pdf 14. Department of Secondary & Higher Education, Creating An Enabling Environment for Promoting Excellence-Administrative and Procedural Reforms, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, New Delhi, Document No.2, October 29, 2001.

15. Philip G Altbach, What Counts for Academic Productivity in Research Universities?, University World News, Global Edition, Issue 329, July, 18, 2014.

16. Finch, C.R. and Crunkilton, J.R , Curriculum Development in career and technical education, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, pp.3 22 [ http://oak.ucc.nau.edu/mr/cte592/Module_1/Curriculum_Develpment_An_Overview.html 17. Michael G. Dolence, Learning Centered Curriculum Model: A Structured Framework for Technology Planning , Educause Center for Applied Research, Research Bulletin, Vol.2003, Issue 17, August 19, 2003, Boulder, Colorado 18. www.e-catalog.jhu.edu/departments-program-requirements-and-courses/engineering/appliedmathematics-statistics/ 8

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