| Association for Promotion of Creative Learning | |
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The Logo |
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Bihar, India |
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| Abbreviation | APCL |
| Motto | Charaiveti Charaiveti (Keep moving, keep moving) |
| Formation | October 2, 1996 |
| Type | NGO |
| Legal status | Not-for-Profit Society registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860 |
| Purpose/focus | Education, Healthcare, Livelihood |
| Headquarters | Patna, Bihar, India |
| Region served | Worldwide |
| Executive President | Dr Mridula Prakash |
| Staff | 50+ |
| Website | www.creativelearning.in |
Association for Promotion of Creative Learning (APCL) is a not-for-profit organisation working in the field of providing quality education, healthcare and livelihood to people from underprivileged communities. It was established in 1996 by a diverse group of academicians, administrators, doctors, bankers and engineers in Patna, Bihar, India. [1]
APCL works at the grassroots with underprivileged communities and has been at the forefront of action research and advocacy of innovative solutions for empowering the marginalised. It has also organised several projects, conferences, seminars and workshops on themes related to education, livelihood and healthcare in collaboration with leading non-governmental organisations such as UNICEF, Action Aid, Oxfam, Commonwealth Education Fund, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Sulabh International, Care, Save the Children, National Rural Health Mission, Ritu Sinha Charitable Foundation (USA) and The KG Foundation.
Contents |
The organisation has adopted Charaiveti Charaiveti (translated from Sanskrit, it means Keep moving, keep moving) as its motto. It is from an ancient hymn
It means Moving persons get nectar, moving person get tasty food. See the greatness of the Sun which is never tired of moving. Keep moving, Keep moving. Gautam Buddha used to end his sermons with these words as a message to the world to keep moving.[2] The logo of the moving wheel of creativity adopted by the organisation symbolises the state of flow of the creative energies to continually seek and keep moving towards the eternal quest.
The organisation has developed a unique teaching-learning methodology called Creative Learning, which enables children from underprivileged communities to gain knowledge in a multiple intelligences environment. Since many of them are first generation learners who do not have access to a linguistic environment at home, learners at the school are taught through games, activities and a laboratory based approach. Founder Executive President of the organisation Vijoy Prakash has authored a book on Creative Learning. [3] The book was presented by the author to then President of India APJ Abdul Kalam in a special function at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on November 17, 2006.
Under Creative Learning, APCL has identified seven Core Creative Competencies, which are essential in any natural process of learning:
In December 2009, the Ritu Sinha Knowledge Centre for Creative Learning was inaugurated, which serves as the resource centre for various educational and research activities being carried out at the school. The centre is equipped with a library, computer centre, conference hall, health centre and exhbition hall. The Centre has hosted several conferences, seminars and workshops. The centre has been developed in collaboration with Ritu Sinha Charitable Fund (USA).
In June 2011, APCL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the KG Foundation (UK) for setting up a Centre for Inclusive Learning at the School of Creative Learning in Patna. The centre would undertake research, development and counselling in the field of learning disabilities including dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia etc. The construction of the centre has already begun and foundations are being laid. [4][5]
In collaboration with Commonwealth Education Fund, the organisation carried out a Survey of Democratic Attitude among Children in April-May, 2004. The survey was conducted across 15 schools in Patna and Samastipur, in which 1,366 children in the age-group of 11-18 years participated. [6][7]
The findings of the survey were presented in the form of a book - Education for Democracy authored by Vijoy Prakash and Prof Shailendra Kr Shrivastava. It further presented a holistic education model of EFD based on formal, informal and non-formal education systems. The book was released by the then Governor of Bihar, Raghunandan Lal Bhatia, in March 2009.
The International Conference on Educational and Social Inclusion [8] was held at School of Creative Learning from November 25-27, 2011 at Patna. [9] [10] It was jointly organised by Association for Promotion of Creative Learning and the KG Foundation (UK).
The delegates in the conference released the Patna Declaration at the ICESI 2011. It is the assertion towards attaining an inclusive educational and social system through principles of Broadstreaming and Multiple Intelligences. [11] The declaration specifically addresses the need to research on Special Educational Needs of children, in order to provide them with a suitable learning environment.
Mr Ian Stewart, Former Member of Parliament from Eccles in United Kingdom, chaired the concluding session of the conference and announced the acceptance of the declaration by the attending delegates.
Over 37 papers were presented at the conference by participants representing 6 countries and three continents. They presented their research findings and views on attaining educational, health and social inclusion. Other distinguished people who attended the conference were Dr Ajay Kumar, Ian Stewart, Prof Shailendra Kumar Shrivastava, AK Karn, Mihir Ranjan and AK Jethi.
| Speakers/Authors | Organisation | Country | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professor Dr Mohammad Akhtar Siddiqui | Jamia Millia Islamia Central University, India | Challenges for Education and Inclusiveness in India | |
| Mrs Joy Hall | Birmingham City University, United Kingdom | Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) - The Silent Health and Social Care Emergency | |
| Emeritus Professor Gajendra Verma | The KG Foundation, UK & India | Education and Social Integration: Setting in Context - Insights and Evaluations | |
| Dr Carl A Grant and Elisa Zwier | Department of Afro-American Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA | Engaging Educators in Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and School-Home Partnerships | |
| Professor Dr Prabhat Ranjan | Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Gandhinagar, India | Using Brain-Computer Interface in Inclusive Education | |
| Dr Devorah Kalekin-Fishman | University of Haifa, Israel | Furthering Social Inclusion through Citizenship Education: Cultivating Civic Action in Early Childhood Education | |
| Mr Vijoy Prakash | Government of Bihar, India | Broadstreaming through Creative Learning - An Approach towards Educational Inclusion | |
| Dr Royston Flude | CMDC-SPOC, Switzerland | Inclusive Learning - The Challenge of Special Needs | |
| Dr Eugenia Panitsidou | University of Macedonia, Greece | Policies for Lifelong Learning: A Portal for Social Inclusion? | |
| Dr VP Matheswaran and Mrs C Vijayalaxhmi | University of Madras | A Study on Creating Awareness and Developing Self-Confidence in the Parents of Mentally Retarded Children | |
| Dr HN Diwaker | Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan Hospital | An Attempt Towards Social And Educational Inclusion Of Children With Cerebral Palsy | |
| Dr Padam Simkhada and Emeritus Professor Christopher Bagley | University of Southampton, United Kingdom | Challenges for Inclusion: Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Girls and Women in Canada, Britain, India, Nepal and The Philippines | |
| Dr Nevel A Vassel | Birmingham City University, United Kingdom | Challenges for Teachers Delivering Education to Learning Disabled Student Populations | |
| Mr Abhijeet Nirmal and Ms Aprajita Mishra | Save the Children | Corporal Punishment: A Worst Form of Violence Against Children | |
| Dr Arvind Kumar Sharma, Dr Ranjay Kumar and Dr Ranjeeta Kumari | Department of Human Resource Development, Government of Bihar, India | Designing Activities For Development Of Imagination And Creativity Through Informal Learning Among School-Going Children | |
| Professor MC Reddeppa Reddy | Department of Adult and Continuing Education, SVU College of Arts, SV University | Designing Educational Programmes for Inclusive Education | |
| Dr Adamantios Papastamatis, Evaggelia Kantartzi and Konstantino Kapsokavadis | University of Macedonia, Greece | Diversity and Inclusion in the Greek Educational System | |
| Dr Manju Kumari and Dr Mona Tabassum | Department of Psychology, RN College, Hajipur, Bihar, India | Dyslexia - A Learning Disability - The Indian Context | |
| Dr Nirupa Laxmi, Dr Rupa Laxmi and Dr Swarupa Laxmi | Galgotias Institute of Management & Technology, Greater Noida, UP, India | Dyslexia: Insights on Learning Disabilities | |
| Dr Rupa Lakshmi and Dr Ran Bijay Narayan Sinha | Department of Psychology, RN College, Hajipur, Bihar, India | In Search of a Culture-Sensitive Method For Exploring Social Reality | |
| Dr Basabi Mahapatra, Dr Daisy Banerjee and Dr Nagma Siddiqui | Patna University | Education, Learning Difficulty and Exclusion | |
| Dr Mridula Prakash and Mr Vijoy Prakash | Association for Promotion of Creative Learning | Educational Inclusion through Folk Paintings: A Case Study of Madhubani Paintings | |
| Dr Tanuja Singh and Dr S Bedi | Department of Botany, Patna Women's College, Bihar | Gender Discrimination: Health and Social Perspective | |
| Ioanna Papavassilliou - Alexiou and Thaleia Tsourka | University of Macedonia, Greece | Guidance Services for Undergraduate Students - Facilitating Transitions into Education and Employment | |
| Dr Padam Simkhada and Prof Dr Edwin Van Teijlingen | University of Sheffield, United Kingdom | Health Aspects of International Migration: Case Studies of Nepalese Workers in India and the Gulf Countries | |
| Dr P Jagadeesan | Advocate, Chennai, India | Human Rights Of The Child And Woman - The Effect Of Socio-Economic Status On Social Inclusion | |
| Eleni Griva and Dora Chostelidou | University of Western Macedonia, Greece | Inclusion of Bilingual Immigrant Students in the Language Classroom: Identification of Writing Difficulties and Strategies | |
| Dr Ranjeeta Kumari and Dr Kumkum Kumari | JD Women's College, Patna, India | Innovative Applications of Natural Resources in Child Education: A Case Study of School of Creative Learning, Nargada, Danapur, Patna | |
| Dr Suman Sinha | RN College, Hajipur, Bihar, India | Learning Difficulty in Language - Remedy through Communicative Skills | |
| Professor Sachindra Narayan | SK Dey Chair Professor | Quality Enhancement in Education | |
| Dr Addy Lazz-Onyenobi | The University of Manchester | Raising Public Awareness of Mental Health in Relation to Young People and Social Inclusion | |
| Dr K Gireesan | Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Chennai, India | Reaching the Unreached: Traverse of Alternative and Innovative Schools | |
| Rupashree Jamuar | RN College, Hajipur, Bihar, India | Role of Teacher in Classroom Learning, Control and Management | |
| Stella Giossi, Panagiotis Giavrimis and Dr Adamantios Papastamatis | University of Macedonia, Greece | Teachers' Professional Development and Students with Disabilities | |
| Dr Ravi Kumar Sinha | Department of English, RN College, Hajipur, Bihar, India | Teaching English as L2 to First-Generation Learners: Need to Contextualize Classroom Management: A Case Study | |
| Professor Dr Deepak Kumar | Jawaharlal Nehru University | Technical Knowledge and a Knowledge Society | |
| Mr Amit Chowdhury | Save the Children | Understanding Inclusive Education through the Lens of Local Framework |
Creative Learning Foundation has been established to manage the publications and other materials developed by the organisation. It has developed several teaching-learning and advocacy materials in the form of:
In 2004, APCL released a citizen's charter on education along with other NGOs as a part of Global Campaign for Education. The charter was submitted to the Governor of Bihar by a delegation of local organisations. [12]
In 2009, APCL undertook a project on Right to Education for Underprivileged in collaboration with ActionAid India. A center aptly named Shabri Ashram was established in vulnerable Tola to facilitate community intervention for ensuring right to education. Presentation about Education to Underprivileged has also been made in Bihar Vidhan Parishad Annexee in the ‘Vimarsh’ programme.