Shalini Prabhakar

Sex Education Syllabus to Be Revised by NCERT National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has decided to make positive changes to the sex education syllabus after the discovery of objectionable content and graphics in the sex education text books. Seven states in India had raised objections to the sex education syllabus; the graphic and content was found to be inappropriate. The content will be revamped keeping the focus on ‘abstinence’ rather than the use of protection, the prevailing content in the text. The revised content will seek to stress on prevention as the key message to youngsters in their fight against HIV and sexually transmitted infections. The syllabus will be revised to suit people from different cultural backgrounds and from urban and rural areas. The final draft of the proposed changes is sated to be ready by end of October.

Why Sex Education Is Required For Teenagers? There is a burgeoning need, in recent times, to impart sex education to our teenagers. During adolescence,not only do the hormones work overtime, but there are physical changes too that are taking place in the body structure; particularly so in the sex organs, making the teenager curious to explore these changes. Added to all this, there is often an impulsiveness to indulge in what is forbidden combined with the absence of adequate wisdom to control these impulses.The 'sexual arena' is in constant focus among the teens; in the absence of proper guidance, this can result in more harm than good. Let us try to analyze the reasons that point towards sex education for the teens-

Adequate guidance would always help prevent teenage pregnancies. It stresses on the role of abstinence and contraceptive methods, including the use of condoms. Besides teenage pregnancies being a health hazard, adolescents are mentally unprepared to handle pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. With sex education, teenagers will be better equipped to understand the repercussions of teenage pregnancy on their health as well as that of the fetus. They will recognize the importance of pre- delivery care and the consequences of hiding a pregnancy. Sex education will help teenagers appreciate the negative impact of teenage pregnancy on their education, and consequently on their future, so that they would take necessary steps to avoid it. Sex education would go a long way in helping to control AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, non-gonoccocal urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease and syphilis, to name a few. Sex education to the teens is the responsibility of every parent and teacher. It is better for them to get the right information from their peers rather than getting misinformation from other sources like friends, magazines or websites. Enlightening a teenager is the best preventive policy to tackle the growing health problems in this age group. They need to understand very early that “it is better to be safe than sorry

What is Sex Education? Sex education touches upon the following topicsHuman anatomy

Reproduction through sexual intercourse

Pregnancy Safe sex Birth control

methods

Sexual orientation Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) The so called information on 'the bees and the birds' should be imparted by a parent or a peer. However most often this information is derived from books,magazines,pornographic websites and various other sources. When this happens it was not dispensed with in a methodical way which lead to misconcepts and does more harm than good. Recently there has been an effort to incorporate sex education as part of the academic curriculum. This has been successfully implemented in several western countries but continues to face stiff opposition in many Asian countries, like India. The hue and cry from the conservative societies ‘not to impart’ this type of 'Kam-Sutra' education to our young in the schools is due to the following reasonsParents fear that this type of education would make our children more liberated and they would indulge in sexual intercourse more readily. Administration fears backlash that may have some political repercussions’ in implementing such a policy forward. However the growing incidence of teenage pregnancies and the rise in HIV has made this an

important issue that requires urgent global discussion.

Regular Teachers More Effective at Teaching Health, Sex Education When it comes to teaching sensitive subjects like sex, students learn more if taught by their regular classroom teacher, says a new study.

A strong student-teacher relationship can play a key role in learning health and sex education. Students feel more comfortable with regular teachers and are able to joke around and laugh with the teachers, but also take them more seriously, find researchers from Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky. Because of the established relationship regular classroom teachers have with their students, it may be easier for adolescents to talk with and learn from someone who already knows them as individuals. In the study conducted in nearly 700 high school students in central and northern Kentucky, the team found that it was easier for the kids to talk about personal stuff with someone they knew. "The actual person teaching makes a difference in how students learn. When there is a good relationship that really facilitates learning and motivation. And we found that in almost every area, the regular classroom teachers were more effective, they were better," said Eric Anderman, co-author of the study and professor of educational psychology at Ohio State. "The relationship between the teacher and the student, particularly during adolescence, is very important. It was easier for the kids to talk about personal stuff with someone they knew.

"It was easier for them to absorb the material and become more interested in what they were talking about with their regular teacher in the classroom," he added.

Sex Education for All 11-year-olds: Brit Government

In this entire flurry about rising teen pregnancies, the British Government’s latest move comes as no surprise. A governmentbacked report has recommended compulsory sex health education at school for kids as young as 11! According to the report, school kids ought to be taught about sexually transmitted infections like Chlamydia that can cause infertility. Academics should also discuss contraceptive methods in a bid to cut rising numbers of teen pregnancies. The report found STI and HIV rates were rising while demand for abortions was also on the up. It labeled the scale and nature of sexual ill health in England a "grave concern" - and warned the government's long-term sexual health strategy was in danger of failing. The report said there had been "considerable action and funding ... to improve services" after the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV was published in 2001. But it called for more testing for HIV and other STIs and improved access to abortions. The report, by the Medical Foundation for Aids and Sexual Health and the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health, also called for family GPs to improve the sexual health care they give. "We need GPs to be able to identify sexual health needs and be confident talking about sex," The Sun quoted Co-author Ruth Lowbury, a top sexual health expert, as saying. "There are some ... who haven't really been interested in engaging with sexual health.

Charities Want Sex Education for Kids as Young as Four Sexual health charities Brook and the Family Planning Association are calling for sex education for kids as young as four so as to reduce teen pregnancies.

The charities said children should be taught about sex so that they are aware of things like abortions and sexually transmitted infections when adolescents. "If we get high-quality sex and relationships education in every primary and secondary school across the UK all the evidence shows teenage pregnancy rates will continue to fall and will improve young people's sexual health," said Brook chief executive, Simon Blake. "This is not about teaching four-year-olds how to have sex ... it's like maths - at primary school children learn the basics so that they can understand more and more complex concepts at a later stage," said Julie Bentley, the Family Planning Association chief executive. Yesterday the Department for Children, Schools and Families issued new draft guidance for schools. The Sex Education Forum has called for sex education to be made mandatory in schools.

Teen Pregnancy Rates Could Start to Increase: Report A report by National Center for Health Statistics in the US has revealed that teen pregnancy rates could start to increase after being steady for several years.

The government report revealed teen pregnancy rates increased from 21 births per 1,000 teenage girls in 2005 to 22 per 1,000 in 2006. "It's only one year. And it might be, to use a very technical term, a blip in the data," said Edward J. Sondik, PhD, director of the National Center for Health Statistics. "We feel strongly that it bears watching." The report also said the number of underweight babies in the US also increased to 8.3% in 2006 from 8.2% in 2005. "This trend reflects an increase in the number of infants born prematurely, the largest category of low-birth-weight infants," said Duane Alexander, MD, head of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. RAS/L

Hollywood Films Blamed for Inspiring ‘pregnancy Pact’ Among the Teens

such as Juno and Knocked Up have been blamed for inspiring the "pregnancy pact"- a deal made by seventeen US schoolgirls to get pregnant together. Hollywood films

The seventeen schoolgirls are pregnant going into the summer holidays at the 1,200-pupil Gloucester High School in Massachusetts, 30 miles north of Boston. "Nearly half the expecting students, none older than 16, confessed to making a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together," Times Online quoted Joseph Sullivan, the headmaster, as saying. Sullivan said he suspected that the girls were influenced by Hollywood. One of the fathers is a 24-year-old homeless man, and others are also in their mid-20s. All of the pregnant girls are under 17 and some are younger than 16, the age of consent in Massachusetts, prompting the mayor to ask about possible criminal charges for under-age sex. "At the very least these men should be held responsible for financial support, if not put in jail for statutory rape as the mayor has suggested," Greg Verga, the chairman of the Gloucester School Committee, said. School officials became suspicious when girls began seeking pregnancy tests at the school clinic and seemed more upset when they were not pregnant than when they were. Some girls reacted with high-fives and started planning baby showers when they learnt they were expecting. After administering about 150 pregnancy tests, the medical director and the nurse at the school clinic recommended prescribing contraceptives to pupils regardless of parental consent. The idea went down badly with families in the predominantly Roman Catholic town and the two clinic staff resigned in protest on May 30.

Chidambaram Stresses the Need for Sex Education to Combat HIV/AIDS Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said on Sunday that sex education is must to control HIV-AIDS.

He said this as he inaugurated an orphanage for HIV infected children in Coimbatore. Chidambaram also said that the migratory labourers, lorry drivers and above all sex workers are the most vulnerable sections of the society. "It is spreading very rapidly among lorry drivers, migrant labourers, who keep on traveling from one place to another. Moreover, the sex workers who are carriers of this deadly disease," said Chidambaram. He also exhorted people to engage themselves constructively and help the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), which are battling against this menace. The number of people estimated to be living with HIV-AIDS in about 2.47 million.

India

is

Yet over 40 per cent of Indian women have not heard of AIDS, creating a dangerous combination of lack of knowledge and greater sexual activity.

. .

22. Central Institute of Educational

Technology Educational technology constitutes one of the important areas of activities of the NCERT. The Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) undertakes activities related to research and evaluation, documentation and dissemination along with consultancy services to various organisations of educational technology. It develops audio-video programmes which are transmitted on DD-I, Gyan Darshan and Gyan Vani. ANNUAL REPORT 156 2006-07

Major Activities of the Institute during 2006-07 RESEARCH An Evaluation Study of the Process of Design and Production of Educational Media Programmes and their Effectiveness in Student Learning The programme aims at qualitative analysis of educational media scripts with a view to assess the effect of media programmes on students learning and to suggest measures for improvement for the future production of ETV Programmes. Five research tools for content analysis, testing achievement, obtaining perceptions of teachers and students have been developed. In addition a questionnaire and observation schedule to measure learners’ attention span has also been used. Analysis has been completed. A Study into Effectiveness of Educational Technology based Teaching-Learning Materials in Tribal Primary Schools The major objectives of the project are to develop Educational Technology (ET) based teaching-learning materials and to study their effectiveness with primary school learners in tribal areas. The data has been collected from Bhind and Murena districts of Madhya Pradesh

and analysed. Three orientation programmes-cum-workshops for the teachers of 10 project schools in Ghati Gaon of Gwalior district have been organised to develop ET learning materials. Reading clubs and puppet corners were developed in these project schools. A regular follow up and monitoring is undertaken to know the status of the activities initiated under the project. Participants of the workshop on development of puppets holding discussions

ANNUAL REPORT 2006-07 157

A Status Study of Computers in Schools The study aims at assessing the infrastructure both in terms of hardware and software and their utilisation for academic purposes. Research tools have been developed and the states have been identified for undertaking the study. A Study of Status and Perceptions of Stakeholders of School Programmes Telecast on ‘Gyan Darshan Channel’ Preliminary information on the programme telecast has been collected and a review of the studies undertaken has been completed. Research tools viz. questionnaire to know status and schedules for knowing perceptions of teachers, students and parents have been developed. The study shall be carried forward through visits to school utilising the programmes to know status and obtain views of different stakeholders. Pattron Ke Uttar – An Interactive Follow up Programme with the Viewers of ‘Tarang’ The CIET continued with its regular activities of monitoring transmission of ETV programmes on DD-I and Gyan Darshan channels. Apart from this, responses from the viewers of ‘Tarang’ received through their letters were analysed. Monthly programme entitled ‘Pattron Ke Uttar’ based on

letters received from viewers was developed and telecast. DEVELOPMENT Development of audio-video programmes for supporting curricular and co-curricular activities involves assessment of needs, designing of programme briefs and scripts, conduct of formative evaluation during the design and production of programmes. It also involves undertaking production and post-production (editing) work and their preview to develop good quality media programmes for different target groups. The target groups comprise of children, teachers, teacher-educators, parents and the public at large. Various production related activities undertaken during the year are as under: Script Designing The CIET developed 83 audio and video script during the year 2006-07. Out of these 45 are video programmes and 38 audio programmes. The areas covered included Science, Mathematics, Political Science and Language Learning (Hindi and English). These are based on the NCERT textbooks. Series covered included rivers of India, Seema Prahari Tujhe Salam (salute to you the border guard), Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Subhash Chandra Bose, Nazir Akbarabadi, Kabir, Ras khan, etc. Scripts for programmes have been developed under series on songs of freedom, water, food and nutrition. Scripts have also been developed on themes like ‘Connections’ under the series doing and deciphering science for middle level classes; ‘How Reshma’s Brain Works’ under the series brain and behaviour and ‘Beat Goes On’ under the series Cardiac Cycle. A series of 7 audio programmes highlighting

contribution of medical and surgical sciences to benefit human life and health and two audio programmes on invention of radio and gramophone have been developed. ANNUAL REPORT 158 2006-07

Educational Media Programme Production Important series of video programmes produced in different disciplines include 6 programmes in science, 3 in mathematics, 7 in language learning, 8 on Art and Crafts and 9 on National Curriculum Framework (2005). A total of 65 programmes have been added during the year. Seventy-one audio programmes were produced on series: Rashtrawadi Andolan Ke Geet; Rimjhim Part I and III; Stories of Munshi Prem Chand; poetry of spiritual poets like Ras Khan, Kabir, Rahim, Ravidas; Radio Ki Kahani; Gramophone Ki Kahani; Story of River Yamuna; Samajik Gyan aur Rajnitik Jeevan; Science; Social Sciences etc. Development of ETV Programmes on Sex Education A workshop was organised to identify themes and develop scripts to develop video development of programmes on Sex Education. Media Programmes on Fairs and Festivals of Rajasthan Shooting of two video programmes on festivals of Dussehera and Cattle Fair at Kota has been completed. Post-shooting activities are in progress. Evolving Software for Children by Children Scripts of two video programmes, one of which is animation based on toys and games, have been developed under this project. This is to help foster creativity among children. The Development of Institutional Material The institute has taken up a Project on identifying difficult concepts in Geography followed by development of instructional material and training

of tribal teachers at upper primary stage. The difficult concepts have been identified and material developed has been tried out. The SCERT, Chhattisgarh and IGNOU are extending support to the project. Development of an Archive of Children’s Literature Research and scanning of materials for children’s literature in Hindi to establish an archive has been undertaken. More material is being collected and processed. TRANSMISSION ETV programmes are telecast on DD-1 and Gyan Darshan channels under the title ‘Tarang’. The duration of transmission of programmes on the Gyan Darshan is three hours and 40 minutes and on Doordarshan 55 minutes each day from Monday to Friday. Further, direct telecast of programmes from the CIET premise was undertaken to make use of microwave link for an approximate duration of four hours on each of these days. The CIET is broadcasting for half-an-hour on average on 12 Hindi Gyan Vani Radio FM channels at Allahabad, Mumbai, Bhopal, Varanasi, Raipur, Jaipur, Indore, Kanpur, Lucknow, Delhi, Jabalpur and Patna. ANNUAL REPORT 2006-07 159

The Details of the Telecast Timings for Different Target Groups: National Channel (DD-1) Telecast Timings For Secondary and Sr. Secondary Classes 05.00 a.m. to 05.25 a.m. For Primary Classes 10.30 a.m. to11.00 a.m. Gyan Darshan For Secondary and Sr. Secondary Classes 05.00 a.m.to 05.25 a.m. For Teachers 07.00 a.m.to 07.15 a.m. For Secondary and Sr. Secondary Classes 10.00 a.m.to 10.30 a.m. For Primary Classes 10.30 a.m.to 11.00 a.m. For Secondary and Sr. Secondary Classes 03.00 p.m.to 03.30 p.m. For Primary Classes 03.30 p.m.to 04.00 p.m. For Primary Classes 07.00 p.m.to 07.30 p.m. For Secondary and Sr. Secondary Classes 07.30 p.m.to 08.00 p.m.

TRAINING AND EXTENSION The institute provides professional training in various aspects of educational technology viz., designing of scripts, techniques of production and post-production work (editing, animation and graphics), camera work and other studio operations. The training is also imparted to the teachereducators at elementary and secondary level of the school education. This covers basic concepts, skills related to production of media materials and their utilisation. The orientation and training programmes organised during the year are as follows: Training Courses on ‘Audio Digital Editing’ were conducted from 16-17 November 2006 and 13-15 February 2007. Training Programmes on ‘Effective use of EDUSAT Network’ were organised by the institute. Over one hundred persons in four batches from different organisations like SIET, CIET, NIOS, KVS and DIETs were trained in handling of EDUSAT Network equipments. The training programmes were conducted from 22-23 June 2006, 27-28 June 2006, and 27-29 December 2006. Training-cum-workshop on ‘Puppets for DIET Faculty and School Teachers’. The training course-cum-workshop was organised from 29 January to 2 February 2007 at the CIET. Thirty teachers participated from Kendriya Vidyalayas. The programme emphasised on development of hand puppets, their correlation with the textbooks and development of scripts for puppet plays. Orientation Course for ETV Scriptwriters in Creative Writing for Media Productions for Children of various Age Groups. The course aimed at creating a pool of talented scriptwriters and was organised from 26-30 March 2007 at the CIET. Twenty three selected teachers participated in the programme.

Training Course on Media Research and Evaluation of DIET Faculty from North-Eastern States. A course of ten-days’ duration was conducted from 26 March to 4 April 2007 at CIET. About thirty participants from DIETs and SCERTs of North-Eastern States

ANNUAL REPORT 160 2006-07

participated. They were familiarised with scope, areas and methodologies of evaluating educational media programmes including computers and satellite based instructions. VIDEO LIBRARY The CIET continued to serve as South-East Asia’s Centre for NHK Japan’s Video Library and received Betacam Cassettes of all awardwinning programmes. These were made available to the producers within CIET, SIETs and other media organisations for reference. Festival of Audio-Video Programmes The institute organised a Festival of Educational Audio-Video Programmes in collaboration with the SIET, Kerala at Thiruvananthapuram from 13-15 March 2007. Nearly 70 participants attended the festival. Programmes were screened for school children and the public at large. Other Extension Activities Undertaken were Screening of 56 films shows produced by both the CIET and the well known film makers, were organised by the NCERT film club for school children and participants of the training programmes. SIETS–CIET COORDINATION During the year, CIET continued to extend academic and technical support to the activities of the SIETs. A coordination meeting of the SIETs, RIEs and CIET was held at SIET, Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram on 14 March. Discussions were held on problems faced by SIETs and future planning of the programmes keeping in view the changing technological and

educational scenario. Live Interactive Telecasts The NCERT, EDUSAT Network established at CIET and other 100 sites at the SCERTs, SIETs, schools and centres of KVS, NVS, CBSE, NIOS etc. was made operational and four major orientation programmes were organised with different target groups. The CIET extended technical support in the organisation of the following programmes: Orientation of Teachers on NCERT’s New Textbooks for Different Classes. The programme was of 36 days duration from 6 July to 18 August 2006. Orientation Programme for Principals and Head Teachers of Kendriya Vidyalayas from 19-21 September 2006. Orientation of Teacher-Educators on NCF-2005 and Recommendations of National Focus Groups held from 18 January to 9 February 2007. Orientation of Functionaries of SSA from DIETs, BRCs and CRCs on Formats for Monitoring of Quality. ANNUAL REPORT 2006-07 161

Major Contributions of the Faculty Professor R.L. Phutela worked on research studies entitled ‘Status of Computers in Schools’ and ‘Status and Perceptions of Stakeholders of School Education Programmes Telecast on Gyandarshan Channel’. Research tools have been developed and samples identified. He coordinated meetings of EDUSAT Users and SIETs-CIET Coordination Committee. He served as visiting fellow at the CASE, Faculty of Education and Psychology at M.S. University, Baroda. In addition, he participated as resource person in the three National Seminars on ‘Technology Integrated Education’ held at M.S. University, Baroda; ‘India as Emerging Global Power and its Implications for Teacher Education Programmes’

held at Chet Ram Sharma College of Education, Noida; and ‘Praxis of Policy to Effective Practice for Quality Assurance in Teacher Education’ held at DAV College of Education, Chandigarh. Two papers entitled ‘Changing Paradigm of Learning : A Global Perspective’ and ‘Quality Assurance in Teacher Education: Towards Effective Practice’ were contributed in these seminars. Professor Dharam Prakash completed a pilot study on ‘Use of Mobile Devices for Delivery of Educational Content’. He undertook development of software in the form of two video programmes based on toys. He also worked on the project ‘Evolving Software for Children by Children’. He contributed as a member of writing team for Class II and Class IV Mathematics books. He contributed in orientation programme of science faculty in production of video programmes in collaboration with CESC; Orientation Course of Computer Aided Instructions (CAI) using multimedia for NIOS faculty. Professor Manjula Mathur coordinated two projects on ‘Use of Educational Technology in Primary Schools of Tribal Areas of Madhya Pradesh’ and ‘Dissemination of Educational Media Programmes Developed by CIET’. She participated in the orientation of teachers on ‘New Language Textbooks through Teleconferencing’. She also coordinated translation work of mathematics textbooks for Class II and IV. She acted as a resource person in face-to-face training programme of teachers of Kendriya Vidyalaya held at Bhubaneshwar and in the workshop at SCERT Udaipur and SCERT Uttarakhand to review state syllabi in view of NCF2005. In addition, she served as a member of textbook committee for Hindi textbooks ‘rimjhim’ Classes II and IV. Dr M.A. Hussain, Reader coordinated a project on ‘Development of

Instructional Material on Difficult Concept of Geography for Training of Tribal Teachers of Upper Primary Stage of Chhattisgarh’. He contributed in the programmes at the institute on ‘Development of Scripts for both Audio and Video Programmes’. Dr Madhavi Kumar, Reader was involved in development of audio programmes based on the Hindi textbook (Kshitij, Aaroh) for secondary level. She was involved in development of audio series on social sciences for Class VI and on rivers. She contributed in script development for video programmes in curricular and co-curricular areas like environment, ANNUAL REPORT 2006-07 161

Major Contributions of the Faculty

Professor R.L. Phutela worked on research studies entitled ‘Status of Computers in Schools’ and ‘Status and Perceptions of Stakeholders of School Education Programmes Telecast on Gyandarshan Channel’. Research tools have been developed and samples identified. He coordinated meetings of EDUSAT Users and SIETs-CIET Coordination Committee. He served as visiting fellow at the CASE, Faculty of Education and Psychology at M.S. University, Baroda. In addition, he participated as resource person in the three National Seminars on ‘Technology Integrated Education’ held at M.S. University, Baroda; ‘India as Emerging Global Power and its Implications for Teacher Education Programmes’ held at Chet Ram Sharma College of Education, Noida; and ‘Praxis of Policy to Effective Practice for Quality Assurance in Teacher Education’ held at DAV College of Education, Chandigarh. Two papers entitled ‘Changing Paradigm of Learning : A Global Perspective’ and ‘Quality Assurance in Teacher Education: Towards Effective Practice’ were

contributed in these seminars. Professor Dharam Prakash completed a pilot study on ‘Use of Mobile Devices for Delivery of Educational Content’. He undertook development of software in the form of two video programmes based on toys. He also worked on the project ‘Evolving Software for Children by Children’. He contributed as a member of writing team for Class II and Class IV Mathematics books. He contributed in orientation programme of science faculty in production of video programmes in collaboration with CESC; Orientation Course of Computer Aided Instructions (CAI) using multimedia for NIOS faculty. Professor Manjula Mathur coordinated two projects on ‘Use of Educational Technology in Primary Schools of Tribal Areas of Madhya Pradesh’ and ‘Dissemination of Educational Media Programmes Developed by CIET’. She participated in the orientation of teachers on ‘New Language Textbooks through Teleconferencing’. She also coordinated translation work of mathematics textbooks for Class II and IV. She acted as a resource person in face-to-face training programme of teachers of Kendriya Vidyalaya held at Bhubaneshwar and in the workshop at SCERT Udaipur and SCERT Uttarakhand to review state syllabi in view of NCF2005. In addition, she served as a member of textbook committee for Hindi textbooks ‘rimjhim’ Classes II and IV. Dr M.A. Hussain, Reader coordinated a project on ‘Development of Instructional Material on Difficult Concept of Geography for Training of Tribal Teachers of Upper Primary Stage of Chhattisgarh’. He contributed in the programmes at the institute on ‘Development of Scripts for both Audio and Video Programmes’.

Dr Madhavi Kumar, Reader was involved in development of audio programmes based on the Hindi textbook (Kshitij, Aaroh) for secondary level. She was involved in development of audio series on social sciences for Class VI and on rivers. She contributed in script development for video programmes in curricular and co-curricular areas like environment, ANNUAL REPORT 2006-07 163

development of formats for audio series on rivers, on interactive media learning programme, on art education, development of video series on music. She also participated in a workshop on ‘Identification of Gaps in the Textbook of Business Management’. Her three papers related to poll predictions, its impact on voters and on winners and losers have been accepted for publication.

What is fitness? Fitness means being in good physical condition. We often think of athletes as being very fit. They tend to focus on performance-related fitness for sports.

Related Articles •

A Better Way to Do This Fitness Thing » MORE OVERVIEW ARTICLES

But you don't have to be an athlete to be fit. Doing more physical activity improves your fitness and health, no matter what size or shape you are. This topic focuses on health-related fitness, which helps you feel your best and lowers your risk for certain diseases. Making small changes in your daily lifestyle helps you improve your fitness.

What are the benefits of fitness? Fitness helps you feel better and have more energy for work and leisure time. You'll feel more able to do things like playing with your kids, gardening, dancing, or biking. Children and teens who are fit may have more energy and better focus at school. When you stay active and fit, you burn more calories, even when you're at rest. This can help you lose weight if you need to. It also can help you to sleep better, handle stress better, and keep your mind sharp. Fitness is good for your heart, lungs, bones, and joints. And it lowers your risk for heart attack, colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

How much physical activity do you need for health-related fitness? To improve your health, it’s important to make physical activity part of your daily life. One way is to get some moderate activity for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week or more. Brisk walking is one kind of moderate activity. Or you can do more vigorous exercise, like running, for at least 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week or more. This is activity that raises your heart rate to 70% or more of your maximum heart rate. To find your target heart rate for exercising, use the Interactive Tool: What Is Your Target Heart Rate? Children and teens should be active for at least 1 hour each day. Here’s how you can tell if an activity or exercise is making you work hard enough. If you can't talk while you do it, you're working too hard. You're at the right level if you can talk but not sing during the activity.

What types of physical activity improve fitness? The activities you choose depend on which kind of fitness you want to improve. There are three different kinds of fitness: •

Flexibility is the ability to move your joints and muscles through their full range of motion. Stretching is an exercise that helps you to be more flexible.

•

Aerobic fitness means increasing how well your body uses oxygen. This depends on the condition of your heart, lungs, and muscles. Any activity that raises your heart rate, such as walking or running, can improve aerobic fitness.

•

Muscle fitness means building stronger muscles and increasing how long you can use them (called endurance). Activities like weight lifting or push-ups can improve your muscular fitness. You may be in better shape in one kind of fitness than another. For example, you might be flexible but have poor muscle strength. It’s best to work on all three kinds of fitness.

How can you be more physically active? If you're ready to add more physical activity to your life, here are some tips to get you started: •

Make physical activity part of your routine, like brushing your teeth or going to work. Try biking to work at least once a week, using the stairs more often, or walking to do errands near home. But talk to your doctor before you start an exercise routine, especially if you haven't been very active or have health problems.

•

Walking is one of the best fitness activities. To keep up a routine, you can walk with family members, friends, coworkers, or pets. Keep track of your

steps with a step counter or pedometer, which you can buy at a sporting goods store. This can help motivate you to walk more. •

Schedule activity for times that you're likely to stick with it. For example, walk in the morning if you tend to talk yourself out of it later in the day. If you don't have time for one 30-minute walk, break it up into three 10-minute walks.

•

Find a partner to do your activities with. This can make exercising more enjoyable.

•

If you want a more structured exercise routine, consider joining a health club or a community center that offers fitness activities.

•

Find an activity that you enjoy, and stay with it. Vary it with other activities so you don't get bored. For example, walk 3 days a week, and switch to swimming or biking on the other days. Join a softball, volleyball, or basketball league for fun and exercise. By finding more activities you enjoy, you'll have a greater chance for success. Use the Interactive Tool: How Many Calories Did You Burn? to find out how many calories you burn during exercise and daily activities. Setting small, realistic goals can help you improve your fitness. Write down your goals and activities. Give yourself a healthy reward, like getting a massage, each time

What

is Fitness? •

"Physical Fitness" Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2004: “the ability of the human body to function with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to engage in leisure activities, and to meet physical stresses.”

Fitness is not about being thin, having a small waist, or having bulging muscles. It is a combination of qualities that enable us to be at our full potential in performing vigorous physical activities. Physical Fitness involves the performance of the heart, lungs, and the muscles of the body. Specifically, it takes into account our Cardio Respiratory Endurance, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, and Flexibility. To some extent, Fitness also influences our mental and emotional development since what we do with our bodies also affects what we can do with our minds.

Although Physical Fitness and good health influences each other, they are not the same. Healthy people could be physically unfit due to lack of exercise. On the other hand, Physically Fit people perform their everyday tasks effortlessly.

On this website we will view Fitness in different angles and look at the General Fitness Exercises and Workout Equipment. We will also help you Set an achievable and realistic Fitness Goals and provide you with methods to achieve them. We hope this website can teach you what you need to know about Fitness to get intrigued in Fitness Programs and Trainings and achieve your Fitness Goals. you reach a goal.

Points to ponder before going to a gym Dr Ravinder Chadha

sing awareness regarding fitness, there is a mushrooming of gyms and fitness c er of metropolitan cities. These centres face a lot of problems in finding qualifie ascent stage as far as training institutes are concerned whereas in Western cou ses for such fitness trainers. In India we have mostly self-qualified trainers. The ers.

are extremely common primarily due to unqualified trainers and also individuals a very short span of time/or lose weight instantly. Youngsters eye the muscular Sanjay Dutt and try building up muscles quickly and are lured to lift heavy weig their own or on advice from untrained instructors and go in for wrong exercises ent and work out without a proper warming up

can occur due to lifting heavy weights in squatting positions or/performing abd

out proper technique.

/elbow injuries occur due to a wrong technique while lifting heavy weights.

n is common among individuals suddenly increasing the time/or intensity on the

g a fitness centre, the following points should be kept in mind:

of the gym should be such that one can squeeze out time from the daily schedu gym should ideally be located near home, place of work or between the two.

ngs should be figured out. Some gyms cater to housewives in the afternoon cha sual rush time is early morning or late evening.

hould talk to people who are already members to learn about the quality of equ ionary cycles and strengthening machines. Check if the health club is clean, we ir-conditioning, ventilation etc. Good ventilation prevents from taking in a lot of

able to do exercises without supervision as it can cause serious injuries. A good ng the proper use of the equipment, the appropriate exercises for strengthening

most important thing before joining a gym is to find out regarding the persona he trainer is qualified or not and the number of persons he is looking after. Norm 10 to 15 people as individual attention is very important to achieve a fitness ta

m after an offer of complimentary workout for two to three days would be an ide f such offers, paying for a day or two to get the feel would be a good option. Th facilities could be reviewed. One should also find out whether these are inclusiv es are to be incurred.

re offering various types of fitness workouts like yoga, aerobics, etc, is an ideal gym only for weight training as undertaking proper warm up and cooling down one with aerobic equipment.

a former doctor/physiotherapist, Indian cricket team.

AYURVEDA & YOU

How food helps in keeping good heal Dr R. Vatsyayan

OUR food, which contains many types of nutrients, is derived from b and animal sources.

Despite many similarities among various types of foods, every eatab unique characteristics. Irrespective of its numerous health benefits, n food can supply all the essential nutrients to the body. The basic poin should keep changing our food, and take as far as possible everythin distinct body type. Similarly, of the six tastes -- sweet, sour, salty, bi and astringent -- no food of a single taste should be excessively used should any taste be abandoned unless medically advised.

Plants are as good living beings as we are and most of our food is de natural sources. They grow under different environmental conditions and humidity, and their organic compounds are passed on to us as s them afresh. It is an established fact that fresh food is more healthy than the processed and preserved food. Chemical additives of colour preservatives not only make to lose the nutritional value of food but risk of changing the basic good effects of it. Similar is the case with reheating of food.

There has been an unending debate over vegetarian and non-vegeta now scientifically acknowledged that vegetarian food has more healt the non-vegetarian diet. Vegetarians live longer and suffer less healt old age than meat eaters. Though it is not possible to make the entir vegetarianism, it should also be realistically borne in mind that there wrong in eating meat as long as it is not eaten to the exclusion of ve fruits.

A healthy diet will contain chapatis from wheat flour without removin brown bread and unpolished rice, pulses, plenty of fresh vegetables, leaves and roots, and raw but well-washed salads and fresh fruits. T minimum use of oils as a cooking medium. Fish and chicken have ce over red meat and excessive use of salt and sugar in diet should be

No doubt, spices help in digesting the food but their more than requi results in hyperacidity and other problems of the stomach. Adequate is equally essential as it not only helps maintain the suppleness of th carries various nutrients to the tissue level and plays an important ro

waste products.

Ayurveda believes that one should eat food only the when previous m digested. It should be wholesome and fresh and at the same time co different ingredients. If right food is taken at the right time it leads t digestion, absorption and assimilation. The writer is a Ludhiana-based senior ayurvedic consultant.

HEALTH NOTES

Reducing calorie intake later in life can still bring longevity WASHINGTON: Researchers at the University of California have discovered that reducing calorie intake later in life can still induce many of the health and longevity benefits of life-long calorie reduction. They are using this knowledge to establish a novel screening technique to find drugs which mimic this longevity effect. “Right now, there are no authentic ‘anti-ageing drugs’ capable of extending the lifespan of healthy people. The technique we have developed allows us to screen a relatively large number of drugs in months rather than years,” said lead researcher Professor Stephen Spindler. — ANI Fats in stomach reduce protective

effects of vitamin C WASHINGTON: Fats in the stomach may significantly reduce the protective effects of

antioxidants such as vitamin C, according to a study conducted by scientists at the University of Glasgow. The study demonstrated that the presence of lipids decreases the ability of antioxidants like ascorbic acid, an active component of vitamin C, to protect against the generation of potential cancerforming compounds in the stomach. — ANI

Stressing it a little too far

ks, a steaming hot cup of chai: Our young professionals try stress at work Jigyasa Kapoor Chimra

front of the computer for hours, work tition. Then comes the need to socialise. lth takes a backseat. Facing numerous ches, high blood pressure and sleeping ssionals who are struggling hard to keep going in life and career.

e these young professionals on their take from the doctor on how to stay hail and the stress.

me requires me to be in office from 9 am me with no time to take care of my body,” yee of a telecom company in SAS Nagar. th mantra he says, “As my working hours elf in good shape I have recently started of exercise helps me maintaining my cool day and gives me a lot of energy.”

owner of The Other Square-17, says, “When you run your own business, it dem cause of the risk factor involved and stress becomes a part of your lifestyle. Bu ith all professions these days and the best way to escape is by enjoy your work h your employees, make them your friends and make your work place a happy re at 9 pm and that’s when I have time for myself and I de-stress myself by ca night film or simply head towards the hills.”

in my work that I sometimes even forget to lock my house,” says Anand Gupta, nk in Sector 8. And when it comes to chill out while working, he says, “When I f ually take a stroll outside the office and have a cup of hot tea. Known to be a st

surely relieves me of all my tension.”

tips to de-stress, Dr Geeta Joshi, ayurvedic and stress management consultant ays, “Stress is related to the mind and only way out for these young profession he adds: “Life has been the same for all of us but these days youngsters think a asually and that is where stress gets into their lives.” Suggesting ways to ease nk positive. Relax, that’s another way of keeping tension out of your life. Watch can make you feel good.”

e common ailment and she says, “Backache is one of the most common problem face because of the long sitting hours and also the wrong diet. And the mantra is: “Eat proper to stay healthy.” jigyasachimra@tribunemail. com

Express yourself

Sex education among students of primary and middle school. Li X, Shi SZ, Wen WY, Wang WA; International Conference on AIDS. Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 195 (abstract no. 13549). Department of Preventive Medicine, Kunming Medical College, Yunnan, China. ISSUE: STD/HIV infection is related with harmful behavior and becoming a serious issue for youth. Sex education is an effective way to reduce the risk that young people face. PROJECT: In China, just recent years, the importance of sex education is recognized. Although some research and theory study have been done, implementation of sex education is still difficult. This project named "know more about yourself" tried to develop methodology and training material for teachers so that they can

integrate sex education into school curriculum. We hold a series of workshop for the students of primary and middle school. In these workshops, according to different age, we provided the knowledge of body development, psychiatry development, relationship, peer pressure, self-esteem and reproductive health, as well as life skill, such as how to say "no". Every student received four to five hours training in their spare time. Some parents and teachers participated these workshops too. Also, we answered questions asked by students through telephone and letters after the workshop. RESULTS: From the result of pre- and post-test, students' knowledge about sex and related issues were promoted greatly. In their composition; they told us that they like the workshop very much because it solved their puzzle and helped them treat sex issue openly and properly. They like teaching method we used too because it provided them opportunity to participate in all activity and talk themselves. They feel more confident about their ability and responsibility of being a teenager. Students' parents and teachers gave a positive response to the workshop and considered sex education is necessary for the students. LESSONS LEARNED: Teenagers need sex education. If we listen to them and use proper method, sex education can be acceptable and enjoyable, and will play an important role in children's development, and help them to be more confident and responsible in STD/HIV prevention. Publication Types:

Talking with Your Pre-School Child About Sex While it would be nice if there was a simple flow chart I could offer to tell you precisely how to talk with your pre-school child about sex, one that would cover everything you need to know and every question your child might ask, no such magical flow chart exists. There are some important preparations you can go through before you talk with your child about sex but in the end, it’s going to take many

conversations and much stumbling for you to find your footing. Remember that the most important thing is not to have all the answers and be ready for every question. The most important thing is to listen to what your child is asking and be open to helping find the answers that you don’t have while letting them know that there is nothing wrong with asking questions about sex. That said, having some idea of what is coming around the corner can help though. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers parents some general guidelines about what kinds of questions to expect and what information they consider it important for your child to have at different ages and stages. Here is an overview of what they suggest:

From eighteen months to three years old. Even from an early age your child will likely start exploring his or her body by touching it. The fact is that genitals have nerve endings and touching them feels good and is a way children soothe (and amuse) themselves. This isn’t sexual in the same way we might think of teens or adults touching themselves, and it’s certainly a healthy thing to do. During these years it’s important to teach your children the proper names for all their body parts, including their genitals. By making up names or ignoring these body parts altogether you send the message that there is something wrong with them and/or that they should be ignored. Sexual health is an important part of overall health, and to keep our children healthy they need to know about their whole bodies. You can also begin to teach your children about the difference between private and public. One way to do this is to teach them about the parts of their body that are private and should only be touched by themselves (e.g. parts covered by a bathing suit). By making this distinction you are letting them know that there is nothing wrong with their bodies and that curiosity about their own bodies is healthy. But you are also teaching them that there is a time and place for exploration, and that they have the right to privacy and to be free from unwanted sexual touching.

Four to five years old. During these years your child may begin to show a more active interest in sexuality, both in terms of how their body works, and how other children’s bodies work. They may want to know why girls and boys bodies are different,

and they may not understand why they can’t touch other children wherever and whenever they want to. Your task at this age is to both continue offering accurate information (e.g. about where babies come from, about the names not only for their own body parts but the body parts they don’t have but are seeing on others) and to help your children find and maintain limits or boundaries around exploration. For example your family might be okay with walking around without clothes, but your child needs to know taking off their clothes at daycare or at a formal party isn’t okay. Another example is that its perfectly healthy for your child to want to touch their own genitals, but they need to learn that doing it in public isn’t okay. At a minimum the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that before reaching school age, your child should know:

• • • •

Proper names of body parts Functions of the different body parts Physical differences between boys and girls