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Lesson of the Day: ‘In India, Protesters and Modi Tussle Over Who Can Claim Gandhi’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘In India, Protesters and Modi Tussle Over Who Can Claim Gandhi’

Find all our Lessons of the Day here.

Featured Article: “In India, Protesters and Modi Tussle Over Who Can Claim Gandhi”

In this lesson, you will learn about the protests that began in India last year over a law regarding citizenship and religion. Both the government and the protesters refer to Mohandas K. Gandhi’s ideals and challenge which side has the right to use his name and image. After reading the article, you will think about other historical figures whose words and ideas have been used on different sides of contemporary debates.

If you do not know anything about the protests in India, read this article, “Why People Are Protesting in India,” and answer the following questions:

  • What does the Citizenship Amendment Act require and who would be most affected by the law?

  • What could happen to those who are not able to pass the citizenship test?

  • Why are Indian Muslims particularly concerned about the law? What are some of the concerns of non-Muslims about the law?

Now, watch this one-minute Times video that documents some of the protests and protesters. Then take notes on one or two things you noticed while watching, as well as what questions the video raised for you.

Read the article, then answer the following questions:

1. Why has Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India used Mohandas K. Gandhi’s image and referred to his beliefs? What do protesters think about those actions?

2. What are some of the changes Mr. Modi has enacted since his re-election? How have his supporters reacted to his decisions? What kinds of things have his critics said?

3. Why did Ramachandra Guha, a historian who wrote a biography of Gandhi, say, “You can’t have Einstein without relativity”? What point was he trying to make?

4. How have the protests changed over time? How have the responses and reports from officials differed from firsthand accounts and images?

5. According to Mr. Modi and his supporters, how have his actions and decisions as prime minister been connected to the legacy of Gandhi? What part of Gandhi’s story has Mr. Modi left out, and why is that significant?

6. How does Tushar Gandhi, a great-grandson of Gandhi, view the protests and Mr. Modi’s use of his great-grandfather’s image and story?

7. What are some of the concerns about pamphlets and social media posts being created and circulated by the Bharatiya Janata Party?

8. How have protesters tried to model Gandhi’s ideologies in their actions? How did the protester Saima Khan talk about the movement?

The article focused on how Gandhi’s words and image have been used after his death by two groups with very different beliefs and perspectives. Here is one example of how Gandhi’s words were used, and taken out of context, to make a point:

A pamphlet recently distributed by the party, addressing what it calls “misinformation” about the citizenship law, features Gandhi’s image along with a quote from him appearing to suggest that he would have supported the law.

But the quote — about India welcoming Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan — is taken out of context, and critics contend that it is actually itself misinformation. Originally, Gandhi was excoriating Hindus who questioned Muslims’ loyalty to India.

Have you ever seen people on social media or in the news refer to famous historical figures and make contemporary points or connections? Can you think of times when this was done accurately and effectively? Are there other instances where you believe framing or lack of context changed the meaning of a quotation?

Over the Falls

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Over the Falls

This kayaker is about to plunge over a 134-foot waterfall in the mountains of Chile.

Use your imagination to write the opening of a short story or poem inspired by what you see.

If you like, try writing from the kayaker’s point of view: What led you to this moment? What’s going through your mind as you tip over the falls? What happens when you reach the bottom — if you make it there at all?

Post your piece in the comments, then read the related article to find out the real story behind this daring descent.

Find many more ways to use our Picture Prompt feature in this lesson plan. You can find all our Picture Prompts in this column.

Word + Quiz: appellation

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Word + Quiz: appellation

1. identifying word or words by which someone or something is called and classified or distinguished from others

2. the legal name for a geographical region, village, or vineyard used by wine producers to identify and market wine

_________

The word appellation has appeared in 26 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Sept. 26 in “Why Doesn’t This Impeachment Moment Have a Name?” by Jonah Engel Bromwich and Choire Sicha:

David Placek, the founder and president of Lexicon branding, whose company named the Swiffer, the Blackberry, Verizon Fios, the Subaru Outback and Embassy Suites, agreed that the scandal would be difficult to label, given that any appellation would have to be short, sharp and clear in its meaning.

If he were creating a name for a brand, he said, he would create a matrix of relevant terms — but with words like Ukraine, corruption and Zelensky (Volodymyr Zelensky is the president of Ukraine), there was not a wealth of material with which to work.

_________

A Novel That Will Get People Talking

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A Novel That Will Get People Talking

Who wouldn’t want to have time to feel like a giant ear?

You’re a little bit jealous of this woman until you realize how miserable she is. She has exactly what she thought she wanted, but the next phase of her life unfolds hypnotically as “Indelicacy” morphs from a modern “Pygmalion” into a fable infused with an old-fashioned moral: Be careful what you wish for.

But don’t get the wrong idea; it’s not all doom and gloom. Cain’s story has its funny moments, as when the narrator gets drunk and waltzes with a pal; or when she tells two authors at a reading what she really thinks of them. (This part is also kind of mean.) You’ll notice how she seems happy only when she’s with her friends, Antoinette and Dana. Aside from the maid, they’re among the only people Cain names, and the only ones our narrator genuinely cares about.

“Indelicacy” makes you think about creativity, friendship and the nature of time. I will admit, I got a C in the one philosophy class I ever took, so if I felt compelled to mull over the questions at the heart of this small but mighty book, you will too.

Cain’s tale made me want to grab a highlighter, and it transported me to a different part of my life, one where I collected lines of verse — hi, Adrienne Rich! hi, Mary Oliver! — and stored them in the part of my brain now overtaken by passwords and the orthodontist’s phone number.

“Indelicacy” is not escapist reading, but it is fuel, pushing you to do the thing you love. For me, that was writing this review. Like a patient gym teacher coaching a lazy student, Cain whispered beautiful words into her megaphone, and I listened. You will, too.

[ Read an excerpt from “Indelicacy.” ]

How did you imagine the narrator’s life beyond what was on the page? Did you feel a connection to the narrator, and did it matter?

What does this book tell you about the nature of inspiration? Does it bloom where it’s planted or only flourish under certain conditions?

Slumber Parties

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Slumber Parties

Did you enjoy slumber parties as a child? Do you still enjoy them as a teenager?

What kinds of things do you and your friends do during these nights in? Do you devour bad movies, indulge in junk food or partake in board games or “Truth or Dare”? Do you think sleepovers have brought you and your friends closer together?

Tell us in the comments about memories from slumber parties you’ve been to, then read the related article to learn more about how they can help forge bonds among friends.

Find many more ways to use our Picture Prompt feature in this lesson plan. You can find all our Picture Prompts in this column.

Word + Quiz: brackish

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Word + Quiz: brackish

1. slightly salty (especially from containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water)

2. distasteful and unpleasant; spoiled by mixture

_________

The word brackish has appeared in 19 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Feb. 3 in “Mexico’s Last Countercultural Coast” by Freda Moon:

It was my final day in Zicatela and I wanted to make the most of it. So, despite an aversion to tours, I signed up for an evening trip to the bioluminescent Manialtepec lagoon. For 350 pesos (about $17), along with five other travelers I was chauffeured to the lagoon, where we were introduced to our captain and his crew, a father and his grade-school-age son …

… I’d been warned that the moon, one day shy of full, might drown out the bioluminescence. But when the captain instructed us to dip our hands over the side, we left comet-like trails through the warm, black, brackish water as thousands of tiny aquatic organisms defended themselves with light. When we stopped, I lifted my dress over my head and threw myself overboard, my arms and legs turning the water blue and gray as the water became alive.

_________

The Winners of Our First-Ever Review Contest for Middle Schoolers

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The Winners of Our First-Ever Review Contest for Middle Schoolers

Contrary to the message of history never fading, Bodiam Castle might seem run-down to a modern-day civilian. Of course, apart from the moss and ruins, the windows dotted around the periphery seem more inviting to intruders than defensive, which makes one wonder why they’re placed the way they are. The moss-laden walls make the castle blend into its forested background so the majestic fortress becomes difficult to see. If a modern intruder were to try to get into the castle, they might have a hard time finding it.

The 50-meter length of Bodiam’s walls is small compared to newer castles, and the chemin de ronde — the top of the walls connecting the battlements — may seem redundant on that scale, but in the context of the 1300s, they were crucial for defense. However, the corridors were not constructed with precision, and time has taken its toll on them, leaving many in ruins. Similarly, the many rooms varying in size and shape could have undermined the stability of the castle.

The quadrangular shape of the castle fits the stereotype of all castles having four equidistant walls with a single tower in each corner, but in fact this design has proved itself by standing through the centuries.

It seems that Dalyngrigge was more interested in long-term functionality than aesthetics, which has kept Bodiam Castle standing to the present day. It piques my interest in the reasons for medieval castles being depicted as quadrangular in shape; in actuality, not many are. This building has given me more appreciation for simple design. It has shown that historic sites can remain in our memories forever.

“We Set the Dark on Fire: Fighting Reality in a Fictional World” by Luana Cimiotti

Imagine you can’t tell anyone where you’re from — getting arrested, tortured, even killed, if you do. Imagine isolating yourself, fearing to share too much of your identity. Having to give up yourself to be someone you know you’re not supposed to be. To live a life that, according to the law, you don’t deserve to live.

Daniela, the protagonist in Tehlor Kay Mejia’s first novel, “We Set the Dark on Fire,” goes through this every day. After graduating from the country’s most prestigious school, Daniela is sent off into a forced, polyamorous marriage with her worst enemy and a condescending husband. Her efforts to accept the state of affairs are reversed when a mysterious man comes into her life and makes Daniela realize that she can’t and doesn’t want to silently put up with her circumstances. For the first time, she stops striving to fulfill others’ expectations, but instead, fights for her own dream to live in a world “where we can survive without forgetting who we are” (252).

Being both fantasy and dystopian fiction, one wouldn’t dare to imagine how close to reality the story is. It seems truly miraculous how Mejia sheds new light on current topics, like walls, borders, same-sex love, and inequality by projecting these issues into a story that any teen interested in philosophy and politics would enjoy. Most of all, the author wants to raise awareness about the discrimination in society and the threat of its normalization. The readers find inspiration to stick up for their beliefs through the perspective of Daniela, a very powerful and resilient girl, who often struggles with her identity, but slowly finds a voice. During her process of self-discovery, the third-person narrative takes the reader along and paints vivid pictures in one’s mind throughout the whole story. Despite the detailed setting, the writing style does not involve redundant descriptions, leaving room for the reader’s own creativity. The characters are compelling, for their motives remain mysterious until the very end. Daniela isn’t sure who to trust, so oftentimes, I found myself sharing the thrill of discovering a character’s intentions along with her. Throughout the story, the lines between good and evil blur, keeping the reader under a spell as they follow the many twists of the novel.

The Winners of Our Fifth Annual Review Contest for High Schoolers

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The Winners of Our Fifth Annual Review Contest for High Schoolers

Her powerhouse pipes were on full display with the title track of her album, “Cuz I Love You.” She held nothing back, and her voice was just as powerful, if not more so than on her studio tracks, and while she belted perfect high notes, she danced. And it wasn’t merely a little toe tapping along to the beat; she danced. Accompanied by her crew, The Big Girls, they rocked the stage, jumping, clapping, and twerking in perfect unison. None of the women onstage that night, including Lizzo herself, were society’s picture of a dancer or performer. They were full-figured, wearing high-cut metallic leotards, with close-cropped hair or swinging dreadlocks, and almost all of them were black. Therein lies the power of Lizzo’s music; it is a place for people of all colors, creeds, and backgrounds to come together and celebrate self-acceptance and positivity.

The crowd, of all ages and races, unequivocally reflected these ideas, and their energy nearly exceeded that of the performers. The cheering was deafening — even louder than the music — yet respectful at the same time. The audience hushed immediately when The Big Girls carried several tiny puppies (with cotton-stuffed ears) onstage to promote a local animal rescue, then screamed in excitement when Lizzo whipped out her flute to play a quick interlude and lead-in to her hit “Juice.”

Although the show was sweet, it was never syrupy. The bombastic hits and slow-rolling ballads were underscored with the knowledge that what was happening onstage was truly unique. It was a celebration of empowerment and self-acceptance by often-marginalized people: the taking back of power stripped away long ago. That night, Lizzo was the preacher at a church of joy and self-love. The central commandment: “If you can love my fat black ass, you can love your goddamn self.”

“Garfield Eats — You Shouldn’t” by Ruby Spaloss

Garfield — a beloved childhood character; Garfield Eats — an abomination. “Garfield Eats” is a Garfield-themed restaurant obsessed with perfecting their marketing strategy, and clearly nothing else. With a haunting slogan like, “Love me, feed me, don’t leave me,” I often wonder how they managed to find a phrase so efficient at turning away customers before they even walk through the doors.

The awkward, cringe-inducing titles don’t end there, though. “The Garfachino,” one of their main menu items, is watery and bright orange, and looks about as artificial as spray cheese. The flavor was so boring and bland, it almost made me wish it was spray cheese. Their meals are arguably worse, titled “KIDult” meals for the millennials who have yet to accept that they are not quirky teenagers.

These meals include the “Garnivore” pizza and the famous lasagna. The “Garnivore” pizzas are shaped like faceless Garfield heads that would give any child nightmares. The crust seems two inches thick and was so dry, I felt like I was taking a bite of a cracker with a little sauce sparingly thrown on top. The pizza sauce is also neon orange, despite one of Garfield Eats’ many marketing strategies being proudly boasting the restaurant’s “healthy” and “all natural” ingredients.

And of course, the famous lasagna that Garfield is known for; Garfield Eat’s lasagna tastes exactly how you would expect fast food lasagna to taste: disgraceful. It tastes obviously nuked in a novelty box that is clearly the only attraction to the restaurant in the first place. The flimsy cardboard box features one comic strip to keep you entertained throughout your entire meal. You may think one comic strip isn’t enough to last you the whole time, but it only takes ten seconds to realize the food is not worth eating.

Enough already with ILT

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Enough already with ILT

I always found that there are two types of people in the training and L&D space. Those who embrace learning technology and those who do not.  Sure, the latter group may accept it, grudgingly, but deep down they cannot move off what has worked so well for them in the past.

The problem though is that Instructor-Led training doesn’t work, not from an adult learner standpoint, not from an attendee standpoint, not even from the standpoint of many folks who have utilized the power of e-learning (hence its extensive growth over traditional learning of ILT).

The funny thing about Data

When a learning system pushes the power of data with their brain-based research from experts in elite colleges, and experts on learning with the brain, folks rush to it, without question.  After all, it is data backed by research. 

When people hear about the research and data on mastery learning or day to day repetition of learning, they accept it without question, after all, it is based on research.

But when there are research and data to support the failings of Instructor-Led Training, many people ignore it. 

Why?

Let’s talk about the research

I often hear people say, well, there isn’t any data to support the idea that ILT is not effective or they will tell me, it works for us, so we use it quite a bit.

Here are two problems I see with that.

1. If it works so great for you, why are you using online learning as a core component of your L&D or training?  For those who use blended learning, online learning is usually more than 60% of the totality of the learning.  If I thought something was so fantastic (which I do with online learning), I wouldn’t embrace the other as part of anything.  No one who is loyal to a brand, product or even a sports team, would ever accept to use something different or support another team.

2. There is quite a bit of data showing that ILT is far lower in terms of retention than online learning.  We are not even talking close.

Retention Realities with ILT

Retention, something that is heavily harped on in e-learning, and rightfully so, but seems to disappear when people push ILT.  Why is that?   Perhaps it is because if someone sat and observed an ILT session, they would notice many in the audience not paying attention, looking at their phones, or staring into the sunset or working on their computers – you think they are taking notes? No, they are reading e-mail. And responding.

Those activity groups that some ILT folks use in their sessions, to keep people I think more awake, with always follow a dynamic, with one or two people providing responses, and at least one person rarely providing responses, unless they are egged on or receive the “what do you think, Annee?”

Then you have people who spend their whole time in an ILT session, thinking to themselves, “Don’t pick me, don’t pick me” – yeah, there is retention for you.

Let’s not forget about the time.  Everyone loves an ILT session that goes 60-70 minutes straight without a break.  Especially when data shows that most people start to tune out after 45 minutes.  The “you can use the bathroom whenever you want,” doesn’t always work for everyone, because of the fear of being noticed, when they standpoint to use the facilities.  No one likes to be stared at. 

Wait there is more.

As anyone in L&D and training can tell you, requiring employees to attend a seminar is not an easy task.  How many times, have you seen people grudgingly come into the room, some complaining about having to leave their work behind, or whatever? I saw it quite a bit. Even when the topic was relevant to their job role and/or onboarding.

Simon Says “ILT Retention Stinks”

There are multiple sources that say the retention rate for ILT is 58%. Wow, fantastic.  You are likely to have higher retention for the movie you saw, a month ago, or the horrific car wreck you drove by, three weeks prior.  If you were told of anything that was 58% you would not be impressed.  Who went around saying, “Hey, I got a 58, on this exam, or 58% of the time I remember to take out the garbage or 58% of the time, my employees remember my name.”  

The Research Institute of America found that e-learning boosts retention rates by 25 percent to 60 percent, compared to ILT rates of eight to 10 percent.   8 to 10 percent?  Would you be fine going to your CEO and saying, “Hey, with our ILT we can boost the retention rate of our employees by 8 to 10 percent, so can I have another $50,000 for my ILT budget?”

We are Visual Learners

Regardless of your age bracket, the majority of people at least in the United States are visual learners, according to this thing called research.  65% in fact.  Granted there are plenty of folks who have multiple learning styles, especially training and L&D people who often have kinetic (hands-on) too. I’m a blend myself, with the majority being kinetic, followed by visual. 

Please, please tell me where that visual learning is happening with ILT?  Oh, you mean that PowerPoint that the presenter/trainer (yes, sadly) will often repeat to the audience, that they themselves can see on it?  Oh, you mean those employees who present,  with the back turned away from the audience for the majority of the time, I mean how you can read it yourself if you can’t see it?   Oh, how about those fine days when there was a projector with transparent slides that would go over it, and someone had written in green or black or red pen the information you needed.  Truly, inspiring. 

Visual is not PowerPoint, just as visual is not you looking at the ocean and thinking you would rather be there than in your office.  Sure, you would be imaging that your boss can’t swim, on the day they are berating you in an e-mail, but is that really visual learning or more of visual payback?

ILT is making a comeback

No, no it is not.  I mention this because I have seen huge fans of ILT push this narrative through LinkedIn by finding an article or something that supports it.  I saw one post that said that e-learning was ineffective and not living up to its possibilities.

Really?

Look bad e-learning is bad e-learning.  But you cannot blame the online learning experience on that, just as you shouldn’t blame a horrible instructor/teacher/presenter on the entire group of people who provide training to your employees or customers?  The reason the e-learning is bad, especially on the content side, is because it was designed poorly, which a chunk of it is – and this is correlated to the many people who do not or are not willing to explore effective instructional design, nor recognize that strong e-learning is based on design wrapped around real-life/world scenarios including interactive and engaging content.

Here is Reality when it comes to ILT

Go to any trade show in our space.  Remember the days when ATD (then known as ASTD) was all about ILT, consultants selling books and other items?  Remember the days, which wasn’t so long ago, that it was geared towards ILT approaches and solutions?  I do.  Now, where is it today? I hardly see any products for ILT, and when they are it is extremely small.   Why is that, if ILT is in a renaissance period?  

Where is the heavy ILT angle at World of Learning or LTUK or LTFrance or Learning Solutions or DevLearn or at the many other shows around the world?  I’d argue that ATD is so strong on e-learning, that their ATD TK show no longer is of use, because it was originally designed to be e-learning driven, to offset the heavy ILT focus of ASTD. 

CLOs in general love ILT.  Even if they are big tech fans themselves, talk to many CLOs and it seems that ILT is a must for them.  I get that they have a background in OD, just as an L&D person would have, but why the love for ILT?

I would love to ask them what is the last seminar they attended and then, ask them to write down five things they learned from the seminar.  Heck, even three.  For those who could (and I suspect it would be significantly small), re-visit them in six months and ask the same question.  Oh, and they can’t look at their notes.

How’s that retention working out for them?

If you are in HR, when was the last time you went to a seminar or a training event and could you right now without looking at any notes, name out loud to yourself, three takeaways?  What about those L&D execs?  I even found CEOs in e-learning, who attended a seminar/training session that was ILT that couldn’t recall even two takeaways that they “learned” supposedly in the session. 

Why WBT was created

I won’t go into the specifics here, but it was created because ILT wasn’t working.

ILT

  • The presenter drives the agenda.  If you are behind in jotting down the information or if you are on a computer learning something, i.e. technical training, the presenter won’t stop and wait for you to catch up.
  • With technical training, the sessions should be small 8 to 10 people and have multiple trainers walking around to help those who are behind.  Rarely, it happens.
  • Comprehension with ILT is low, after all, the presenter/trainer has to only X amount of time per topic to cover.   Who can learn, retain and comprehend something in such a short amount of time?
  • Synthesis the end goal of training and learning, never occurs.  It can’t because the way ILT is structured.   Synthesis can occur, and often does with online learning, because the way it is structured (non-linear, focus on what I want to know when I need to know it)
  • ILT is at a set time to attend.  It is not based on your working schedule, it is based on the time set by the instructor/presenter/trainer.  If you miss something, sorry, it is your fault you are late. 
  • ILT incurs a higher cost to attend. Travel is a cost.  Time away from work is a cost – where is the productivity happening exactly? 
  • ILT does not offer any time, anywhere to happen.  Oh, and if you can’t recall or did not take away all the information you needed for your upskilling, or onboarding or whatever, no worries, you can take another ILT session – if it is offered, and if it is, is located somewhere where you will have to take off part of your work and if it a paid ILT session, what budget is that coming out of again?

Bottom Line

ILT has been around since the first days of someone sitting in a classroom and listening to the teacher.  I recall that it appeared in the 1600s.  Name me one other form of learning, okay reading a book, but it wasn’t universal for the entire populace, that is older than that?

Now name me a reason that it should still be utilized when there is technology including e-learning that can match and even surpass it?  E-Learning has higher retention rates. Higher comprehension rates and higher synthesis rates.

So why hold onto the dream of ILT?

Because it isn’t a dream at all,

It’s a nightmare.

E-Learning 24/7

 

Custom Design Feature | One Stop Teacher Shop

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Custom Design Feature | One Stop Teacher Shop

Custom designs are one of our favorites. We love bringing our customers visions to life, and with custom designs, it is possible. Kristin is a former teacher turned homeschooling mama and owner of One Stop Teacher Shop. She worked with us in the past on her custom website design. It was great, but she needed a makeover to refresh her brand. We totally get it.  It is entirely reasonable that our style changes and evolve. It is even more complicated with websites and blogs as we not only change our visual preferences, but we also discover new options and functionalities.

Our starting point was her old custom design, which you can see below.

She still liked her logo and all colors, but some elements needed to be changed. She wanted her new design to be modern, functional, and eye-catching.  It was all I needed to know to start our magic immediately!

Finding the perfect style

Similar to our previous project, Kristin wanted to keep her colors but wanted to change her logo a little bit. She was curious how it will look with some small graphic elements, so I have suggested following options:

Option #1 was a hit, and with a small modification, we got a final version:

Creating the website design

One Stop Teacher Shop’s design is our first fully custom project, which includes on-load animations. We recommend checking her website to see how her homepage sections are loading.

We would love to hear your opinion about it in the comments!

The whole process of creating this custom design went smoothly. In a few weeks we coded everything from scratches and made sure all things which were essential for Kristin are there.

Here is a full-length view of the final website design:

Click here to view larger

Final thoughts

It was our third in a row custom related to children’s education, and we loved working on it! Working with such vibrant colors gives a lot of fun and lets us be very creative.

Let us know what you think about the final look!

If you are looking for a custom blog or website design, visit our Custom Design Services page to request a quote.

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