AT A GLANCE
Farhat Ara, PhD
Area of Practice:
OVERVIEW
Dr Farhat Ara is a science educator and educational researcher with over 11 years of experience teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore. Her work lies at the dynamic intersection of education, science, technology, design, history, and art, where she has crafted and implemented interdisciplinary educational experiences and innovative pedagogical practices. Additionally, she has created resource materials for middle school teachers.
Holding a PhD in Science Education with a focus on Design and Technology Education, Dr Ara’s goal is to engage students’ diverse interests and foster various forms of inquiry and scholarship. In recognition of her contributions, she received the prestigious B.M. Udgaonkar Award from the TIFR Alumni Association for the best thesis in 2014. She has also published numerous articles on learning and pedagogy in peer-reviewed international journals, books, and conference proceedings.
Dr Ara actively engages in research activities focused on developing innovative educational methodologies and exploring the impact of interdisciplinary approaches on student learning. Beyond her academic and research endeavours, she is deeply committed to mentoring young designers in education and collaborating with colleagues to advance educational practices. She actively participates in workshops and seminars, sharing insights and learning from fellow experts in the field. Her passion for education drives her to continually explore new methodologies and technologies to enhance the learning experience and make education more accessible and impactful for all students.
EDUCATION
1. PhD, Design and Technology Education (Science Education)- 2013 Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, India,
2. M.Sc., Zoology – 2004 Ballygunge Science College, Calcutta University, Kolkata, West Bengal,
3. B.Sc., Zoology (Honours) – 2002
WORK EXPERIENCE
1. Designation: Academic Dean, Undergraduate Professional Program
Institute: Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Duration: (November 2023-Present)
2. Designation: Head of Studies (Creative Education)
Institute: Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Duration: 2 years (August 2021-December 2023)
3. Designation: Teaching and Research Faculty
Institute: Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Duration: 11 years (October 2013 – Present)
4. Designation: Course leader for STEM Learning (B.Voc Course)
Institute: Centre for Education, Research, Training and Development (CERTAD), Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology
Duration: 2 years (June 2016- October 2018)
5. Designation: Project facilitator for D.Ed. Teachers
Institute: RV Educational Consortium (RVEC), Jayanagar, Bangalore
Duration: 1 year (2012- 2013)
INTEREST AREAS
1. Educational Research
2. Pedagogy and learning in Science and Technology Education and Design Education,
3. Storytelling in Science Learning and Science Communication
4. Teacher Education and Learning Design
5. Biomimicry Education (exploring the intersection of Biology and Design)
6. Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Studies
CURRENT PRACTICE AT SRISHTI
1. Academic Dean, Undergraduate Professional Program- Assess student body needs and respond to any questions or concerns from the student body effectively and timely. Consolidate students’ results, oversee their credit performance and attendance through the semesters, communicate progress, organise student welfare initiatives, and compile necessary documentation for institutional and regulatory requirements.
2. Teaching Faculty- Design and facilitate interdisciplinary studios at the intersection of Education, Biology, Technology, Design, Literature, and History with an aim to nurture diverse forms of inquiry and scholarship.
3. Research: Conducts research on students’ classroom experiences, exploring the impact of interdisciplinary creative pedagogy to enhance learning outcomes and foster critical and creative thinking skills.
TEACHING PORTFOLIO
1. Embodied Learning – Mapping and drama
2. Students collaborative outcome in the form of classroom newspapers
3. Students’ exploration of diverse everyday materials and techniques for creating and testing the DIY microscopes
4. Students synthesising insights from a research paper into a visual output
5. Students’ use of AI tools to generate images for storytelling
CREATIVE PRACTICE & OUTREACH
Dr Farhat Ara’s creative professional practice is deeply rooted in active research, where she explores innovative methodologies to enhance educational experiences. Through her interdisciplinary approach, Dr Ara continuously seeks new opportunities to bridge the domains of education, science, design, art and technology, fostering creativity and critical thinking among her students.
Here are some highlights of her contributions:
• Conducted a research study with Quest Alliance and published the Report ‘Blended Learning: Experiences in public education and design principles for low-tech environments’.
• Translated the outcome of the research project with Quest Alliance and published the work in an international peer-reviewed journal.
• Reviewed Conference papers for episteme International Conference to Review Research on Science, Technology and Mathematics Education.
• Conducted online workshop sessions with middle and high school teachers at Centre of Excellence in Teacher Education (CETE), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.
• Reviewed journal manuscripts for the International Journal of E-Learning and Distance Education (IJEDE).
• Published articles and book chapters in a variety of international journals on education, science, and design pedagogy.
Her recent publications include:
1. Ara, F. (Forthcoming). Love you, Love you Not: Exploring our Love-Hate Relationships with Microbes at the Undergraduate Level through Art, History and Design. International Conference on Future Communication: Rethinking Societies, Cultures and Governance. Department of Electronic Media and Mass Communication, School of Media and Communication in collaboration with University of Toulon, France. 8th – 10th April 2024 at Pondicherry University.
2. Khunyakari, R., Padalkar, S. Ara, F., Singh, G. (2022). “Strengthening learning through visuospatial experiences: Initiatives from the Indian Context,” in M. Ramchand, R. Khunyakari, and A. Bose (eds) Learning without Burden: Where are We a Quarter Century after the Yash Pal Committee Report. 1st edn. London, UK: Routledge India, pp. 305–347.
3. Ara, F. and Vijaysimha, I. (2023) “Online Learning in Low‐tech environments ‐ What works, what doesn’t? A study based on Indian public schools”, International Journal of E‐Learning & Distance Education, 37(2). https://www.ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/1265
