Duke TIP educational model serves academically gifted Indian students
Contact: Belinda Chiu, Ed.D.
Duke University Talent Identification Program
belinda.chiu@duke.edu
India
Contact: Leslie Maxwell
Duke University Talent Identification Program
(919) 668-9127
leslie.maxwell@duke.edu
64 academically talented Indian students selected for summer program
Updated: June 5, 2009DURHAM, N.C., United States & Ahmedabad, India – For the second year, the Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP), a unit of Duke University, provided academically gifted Indian students with an enriching summer learning experience.
Sixty-four academically talented students who recently completed the 8th standard studied on the campus of IIM-Ahmedabad, one of India’s premier business schools. These students, among India’s brightest, were selected from the top 5% of their classes in schools located in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Dehradun, Delhi, and Mumbai. These students came from not only some of the nation’s best schools but also foundation schools. The students came from a diversity of backgrounds, including gender and socioeconomic status. Duke TIP’s belief in this program is so strong that it partially funded every student and gave full financial aid to others.
“Duke TIP is excited to be in India, pursuing innovative models of educating academically gifted students for the second year,” said Martha Putallaz, Ph.D., executive director of Duke TIP. “In our increasingly globalized world, the lessons we learn from Duke TIP in India will provide a broader worldview for all Duke TIP students, both in India, the United States, and elsewhere.”
Students who participated in the three-week program chose one of four university-level courses:
- Engineering Problem Solving
- Entrepreneurial Leadership
- Forensic Science
- JAVA for Video Games
These courses followed the Duke TIP model of education, which is based on active learning and child-centered instruction. Each course was kept to a small number of students, and two instructional staff members per course ensured that students receive individual attention.
The Duke TIP classroom experience promotes hands-on, experiential learning, and it encourages students to think critically about lessons learned in class. Students ask questions and engage in debates and discussions. The classroom environment promotes intellectual risk taking, as no homework or grades are assigned, and experiences such as building a model bridge in Engineering Problem Solving and meeting Indian entrepreneurs in Entrepreneurial Leadership ensure that students see real-world applications of their studies.
Duke TIP in India is just one of the components of Duke University’s initiatives in making connections across intellectual and geographic boundaries, with the country of India being central to this commitment. For instance, the Duke University Fuqua School of Business has several initiatives for its MBA students in India. The Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy has a partnership with the Indian Administrative Service. And each year, Duke University undergraduates travel to India to work with non-profit organizations in the country.
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About Duke TIP: The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a non-profit educational organization that is recognized as a leader in identifying and serving the educational needs of academically gifted youth. Through identification, recognition, challenging educational programs, information, advocacy and research, Duke TIP provides resources to gifted students, their parents, educators, and schools for the development of the students’ optimal educational potential.
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Read more:
June 4, 2009, Times of India; Delhi, India: IIM-A, Duke train young minds once again
June 4, 2009, Hindustan Times; Delhi, India: Duke's TIP for school kids
May 29, 2009, Fuqua Times India; Durham, N.C.: Duke TIP comes to India