STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts
March 29,2020
Prof. S. Ramkumar
Education
The stroll of sense and strength
Recently, I received a postal letter from Prof.Maurice Rolls who was my PhD Guide in the University of Reading, UK (1991-1994). He had retired two decades back and is settled in Wales. I met him last in 2002 , in Reading. Not connected with email or smart phone, my only way of reaching him was via ‘snail –mail’. This letter, after many years was so heartening to me, revealing the love of a great teacher. There is one part of the letter which says “happy memories of studying with you” which has brought back lovely memories for me too. A great teacher, researcher, administrator and an extension worker, who is an amazing painter. Recollecting one incident among many !
It was almost the end of autumn in UK,1994 and winter had already announced its arrival. In my research room in one of the old buildings of the famous International and Rural Development Department (IRDD) of the University of Reading (which is now embedded in the School of Agriculture Policy and Development -SAPD – at present – with a new building), I was with the final assemblage of the thesis document that had to be submitted and defended for my PhD, a research journey which started in 1991! The days of 1994 autumn were satisfying as they indicated an end to my PhD work, arriving at some meaningful conclusions based on the attempt of research. However it was a bit chaotic pulling papers of all sorts to assort, identify and arrange, with impeccable accuracy! Added to that was the thought of convincing the unknown examiners on my study to be offered a Doctor of Philosophy.
I heard a gentle knock, and on opening could see Professor Rolls , my guide with his classic stingy smile, and soft but firm voice asking me “Ram, can we just take a stroll out”. As a senior Professor, and that too a traditional British Educationist, Maurice has always been a role model for me. I put on my winter jacket and we went out only to be wrapped by the chilling cold and the early darkness at 4pm. Maurice had short strides as was his nature with short simple sentences. “Now that you have completed your research study and documented it we are planning to have your defence viva” as we walked he told in this whispering voice . “We have three choices for you as the external examiners :one is Burt Swanson (a well know Extensionist from US ), Niels Rӧling (another extension scientist from Wageningen) or Mr John Howell the Director of Overseas Development Institute (ODI, London)”. I have read, referred and studied many of them since my research started in Reading. Readers who have an exposure to Extension science ( as agriculture, Veterinary, dairy, gender studies, welfare, Home science, Development studies background) may be familiar with popular names.
One theme of Extension that spinned off globally during that period (late 1980s into 90s) was the “Systems approaches” to studying Extension Science, with Wageningen (The Netherlands) and Reading Schools (UK) being the premier proponents . The Wageningen School had lots of useful and interesting theories including the “Actor oriented approach” largely a sociological approach to development (Long et al being the major proponents) and the Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems (the AKIS) for which Niels was one of the foremost advocate. I was trying to pin this just for the readers who are not aware of Extension science! The Reading School had useful studies on Agricultural Information Systems, the AIS (with Maurice Rolls and Gwynn Jones ) earlier to these. There were active scientific discussions and debates between these two schools on the relevance and utility of approaches. It’s exactly when I walked into the Reading School in 1991 with my ambitious interest of poignant research in University, that too to associate with one of the tall leaders of AIS, Prof. Rolls!
The six months of my review in the amazing wealth of the reading materials in the University and the Department Library, with the silent occasional nods of Maurice seasoned me to put up a third theory of “Actor oriented information systems Approach “ at the philosophical level which had practical application. But then it was a bold step of taking over the theories mentioned, but largely built from them. Maurice was with me, though apparently silent.
As I tried deciphering the algorithms of my research problem over the three years (1991 to 1994), Maurice used to give consultations, wherein he preferred to listen a lot, endorsing the views and airing his doubts. Maurice had never been argumentative or loud in his views or expressions. But he expressed firm beliefs with pleasure or displeasure, if any, in his facial expression – all with soft words.
As we walked along the pathway of the Whiteknights Lake, under the yellow halo lights, he continued, “Mr Swanson who agreed to be the examiner considering your new approach , couldn’t make it since he had an unavoidable meeting in Rome at FAO. And finally Mr Howell, the Director ODI will be coming”. Rolls also told that he, as the main guide will not be in the Examiners board. In fact he is the next person to me who knew in and out of my works for the last three years, with some strong debates between us happening. Now as we walked tearing through the wintry mist, I realised that he was a little tensed on my defence, as the Guide, and advised me not to worry on anything “you have a sound thesis of yours- just explain”. This was a bouquet of confidence he gave me. I knew later that he wanted to ensure that I wasn’t getting worried of the formal thesis-defence, though I had given many seminars and meetings on this which were held earlier. As we walked in to the Department which was warm, he shook hands with me wishing me best of luck. The fifteen minutes of stroll with him has been one of the life time experiences I love.
One, that he selected the best stalwarts of Extension at that time as my examiners and two, he gave the confidence that I can defend my work among any experts just before I undertook it. It gave me the strength not only for that Viva voce, but lessons for the teacher in me on
- how to help researchers emotionally at times they needed that most.
- how to handhold the learners; take them to purpose of learning. Help achieve the best. The learners need not necessarily know that you have been handholding them!
Epilogue: The thesis was commented well by the Board and the University of Reading was kind enough to offer me a post doctoral bursary (the first of its kind!) to undertake a study on Hillside Forest Information System in Sri Lanka based on our theory of AIS.