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Education
Related to country: India

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic



Introduction

Inspired by Dr. H.S. Srivastava, Ex-Dean NCERT, in the beginning of year 2006, I decided to carry out some experiments on CCE in my school. Primary (1st to 5th) classes were selected for the same. Experiments are in progress. Following is a brief account of experiments and observations carried out during the past 8 months.

Need

The need to experiment with CCE arose because of the following deficiencies of the present system of evaluation of student’s progress.


*
Student’s progress is evaluated only through periodic written tests called unit tests and terminal tests, which take place as an event rather than a process. Remedial measures are not possible on the basis of these tests.
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On the basis of the scores in the tests we label the students as 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Same students continue to occupy these ranks year after year and are felicitated during prize distribution functions. Other students simply clap for them, perhaps unwillingly.
*
Students outstanding in other life skills and non-scholastic aptitudes are not recognized. The uniqueness of every child is neither recognized nor promoted.
* Life skills and many non-scholastic aptitudes are not evaluated and hence not emphasized by the school.
*
Parents are competing among themselves for marks and ranks of their children. Due to the tendency to compare their child with other children the parents are stressed and transfer this stress to their child.
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It is a known fact that whatever is evaluated that is taught, therefore limited academic aspects of education are emphasised and assessed by the teachers.
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It is observed that many toppers in exams are not toppers in life. Therefore our so called evaluation system in not painting the true or authentic picture of a child’s achievement.

Planning and implementation


* Scholastic and non scholastic items of evaluation for classes 1 to 5 were identified.
* Methods of continuous evaluation of each item were decided.
*
Proformas for keeping a record of the continuous and comprehensive evaluation of different items were designed. Rating scales developed by Dr. H.S. Srivastava were also taken into account.
* Orientation of the teachers regarding CCE was carried out.
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It was felt that printed assignments are required for continuous evaluation of different scholastic skills in English, Hindi, Mathematics and Environmental studies. For example CCE in English involved assessment of Reading, Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Creative writing, Grammar, Spellings, Handwriting and Recitation.
* A team of three dedicated teachers was deputed for generating assignments for evaluation of different scholastic and non-scholastic skills.
* Continuous recording of the student’s achievement in different items was carried out on the specified performas.
*
1st half of the day five and second half of day six were devoted to non scholastic items of personality development. It included Physical Development (Yoga, P.T./Drill, Game/Sports : Performance, Discipline on field), Debate/Recitation, Drawing/Painting, Craft work, Vocal/Instrument - Music & Club Activities.
* The progress of the student was reported on a detailed achievement Report Card running into 5 pages.
* For scholastic items marks as well grades were reported. But marks of different items were not added. And no ranks were awarded.
*
In the annual prize distribution every student was given a prize for outstanding performance in one or more items in place of routine felicitation for only the toppers in academics.

Observations

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The stress level of the students was much less than in the earlier years as the students enjoyed the new pattern of teaching and tests by the teachers. The students found that assessment is no more an event. On the other hand it is a part of the teaching learning process.
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Students realized that their participation/interest in non scholastic areas is going to have a value in the report card, therefore their participation in personality development programmes was with keen interest.
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Teachers could diagnose the deficiencies of learning immediately after the teaching and hence remedial measures with the help of tailor made printed assignments were very effective.
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There was a change in the mind set of teachers and they got interested in holistic evaluation of the child.
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Teachers could identify students with good skill in creative writing, comprehension, oral expression, mental maths, project work, team work and many other abilities which was not possible in earlier years.
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The tools of assessment were : announced and un announced class tests on printed sheets, oral tests, visual response tests, anecdotal observations, individual and group projects, diagnostic tests, picture composition tests, mental maths tests, units tests and terminal tests. In general, the testing became a part of the teaching learning process. Now the performance of the students was continuously recorded in non-scholastic areas as well. Thus, both the non scholastic as well as scholastic aspects of education received equal importance by the teachers. Whereas in earlies years only the scholartic or academic achievements were given importance.
* Parents appreciated the steps taken by the school. A few remarks by the parents are given below :

* -Thanks for assessing my child deeply and minutely.
* -Thanks for evaluating my child in all spheres.
*
This new report card helped me to monitor my child’s performance in each and every respect.
It also helped me to identify the skills in which my child lacked.
* -Thanks for your realistic assessment of my child.

Future projections:
Encouraged by the upcoming response of the parents, teachers and students to CCE, the school has decided to extend this programme upto class 8th w.e.f 2007-2008 session. Also, in view of the feedback of this year, a number of changes are proposed to be made in the CCE to be implemented in the next session

May 16, 2008 | 6:43 AM Comments  0 comments

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Education
Related to country: India

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic



In this 21st century, quality is going to be in great demand. This is because it is an age of cometitions. In earlier times there was little or no competition so the quality didn’t matter much.
But in todays times the concept of quality is spreading in every field & field of education is no exception.
What is quality?
Quality is something that appeals to the customer, consumer or the user. Whenever we see something good or meet someone impressive how do we react.
We simply say - WOW! As in Hindi ¼okg½ & we say it with a smile. So this is quality. I would say that quality is simply a WOW + smile.
This word WOW ¼okg½ is a synonym for quality.
What is quality Education ?
Quality Education means educational programmes leading to WOW effect. This Quality is not a theortical concept. It can be felt & experienced. It is more or less an environment. If the students coming to school experience a WOW effect in the educational programmes of the school, it is a quality. If the parents experience a WOW effect as regards educational growth of their child, it is quality. Assuring quality in education is an on going & continuous process.
The present education system is a conventional one & it needs a sweep change so as to ensure quality in it.
In the conventional education system schools are treated as PATH SHALAS tgka ikB i<+k, tk,aA The child is admitted to school. The Teachers teach the prescribed syllabus. Students are exposed to textbooks.
Few students may get involved in some curricular activities arranged in the school. Then student learning ability is assessed through exams (generally written exams) & the students is promoted to next grade. The process continues for 12-15 years & the outcome of this type of education system is a person with very good academic scores, average scores & below average scores. It appears as if education is nothing but just passing the exams. This system is unidirectional in the sense that it caters & promotes only the toppers or students with good academic scores.
But the fact is that the so called toppers of exams are not the toppers in life. So is n’t our education system faulty? Even the Literal meaning of education is drawing out the best in a child. Are we really adhering to it? Are we rally drawing out the best in a child?
The purpose of education is not to pass the exam but to place a child in life. It is the III placement of a child in life that is going to affect him in long run & not his just passing the exams.
So for changing the conventional education system to quality education system the conventional concept of a school is to be changed. The schools is no longer a Paathshala. It has to be a Karyashale where efforts are made to produce a fine holish percently school curriculum has to be renewed. It has to be made holistic. So that it enables a child’s placement in life. It trains a child to face the challenges of life. So what is going to be there in this curriculum?
This Holistic curriculum will consist of curriculum for cognitive skills & the curriculum for non cognitive skills.

Curriculum for cognitive skills :

The curriculum for non cognitive skills should define clearly the various areas of personality of each child to be developed. The best way to develop those areas is to expose children to all of them.

The non cognitive areas to be developed are:


* Physical fitness through yoga, games & sports.
* Personal qualities & values through Roleplays & planned situations.
* Social qualities & values through roleplays & planned situations.
* Areas of interests through Dance, Drama, Music, Arts.

As each child is exposed to academics through to prescribed text book & syllabi similarly he/she has to be exposed to the aspects of personality development also. The curriculum for non cognitive areas should define a MLL for each area which each & every child must achieve. Of course the students exceeding MLL will be excelling in that area.
I would conclude by saying that schools need to prepare a child for placement is life. This is Quality education. Schools will have to take the responsibility to assure quality education. The Quality is a journing having no destination.
The schools will have to work continuously for achieving quality. Schools should be compeating not with others but with itself & should be prepared to give a better & improved programme of education for the next year. The schools are no longer a PAATHSHALA where lesson are taught. Quality is a matter of conviction Quality is a passion.

May 16, 2008 | 6:27 AM Comments  0 comments

Tags:


Education
Related to country: India

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic



Discipline w/o chastisement is an educational procedure which has to be followed in any environment of educating humans below 18 years of age. Environment can be that of school or environment can be that of home. In following this procedure the so called educators i.e. teacher and the parents will assume that the child does no wrong.
This assumption is strictly applicable at the time of birth and goes on decreasing with the increase in age and its applicability is reduced to zero at the age of 18; when the child becomes an adult. Infact from 16 to 18 years of age, there is rapid transition from childhood to adulthood. It is very crucial period in the life of a child. The school needs to take special care for dealing with children of age 16 to 18.
“The child does no wrong” and need not be penalised, rebuked or caned or punished for any behaviour. Rather the educators need take steps for correcting errors in the behaviour of the child. There is no limit to the number of steps to be taken for correction of a particular unexpected behaviour. There can be x number of steps depending upon the a particular case. The educators need to continue the efforts to correct the behaviour till the result is achieved.
Remember all these steps are to be taken without loosing the temper because there is no justification for it. Why should one loose temper on child.
“We may but loose temper on an adult.” But there is a limitation while dealing with children that we will have to deal without anger and without harsh words.
Now one question may arise in our mind that what if we adopt Discipline w/o chastisement as a school procedure will all the students become disciplined? Well behaved or will all the students be able to show the expected behaviour? We will come to answer the question. But before that refer to two terms, Mastery Learning.
Capability Learning.
These are two terms connected with learning. The term ML was coined by Benjamin S. Bloom in 1970. He maintained that 95% of the students can master 95% of the course, provided they are given sufficient time and suitable instructional cum tutorial help.
Suppose, we have a course which is normally completed in one year. Keeping the concept of ML in mind, some students may learn it in 6 months and other may take 3 years. Infact some students may not be able to achieve 95% proficiency even when they are given whole life to do so.
So how practicable is the concept of ML?
We educators keep the concept of ML in our sub conscious mind. We assume that all students will be able to achieve 100% efficiency provided they work sincerely on it. We suffer with a so called this is the call perfectionist virus. Where we expect every child to be perfect. When we feel that they are not sincere we go in for their chastisement. We think them as negligents and knowingly not working on the subject or knowingly not showing the desired behaviour.
In contrast to the ML, the capability learning assumes that each child is able to attain and gain according to its capability. Children are born with different capabilities in different fields. The school must work to identify the capabilities of the child and take steps to develop them.

May 16, 2008 | 6:21 AM Comments  0 comments

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