State Curricular Reforms Development of State Curriculum Framework

State Curricular Reforms – Development of State Curriculum Framework & Position Papers

Curriculum is a set of planned activities which are designed to implement well defined educational aims in terms of the content of what is to be taught and the knowledge, skills and attitudes which are to be deliberately fostered, together with statement of criteria for selection of content, and choices in methods, materials and evaluation. The curriculum is a source of every thing that is done in classrooms and schools towards children’s education. It tells us what is worth teaching, how much should be taught and in what sequence, with what methods and materials, how learning should be assessed, teachers prepared, schools monitored, Curriculum is the source of all works related to education.

Curriculum Framework It is a plan that interprets educational aim vis-a-vis both individual and society to arrive at an understanding of the kinds of learning experiences schools must provide to children. The curriculum framework document provides direction to take up various educational activities, development of syllabus and textbooks etc. Syllabus refer to the content of what is to be taught in a subject and the knowledge, skills and attitudes which are to be fostered in a child together with state specific objectives

The Mandate SCERT is expected to review school curriculum as a regular activity ensuring the highest standards of rigour. National Policy of Education 1986, National Curriculum Framework 2005 and Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 assign a special academic role to SCERT in preparing and promoting State Curriculum Framework.

Why a State Curriculum Framework – Context The NCERT, developed the National Curriculum Framework 2005 and communicated to the states with a request to take up state curricular reforms and development of State Curriculum Framework. Curriculum Load and insights of Learning without burden The size of textbooks has been growing over the years even as the pressure to include new topics mounts and the effort to synthesize knowledge and treat it holistically. Learning without burden recommends a major change in the design of syllabi and textbooks and in the way we conduct exams that leads to stress, strain and fear among children.

Curriculum Load and insights of Learning without burden contd. . . It requires a fundamental change in organizing the school curriculum and in the system of education which force children to memorize information and reproduce it. Teaching at school cannot become a joyful experience unless we change our perception of the child as a receiver of knowledge to construction of knowledge and move beyond convention of using textbooks as a major source of knowledge.

Why a State Curriculum Framework – Context contd. . . Recent researches on brain development and alternative active learning pedagogies such as higher order thinking skills, critical pedagogy, social construction, multiple intelligences, learning styles etc. , have changed the landscape of teaching learning processes in schools and this must be reflected in the curriculum.

State Vision The vision of AP is that ALL children should receive high quality education and become responsible citizens with an acute sense of the other. They should be aware of their environment and think about it critically. They should listen carefully and speak fearlessly. They should be able to understand what they hear and read; but they should also be able to question it. Teachers should promote these skills, provide meaningful teaching learning processes in natural and friendly environment that enable children to express themselves freely and ask questions. Teachers are collaborative learners and reflective practitioners. Parents and community should have a sense of ownership and participate in the life of the school. In a world which is becoming increasingly materialistic and competitive, school should become a space for reflection, cooperation

Major Challenges Enrollment - decreasing enrollment in State owned schools. Large no of vacancies of MEOs, DEOs, Teacher Educators due to Court Cases causing negative impact on children learning and children suffer for system level deficiencies. Teacher preparation and professionalism – most of the teachers rely on textbooks for transaction without much value addition by preparing and referring resource books / material, planning tasks etc. Lack of reading habits and professionalism of teachers.

Major Challenges contd. . . Child Rights oriented pedagogy and sensitization among parents and teachers. Child friendly inclusive schools and respect for diversities and focus on equity. Making School Environments healthy, safe with drinking water and toilets and develop school climate. Teacher availability – Teacher positioning and absenteeism. Poor learning achievement of children in basic competencies of Reading, writing and arithmetic especially at elementary level. Inadequate community participation and ownership.

Major Challenges contd. . . Monitoring and Supervision A higher rate of teacher and pupil absenteeism and poor performance levels of children shows need for urgent measures to improve the system. Lack of appropriate supportive academic monitoring focusing on classroom processes, teacher preparation, child performance and providing appropriate on job support. The field functionaries lack adequate professional preparation and knowledge of pedagogical processes, tools to improve the situation, reflecting the contemporary pedagogical renewal process. Classroom Process and children engagement The teaching learning process is mostly in traditional type with lecture mode and textbook oriented. The classroom processes show that the children copy from textbooks without any challenging and meaningful engagement with learning tasks.

Major Challenges contd. . . Assessment and examinations – the entire school practices and preparation are increasingly examination oriented. The assessment is information oriented and memory based and test paper developed by outside agencies which are not competency based leading to tension and fear of exams among children. Early Childhood Education Early years are very crucial for child development and development of language. Integration of ECE / Pre-primary / anganwadies with primary schools.

Major Challenges contd. . . Teacher Education: Increased privatization and commercialization – no proper perspective building for would be teachers. There is no representation of contemporary innovations in Pre-Service Teacher Education (PSTE) curriculum. Mostly it becomes theory based rather than field based practice. Research and Studies: There is not much relevant database generated through studies to guide curriculum practices and support educational policies and decision making processes.

Major Challenges and Issues to deliberate contd. . . Decentralization, Delegation and deregulation Decentralization and capacity building – Encourage local capacity building, participation and decision making and improvement. Academic Leadership – District, Mandal and School level – Erosion of professionalism. Identifying and promoting teacher innovations. Encouraging and Use of technology – ICT, Video Conference, Teleconference effectively. Curriculum sources – going beyond textbook, issue based topics for critical perspective building. Rationalization of school timings and vacation period to engage teachers for their professional preparation. Regulation of un professional practices of private schools viz. , working hours, working days, corporal punishments, homework, assessment practices etc.

State Curriculum Framework (SCF) Structures State Advisory Committee (SAC) setup SAC comprises 30 members with a Chairperson and Co -Chairpersons. SAC also invited special invitees representing various sections i. e. , Teachers, Teacher Educators, Administrators, Public Representatives, NGOs etc. A State level Steering Committee (SSC) have been set up with experts to draft the state curriculum framework. The SSC supported by 18 State Focused Groups to prepare well researched Position Papers.

State Focus Groups (SFGs) Focus Groups have been formulated in eighteen areas to develop position papers to guide the educational practices. 1. Curricular areas 1. 1 Position paper on Language and Language Teaching 1. 2 Position paper on Teaching of English 1. 3 Position paper on Science Education 1. 4 Position paper on Mathematics Education 1. 5 Position paper on Social Studies Education 1. 6 Position paper on Habitat and Learning 1. 7 Position paper on Art Education

State Focus Groups (SFGs) contd. . . 2. Systemic Reforms 2. 1 Position paper on Aims of Education 2. 2 Position paper on Systemic Reforms 2. 3 Position paper on Teacher Education and Teacher Professional Development 2. 4 Position paper on Assessment of Learning 2. 5 Position paper on Education technology 2. 6 Position paper on Curriculum and Textbooks

State Focus Groups (SFGs) contd. . . 3. State Concerns 3. 1 Position paper on Diversities – S C, ST, Minorities, Girls and Inclusive Education 3. 2 Position paper on Health Education and Physical Education 3. 3 Position paper on Early Childhood Care and Education 3. 4 Position paper on Work and Education 3. 5 Position paper on Ethics, Values and Human Rights

Major Directions of Curricular Reforms RTE 2009 – It focuses on eight factors which should be taken into consideration by the SCERT as academic authority for the state to lay down the curriculum and evaluation procedures. The eight factors are Conformity with constitutional values All-round development of the child Building of the child’s knowledge, potentiality and talent. Development of physical and mental abilities to the fullest extent learning through activities, discovery and exploration in a child friendly and child centered manner, the child’s mother tongue serving as far as possible as the medium of instruction

Major Directions - contd. . . Curriculum to address diversities and various levels of children as a result of mainstreaming of out of school children / dropouts in age specific grades. making the child free of fear, trauma and anxiety and helping the child to express views freely, no punishments, child abuse etc. Comprehensive and continuous evaluation of child’s understanding of knowledge and the ability to apply it. These factors can be deemed to provide a fairly comprehensive coverage of the indicators of a child centred curricular policy for the school education. RTE clearly envisaged to re-examine the curriculum keeping the above factors in view.

Major Directions - contd. . . National Knowledge Commission Recommendations Flexibility and autonomy of local level management – the village panchayats must be given with power and autonomy to manage the elementary education as the spirit of 73 rd & 74 th Constitutional Amendments. Management of Private Schools – control mechanism Focus on Early Childhood Education – 0 – 5 years are crucial for learning. Administration of School Education Departments and accountability. Effective mechanism of monitoring the quality of schools and schools made accountable primarily to the community. Social Audit of School Performance.

Major Directions - contd. . . National Knowledge Commission Recommendations contd. . . Strong Mechanisms and programmes for professional development of teachers and on job support. Improved School leadership for managing schools Professional sharing and exchange between the schools Building of Strong Curriculum Groups and Textbook writers and promote curriculum action research. Education of marginalized groups, respect of diversity and equity.

Major Directions - contd. . . The National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education 2010 – Focus on Effective pre-service teacher education Strategies for the professional development of inservice teachers. Focus on research on curriculum implementation and studies on programme evaluation. Professional ethics and teacher preparation.

Major Directions of Curriculum Reforms – contd… Learning without burden – reducing physical and cognitive load. Create a warm and encouraging atmosphere in the school. Ensure more inclusive classroom participation through visible and continuous reduction in discriminatory classroom practices. Uniformity and links between syllabus, textbooks, teaching learning, assessment and teacher training. Formulating academic standards – Standards for schools, standards for content, standards for teaching learning process, teacher performance, standards for teacher training, children’s learning and learning achievement, standards for school management. Focus on Human Rights and Values as a part of school curriculum.

Major Directions of Curriculum Changes –contd. . . Development of complete person not only cognitive but effective, moral, ethical, aesthetic terms. Focus on higher order learning with the objective of building children’s knowledge, potential and talent. Learning to be – positive values, socialization of learners, formation of world outlook and life outlook.

Major Directions of Curriculum Changes –contd. . . Full flowering of human potentiality as individual learners and tapping talents hidden in every person. More learner directed activities, projects. ICT as a subject and as a tool applied to teaching learning in all subjects. ICT as educational resource for all learning areas and learning to learn. Enquiry / exploratory learning as a cross cutting principle across curricular subjects. Capacity building of teachers and field functionaries.

Major Directions of Curriculum Changes contd. . . Address fully teacher related issues, vacancies, absenteeism, non teaching assignments and fix accountability for learning outcomes of pupil, teacher certification. Make DIETs, SCERTs fully functional and organically linked with BRC, CRC and NCERT. Improved quality in operational terms through clearly identified outcome indicators viz. , learning levels of students, teacher competence, classroom process, teaching learning materials etc.

Major Directions of Curriculum Changes contd. . . Change in the pupil assessment procedures and examination reforms. Schools self appraisal / evaluation and assessment for learning to track children learning i. e. , formative assessment to improve the learning and it is ongoing and a component of teaching. Assessment of learning which is a summative used for certification, standard setting and accountability.

Curriculum Framework, Curriculum Areas In addition to traditional subjects i. e. , Languages, Mathematics, Science and Social Science, other creative areas shall be focused i. e. , Art Education, Health and Physical Education, Education for Value and Peace, Habitat and Learning. The subjects such as Human Rights / Child Rights, disaster management, traffic education, gender perspectives, Right to Information Act, Environmental Education shall be integrated in to curricular subjects.

State Curriculum Framework – Perspective The aims of education should never be lost sight off. The primary purpose of education is to produce rational and responsible citizens who can appreciate their heritage and also become agents of social change. The needs and aspirations of the learner are central to the process of curriculum formation. There is a certain cognitive sequence in learning. The curriculum should be in consonance with the cognitive levels of children. The curriculum should focus more on the process rather than the product.

State Curriculum Framework – Perspective (contd…) The curriculum should be dynamic. It should not be confined to the prescribed textbooks only. It must embrace the world outside the school as well as the creativity of the child and the teacher. Decentralization of all aspects including academic work and administration should be at heart of all educational activities in the State. The SCF lays the foundation of a completely fresh perspective on the education of children keeping their potential to learn at heart of

SCF - Perspectives Understanding assumptions about Society – Characteristics of Indian Society, Political Economy to work with children, teachers. Assumptions about knowledge – What kind of knowledge we propose to give to the children in the context of diversities – Physical, Social, Cultural, Geographical etc. Assumptions about learning – Emphasis of theory of construction, child centered pedagogy and active learning, multiple intelligence. Assumptions about learners – Inherent potentialities of the child and trust all the children learn.

SCF – Perspectives - Learning and Knowledge Focuses on the child as an active learner Primacy to children’s experiences, their voices and their participation Need for adults to change their perception of children as passive receivers of knowledge Children can be active participants in the construction of knowledge The school should recognize the innate ability of each child to construct his/her own knowledge, and the fact that every child comes to school with a fund of pre-knowledge. Therefore children must be encouraged to ask questions, relate what they are learning in schools to things happening outside and answer in their own words rather than by memorizing. Local culture specific, traditional technologies, literature, products are the source of knowledge to be linked to school curriculum.

SCF – Perspectives - Learning and Knowledge contd. . . Recognizes the need for developing an enabling and nonthreatening environment Emphasizes that gender, caste, class, religion and minority status should not constrain participation in experiences provided in school Highlights the value of interaction with: environment, peers, older people to enhance learning; Learning tasks must be designed to enable children to seek out knowledge from sites other than textbooks. Need therefore to move away from rigid lesson planning to planning and designing activities that challenge children to think and try out what they are learning.

SCF – Perspectives – Pedagogical shift From Teacher centered to learner centered. From Teaching to Learning. From Textbook oriented to Experiential oriented. From Lecture method to activity based. From memorising the knowledge to construction of knowledge. Cooperative, collaborative and communicative classrooms and learning. Continuous and comprehensive evaluation become part and parcel of learning and recording learner development continuously.

SCF – Perspectives – Students Child is given importance and the curriculum is learner centred – learning through engagement of children in challenging activities, projects. Focus on learning environment and on student learning outcomes. Assessment is continuous and comprehensive, focus on assessment for learning, evaluation system de-emphasis memory. Life skills to be reflected in the competencies. Values to be integrated with classroom activities. Curriculum and textbooks reflecting our democratic and secular heritage. Medium of instruction shall be in children mother tongue as far as possible at elementary level.

SCF – Perspectives – Students contd. . . Multi Lingual approaches should be applied in various subjects. Learner centered approach based on constructivism in language education and non languages. Textbook is treated as one of the many material to be used in the classrooms. Promotion of thinking process of the child with critical pedagogy. Focus on learning based on cognitive and social construction including multiple intelligences.

SCF – Perspectives – Teacher as reflective practitioner and collaborative learner. Focus on teacher empowerment through self and support by system – focus on teaching strategies and methodologies and understanding the nature of subjects. Focus on teacher competencies, teaching standards. Undertaking teacher appraisals Focus on improved parent teacher collaborations – intended process and outcomes. Studies on training needs of teachers Teachers as Researchers – conducting action researches and case studies. Focus on identification of sources of information and using. Focus on teacher preparation and active learning pedagogies

SCF – Perspectives – Teacher contd. . . Teacher role as facilitation and scaffolding. Making classroom environment challenging with interactive, questioning, discovering and deliberating – providing opportunities to children to construct knowledge. To develop teacher capacity in creative arts and heritage crafts. To develop teacher made test papers and implement formative assessment and help child to improve learning. Use of ICT in classrooms. Teachers work collaboratively breaking working in isolation and take up whole school based programmes. To make teachers feel multi grade teaching and diversities as advantage rather than limitation. Using the technology and assisting devices for improved classroom transaction.

Guiding Principles keeping the potential of the child to learn always in focus, respecting the systems of knowledge such as languages children bring to school, connecting knowledge to life outside the school; children should not feel that what they are learning at school has no relevance to their lives. ensuring that learning is shifted away from rote methods and the focus should be on interactions, project work, analysis etc. enriching the curriculum to provide for overall development of children rather than remain textbook centric.

Guiding Principles (contd…. ) making examinations more flexible and integrated into classroom life; more focus on assessment for learning than assessment of learning, promoting social constructivism, issue-based curriculum and critical pedagogy across curricular areas, nurturing towards flora and fauna and respect for bio-diversity and social diversity, respect to the work shall be promoted as a part of school curriculum. locating classroom practices in the languages and cultures of children.

Development of Syllabi and Textbooks – Key Principles Development of syllabi and textbooks based on the following considerations: Appropriateness of topics and themes for relevant stages of children’s development Continuity from one level to the next Pervasive resonance of the values enshrined in the Constitution of India in the organization of knowledge in all subjects Inter-disciplinary and thematic linkages between topics listed for different school subjects, which fall under discrete disciplinary areas

contd. . . Linkages between school knowledge in different subjects and children’s everyday experiences Infusion of environment related knowledge and concern in all subjects and at all levels Sensitivity to gender, caste and class parity, peace, health and needs of children with disabilities Integration of work related attitudes and values in every subject and at all levels Need to nurture aesthetic sensibility and values

contd. . . Linkage between school and college syllabi; avoid overlapping. Using the potential of media and new information technology in all subjects. Encouraging flexibility and creativity in all areas of knowledge and its construction by children. Convergence and partnership with NGOs and National level institutions / universities in sharing good practices.

Future Steps A) finalizing the State Curriculum Frame Work Keeping the draft State Curriculum Framework, position papers, Syllabus and Academic Standards in the web site of SCERT and inviting public comments. Conducting workshops at regional / districts level in the DIET to discuss on the curriculum framework and inviting suggestions / modifications. consolidation of suggestions and recommendations across different sources and place before the focused groups and steering committee for discussion and incorporation of appropriate suggestions and keep ready final versions of SCF 2011, Position Papers, syllabus, Academic Standards etc. , Convening the meeting of State Advisory Committee Meeting on Curricular Reforms and finalization of SCF-2011, Position Papers, Syllabus and Academic Standards.

Future Steps – Revision of Textbooks Revising the existing textbooks – classes I and II textbooks were revised during 2010 -11 and introduced in the academic year of 2011 -12. Revision of Textbooks for classes III, VI and VII during 2011 and the new textbooks are to be introduced during the academic year of 2012 -13. Revising the textbooks classes IV, VIII and IX during 2012 and introducing the new textbooks during 2013 -14. Revising the textbooks of class V and X during 2013 and introducing the new textbooks during 2014 -15. Developing teacher manuals and appropriate teaching learning material on State Curriculum Framework and new textbooks and orientation to the teacher before introducing the new syllabus and textbooks. undertaking studies on curriculum implementation and reviews for improved practices and support. Capacity building of field functionaries on the effective implementation of curriculum and on providing on job support.

Capacity Building of Textbook Writers Formulating subject specific curriculum groups and their capacity building for the development of syllabus, textbooks and related reforms in collaboration with National level institutions / experts viz. , NCERT, RIE, Mysore, RIESI, Bangalore, Homibaba Centre for Science Education Mumbai, Eklavya Madya Pradesh, EFLU Hyderabad, Central University Hyderabad, Vidyabhavan Society Udaipur, State Universities etc.

The day will come when Nations will be judged not by their military or economic strengths, not by the splendor of their capital cities and public buildings. But by the well being of their peoples by their levels of health, nutrition and education. But by their opportunities to each a fair reward for their labours. By their ability to participate in the decisions that affect their lives, by the respect that is shown for their civil and political liberties, by the provision that is made for those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged; and by the protection i. e. , offered to the growing minds bodies of their children (UNICEF Progress of Nations 1998). And also the care concern and compassion the people shows towards flora and fauna around them and respect, observe the bio-diversity and social diversities and feel committed to take forward this beautiful earth to the future generations.

Thank you