Education of Equitable Quality: Key Changes, Components and Action

1. Education of Equitable Quality:Key Changes, Components and Action SubirShukla Educational Quality Advisor - SSA

2. I. Key changes… • Outcomes • Not just the 3Rs, but towards holistic education • Outcomes apply at all levels • Processes • Two-way, interactive • Construction of knowledge • Involve all stakeholders • Relationships • Not instruction, but non-hierarchical partnerships • Accountability; the benefactor is now beneficiary!

3. Outcomes • The shift has implications for: • Curriculum + syllabus + materials • Training at different levels + training materials • Learning Assessment, • Performance assessment, • Programme Evaluation • What are equitable outcomes? • Key challenge: vertical integration of outcomes

4. Processes • Transition in processes requires: • Clearly defined pedagogical model • Harmonization of components • Training that manifests desired processes, • Academic support structures strengthen it • RTE awareness and sensitization among all • What are ‘equitable’ processes?

5. Relationships • How do we generate such relationships? • Starts from the top; recognize those who: • Foreground interests of the marginalized in planning, development, implementation, monitoring, reporting • Implications for: • Pedagogy, classroom organization, planning • Methods used in training and follow up • School management and community involvement • What are ‘equitable’ relationships?

6. Aim of education As per International Commission of Education is: • Learning to know • Learning to do • Learning to live together • Learning to be

7. Life Skills – Integral Part World Health Organisation 10 life skills. • self-awareness • empathy • communication skills • interpersonal skills • decision-making • problem solving • creative thinking • critical thinking • coping with emotions • coping with stress

8. II. Quality ‘eco-system’

9. Curriculum and Syllabus • Any curriculum document has three parts: • Rationale • Description of subjects and learning outcomes • Implementation imperatives • Syllabus is a subset of curriculum • RTE Act mentions eight factors… • NCF-05 builds on Learning without Burden • Distinguishes between information and knowledge • Provides a framework for making rational choices and state-specific curriculum • Document on Curriculum Development provided; describes stages, processes and who should be involved • Critical that State curriculum (not SCF) is prepared in consonance with NCF-05.

10. Textbooks • Only a supportive material along with TLM, library, other print material • Notthe curriculum, and not just for ‘covering’ • Should provide openings for children and support to teacher – enable construction of knowledge • Child-friendly, inclusive and equity-oriented texts, exercises, writing style, instructions, illustration and design • In-built assessment; facilitate CCE • Production values are critical; SSA provides support • Teachers’ editions more useful than Teachers’ guides • Development process; document provided • Many examples in India, but sustainability is an issue!

11. Assessment of learning • RTE mandates CCE • Simpler than it appears; main objectives • Was the teaching learning process successful? • What to do next with whole class in general? • Which child needs what help? • Processes • Embedded in regular teaching-learning process • Observe children during oral, material-based, written activities • Only in some curricular objectives are evaluation activities needed • Recording • Only 3-point scale needed for observation; • Recording observed performance or output (+ portfolio) • Using the data • Easy to use recording and analysis procedures • Important to use it for taking decisions • Sharing with stakeholders: children, parents, community, CRC-BRC • National ‘rapid-pilot’ project (Bihar)

12. In-service Teacher Training • Competence  Performance  Effectiveness • Workshops alone are not enough; follow up and establishment issues • A integrated, yet focused approach needed: • Content and methodology are not separate! Silos don’t help • Based on understanding of children and their learning process • The same approach must underlie curriculum, textbooks, TLM, CCE, and training • Outcomes – in terms of performance – need to be spelt out • These outcomes sequenced according to stage of teacher development • Process linked with above • Field-testing critical, • Experiential, participatory, models desired classroom • Materials - contextualisable • Trainer capacities need urgent attention • Follow up by CRC-BRC / supervisors to strengthen transition initiated by training • Assessment of training (during and after) • The ‘cascade’ problem can be beaten! ‘Re-construction’ • Shifting towards ‘differentiated’ training + teacher effectiveness • National ‘sharing workshops’ planned

13. Academic Support System • Enables teachers to visualize, plan and implement processes advocated through training; involve other stakeholders • Take pro-active steps [situational analysis, visioning, planning, providing agreed upon inputs] • Take responsive steps [monitor, support and hand-hold, ensure classroom success] • School visits, monthly meetings, as Resource Centre • At present, a far cry from desired roles; in many states, issues of personnel, functioning, etc. • Need for mainstreaming academic resource structures in State systems: • Selection issues need attention • Linkages with DIETs/DRG, SCERT/SRG • Two National Task Forces on CRC-BRC development

14. Academic Management • Harmonization of components • Management at the level of classroom • School management and equitable quality • Management at sub-district and district levels – role of supervisory and administrative officials • Institutional capacities – DIETs, SCERTs • Unity of thought at the state level • Consistency and continuity • Performance standards for capacity building, e.g. ADEPTS • Ultimately, Quality Audits, going well beyond learning achievement data

15. III. How SSA intends to get there • EEQ Workshops conducted last year. Major outputs: • Vision of the classroom and school we want • Agreed upon a framework for harmonisation across components • Initiated planning: identified critical outcomes over the coming three years, and ground realities • States shared follow up plans to carry this forward to district and sub-district levels • Planning exercise undertaken in Feb 2010, guidelines for perspective plan shared

16. Six Outcomes to be focused on • Improved teacher availability and time on task • A warm and encouraging atmosphere visible in the school • Greater use of ‘learning through activity, discovery and exploration ’ • More inclusive classroom participation i.e. a visible, continuous reduction in discriminatory classroom practices • Focus on higher order learning objectives • A higher degree of deliberation on quality-related issues in the SMCs.

17. 1. Improved teacher availability and ToT Ensure teacher availability and motivatation Some steps: • Establish baseline on teacher presence and ToT • Initiate Recruitment, Deployment as per PTR • RTE awareness among teachers and community, supervisors, esp. about ToT • Strengthen monitoring system • Minimize non-teaching work • Improve grievance redressal • Share performance standards

18. 2. A warm, encouraging atmosphere Ensure child-friendly atmosphere inside/outside classroom Some steps: • Identify indicators and baseline • Train and encourage teachers to: • Put children at ease • Use active learning • Appreciate children and their work • Use classroom organisation effectively • Respect the views of children, and give it space • Non-negotiable – no corporal punishment or mental harassment • School level actions • At other levels

19. 3. Greater use of ‘learning through activity, discovery and exploration’ Ensure visibility at least at the initial level in all schools, with the teacher starting with oral activities if s/he finds the other kinds difficult. Some steps: • Indicators, baseline and ‘target’ • Review curriculum, textbooks and materials • Develop and overtly stated pedagogical model (field-tested) • Provide teachers with ‘bank’ of activities • Re-consider format of teaching time • Incorporate evaluation during/through activities • Training and capacity building • Self-assessment tools for teachers (based on performance standards and indicators) • Monitoring and supervision

20. 4.More inclusive classroom participation Visible, continuous reduction in discriminatory classroom practices Some steps: • Identify and make overt the kinds of discrimination in school • Establish non-negotiables, disseminate and monitor them • RTE advocacy among stakeholders, including children • Especially monitor ‘at risk’ children • Establish working models of special training • Encourage peer learning, flexible use of time, material accessibility to all • Curriculum and material review towards inclusiveness • Teacher training and capacity building

21. 5.Focus on higher order learning objectives • Going beyond 3 R’s towards holistic, deeper understanding and all-round development of the child • General: asking questions, logical abilities, comparison/contrast, inferring, abstract thinking, problem solving, decision-making, imagination • Subject specific: applying mathematics in daily life, understanding pattern, expressive writing Some steps: • Enhance curricular awareness among teachers and all others • Highlight these aspects in curriculum and textbooks • Use of reflective processes in classroom, activities, projects • Ensure that TLM is available that enables these • Assessment to focus on these

22. 6.Quality-related issues and SMCs • At present community seen as monitoring agency or contributing labour / resources • Community has stake in children’s learning; can contribute with their own knowledge heritage. Some steps: • Review role of community, make it overt • Revamp SMC meetings • Find partners from among community, including PTA/MTA and ‘knowledge partners’ • Orientation of teachers, HMs, sub-district and district staff

23. Coordination and Continuity • SSA cannot go it alone – Whole State should be involved • Underpinnings discussion • Shared Situation Analysis • Perspective Plan • Careful sequencing on inputs and action • SSA Framework of Implementation under revision • Quality register (quality ‘protocol’ possible)

24. National Resource Pool • The need • Who: from within system • Available for work within state and region • How many: 200-300, country-wide • How identified • Stage 1: State identifies on basis of guidelines • Stage 2: Rigorous selection test • Retention on basis of continued performance • MoU • Commitment of participant • Commitment of state • Commitment of national component • How developed? • Phase 1: 8-10 months, ‘foundation’, start contributing • Phase 2: 18-14 months, function-specific, mentored

25. EEQ-2 Workshops • Building on work done till now • Objective: Evolve clear, doable Action Plan to attain 6 outcomes; will include • Deeper conceptual understanding of EEQ • Manifestation in implementation terms (focal area) • Complete a Rapid Situational Analysis of state • Planning and coordination • Agreeing on follow up actions at all levels • Who: 6-7 member State Core Team (from key implementation agencies) + regional follow-up RPs • SPD and Education Secretary on last day or two • Meeting of state QCs in Gandhinagar in end-August as preparatory; Preparation note will be sent soon

26. Dates, Venues Your participation is highly solicited! As are your comments! Thank you