Why Research ?

1. Why Research ?

2. What is research? What is the value of research for my project and the larger knowledge base about educational access and quality? How do we conduct research? Key questions

3. Research is… …a structured process for answering a new question Definition

4. Difficult to do Takes resources from project implementation We already know what works best Uncovers problems with project activities Bias against research

5. Helps focus work Assists project planning Justifies future activities Educates others about best practices Value of research

6. Ask a question Be clear about your expectations regarding the answer Define the process for answering the question Collect information Answer the question Research process

7. Depends on the question Depends on available resources Collection of Information Quality of Information Resources (Likely)

8. Possible QuestionSource of Information Perceptions/ Surveys/Interviews Descriptive info Student Enrolment Logs Student Attendance Site verification Classroom practices Classroom observation Student learning Student assessments Types of Information

9. Make research a learning experience and democratic by involving teachers and other stakeholders (also known as Action Research) Study design Implementation Reflection and analysis Research opportunities

10. Be skeptical of findings Positive findings? Negative findings? No findings? Protect human subjects, particularly children! Research cautions

11. Make three copies Make a synopsis in given format Provide one CD Use Word Format If Hindi- Font Devlys 10 How to submit?

12. CURRICULUM Implication of changes in curriculum for teachers and teacher training programme Identification of life skills components in the curriculum of the states. Teachers’ understanding of curriculum and problems in curriculum transaction in different parts and different types of schools Evaluation of curriculum and textbooks from the points of adaptability in different situations (e.g. different regions, tribal areas) suitability of teaching in multigrade classes and being free from gender, caste bias etc. Study of contextuality and local inputs in transaction of curriculum in schools Study of language load on students learning and achievement in other subjects Different Topics

13. Study of poor performing districts to find out the real reasons of poor performance Assessing the role of DIETs/ BTIs in bringing quality is schools. Role of BRCs & CRCs in quality improvement Assessment of training support provided to district staff and BRC & CRC Coordinators Case studies of high performing CRCs/BRCs Study of the role expectations and role performance of coordinators of BRCs and CRCs. Evaluation of training programmes under SSA and their impact in classroom teaching. Indepth studies of school management and good practices in high performing schools Study of unit costs per pupil, per teacher or per pupil-place for different items of expenditure. Financial and other resources mobilized by community for elementary education A study on the problems faced by the parents of children studying in private schools. EDUCATIONAL PLANNING & ADMINISTRATION

14. SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE Availability use and maintenance of Infrastructural and other facilities in the school A study on the use of the toilets constructed in schools. An analysis of DISE Data EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION Effectiveness of early Childhood Education Centers attached to primary schools and ICDS centers in respect of enrollment rates, student attendance, retention/completion rates and student learning. Case studies of successful ECE experiments in the states.

15. EQUITY ISSUES AND EDUCATION OF SPECIAL FOCUS GROUP Achievement of children with special needs studying in inclusive education. Factors affecting enrolment of girls in primary education Gender concerns in existing textual material, school activities and classroom practices in primary schools Development of self-image and esteem amongst girl students and SC and ST students. Impact of incentive schemes at state level for SC children on their enrolment and retention Study of completion, dropout and repetition rate of SC & ST

16. EQUITY ISSUES AND EDUCATION OF SPECIAL FOCUS GROUP boys and girls at the primary and upper primary levels Study of primary level residential Ashram schools for Schedule Tribes Study of the migratory pattern in certain pockets of the state. Study of the special strategies adopted for reaching out to the most deprived sub-groups among SC and ST, and particularly girls Problems related to child labour and education of working children, street children and children of slum areas in town/cities Effect of bilingual teaching on achievement of tribal children and linguistic minority students.

17. TEACHERS AND TEACHERS’ TRAINING Study of compatibility of pre-service teacher training courses with the requirements of primary/ upper primary curriculum Relationship of teacher availability, teacher presence in schools, and time to devoted teaching with student achievement Study of teacher management policy (recruitment, deployment, transfer, teacher development) and its implementation at the district, block, cluster and school levels Study of teacher’s job satisfaction and their classroom behavior. An assessment of the training needs of the regular teachers and para teachers Effect of in-service teacher training and in-school support provided to teachers on teacher pupil interaction, students’ learning and behavior A comparative study of the motivation level and performance of regular and para-teachers at elementary level.

18. TEACHERS AND TEACHERS’ TRAINING Evaluative study of the utilization of school grants and grants given to teachers for TLM etc. Study of learning environment and infrastructure related provisions made in schools and classrooms for effective teaching learning Study of non-academic work load of teachers and its impact on achievement of pupils. Audience research survey for Educational Radio Broadcasts. Evaluation of in-service teacher training programmes and their impact on classroom transaction Effectiveness of integration of elements of joyful learning and content enrichment programmes in teacher training under SSA. An indepth study of the processes being followed & adopted by SCERT in developing various training modules & training programmes

19. TEACHERS AND TEACHERS’ TRAINING Effectiveness of tele-conferencing as a mode of distance learning in primary education Study of school supervision vis-a vis school effectiveness Study of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) procedures used in schools and problems faced by teachers in doing CCE related works Factors affecting functioning of DIETs Study of remedial teaching done by teachers in schools for weak students. Assessment of teachers’ knowledge and competence in teaching of English in primary schools A study of co-curricular activities in schools Study of the modality of providing cooked meals in primary schools and its effect on teaching learning time of teachers and pupils Study of use and impact of TLM on students learning Diagnosis of learning difficulties in different subjects and grades at the elementary level Study of the classroom processes in multigrade classroom in formal schools and EGS Centres

20. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Study of different models of community participation in the development of Primary Education Effectiveness of Community mobilization programmes in increasing enrollment and retention at primary/ upper primary levels and tackling teacher absenteeism, accountability of teachers to the community and related matters Identification of school, community and family related enabling factors for a child to attend school and to complete primary /upper primary schooling Studies related to involvement of Panchayati Raj institutions in school activities and management of schools and effectiveness of these institutions. Study of Women’s Participation in VEC and SMC activity.

21. CHILDREN’S ACHIEVEMENT BASELINE Mid-term Terminal and other Assessment surveys of children’s achievement in different subjects assessment of non-cognitive areas such as value inculcation, Life skills, Personality development etc. Comparative assessment of different learner groups such as girls, SC, ST etc. Study of school, home and student related factors affecting student learning and achievement in different curriculum areas, especially language and mathematics An investigation into the causes of low achievement of children in selected areas Longitudinal studies for monitoring the educational progress of children over a number of years Assessing retention of learning after a gap of 2 or more years subsequent to completing primary education Comparative study of the achievement of students taught by traditional method & computer assisted learning.

22. STUDIES WITH FOCUS ON UPPER PRIMARY STAGE Surveys as well as qualitative studies to study the support needs specifically for upper primary schools Identification of factors associated with transition rate of children from primary to upper primary State Assessment of the content and methodology enrichment needs of teachers teaching at upper primary level

23. Civil Works Procedures and methods of supervision used by districts; Extent of utilization of classrooms and other facilities in primary and upper primary schools. Impact of community participation on civil works under SSA. IED Unit To evaluate how effectively teachers are handling children with special needs after training. To assess whether TLM used in classroom also enhances learning of children with special needs To undertake a study to know the prevalence of learning disabilities.

24. MIS Studies on Gender issues such as studies on disparity in enrolment of boys and girls. Studies on Single teacher School. Studies on schools lacking basic facilities such as drinking water, blackboard classrooms Detailed analysis of DISE data. Urban Planning Management of Education in urban areas Demand for education in urban poor communities Participation of the voluntary sector in providing education in urban areas.

25. Pedagogy Implication of changes in curriculum and textbooks for teacher development programme and pedagogical changes with special reference to education of ST/SC children and states’ initiatives in this regard. A comparative study of structure, role and effectiveness of BRCs and CRCs with special reference to upper primary education. A study of role of community and community organizations (VEC/MTA/PTA etc.) in the school improvement programme with special focus on quality improvement activities.

26. Pedagogy A study of pupil evaluation procedure and practices, sharing the pupils’ progress cards with parents and the use of evaluation outcomes as feed back to improve teaching learning process. A comparative study of the utilization of TLM grants to teachers and their use in the teaching-learning process. A Study of teacher training programmes for upper primary teachers initiated under SSA and their impact on teaching learning process. Assessment of training needs of primary teachers. A study of extension of role of resource centers (DIET, BRC and CRC) in the context of upper primary education. Problems in the implementation of CBSE in the state. Case study of villages in the context of achieving UEE.