What are the steps for teachers to ensure whether learning outcomes are achieved?

What are the steps for teachers to ensure whether learning outcomes are achieved?

AZEEZ

There are several ways to ensure or guarantee that teaching is effective and learning outcomes are met:

• Clearly define learning outcomes: Before teaching a particular subject or skill, it is important to clearly define the intended learning outcomes. This will help guide the teaching process and ensure that students have a clear understanding of what they are expected to learn.

• Use formative assessments: Formative assessments, such as quizzes, homework assignments, and class discussions, can provide ongoing feedback on student learning and help identify areas where students may be struggling. This can help teachers adjust their teaching approach and provide targeted support to students who need it.

• Use summative assessments: Summative assessments, such as exams and final projects, can provide a final measure of student learning and help determine whether learning outcomes have been met.

• Use a variety of teaching methods: Using a variety of teaching methods, such as lectures, group discussions, and hands-on activities, can help reach students with different learning styles and engage them in the learning process.

• Provide timely feedback: Providing timely feedback to students on their performance can help reinforce learning and provide opportunities for students to make adjustments and improve their understanding of the subject or skill.

• Create a supportive learning environment: Creating a supportive learning environment, where students feel comfortable asking questions and participating in class discussions, can help promote learning and ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve the intended learning outcomes.

• Continuous improvement: Teachers should also continually reflect on their teaching practice and look for ways to improve. This could involve seeking feedback from students, attending professional development sessions, or collaborating with other teachers.

By following these steps, teachers can help ensure that their teaching is effective and that learning outcomes are met, thereby providing students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

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Dr Sekar Srinivasan - UN Educationist 

1. Teachers should evaluate themselves how the learnt that concept in the initial stages.

2. They should justify the clarity focus and strength of communication. 

3. Teachers should identify the relevance to the children 

4. Teachers should ensure the leadpoints explained is useful in correlation with application and self learning 

5. Teachers can narrate intra discipline questions to make sure the level of understanding is in crux.

6.when provided with the opportunities to conduct peer lecturing or debates or extempo presentations the learning objectives achievement can also be measured.

7. Teachers can improvise tools for this testing with both enquiry as well as technologies inducted questions where accuracy and differential learning outcomes could be tested summarized and graded.

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Mr. Rajesh T 

In today's times, I would suggest that application/problem solving practical assignments are far better tools than exams as far as assessing the knowledge level or depth of learning in subjects like science (Phy, Chem & Bio) & maths.

Whereas in subjects like literature, social (History and Geography) or other arts related subjects like politics,economics etc. the best tools are quizzes , viva mode assessment or oral testing.

SAMPLE LESSON PLANS THAT INCORPORATES BLOOMS TAXONOMY

SAMPLE LESSON PLANS THAT INCORPORATES BLOOMS TAXONOMY 

1. Sample lesson plan

Topic: The Water Cycle

Grade Level: 4th Grade

¶ Objective: Students will be able to identify and explain the different stages of the water cycle.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy Level: Understanding

¶ Materials: Interactive whiteboard, water cycle diagram, paper, pencils, markers

¶ Lesson Plan:

• Introduction (Remembering): Begin the lesson by reviewing what students have already learned about water. Ask questions such as "What are some sources of water?" and "What are some ways we use water?"

• Instruction (Understanding): Use the interactive whiteboard to display a diagram of the water cycle. Explain the different stages of the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection) and how they work together to create a continuous cycle.

• Practice (Applying): Provide students with paper and pencils and ask them to draw and label a diagram of the water cycle. This will allow them to apply what they have learned and reinforce their understanding of the concept.

• Analysis (Analyzing): Have students work in pairs to discuss the ways in which human activities can affect the water cycle. Ask them to identify and explain how things like pollution, deforestation, and climate change can impact the water cycle.

• Evaluation (Evaluating): Ask students to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods of conserving water. Have them research and compare different methods such as low-flow toilets, rainwater harvesting, and xeriscaping, and then evaluate the pros and cons of each method.

• Conclusion (Creating): As a culminating activity, have students work in groups to create a short video or presentation about the water cycle. Encourage them to be creative and use different types of media (e.g. video, animation, slides) to showcase what they have learned about the water cycle.

By using Bloom's Taxonomy in this lesson plan, students are engaged in a variety of activities that move from lower-order thinking skills (remembering, applying) to higher-order thinking skills (analyzing, evaluating, creating). This helps them to develop a deeper understanding of the water cycle and the ways in which it is impacted by human activities.

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2. Bloom's Taxonomy for an English class:

Subject: English

Grade level: 9th Grade

Topic: Writing an Argumentative Essay

¶ Objectives:

• Students will be able to identify and analyze different types of argumentative writing.

Students will be able to formulate a clear thesis statement and supporting evidence for an argumentative essay.

• Students will be able to evaluate and revise their own writing using feedback and criteria.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy Levels:

• Remembering: Students will recall the basic elements of argumentative writing and identify examples.

• Understanding: Students will explain the purpose and structure of argumentative writing and compare different approaches.

• Applying: Students will create an argumentative essay using evidence and a clear thesis statement.

• Analyzing: Students will evaluate their own writing and that of their peers using criteria and feedback.

• Evaluating: Students will assess the effectiveness of different argumentative strategies and evaluate their own writing.

• Creating: Students will develop original arguments and innovative ways to present their evidence.

¶ Materials:

• Examples of argumentative essays

• Writing prompts and graphic organizers

• Rubrics for evaluation

• Peer feedback forms

¶ Procedure:

• Introduction (Remembering and Understanding)

Introduce the concept of argumentative writing and provide examples of different types of arguments (e.g., persuasive, counterargument, refutation).

Discuss the purpose and structure of argumentative writing and review the elements of a clear thesis statement.

Provide students with a writing prompt and a graphic organizer to brainstorm their ideas.

• Development (Applying and Analyzing)

In small groups, students will work on developing their argumentative essay.

They will use the graphic organizer to formulate their thesis statement and supporting evidence.

They will also work on integrating counterarguments and refutations into their essay.

Students will revise their writing using peer feedback and criteria provided by the teacher.

Closure (Evaluating and Creating)

Students will present their argumentative essays to the class and evaluate each other's work using rubrics.

They will discuss the effectiveness of different strategies and approaches to argumentative writing.

Finally, students will reflect on their own writing process and identify areas for improvement.

• Assessment:

Students' argumentative essays will be evaluated based on criteria such as clarity of thesis statement, quality of evidence, integration of counterarguments and refutations, and overall effectiveness of the argument.

Peer feedback forms and rubrics will also be used to assess students' ability to evaluate and revise their own writing.

Note: This is just a sample lesson plan and can be adjusted based on the specific needs of the students and the goals of the lesson.

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3. Bloom's Taxonomy for a Regional Language class:

Subject: Regional Language (Hindi)

Grade level: 8th Grade

Topic: Storytelling through Dialogue

¶ Objectives:

Students will be able to identify the key elements of a dialogue in Hindi language.

Students will be able to apply their knowledge of dialogue writing to create their own stories.

Students will be able to analyze the effectiveness of different dialogue techniques in storytelling.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy Levels:

• Remembering: Students will recall the basic elements of dialogue writing in Hindi language.

• Understanding: Students will explain the purpose and importance of dialogue in storytelling and identify examples.

• Applying: Students will apply their knowledge of dialogue writing to create their own stories.

• Analyzing: Students will analyze the effectiveness of different dialogue techniques in storytelling and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

• Evaluating: Students will evaluate their own and their peers' dialogue writing using criteria and feedback.

• Creating: Students will develop their own stories using effective dialogue techniques and present them to the class.

¶ Materials:

• Story prompts

• Dialogue writing handouts

• Rubrics for evaluation

• Peer feedback forms

¶ Procedure:

• Introduction (Remembering and Understanding)

Introduce the concept of storytelling through dialogue in Hindi language and provide examples of different techniques (e.g., direct speech, indirect speech, monologue, dialogue tags).

Discuss the purpose and importance of dialogue in storytelling and review the basic elements of dialogue writing in Hindi language.

Provide students with a story prompt to use for their dialogue writing.

• Development (Applying and Analyzing)

In small groups, students will work on developing their own stories using effective dialogue techniques.

They will use the dialogue writing handouts to develop their characters and plot, and to write effective dialogue.

Students will analyze the effectiveness of their own and their peers' dialogue writing, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

• Closure (Evaluating and Creating)

Students will present their stories to the class and evaluate each other's work using rubrics.

They will discuss the effectiveness of different dialogue techniques and how they can be used to enhance storytelling.

Finally, students will reflect on their own writing process and identify areas for improvement.

• Assessment:

Students' dialogue writing and stories will be evaluated based on criteria such as clarity of dialogue, effectiveness of dialogue techniques, character development, and overall effectiveness of the story.

Peer feedback forms and rubrics will also be used to assess students' ability to evaluate and revise their own writing.

Note: This is just a sample lesson plan and can be adjusted based on the specific needs of the students and the goals of the lesson.

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4. Bloom's Taxonomy for a Physics class:

Subject: Physics

Grade level: 10th Grade

Topic: Simple Harmonic Motion

¶ Objectives:

Students will be able to define simple harmonic motion and identify its characteristics.

Students will be able to apply mathematical formulas to solve problems related to simple harmonic motion.

Students will be able to analyze the factors that affect the frequency and amplitude of a simple harmonic oscillator.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy Levels:

• Remembering: Students will recall the definition and characteristics of simple harmonic motion.

• Understanding: Students will explain the concept of simple harmonic motion and how it relates to other types of motion.

• Applying: Students will apply mathematical formulas to solve problems related to simple harmonic motion.

• Analyzing: Students will analyze the factors that affect the frequency and amplitude of a simple harmonic oscillator.

• Evaluating: Students will evaluate the effectiveness of different strategies for solving problems related to simple harmonic motion.

• Creating: Students will create their own experiments to explore the relationship between frequency, amplitude, and other factors in simple harmonic motion.

¶ Materials:

• Simple harmonic motion demonstration kit

Calculator

• Worksheet with problems related to simple harmonic motion

• Materials for creating simple harmonic motion experiments

¶ Procedure:

• Introduction (Remembering and Understanding)

Introduce the concept of simple harmonic motion and provide examples of objects that undergo this type of motion.

Discuss the characteristics of simple harmonic motion, including oscillation, periodicity, amplitude, and frequency.

Use a simple harmonic motion demonstration kit to illustrate the concept.

• Development (Applying and Analyzing)

Students will work on a worksheet with problems related to simple harmonic motion, applying mathematical formulas to solve problems related to frequency, amplitude, and period.

They will also work on analyzing the factors that affect the frequency and amplitude of a simple harmonic oscillator, such as mass, spring constant, and damping.

• Closure (Evaluating and Creating)

Students will create their own experiments to explore the relationship between frequency, amplitude, and other factors in simple harmonic motion.

They will evaluate the effectiveness of different strategies for solving problems related to simple harmonic motion.

Finally, students will reflect on their own learning and identify areas for improvement.

• Assessment:

Students' problem-solving skills and ability to apply mathematical formulas will be evaluated through their performance on the worksheet.

Their ability to analyze and evaluate factors affecting simple harmonic motion will be assessed through their experiments and discussions.

Peer feedback and teacher observation will also be used to assess students' ability to apply, analyze, evaluate and create using their knowledge of simple harmonic motion.

Note: This is just a sample lesson plan and can be adjusted based on the specific needs of the students and the goals of the lesson.

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5. Bloom's Taxonomy for a Chemistry class:

Subject: Chemistry

Grade level: 11th Grade

Topic: Chemical Reactions and Equations

¶ Objectives:

Students will be able to define chemical reactions and equations and identify different types of reactions.

Students will be able to balance chemical equations using stoichiometry.

Students will be able to apply their knowledge of chemical reactions to real-world situations.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy Levels:

• Remembering: Students will recall the definition and characteristics of chemical reactions and equations.

• Understanding: Students will explain the types of chemical reactions and how they can be identified.

• Applying: Students will apply stoichiometry to balance chemical equations.

• Analyzing: Students will analyze the different types of chemical reactions and how they relate to each other.

• Evaluating: Students will evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches to balancing chemical equations and predicting products.

• Creating: Students will create their own chemical reactions and equations based on real-world scenarios.

¶ Materials:

Chemical reaction demonstration kit

Balancing chemical equation worksheet

Real-world scenario prompts for chemical reactions

¶ Procedure:

• Introduction (Remembering and Understanding)

Introduce the concept of chemical reactions and equations and provide examples of different types of reactions.

Discuss the basic features of a chemical equation and the importance of balancing equations.

Use a chemical reaction demonstration kit to illustrate the concept of a chemical reaction.

• Development (Applying and Analyzing)

Students will work on a balancing chemical equation worksheet, applying stoichiometry to balance equations and predict products.

They will analyze the different types of chemical reactions and how they relate to each other, such as synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, and double replacement.

Closure (Evaluating and Creating)

Students will create their own chemical reactions and equations based on real-world scenarios, evaluating the effectiveness of their own and their peers' solutions.

They will reflect on their own learning and identify areas for improvement.

• Assessment:

Students' ability to apply stoichiometry to balance chemical equations will be evaluated through their performance on the worksheet.

Their understanding of different types of chemical reactions and their ability to analyze and evaluate different approaches to balancing equations will be assessed through their experiments and discussions.

Peer feedback and teacher observation will also be used to assess students' ability to apply, analyze, evaluate, and create using their knowledge of chemical reactions and equations.

Note: This is just a sample lesson plan and can be adjusted based on the specific needs of the students and the goals of the lesson.

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6. Bloom's Taxonomy for a Biology class:

Subject: Biology

Grade level: 9th Grade

Topic: Cell Structure and Function

¶ Objectives:

Students will be able to describe the structure and function of different organelles in a cell.

Students will be able to compare and contrast plant and animal cells.

Students will be able to apply their knowledge of cell structure to real-world scenarios.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy Levels:

• Remembering: Students will recall the different organelles in a cell and their functions.

• Understanding: Students will explain the differences between plant and animal cells.

• Applying: Students will apply their knowledge of cell structure to identify the different organelles in a given cell.

• Analyzing: Students will analyze the relationships between different organelles and how they contribute to the overall function of the cell.

• Evaluating: Students will evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches to studying cell structure and function.

• Creating: Students will create their own models or diagrams of a cell based on real-world scenarios.

¶ Materials:

• Microscope

• Prepared slides of plant and animal cells

• Cell structure worksheet

• Real-world scenario prompts for cell structure and function

¶ Procedure:

• Introduction (Remembering and Understanding)

Introduce the concept of cell structure and function and the different organelles in a cell.

Discuss the differences between plant and animal cells and how their structures relate to their functions.

Use a microscope to observe prepared slides of plant and animal cells.

• Development (Applying and Analyzing)

Students will work on a cell structure worksheet, applying their knowledge to identify the different organelles in a given cell.

They will analyze the relationships between different organelles and how they contribute to the overall function of the cell.

• Closure (Evaluating and Creating)

Students will create their own models or diagrams of a cell based on real-world scenarios, evaluating the effectiveness of their own and their peers' solutions.

They will reflect on their own learning and identify areas for improvement.

• Assessment:

Students' ability to identify the different organelles in a cell will be evaluated through their performance on the worksheet and microscope observation.

Their understanding of the differences between plant and animal cells and their ability to analyze the relationships between different organelles will be assessed through their experiments and discussions.

Peer feedback and teacher observation will also be used to assess students' ability to apply, analyze, evaluate, and create using their knowledge of cell structure and function.

Note: This is just a sample lesson plan and can be adjusted based on the specific needs of the students and the goals of the lesson.

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7. Bloom's Taxonomy for a Psychology class:

Subject: Psychology

Grade level: 12th Grade

Topic: Theories of Personality

¶ Objectives:

Students will be able to define personality and identify the different theories of personality.

Students will be able to apply their knowledge of personality theories to real-world scenarios.

Students will be able to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different personality theories.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy Levels:

• Remembering: Students will recall the definition of personality and the different theories of personality.

• Understanding: Students will explain the key features of each theory and how they differ from one another.

• Applying: Students will apply their knowledge of personality theories to analyze and interpret real-world scenarios.

• Analyzing: Students will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of different personality theories.

• Evaluating: Students will evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches to studying personality and the limitations of each theory.

• Creating: Students will create their own personality theory based on their understanding of existing theories.

¶ Materials:

Personality theory handouts

Real-world scenario prompts for personality theories

Writing materials

¶ Procedure:

• Introduction (Remembering and Understanding)

Introduce the concept of personality and the different theories of personality, including psychoanalytic, humanistic, and trait theories.

Discuss the key features of each theory and how they differ from one another.

• Development (Applying and Analyzing)

Students will work on real-world scenario prompts for personality theories, applying their knowledge to analyze and interpret the scenarios.

They will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of different personality theories and how they relate to the scenarios.

• Closure (Evaluating and Creating)

Students will create their own personality theory based on their understanding of existing theories, evaluating the effectiveness of their own and their peers' solutions.

They will reflect on their own learning and identify areas for improvement.

• Assessment:

Students' ability to recall the definition of personality and the different theories of personality will be evaluated through a quiz or worksheet.

Their understanding of the key features of each theory and their ability to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios will be assessed through their responses to the prompts.

Peer feedback and teacher observation will also be used to assess students' ability to analyze, evaluate, and create using their knowledge of personality theories.

Note: This is just a sample lesson plan and can be adjusted based on the specific needs of the students and the goals of the lesson.

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8. Bloom's Taxonomy for a Commerce class:

Subject: Commerce

Grade level: 10th Grade

Topic: Types of Business Organizations

¶ Objectives:

Students will be able to define and differentiate between the different types of business organizations.

Students will be able to apply their knowledge of business organizations to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

Students will be able to analyze case studies to determine the most appropriate type of business organization.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy Levels:

• Remembering: Students will recall the definition of different types of business organizations.

• Understanding: Students will explain the key features of each type of business organization and how they differ from one another.

• Applying: Students will apply their knowledge of business organizations to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

• Analyzing: Students will analyze case studies to determine the most appropriate type of business organization for a given scenario.

• Evaluating: Students will evaluate the effectiveness of different types of business organizations in achieving business goals.

• Creating: Students will create a business plan for a new venture, choosing the most appropriate type of business organization based on their understanding of different types.

¶ Materials:

• Types of business organization handouts

• Case studies

• Writing materials

¶ Procedure:

• Introduction (Remembering and Understanding)

Introduce the concept of business organizations, including sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and cooperative.

Discuss the key features of each type and how they differ from one another.

• Development (Applying and Analyzing)

Students will work on case studies, applying their knowledge of business organizations to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each type for a given scenario.

They will analyze the case studies to determine the most appropriate type of business organization.

• Closure (Evaluating and Creating)

Students will evaluate the effectiveness of different types of business organizations in achieving business goals, and identify the limitations of each type.

They will create a business plan for a new venture, choosing the most appropriate type of business organization based on their understanding of different types.

They will reflect on their own learning and identify areas for improvement.

• Assessment:

Students' ability to recall the definition of different types of business organizations will be evaluated through a quiz or worksheet.

Their understanding of the key features of each type of business organization and their ability to apply their knowledge to case studies will be assessed through their responses to the prompts.

Peer feedback and teacher observation will also be used to assess students' ability to analyze, evaluate, and create using their knowledge of business organizations.

Note: This is just a sample lesson plan and can be adjusted based on the specific needs of the students and the goals of the lesson.

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9. Bloom's Taxonomy for an Economics class:

Subject: Economics

Grade level: 12th Grade

Topic: International Trade and Globalization

¶ Objectives:

Students will be able to define and explain the concept of international trade and globalization.

Students will be able to analyze the benefits and costs of international trade for different countries.

Students will be able to evaluate the impact of globalization on economic growth, inequality, and sustainability.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy Levels:

• Remembering: Students will recall the definition of international trade and globalization.

• Understanding: Students will explain the key features of international trade and globalization and their impact on different countries.

• Analyzing: Students will analyze the benefits and costs of international trade for different countries.

• Evaluating: Students will evaluate the impact of globalization on economic growth, inequality, and sustainability.

• Creating: Students will create a persuasive argument on the benefits or costs of globalization for a particular country.

¶ Materials:

• Textbook or other resources on international trade and globalization

• Case studies

• Writing materials

¶ Procedure:

• Introduction (Remembering and Understanding)

Introduce the concept of international trade and globalization.

Discuss the key features of each and their impact on different countries.

• Development (Analyzing and Evaluating)

Students will work on case studies to analyze the benefits and costs of international trade for different countries.

They will evaluate the impact of globalization on economic growth, inequality, and sustainability.

• Closure (Creating)

Students will create a persuasive argument on the benefits or costs of globalization for a particular country, using evidence from their analysis and evaluation.

They will reflect on their own learning and identify areas for improvement.

• Assessment:

Students' ability to recall the definition of international trade and globalization will be evaluated through a quiz or worksheet.

Their understanding of the key features of international trade and globalization and their ability to analyze and evaluate their impact will be assessed through their responses to the prompts.

Peer feedback and teacher observation will also be used to assess students' ability to create a persuasive argument and use evidence to support their claims.

Note: This is just a sample lesson plan and can be adjusted based on the specific needs of the students and the goals of the lesson.

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10. Bloom's Taxonomy for social science 

¶ Lesson Objective: Students will be able to analyze the impact of taxation on business operations using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy level: Analyzing

¶ Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard

• Markers or chalk

• Handouts of case studies on taxation and business operations

• Calculator

¶ Introduction (10 minutes):

Begin by reviewing the concept of taxation and its impact on businesses, asking students to recall what they know about different types of taxes, such as income tax, sales tax, and property tax.

Write the term "impact" on the board and ask students to brainstorm different ways that taxes can impact businesses, such as affecting profitability, changing consumer behavior, or creating compliance costs.

Next, introduce Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically the analyzing level, and explain that the focus of the lesson is to help students develop critical thinking skills when it comes to analyzing the impact of taxation on business operations.

¶ Body (40 minutes):

Distribute the handouts of case studies on taxation and business operations, asking students to read and analyze them individually.

Once they have finished reading, divide students into small groups and ask them to discuss and analyze the impact of taxation on the business in the case study.

Ask groups to identify and list the specific ways that taxation impacted the business, and to provide evidence to support their analysis.

Once all groups have finished analyzing their case studies, ask them to present their findings to the class, using the whiteboard or chalkboard to list the different ways that taxation impacted the businesses in each case.

Finally, ask the class to discuss the similarities and differences between the different case studies and the impact of taxation on businesses in general.

¶ Closure (10 minutes):

Wrap up the lesson by summarizing the key points covered, emphasizing the importance of being able to analyze the impact of taxation on businesses as a critical thinking skill.

Finally, ask students to reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply this knowledge in the future, both in their personal lives and in the business world.

¶ Assessment:

To assess student learning, provide a short quiz or writing prompt asking students to identify and analyze the impact of taxation on a hypothetical business scenario.

Alternatively, assign a homework task in which students analyze the impact of taxation on a real-world business of their choosing, using the analytical skills they have developed in class.

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11. Bloom's Taxonomy for computer science

¶ Lesson Objective: Students will be able to compare and contrast different programming paradigms using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy level: Analyzing

¶ Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard

• Markers or chalk

• Handouts of programming paradigms

• Computers with programming software installed

¶ Introduction (10 minutes):

Begin by asking students to recall what they know about programming paradigms, and write the term "programming paradigm" on the board.

Explain that a programming paradigm is a way of thinking about and approaching programming tasks, and that different paradigms have different strengths and weaknesses.

Introduce Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically the analyzing level, and explain that the focus of the lesson is to help students develop critical thinking skills when it comes to analyzing and comparing different programming paradigms.

¶ Body (40 minutes):

Distribute handouts of different programming paradigms, such as procedural, object-oriented, and functional programming, and ask students to read and analyze them individually.

Once they have finished reading, divide students into small groups and ask them to discuss and compare the different programming paradigms, identifying their similarities and differences, advantages and disadvantages, and when each paradigm might be best suited for a particular programming task.

Ask groups to use a computer with programming software installed to write small programs in each paradigm, and to compare the code and functionality of each program.

Once all groups have finished analyzing and programming, ask them to present their findings to the class, using the whiteboard or chalkboard to list the similarities and differences between the different programming paradigms.

Finally, ask the class to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each programming paradigm and when each might be best suited for a particular programming task.

¶ Closure (10 minutes):

Wrap up the lesson by summarizing the key points covered, emphasizing the importance of being able to analyze and compare different programming paradigms as a critical thinking skill.

Finally, ask students to reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply this knowledge in the future, both in their personal lives and in the field of computer science.

¶ Assessment:

To assess student learning, provide a short quiz or writing prompt asking students to compare and contrast different programming paradigms and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

Alternatively, assign a programming project in which students must choose a programming paradigm and write a program that demonstrates its strengths and weaknesses, using the analytical skills they have developed in class.

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12. Bloom's Taxonomy for Mathematics

¶ Lesson Objective: Students will be able to apply the Pythagorean Theorem to real-world problems using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy level: Applying

¶ Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard

• Markers or chalk

• Rulers

• Handouts of real-world 

• Pythagorean Theorem problems

¶ Introduction (10 minutes):

Begin by reviewing the Pythagorean Theorem, asking students to recall the formula and what it represents.

Write the formula a² + b² = c² on the board and explain that the theorem is used to calculate the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle, given the lengths of the other two sides.

Introduce Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically the applying level, and explain that the focus of the lesson is to help students apply the Pythagorean Theorem to real-world problems.

¶ Body (40 minutes):

Distribute handouts of real-world Pythagorean Theorem problems, such as calculating the height of a tree, the length of a ladder needed to reach a roof, or the distance between two points on a map.

Ask students to work in pairs or small groups to solve the problems using the Pythagorean Theorem, showing their work and explaining their reasoning.

As groups finish each problem, ask them to present their solutions to the class, explaining how they applied the Pythagorean Theorem and how they arrived at their answers.

Finally, ask the class to discuss the different approaches that groups took to solving each problem, and the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.

¶ Closure (10 minutes):

Wrap up the lesson by summarizing the key points covered, emphasizing the importance of being able to apply the Pythagorean Theorem to real-world problems as a critical thinking skill.

Finally, ask students to reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply this knowledge in the future, both in their personal lives and in the field of mathematics.

¶ Assessment:

To assess student learning, provide a set of real-world Pythagorean Theorem problems for students to solve individually, showing their work and explaining their reasoning.

Alternatively, assign a project in which students must apply the Pythagorean Theorem to solve a real-world problem of their choosing, using the applying skills they have developed in class.

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13. Bloom's Taxonomy for History

¶ Lesson Objective: Students will be able to analyze primary sources and construct historical arguments using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy level: Analyzing and Evaluating

¶ Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard

• Markers or chalk

• Primary source documents related to a historical event or period

• Handouts of sample historical arguments

¶ Introduction (10 minutes):

Begin by introducing the historical event or period that will be the focus of the lesson, and explain that students will be analyzing primary sources to construct historical arguments.

Introduce Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically the analyzing and evaluating levels, and explain that the focus of the lesson is to help students develop critical thinking skills when it comes to analyzing primary sources and constructing historical arguments.

¶ Body (40 minutes):

Distribute primary source documents related to the historical event or period, such as letters, speeches, or newspaper articles, and ask students to analyze them individually.

Once they have finished reading and analyzing, divide students into small groups and ask them to discuss and evaluate the sources, considering questions such as: Who wrote this source, and what was their perspective? Is the source reliable, and why or why not? What can we learn about the historical event or period from this source?

Ask groups to use their analysis and evaluation of the primary sources to construct historical arguments, either individually or as a group, and to support their arguments with evidence from the sources.

Once all groups have finished constructing their arguments, ask them to present their arguments to the class, using the whiteboard or chalkboard to list the evidence and reasoning that supports their arguments.

Finally, ask the class to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each argument, and to evaluate the sources used to construct the arguments.

¶ Closure (10 minutes):

Wrap up the lesson by summarizing the key points covered, emphasizing the importance of being able to analyze primary sources and construct historical arguments as critical thinking skills.

Finally, ask students to reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply this knowledge in the future, both in their personal lives and in the field of social science.

¶ Assessment:

To assess student learning, provide a set of primary source documents related to a different historical event or period, and ask students to construct a historical argument based on their analysis and evaluation of the sources.

Alternatively, assign a project in which students must analyze primary sources related to a historical event or period of their choosing, and construct a historical argument using the analyzing and evaluating skills they have developed in class.

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14. Bloom's Taxonomy for History 

¶ Lesson Objective: Students will be able to analyze multiple perspectives and evaluate bias in historical sources using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy level: Analyzing and Evaluating

¶ Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard

• Markers or chalk

• Primary and secondary sources related to a historical event or period

• Handouts of sample historical arguments

¶ Introduction (10 minutes):

Begin by introducing the historical event or period that will be the focus of the lesson, and explain that students will be analyzing multiple perspectives and evaluating bias in historical sources.

Introduce Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically the analyzing and evaluating levels, and explain that the focus of the lesson is to help students develop critical thinking skills when it comes to analyzing historical sources.

¶ Body (40 minutes):

Distribute primary and secondary sources related to the historical event or period, such as letters, speeches, newspaper articles, or textbooks.

Ask students to analyze the sources individually, considering questions such as: Who wrote this source, and what was their perspective? Is the source reliable, and why or why not? What can we learn about the historical event or period from this source, and what might be missing from the source?

Once they have finished analyzing the sources individually, divide students into small groups and ask them to compare and evaluate the sources, considering questions such as: How do different sources provide different perspectives on the historical event or period? How might bias affect the way sources are presented?

Ask groups to use their analysis and evaluation of the sources to construct historical arguments, either individually or as a group, and to support their arguments with evidence from the sources.

Once all groups have finished constructing their arguments, ask them to present their arguments to the class, using the whiteboard or chalkboard to list the evidence and reasoning that supports their arguments.

Finally, ask the class to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each argument, and to evaluate the bias and multiple perspectives presented in the sources.

¶ Closure (10 minutes):

Wrap up the lesson by summarizing the key points covered, emphasizing the importance of being able to analyze multiple perspectives and evaluate bias in historical sources as critical thinking skills.

Finally, ask students to reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply this knowledge in the future, both in their personal lives and in the field of history.

¶ Assessment:

To assess student learning, provide a set of primary and secondary sources related to a different historical event or period, and ask students to construct a historical argument based on their analysis and evaluation of the sources.

Alternatively, assign a project in which students must analyze multiple perspectives and evaluate bias in historical sources related to a historical event or period of their choosing, and construct a historical argument using the analyzing and evaluating skills they have developed in class.

🍁

15. Sample lesson plan using Blooms taxanomy for subject geography 

¶ Lesson Objective: Students will be able to analyze and evaluate the impact of human activities on the environment using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy level: Analyzing and Evaluating

¶ Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard

• Markers or chalk

• Maps and data related to a specific geographic region or ecosystem

• Handouts of sample environmental impact reports

¶ Introduction (10 minutes):

Begin by introducing the geographic region or ecosystem that will be the focus of the lesson, and explain that students will be analyzing and evaluating the impact of human activities on the environment.

Introduce Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically the analyzing and evaluating levels, and explain that the focus of the lesson is to help students develop critical thinking skills when it comes to analyzing the impact of human activities on the environment.

¶ Body (40 minutes):

Distribute maps and data related to the geographic region or ecosystem, such as population density, land use patterns, and natural resources.

Ask students to analyze the data individually, considering questions such as: What human activities are taking place in this region or ecosystem, and how are they impacting the environment? What are the long-term consequences of these activities for the region or ecosystem, and for the people who live there?

Once they have finished analyzing the data individually, divide students into small groups and ask them to compare and evaluate the impact of human activities on the environment, considering questions such as: How do different human activities impact the environment, and how do these impacts vary based on factors such as population density and land use patterns? What are some possible solutions to reduce the negative impacts of human activities on the environment?

Ask groups to use their analysis and evaluation of the data to construct environmental impact reports, either individually or as a group, and to support their reports with evidence from the data.

Once all groups have finished constructing their reports, ask them to present their reports to the class, using the whiteboard or chalkboard to list the evidence and reasoning that supports their conclusions.

Finally, ask the class to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each report, and to evaluate the impact of human activities on the environment based on the data presented.

¶ Closure (10 minutes):

Wrap up the lesson by summarizing the key points covered, emphasizing the importance of being able to analyze and evaluate the impact of human activities on the environment as critical thinking skills.

Finally, ask students to reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply this knowledge in the future, both in their personal lives and in the field of geography.

¶ Assessment:

To assess student learning, provide a set of data related to a different geographic region or ecosystem, and ask students to construct an environmental impact report based on their analysis and evaluation of the data.

Alternatively, assign a project in which students must analyze and evaluate the impact of human activities on the environment in a geographic region or ecosystem of their choosing, and construct an environmental impact report using the analyzing and evaluating skills they have developed in class.

🍁

16. Sample lesson plan using Blooms taxanomy for subject political science. 

¶ Lesson Objective: Students will be able to analyze and evaluate the different forms of government and the impact of political ideologies on society using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy level: Analyzing and Evaluating

¶ Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard

• Markers or chalk

• Handouts of sample political systems and ideologies

• Relevant news articles or current events related to political systems and ideologies

¶ Introduction (10 minutes):

Begin by introducing the concept of political systems and ideologies, and explain that students will be analyzing and evaluating the impact of political ideologies on society using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

Introduce Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically the analyzing and evaluating levels, and explain that the focus of the lesson is to help students develop critical thinking skills when it comes to analyzing the impact of political ideologies on society.

¶ Body (40 minutes):

Distribute handouts of sample political systems and ideologies, such as democracy, communism, socialism, fascism, and libertarianism.

Ask students to analyze the different political systems and ideologies individually, considering questions such as: What are the key features of each political system or ideology, and how do they differ from one another? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each political system or ideology, and how do they impact society?

Once they have finished analyzing the different political systems and ideologies individually, divide students into small groups and ask them to compare and evaluate the impact of political ideologies on society, considering questions such as: How do different political ideologies impact society, and what are the long-term consequences of these impacts? What are some possible solutions to address the negative impacts of certain political ideologies on society?

Ask groups to use their analysis and evaluation of the different political systems and ideologies to construct a political analysis report, either individually or as a group, and to support their reports with evidence from the handouts and relevant news articles or current events.

Once all groups have finished constructing their reports, ask them to present their reports to the class, using the whiteboard or chalkboard to list the evidence and reasoning that supports their conclusions.

Finally, ask the class to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each report, and to evaluate the impact of political ideologies on society based on the analysis presented.

¶ Closure (10 minutes):

Wrap up the lesson by summarizing the key points covered, emphasizing the importance of being able to analyze and evaluate the impact of political ideologies on society as critical thinking skills.

Finally, ask students to reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply this knowledge in the future, both in their personal lives and in the field of political science.

¶ Assessment:

To assess student learning, provide a set of current events related to political systems and ideologies, and ask students to construct a political analysis report based on their analysis and evaluation of the events.

Alternatively, assign a project in which students must analyze and evaluate the impact of political ideologies on society in a particular country or region, and construct a political analysis report using the analyzing and evaluating skills they have developed in class.

🍁

17.  Sample lesson plan using Blooms taxanomy for subject employability skills 

¶ Lesson Objective: Students will be able to identify and apply employability skills to enhance their career prospects using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

¶ Bloom's Taxonomy level: Applying and Analyzing

¶ Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard

• Markers or chalk

• Handouts of sample job descriptions and requirements

• Sample resumes and cover letters

• Relevant articles or case studies related to employability skills

¶ Introduction (10 minutes):

Begin by introducing the concept of employability skills, and explain that students will be identifying and applying these skills to enhance their career prospects using Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for critical thinking.

Introduce Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically the applying and analyzing levels, and explain that the focus of the lesson is to help students develop critical thinking skills when it comes to applying employability skills to enhance their career prospects.

¶ Body (40 minutes):

Distribute handouts of sample job descriptions and requirements, and ask students to identify the key employability skills required for each job.

Once they have identified the employability skills required, ask students to analyze the skills and consider questions such as: Why are these employability skills important for this particular job, and how do they contribute to the success of the employee and the organization? How can someone acquire or improve these employability skills?

Next, provide students with sample resumes and cover letters, and ask them to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of these documents in demonstrating employability skills. Consider questions such as: What employability skills are demonstrated in these documents, and how are they demonstrated? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these documents in demonstrating employability skills?

Finally, provide relevant articles or case studies related to employability skills, and ask students to apply their analysis and evaluation skills to identify the employability skills demonstrated in the case study, and to consider how these skills contributed to the success of the employee and the organization.

¶ Closure (10 minutes):

Wrap up the lesson by summarizing the key points covered, emphasizing the importance of being able to identify and apply employability skills to enhance career prospects.

Finally, ask students to reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply this knowledge in the future, both in their personal lives and in the world of work.

¶ Assessment:

To assess student learning, ask students to create a resume and cover letter for a job they are interested in applying for, and to demonstrate the employability skills required for the job.

Alternatively, assign a project in which students must research and analyze a particular career field, identify the employability skills required for success in the field, and demonstrate how they would acquire and improve these skills.

How new is the New Education Policy (specially senior secondary level) and is it practicable and beneficial for students?

I wish to suggest new topic for discussion. How new is the New Education Policy (specially senior secondary level) and is it practicable and beneficial for students?

• Initiator: Mr. S. C. Vohra

• Reply: Azeez

There are some other areas crying for attention to bring much required reforms...

Cry 1: GER

The Gross Enrolment Ratio from preschool to secondary education should be 100 per cent by 2030. (GER is defined as the ratio of the total enrolment in education – regardless of age – to the official population in a given school year, expressed as percentage.) 

The policy states that universal participation in schools shall be achieved by tracking students and their learning levels to ensure they are enrolled and attending school, and have suitable opportunities to re-join or catch up at school in case they have dropped out or fallen behind.

South Indian states, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Telengana... achieved GER 48% now whereas other states of India are at GER 26% and the deadline is fixed to achieve it is 2030. Till then what will these achievers do?  They reach it in a few years GER 100%. Does this policy pull these states down or hold them to not to improve their GER. Or to fix different states for different GER or different deadline?

Cry: 2

Public and private schools – except the schools that are managed, aided or controlled, by the central government – will be assessed and accredited on the same criteria, benchmarks, and processes.

Solid assessment plans and criteria for the process are not given in the policy. Whether Assessment is results oriented or skills oriented. If it is results oriented, then rote learning is the way which is not supported by the policy. If it is skills oriented, then what are the tools for skills measurements? Or any other secret criteria is hidden behind? If so, trust is not assured. And why not the same criteria will be followed for central government owning schools?

Cry:3

The policy suggests establishing ‘school complexes’ consisting of a secondary school and other schools offering lower grades of education – including anganwadi centres – in a radius of 5 to 10 kilometers. Such a complex will have “greater resource efficiency and more effective functioning, coordination, leadership, governance, and management of schools in a cluster."

We all know how difficult it will be to run a residential school or school of a higher standard with a huge population. Man power, coordinators, VPs, admins, managers.... are required. State Governments are dividing schools, district education offices.... for the better and smooth administration. Union government is dividing states, States are dividing districts for smooth and quick and quality management. Now bringing them back under one umbrella. How will administration be?

Cry 4

All education institutions shall be held to similar standards of audit and disclosure as a 'not-for-profit' entity, says this policy. If the institution generates a surplus, it shall be reinvested in the educational sector.

What about private schools? Will they exist or only government schools exist? Or all schools be run by MN companies?

Cry:5

The medium of expression until at least grade five – but preferably till grade eight or beyond – shall be the student’s mother tongue, or the local or regional language. The ‘three-language formula’ will continue to be implemented in schools, where two of the three languages shall be native to India.

• Local language/Regional language/Mother tongue in India (Details)

There are 121 languages which are spoken by 10,000 or more people in India, which has a population of 121 crore, it said.

The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, said since a household may consist of persons related by blood or of unrelated persons or a mix of both, it is absolutely necessary to ask every person about her or his mother tongue.

It was required because the mother tongue of each member of a household need not necessarily be the same — these may be different for different members in the household.

The number of such raw returns of mother tongues has totalled 19,569, the report of the 2011 census said. However, 96.71 percent population in the country have one of the 22 scheduled languages as their mother tongue.

Since mother tongues, as returned in the census, are basically the designations provided by the respondents of the linguistic mediums in which the respondents think they communicate, they need not be identical with the actual linguistic mediums, it said.

For assessing the correlation between the mother tongue and designations of the census and for presenting the numerous raw returns in terms of their linguistic affiliation to actual languages and dialects, 19,569 raw returns were subjected to thorough linguistic scrutiny, edit and rationalisation.

This resulted in 1,369 rationalised mother tongues and 1,474 names which were treated as “unclassified” and relegated to “other” mother tongue category.

The 1,369 rationalised mother tongues were further classified following the usual linguistic methods for rational grouping based on the available linguistic information. Thus, an inventory of classified mother tongues returned by 10,000 or more speakers are grouped under appropriate languages at the all-India level, wherever possible, and have been prepared for final presentation of the 2011 mother tongue data.

The total number of languages arrived at is 121, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, said.

The 121 languages are presented in two parts — languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, comprising 22 languages and languages not included in the Eighth Schedule, comprising of 99 languages plus the category “total of other languages”, which includes all other languages and mother tongues which returned less than 10,000 speakers each at the all-India level or were not identifiable on the basis of the linguistic information available.

The number of scheduled languages was 22 at the time of presentation of the 2001. The same 22 languages are maintained in 2011 census also.

The non-scheduled languages are 99 in 2011 against 100 in 2001. The decrease in the number is due to exclusion of Simte and Persian, which were not returned in sufficient numbers as 2011, and inclusion of Mao, which has returned more than 10,000 speakers at the all-India level at 2011 census.

Of the total population of India, 96.71 percent have one of the scheduled languages as their mother tongue, the remaining 3.29 per cent is accounted for other languages.

There are total 270 identifiable mother tongues which have returned 10,000 or more speakers each at the all-India level, comprising 123 mother tongues grouped under the scheduled languages and 147 mother tongues grouped under the non-scheduled languages.

Those mother tongues which have returned less than 10,000 speakers each and which have been classified under a particular language, are included in “others” under that language.

The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution consists of the following 22 languages –Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri.

Of these languages, 14 were initially included in the Constitution. Sindhi language was added in 1967. Thereafter three more languages viz., Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were included in 1992.

Subsequently, Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali were added in 2004.

________

Medium of Instruction in schools should be of local language or mother tongue - the policy says. How to address this issue? Which language to follow for the medium of instruction now. Teachers get confused. Appointing so many language teachers for few learners in every language is a herculean task and expensive too. Some of our local language has no script used for reading and writing.

Meanwhile non-Hindi speaking states in our country are more than 20%. Again language protection issues come up.

3 language systems are wonderful and acceptable also. But choice should be given to choose languages. An example, In a non Hindi speaking state, first language is regional/local language, the 2nd language would be English and the 3rd language would be Hindi. Now in Hindi speaking state, first language Hindi, 2nd language English and what would be their 3rd language? Again Hindi or some other language.

Any language would be called as regional language if 10% of speakers are. Otherwise it won't be considered as the regional language of 

the particular state. 

Now what would be our choice to choose a third language. Parents again get confused. The issue of children’s ‘mother tongue’ and home language being different from the local language used for instruction in schools, especially in the case of migrant and Adivasi families, has not been addressed. There is no definitive decision or guideline around the language of instruction. 

For example, the policy says to use local languages ‘wherever possible’, which leaves a lot of room for the status quo—which is the existing three language formula—to continue, especially in the case of the high-performing government run school systems such as Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs).

Cry 6

The policy asks educators to integrate ‘Indian knowledge systems’ covering subjects like yoga, Indian philosophy, and Adivasi/indigenous ways of learning, in the syllabus. However, upskilling educators, who presently struggle even to teach the basic syllabus, to integrate these complex ideas in a secular and inclusive manner, is definitely a challenge. Such a challenge to face, we need multifaceted teachers trained in Apex educational institutions. Every teacher cannot face it. All our top level students are joining professional colleges and none wish to be a teacher. Because they knew the difficulties of a teacher. Low payment, no job security.....

Cry:7

Testing and assessments

Focus on measurable learning outcomes at all levels of the newly proposed schooling system, with testing at 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade levels.

Promoting formative assessments (those that are conducted on an ongoing basis covering smaller portions of the syllabus), peer assessment, and holistic progress reports, to measure the ongoing academic progress of the children.

Student choice to be incorporated in the 10th and 12th grade board exams. The policy suggests doing so by offering freedom of subject choice, allowing best of two attempts, and choice of difficulty (standard and higher level).

Misses:

The policy suggests formation of two new agencies: PARAKH and NTA—Performance Assessment Review Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development and National Testing Agency, respectively. These new agencies could lead to over-centralisation, and potentially, over-testing of children at national and state levels. 

Overlap between importance given to 12th standard board exams, as well as common university entrance examinations after 12th standard.

Funding linked to performance of states may actually result in low-income and low-performing states being strapped for central funding in the future, leading to further stratification. 

The policy suggests the development of a holistic progress report card for students and parents, that can be accessed through an AI based software for periodically tracking their growth. However, it does not clarify how the existing glaring digital divide will be bridged. 

The policy language mentions the focus on ‘gifted students’ to increase admission into IITs/NITs via promoting Olympiads and other competitive testing. 

Poorer families cannot afford preparation and exam fees for Olympiads, and if premier institutes include them in their admissions criteria, as suggested by the policy, it would deepen existing social inequities in higher education. The hardest task that NEP 2020 had set itself is the all-important one of “transforming the culture of assessment.” To our utmost disappointment, we find that no intrinsic change has been proposed in the mode of assessment.

The policy mentions a centralised examination structure and a declaration that examinations would not require rote learning. This is very welcome as a distinction should certainly be made between the requirement (as now) to retain and recall data, and the necessity to acquire and assimilate knowledge. 

Further, NEP 2020 mentions that the syllabus would be reduced to accommodate only “core essentials” in order to make the board exams “easier.” 

But we teachers have our reservations as we strongly feel that the rigour of learning should not be completely done away with. The question of “core essentials” have to be discussed here.

On a large scale how to maintain secrecy of the question papers. It would be a big task of protecting from leaking question papers...The proposal in NEP 2020 to set examination papers at two levels, ‘standard’ and ‘advanced’—“beginning with Mathematics”—is an excellent idea. 

Since students have a stronger aptitude for certain disciplines and have a dislike for others (or for some reason are unable to perform well in them), it makes sense to have two levels of exams in different subjects. 

With a combination of standard and advanced level courses in different subjects, all students would at least have a basic knowledge of the core subjects up to the secondary level. 

This would make allowance for differences in aptitude among students and would definitely help a large number of “math-phobic” students, who could take the “standard” level of exams in mathematics. 

This is necessary to prevent a ‘skewed’ educational foundation, in which students leave school with inadequate numeracy skills.

So narrow and specialised studies are not necessary at secondary level of education. For few who are called as gifted could enjoy discrimination of this kind. While the examinations proposed by NEP 2020 in classes 3, 5, and 8 may be necessary “to monitor and develop” the school system, they will not be viewed as such. 

Children will continue to be under constant pressure to ‘perform’, now at three more levels of exams.

In Tamilnadu and Andra Pradesh, School children are appearing 10th, 11th and 12th as board examinations. Continuous and constant pressure on school children in the name of the board of examination is a kind of mental harassment and against human rights. Added to which NEP brings additional 3 board examinations.

Bringing children to an edge where no option except quitting from studies.

In order to realise the objective of transforming the culture of assessment, depends on changing a mindset, We need to change the attitude of adults, especially that of parents and teachers, towards assessment so that children are enabled to take tests in their stride.

Why do we speak much about assessment culture in NEP 2020?

Reason is:

The worth of a student is mostly measured in terms of examination results (so too the worth of a school).

[During the secondary school years, students’ creativity and thirst for learning beyond the syllabus are … killed]

Therefore the second half of a student’s school life is currently mainly devoted to securing good results. 

Consequently, these ‘wonder years’, when they should be learning joyfully and exploring the world with uninhibited curiosity and sense of adventure, are drearily spent preparing for exams.

The nature of each examination – irrespective of the affiliated school board – is such, that students have to learn vast amounts of data, and stock questions have to be answered in set ways.

During the secondary school years, students’ creativity and thirst for learning beyond the syllabus are also killed. The learning time for students who are not examination candidates is also affected since a large part of the teaching force is otherwise busy, having been requisitioned to help in carrying out this mammoth yearly exercise. 

Moreover, every year the absurdly inflated marks that students score in the high school board exams dent the credibility of the assessment system.

Yet in the opinion of many school educators, the success of the curriculum policy will, in turn, hinge almost entirely on the success of this single reform of the assessment system.

Cry: 8

What should set off alarm bells about NEP 2020 is the statement that all officially prescribed text books would contain “only essential core material”. 

The definition of “essential” is relative. The fear is that the content of a textbook may not be accepted by all as “essential” or that what is deemed “essential” by many, may be missing altogether from the textbooks. 

Therefore, clarity about “core essentials” is vital as experience indicates that unless a topic is included in the syllabus that is to be tested, it is unlikely to be taught or learnt.

Cry: 9

Learning by the book

Closely associated with the issue of assessment and examinations is the matter of textbooks. 

NEP 2020 has announced the intention of publishing “high quality and energised books”. 

What is high quality and energised books? 

Of course, nobody wishes to compromise on the quality of textbooks, especially in a country where, unfortunately, the reference point for most learning and assessment thereof, is the textbook. (Incidentally, what does the term “energised textbook” mean?)

Since private schools and colleges find a respectable place in the general scheme of things, private publishers should also be permitted to publish school textbooks. 

This gives out the wrong signal that everything a student should know about a subject, in a given class is encapsulated in a single book. 

A specific textbook may be prescribed by the school but schools, teachers and students should have the freedom to refer to any book of their choice from among a wide and rich variety of textbooks. 

And Other learning sources such as reference material should also be readily available.

It goes against all educational principles that the schoolchildren of a whole country have to learn from a single set of textbooks. 

What is imperative is the availability of a wide range of textbooks that also cover the experiences and conditions of different states.

{See this contradiction: What should set off alarm bells about NEP 2020 is the statement that all officially prescribed text books would contain “only essential core material”}

Teachers should also refrain from referring to a single text book in class. In any case, students must be weaned away from text-book-oriented learning. I have a feeling that the problem of heavy schoolbags will disappear if teachers stopped insisting on children bringing their textbooks to school.

What should set off alarm bells about NEP 2020 is the statement that all officially prescribed text books would contain “only essential core material”. The definition of “essential” is relative. The fear is that the content of a textbook may not be accepted by all as “essential” or that what is deemed “essential” by many, may be missing altogether from the textbooks. 

Therefore, clarity about “core essentials” is vital as experience indicates that unless a topic is included in the syllabus that is to be tested, it is unlikely to be taught or leant.

Cry 10

Improving standards

NEP 2020 states that “public and private schools (except the central government schools) will be assessed and accredited on common minimum criteria.” It is not clear why central government schools have been excluded from this assessment, but the policy clearly states that common standards would be established for public and private school education.

Statistical data indicate that about half of India’s school going children attend private schools in spite of the higher cost of such schooling. This is because of the perception (justified or not) that private schools are better run than government schools. Besides, the importance given to the teaching and learning of English in private schools is a powerful factor in their favour since it is generally believed that competency in English is a basic requirement in the job market.

In order to achieve the same standards, the policy states that teachers of public schools would be adequately trained and given a conducive working environment. Their professional development would be continuous and incentives would be offered throughout their career. There would be a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) developed by SCERT & NCERT. We look forward to the day when all schools will be of a high standard whether public, private, or run by the central government.

Many school educators feel that one of the most laudable features of NEP 2020 is the focus on ‘learning outcomes’. Hitherto, the concern had been mostly about enrolment and the number of ‘out of school’ children. The quality of learning was ignored. Even the number of toilets in a school seemed to receive greater attention. Hence it was no surprise when Pratham’s Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)disclosed the shockingly poor learning levels at every grade.

Therefore, the proposal of NEP 2020 that there would be continuous tracking of each child’s learning outcomes is reassuring. In fact, the purpose of the proposed examinations in classes 3, 5, and 8 is primarily to track learning outcomes, and to introduce remedial measures and course correction where required. Course correction would include revision of course content in terms of depth and breadth and revision of teaching strategies and goals.

Conclusions

It must be confessed in conclusion that in spite of the many welcome changes that have been envisaged by the new policy, a couple of nagging fears persist in many of us.

Will the standardisation and centralisation that is implied in the structure and governance of school education be appropriate for the widely diverse student population of our country? Will the bid to elevate the level of education quickly and efficiently by adopting a uniform approach, radically change our precious multi-layered and intricate cultural fabric?

In sum, it can be stated that two vital conditions are required if the much-vaunted NEP 2020 is to succeed. The first is the transformation of mindsets; the second is the immediate availability of competent teachers who are central to the whole project.

[T]here is no clarity as to who will train and develop this vast pool of extraordinary teachers that is expected to emerge in the course of the next two years to shape the future of India’s children.

It is difficult to fathom where the teachers will come from to make this miracle happen. At the moment, not only is there an extreme dearth of skilled schoolteachers throughout India, there is also a crucial shortage of teaching staff of any kind in public schools. 

Expectedly, a study conducted by a child rights NGO states that “quality education is a far cry for children”. According to reports of a 2018 study by Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability and Child Rights and You, there is a shortage of more than 500,000 teachers in elementary schools and 14% of government secondary schools do not have the prescribed minimum of six teachers. 

Many schools employ contractual teachers or underqualified para teachers.

The plan for the professional growth of teachers and their retention, as spelt out in NEP 2020, is commendable in parts. But there is no clarity as to who will train and develop this vast pool of extraordinary teachers who are expected to emerge in the course of the next two years to shape the future of India’s children.

The National Education Policy of 2020, has set out to fulfil the aspirations of many Indians and has succeeded in dazzling many school educators. In the end the efficacy of any policy is measured by how it is implemented. NEP 2020 is an exception: it can be critiqued even before it is implemented. This is because of the unrealistic timelines that have been drawn up for meeting far-reaching goals. 

Overall, NEP 2020 appears to be absurdly overambitious.

CHARECTRISATION OF TEACHING THROUGH TEACHERS

CHARECTRISATION OF TEACHING THROUGH TEACHERS

Dr. Sekar Srinivasan UN Educationist

[Disclaimer:  These are the reflections of my lectures during my service in Education college as principal and at various resource conferences and workshops. So ideas may be from various educationist’s works.]

 The art of teaching is mainly through teachers in the domain, be it primary, secondary or university level. Let us concentrate one important functional aspect during teaching in this paper viz. Cognitive Development.

 The cognitive domain of children, which is concerned primarily with their mental abilities and functions like thinking, reasoning and concept formulation, has been an area of wide concern in educational field.  

 Issues such as how children grasp ideas, how they form concepts, how the thinking process operates in children, the meaning of intelligence, how it can be enhanced, how children reason, and many more such questions continue to be the focal points of research in this.

 Knowledge of the intellectual characteristics of children and how the cognitive process processes work in then is of considerable significance for educational planners and policy makers as well. It will help in designing the curriculum and syllabi.

 Specific instructional strategies which aim at promoting children’s intellectual development depend upon the cognitive characteristics of children.

 Apart from these, the intellectual characteristics of children influence their interaction patterns, how they cope with their emotions, the nature and development of their interest, their sense of right and wrong and their perception about the world in which they live.  This makes the study of intellectual development in children imperative.

 Skill, and pride in skill come as a consequence of cognitive maturation. The geometry of cognitive development takes time.  The environment of the child and the corresponding organization of his natural system are infinitely more detailed and complex than we can imagine.

 The questions are not just ‘what’ oriented , but ‘how’ and ‘why’ are also very prominent.  Through this procedure, the child is now accumulating a large amount of information, and Mathematics, Science, Language and Art begin to make meaningful sense to him.  As he grows older and enters the upper primary stage, the child’s concepts increase further and his thinking and reasoning powers also get enhanced.

 Word building, crosswords, antonyms, synonyms, similes etc., begin to interest him deeply.  He perceives the relevance of these in enhancing his lingual ability.  He gains an intellectual grasp of the more fundamental human relations and even begins to comprehend the moral philosophy of books.

 All through the primary stage children are busy assimilating knowledge.

 By the end of the primary school stage they comprehend time perspectives completely. They are able to understand what is good for them and also identify their interests which makes planning for the future an easier task. The child, through these verbal descriptions can form the mental images. Many concepts in science and social sciences are understood by children in this fashion.

 There is an increasing capacity for intellectual teamwork. They realize, that by exchanging ideas and views their concepts get sharpened and their understanding of phenomena enhanced.  Problem solving ability improves.  Children can now find solutions to more complex problems and could handle wider range of intellectual tasks with analytical reasoning.  There is an increased capacity for generalization.

 Classification of objects and ideas become more organized and complex.  Reasoning skills are largely inductive in nature. Deductive reasoning or that in which the direction of conceptualization is from general to specific.  The child understands the concept of reversibility. Decentration of thought in children occurs. Seriation and numeration skills develop in children.  The ability to reason from the standpoint of an abstract proposition appears towards the end of the primary school stage.  The distinction between the real and make believe clearly emerges.

 Children’s desire to understand cause effect relationships must be greatly stimulated by the school. Problem solving approaches, heuristic, learning ad discovery learning may be used for this purpose.  To stimulate the expansion of the child’s intellectual horizons, the teacher can encourage him to increase his awareness of people and take a keen interest in the happenings of the world outside his own immediate day today existence.

 Another significant characteristic of this stage is children’s potential for uninhibited creative work.  If the child is accorded freedom of expression unencumbered by adults and adult standards, he will do a great deal of creative work, stories poems and drawings may appear spontaneously.  The school, or the teacher can help by facilitating the process , but the onus of actual learning or development rests on the child. Teachers must follow a few instructional maxims when teaching primary school children-instruction should be from simple to complex, specific to general and concrete to abstract. Extensive exemplification, illustration, demonstration and manipulation of material should be undertaken to increase the effectiveness and reinforce the process of learning.  

 Methods of teaching have to be varied to cater to differing intellectual characteristics of the learners. Teachers must remember and be aware that an IQ test is inevitably a measure of the child’s performance.  It is not a measure of capacity or competence.  What it tells us is how well the child is doing at the moment of the test and under the circumstances of the test.  Readiness to learn is an important concept in the teaching – learning process.  There is more to learning than having capacity or aptitude.  

 Knowledge of creativity in cognitive style is important for the teacher because, very often she may find such children in her class.  Thus, realization of the fact that creativity is a resource to be tapped and suitably channelized in children to further their intellectual development, and not something to punish, scorn or make fun of, is o freat importance in the educational process.