The Key Questions And The Current Scenario
- How can you link environmental, social and economic aspects when you are educating? – Holistic Approach.
- In what way can you as a facilitator support your students/participants to rethink and to be innovative ? –Lifelong Learning.
- Of what importance is the learners pre-knowledge, questions and knowledge in the learning process? – Learners in Focus.
- Do the students/participants have any possibility to influence their education, the learning process and the surrounding society ? – Democratic Work Methods.
- How to manage your students to look at the world from different perspectives ? – Different Perspectives.
- In what way do you encourage the learners to think in a critical way ? – Reflection, Integration and Interdisciplinary.
To implement the above strategies the job of a teacher thus has to undergo complete metamorphosis with paradigm shift in the teaching and learning processes.
One has to question, WHY topic is taught in the class at this age? WHAT is its importance? WHEN and WHERE is it going to be applied in everyday life ? HOW are we to impart the knowledge, delivery to the child and finally at the end of the day what is the outcome and the competency level of the child, the Process of Assessment and Evaluation. The dynamics to facilitations and learning thus has to change for Sustenance.
Learning Plans of facilitators thus has to have an Objective, the Resources, the Elements, Assessment Summary, Lesson Plan (the delivery schedule), the Outcome and finally the Applications.
Assessment is the process of collecting evidence and making a judgement on whether or not benchmarks have been met so when we assess, educators have to keep in mind, Why do we assess ? What do we assess ? When do we assess ? How do we assess ? Wheredo we assess ? This process then brings about competency standards and benchmarking.
Benchmarks are based on the task to be completed, the required performance standard and should be detailed in workplace documents such as procedures, policies or in national standards such as its qualification and competency standards.
Purpose of Assessment : It is to gather high quality evidence with sufficient samples to be evaluated and a judgement made against the standards identified.
Why do we assess
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
- Training Needs Analysis (TNA)
- Measure work performance through the learning process or at the end.
- To certify competency towards a qualifications.
Where do we assess ?
Assessment depends on the context of Assessment and usually occurs in any learning environment classroom or workplace.
When do we assess ?
Assessment should occur when the candidate is ready. It is important that assessors structure their assessment plan to include sufficient opportunity for practice and include progress checks so they are aware that their candidates are ready before they undertake a final assessment.
Diagnostic Assessment Assessment carried out before learning to establish baseline data or to identify gaps for a TNA or individual learning pathway.
Formative Assessment Assessment conducted throughout a program.
Summative Assessment Assessment conducted at pre-determind point, usually at the end, of the learning program.
Holistic Assessment Integrations or combinations of elements or units.
What do we Assess ?Evidence of candidates skill knowledge and attitudes against units of competence.
How do we assess ?
Variety of strategies are used for assessment.
- Real work or activities
- Stimulated activities
- Questioning such as verbal or written testing
- Portfolios of evidence for new or existing work (the later being appropriate for recognitions of prior learning).
Principles of Assessment
Is it valid- Assessment is valid when the process assesses what is claims to assess.
Reliable- Assessment is proven to be accurate and repeatable. This refers to the consistency of the interpretations of the evidence and the consistency of the assessment outcomes.
Fair- Assessment is fair when it includes equitable arrangements for the candidates.
Flexible- Assessment is flexible when it is able to be modified to meet different needs of candidates.
Types Of Evidence
Direct- Assessment is valid when the process assesses what is claims to assess.
Indirect- Assessment is proven to be accurate and repeatable. This refers to the consistency of the interpretations of the evidence and the consistency of the assessment outcomes.
Supplementary- Assessment is fair when it includes equitable arrangements for the candidates.
Our education system is result oriented, today to build a new generation we have to seriously look at Processes not Results and to adopt the global standard best practices.
Realities of the Current Scenario And The Challenges to Come
Latest statistics show that 52% of Indian Population is basically under educated, wherein a child of class 5th is only able to read and write the contents of class 2. In maths it is only 29%, Given the current status, we have miles to go-to prepare a generation of competent young man and women for the 21st century.
India a nation that aspires to become an economic superpower is churning out graduates who are barely employable without numeracy, nor reading and writing skills thus are incompetent to meet the challenges of the international market and businesses and the needs of our own industries.
We as educationists today have therefore to prepare our children for the world market for the service and industrial sector, and not look at India alone as an employable market, thus skill development is the need of the hour along with high competency levels in term of standards to be developed therefore processes are significant not the results.
Takshshela Junior College has thus embarked upon doing just that. Since 2007 the institute has introduced job oriented professional course in coordination with CBSE in developing skills in children. The idea is to catch them young, preparing them for the future 20 years from now with skills as per needs of the industry.
Education at school level in India has been today concentrated on Engineering, Medical, Chartered Accountancy, Company Secretary and Law. This constitutes only, on an average 10 to 12% of the population and educational institutes are busy preparing students only for these 12%.
Schools have forgotten the 85% of the remaining population. Its time to give this 85% population a pathway so that our dreams of a world economic superpower can be a reality.
We therefore have started professional skill development courses right from class IX onwards. All these courses are tied up with respective industries where, we to a large extent, provide on job training to the candidates.