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Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Book by Sankaranarayanan Paleeri - Brief History of Educational Development in India: Towards an Educated Society - book published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK

Towards an Educated Society: Brief History of Educational Developments in India

www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-6043-7

My book titled "Towards an Educated Society: Brief History of Educational Developments in India" is being published. It is the result of almost three years of research. 
The book discusses the educational history of India from Pre Vedic period to the present decade. 
The text details the dichotomies and history of Indian education during Vedic, Budha, Jaina, Medieval, and Colonial periods and after Independence up to NEP 2020.
The publisher of the work is Cambridge Scholars Publishing. (CSP, Lady Stephenson Library, Cambridge, UK) It is confident that a book coming out from the renowned center of Higher education scenario- Cambridge.
Presenting the book with cordial regards before the reading community.
Book available at 
https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-6043-7


 വളരെയേറെ പഴക്കം ചെന്ന വിദ്യഭ്യാസ ചരിത്രമാണ് ഭാരതത്തിനുള്ളത്.

ഇന്ത്യയുടെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ ചരിത്രം വേദകാലത്തിനും മുന്നേ തുടങ്ങുന്നു. ഗുരുകുലവും പാഠശാലകളും മഠങ്ങളും ശാലൈകളും ഒക്കെ ചരിത്രത്തിലെ സുപ്രധാന വിദ്യഭ്യാസ കേന്ദ്രങ്ങളായിരുന്നു. 1083 ൽ ഇറ്റലിയിലാണ് ആദ്യ യൂറോപ്യൻ സർവ്വകലാശാല രൂപം കൊണ്ടത് : ബലഗോണയിൽ. അതിനും എത്രയോ നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകൾക്കു മുമ്പ് ഇന്ത്യയിൽ, ഇന്നു കണ്ടെത്തിയതനുസരിച്ച്, ഏഴോളം സർവ്വകലാശാലകൾ നിലനിന്നിരുന്നു എന്നത് എത്ര കൗതുകകരമാണ്!


ഇന്ത്യയുടെ അതിപ്രാചീന കാലം മുതൽ 2020 NEP വരെയുള്ള വിദ്യഭ്യാസ ചരിത്രത്തെ വളരെച്ചുരുക്കി എഴുതിയ പുസ്തകമാണ് "Towards an Educated society : A Brief History of Educational Development in India "

ഫേസ്ബുക്കിൽ കയറുന്നവരെല്ലാം ചരിത്രകാരന്മാരാവുന്ന ഈ കാലത്ത് ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിന് വളരെ പ്രസക്തിയുണ്ട്. ബ്രഹത് സാഗരം പോലെ വിശാലമായ ഭാരതീയ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ ചരിത്രത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ചെറിയ ഒരു ശേഖരമാണീ പുസ്തകം. 


ഉന്നത വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ രംഗത്തെ പ്രധാന കേന്ദ്രങ്ങളിലൊന്നാണ് ലണ്ടനിലെ കേംബ്രിഡ്ജ് യൂണിവേഴ്സിറ്റി. കേംബ്രിഡ്ജിലെ സ്കോളേഴ്സ് പബ്ലിഷർസ് ആണ് പുസ്തകം പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ചത് [ CSP, ലേഡി സ്റ്റെഫിൻസൺ ലൈബ്രറി, കേംബ്രിഡ്ജ്] . അതും വലിയ സന്തോഷം തന്നെ.




.............................
എന്റെ പുതിയ പുസ്തകം " Towards an Educated Society : Brief History of Educational Developments in India " ഈ മാസം പുറത്തിറങ്ങി. കേംബ്രിഡ്ജ് പബ്ളിഷിങ് ആണ് പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ചത്. [ കേംബ്രിഡ്ജ് സ്കോളർ പ്രസ്, കേംബ്രിഡ്ജ് പബ്ലിഷിങ്ങ്, കേംബ്രിഡ്ജ്, ലണ്ടൻ, യു കെ ] നിലവിൽ വില 63.8 പൗണ്ടാണ്.
സന്തോഷം പങ്കുവക്കുന്നു.

Book available at 
https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-6043-7





Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Microteaching plan tp practice Skill of Introducing a Lesson

Microteaching plan to practice the Skil of Introducing a Lesson 

 

Skill:               Introducing a lesson

Topic:             Pollution

Time:              06 minutes

Session:           teach

Date:              

 

 

Teaching – Practicing Experiences

Associated Sub skills

The teacher creates a reciprocity with the students

Interacts with them informally. In between the informal interaction, the teacher says “I have bought a script of a story. Please read it”

Teacher distributes the paper script of a story to the students. The story is about the life experience of a boy in a polluted town.

The teacher gives sufficient time to read the story.

 The teacher observes their reading tasks. Clarify their queries individually.

After assuring the completion of the student task of reading, teacher asks them to attend her talk

Teacher asks some students to explain their understanding of the story

 Repeat the question to two or three students.

Gather their understanding of the story.

The teacher clarifies their understanding

Storyline – boy- lived in a village- later shifted to a city- experienced pollution- illness- identified as a result of pollution - 

 The teacher talked about the issues of over-pollution in cities.

 The teacher says that pollution is a big issue, and we have to understand its problems, reasons, and so on.

Introduce some facts about pollution and brief it. Informing students that today’s topic is about pollution.

Teacher writes the topic of teaching on BB

“Pollution”(BB)

(instead, the teacher can display the topic in a chart, or on screen as a slide)

 

 

 

-Making rapport

 

-Connect with existing awareness

 

-Assuring learner participation

 

-Gathering attention to the teaching task

 

-Asking relevant questions

 

-Assuring pupil participation

 

-Connecting with facts

 

-Connecting with the topic.

-Arising motivation

 

Micro Teaching Plan to Practice Skill of Explanation

 Certain Points to Remember While Practicing Micro Teaching and Plan to Practice Skill of Explanation 

· Microteaching is not to teach content. So in a session, trainees need not completely transact content. A part of the content can also be transacted.

· Microteaching is to practice a skill at a time. Important to the skill practice, not to the content

·       A skill is not an isolated skill in teaching. A skill will be associated with other skills. So practicing one skill means, other skills also will intrude.

·       Suppose a trainee practices the skill of questioning or stimulus variation or any other skill on a topic, it is not important to transact the full topic but must focus on the sub-skills or component skills of the teaching skill. Feedback is to be given based on the use of sub-skills.

·       Ideal time for a skill practice is 04 to 09 minutes

·       A skill is a totality of component skills or sub-skills

·       Practice can be in ‘teach session’ and ‘re-teach session’. The session should be continued till mastery over the skill is achieved

·       A practice session of a skill need not be incorporated with all sub-skills. Can take some of the subskills.

 

Major teaching skills

Skill of planning

Skill of set induction

Skill of introducing a lesson

Skill of explanation

Skill of using Black Board

Skill of Questioning

Skill of stimulus variation

Skill of illustrating with examples

Skill of voice modulation

Skill of narration

Skill of using teaching- learning aids

Skill of using technological/computer supports

Skill of conclusion/closure

 

 

 

Explanation is different from narration. Narration is a type of oral presentation. Explanation is an integrated approach of various media to transact content.

Plan to practice the skill

 

Skill:               Skill of explanation  

Topic:             Delta 

Time:              08 minutes

Session:           teach

Date:              

 

Teaching- practicing experiences

Associated sub-skills

The teacher makes rapport with students. Enter in informal talks with students. In between the talks, the teacher says “I have to tell something about the rivers, and we can understand a gift that is given by rivers”

The teacher writes the topic on BB – Delta.

The teacher gathers students’ attention to BB and draws an outline of big mountains on the board.  Says that it is a big mountain

Teacher draws a demonstrative outline of rivers that flow through the mountain

The teacher says; “a river starts from a mountain. It flows down to the valley. The river flows swiftly through mountains,  but while reaching the valley, it loses its swiftness”

The teacher explains how water flows in the mountain and how in the valley.

The teacher uses video to explain this (30 seconds) (teacher can use any other aid like a picture chart or photo of a waterfall, river flow,   and so on)

The teacher asks, “While flows from mountains to another valley, does a river carry water only?”

The teacher elicits students’ responses. Accept different responses. The teacher writes responses on BB with suitable comments and feedback.

It may carry – mud, minerals, rocks, wood.. etc.

What happens to these materials, while water flows slowly?

 

Collect student responses. After considering the student responses, the teacher concludes that ‘Rivers invest mud, minerals and other materials at its banks or shores.’ A flood in the river may create a huge investment of mud and minerals on the shores

the sediments from the river get deposited onto that land. And deltas are formed. The size and the shape of the delta are decided by the balance between the river that supplies the sediments and other water bodies that meet the river and cannot carry away the deposits.

Teacher illustrates this investment in BB

The teacher explains this procedure of rivers and concludes “Such a big investment of mud, minerals, and other things may repeat every year and that makes new landforms. Such big landforms are called Delta.

The teacher shows the picture of a Delta – ‘Sunderban’ delta and also shows a chart that defines ‘delta.’

The teacher underlines the title “Delta” on BB and says “Now you got the idea of what a delta is. Let’s see its characteristics and we can discuss them in the next class. (instead of a content chart, the teacher can use slides, audio, or video)

 

 

 

Rapport making

Motivating the content

Use of BB

Gathering pupil attention

 

Use of BB

 

 

Oral–verbal switching

 

Use of appropriate aid

Attending learner responses

 

Asks probing questions

 

 

 

 

Connecting with facts

 

 

Use of BB

 

Narrating the fact

 

Use of appropriate aids

 

Developing curiosity

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, October 7, 2023

A brief note on Revised Blooms Taxonomy

 The revised Bloom's taxonomy, also known as A Taxonomy for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, is a framework for classifying learning objectives into six levels of increasing complexity:

  • Remember: Recognizing, recalling facts, and concepts.
  • Understand: Interpreting, explaining, and summarizing information.
  • Apply: Using knowledge to solve problems and complete tasks.
  • Analyze: Breaking down information into its parts, identifying relationships, and drawing conclusions.
  • Evaluate: Making judgments about the value or worth of something.
  • Create: Putting together parts to form a new whole, such as a plan, design, or product.

The revised taxonomy was published in 2001 by a group of cognitive psychologists, curriculum theorists, and instructional researchers. It is a revision of the original Bloom's taxonomy, which was published in 1956.

One of the key changes in the revised taxonomy is that it uses verbs instead of nouns to describe the different levels of learning. This is meant to emphasize that learning is an active process, not just a passive accumulation of knowledge.

Another key change is that the revised taxonomy places the creation of new knowledge at the highest level. This reflects the growing importance of creativity and innovation in the 21st century.

The revised Bloom's taxonomy is a valuable tool for educators and learners alike. It can be used to design learning activities and assessments that are aligned with different levels of learning. It can also be used to help learners track their own progress and identify areas where they need additional support.

Here are some examples of learning objectives at each level of the revised Bloom's taxonomy:

Remember:

  • List the names of the planets in our solar system.
  • Define the term "photosynthesis."
  • Recall the steps involved in the scientific method.

Understand:

  • Explain the difference between a simile and a metaphor.
  • Summarize the main points of a lecture or article.
  • Interpret a graph or chart.

Apply:

  • Use the quadratic formula to solve a problem.
  • Write a persuasive essay on a given topic.
  • Design and conduct an experiment.

Analyze:

  • Identify the causes and effects of the Civil War.
  • Compare and contrast the different types of government.
  • Draw conclusions from a set of data.

Evaluate:

  • Critique a piece of art or literature.
  • Assess the validity of an argument.
  • Make a recommendation based on a set of criteria.

Create:

  • Write a poem or short story.
  • Design a new product or service.
  • Develop a new business plan.

The revised Bloom's taxonomy is a versatile tool that can be used in any subject area and at any level of education. It is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to create effective learning experiences.


(ref: Google Bard)

Sunday, June 25, 2023

BEd Social Science (University of Calicut), IV semester: Note on Professionalizing social Science Education

 


This link gives detailed notes on professionalizing social science education - a Paper for Social Science IV sem BEd, Calicut University 

Go through the note for a preliminary understanding. 

Thanks to Sreeja MG, B Ed Student, 2021-2023 for compiling the notes 

Note on Social Science : Not eon IV semester of Calicut University


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zT-ccyfZk17EXXxoDAMH9RwhPmcjq1pM/view?usp=drive_link 

Friday, January 20, 2023

Monday, May 9, 2022

Features of Vedic Education in India a brief note

 

Education in Ancient India: The Vedic Period

 

 

The most ancient Indian education system is known as Vedic Education, named so because of its connection with the early and later Vedic period.

Historically it is difficult to pin point on the exact time when the Vedic Education system emerged. Some historians observe that the Vedic education had existed from 3500 BC to 600 AD. According to some other viewpoints, it had existed from 1600 BC to 600 AD. There are also some claims that the Vedic education system dates back even to 6000 BC or before. Anyhow, the Vedic education system continued to exist up to 400 – 600 AD with gradual changes through three major facets, early Vedic Education, Later Vedic Education and Brahmanic Education. It could be factually observed that the Vedic Education might be the oldest formal education system in the world.

Philosophy of Ancient Indian Education

Education in ancient India had emerged in accordance with the Vedic Philosophy, its ultimate aim being the obtaining of Liberation, or Moksha. It was essentially the education that aimed at the refinement of the mind and never for the mundane life.  Education was supposed to free the human being of all earthly bondages.  The mind or ‘chitha’ is the cause of both bondage, and liberation. If one loses control over mind, it leads to bondage. Control of mind is the path towards ultimate Liberation. Education was supposed to be a way for ‘Citha Vruthi Nirodh’ – controlling the mind.

In the Vedic period, learning did not mean merely the acts of ‘reading and writing.’  Learning was equal to the realisation of one’s own self; education was a process of self-realisation and self-actualisation. The axiology of the Vedic era did not distinguish the social values and the personal values. Both the personal and social values were part of the proclaimed universal eternal values – Satyam, Sivam and Sundaram (Truth, Goodness and Beauty).

The Vedic philosophy treated reality as a Divine Perfection. Vedas were considered as Holy Scripts. The theory of metaphysics was revealed to the disciples through the learning of Vedas. Oral transmission of knowledge was the accepted system. The concept of ‘the reality’ had developed based upon the Vedas and Upanishads. They were monistic in character. It is followed the method of the Sravana (Hearing), Manana (Meditation) and Nididhyasa (Realization).

Characteristics of Vedic Education

            Vedic Education was developed through years of refinement. The Vedic Education had almost all attributes that a modern education system possesses.  Some of the specific features of Vedic Education are given below:

·       Vedic Education was developed with Gurukul or Gurukula method

·       The education of an individual commenced with a ceremony called Upanayan or Upanayana (or, the Induction Ceremony)

·       Education in the Gurukul extended from six to fourteen years

·       It was fully and compulsorily residential

·       Students were directed to observe Brahmacharya (Celibacy) during the period of education

·       Since the Gurukul system was residential, the teacher (Guru) paid full attention to the psychological and physical make-up of their students

·       Most encouraged method of discipline was self-discipline

·       Students were sent to accept alms (Bhiksha) from the public. (All students, irrespective of their socio-familial status, had to go for seeking alms. It was a very powerful step for eradicating the arrogance, egotism and superiority feelings from the learner’s mind) 

·       There were three types of educational institutions in ancient India: (a) Gurukul (b) Parishad (3) Sammelan

·      Syllabus in the Vedic Education included proper pronunciation and recitation of the Veda, the rules of Sacrifice (Yajna), grammar, composition, versification and rhythm, understanding of secrets of nature, reasoning logic, the Vedic Mathematics, the sciences and the skills necessary for an occupation.

·      Subjects of Study included four Vedas, six Vedangas (limbs of Vedas), the Upanishads, the Darshans (schools of philosophy) like Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Samkya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta, epics, Puranas, legends, history and Tarka Shastra (logic). Areas like Darshans had become part of the education only in the later Vedic period.

·       later part of the period that included medical knowledge, and applied sciences like- Ayurveda, Dhanurvidya (martial arts and weaponry) and Jyothishastra (astro-physics).

 

Upanayan or Upanayana

In Vedic Education, Upanayan was the induction ceremony of the students’ education. The commencement of education was usually marked by a ceremony called ‘Vidyaramb’ by worshipping Goddess Saraswathi, the deity of Vidya, or Knowledge. At the ceremony, the first letters of the alphabet were introduced ceremoniously to the child. It was only after the ceremony of Upanayan that the child could leave the parents’ home and start schooling, staying in the house of the teacher. After Upanayan, which is considered a very sacred ceremony, the child offered himself to the Guru, for availing education.

  During the early Vedic period, Upanayan was open to all members of the society, but during the Later Vedic and Brahminic period it became limited to the members of students from upper caste communities.

Education in the Gurukul or Guru’s Ashram

Details about the student’s life in a Gurukul are available from many texts such as puranas, upanishads and epics and specifically from smritis (smruthi) like Manu Smriti and Yajnavalkya Smriti.  A student in the Guru’s Ashram had to partake in all the house hold activities with the Guru. The inmate student had various duties, like caring for the cattle, collecting the food, collecting the fire wood, helping to prepare food and looking after the Yagagni (the Sacred Fire). The resident student had to follow certain principles like respecting the family members of the Guru, taking  bath two times every day, speaking  truth only, finding happiness in simple food, follow simple life styles, participating the prayer sessions and abstaining from mundane passions and withdraw from blaming others. Life at Gurkul was a journey to attain the ultimate Truth.

Vedic system of education was mostly teacher-centered, with each center of education being known by the name of the Guru. Disciples in the Ashram were under the sole guidance and control of the Guru, both in life and in learning.

 

Did Caste System Exist in Vedic Education?

The influence of caste in the ancient education system is still a topic of discussion. Experts offer different views while discussing the caste system in the Vedic period education.  It is observed by many educationalists and historians that during the early stages, the caste system did not hold much influence over the Vedic Education system. In those early days, students from all sects and strata of society were allowed to access the education programmes. But in the later Vedic and Brahminical periods, opportunities for education began to be denied for the people from the lower castes. Some historians are of the opinion that both the early and later Vedic Education was not characterised by any cartelistic and caste influence. Later, along with the emergence of Brahminical education, the caste system began to gain considerable impact on the educational scenario. Some historians have observed that caste system in education begun to get prevalent only during the last centuries of BC and the early AD. But the Varna system was already in existence there.

Aims of Vedic Education

In ancient India, education was not burdened with any pre-planned, mundane aims of material objectives. It was just the process of a ‘Man-Making Education,’ which aimed to develop a mundane individual to ‘an active individual of responsibilities and divine powers.’

The major aim of education during the Vedic period was to provide training for the youngsters in performing their social, political, economic and religious duties. It also aimed at the preservation of culture, transformation of character, personality development and the inculcation of moral values. Of course, there were certain classified aims like learning the Holy Texts, learning the Purusharthas, acquiring values, learning epics and puranas, understanding Rajyathanthra (politics of ascendency) and knowing about the life after death.

Methods of Learning

A close relationship existed between the pupil and the teacher in that period. The teacher would pay individual attention on his students and used to teach them according to their individual aptitudes and capabilities. Oral transmission of knowledge was the most common method of teaching. The different methods of learning were –

·       Memorisation– The preliminary stage of learning was the process of learning the sacred texts by heart through an infinite number of repetitions and rehearsals, both by the teacher and the taught.

  • Critical Analysis  – A critical analysis was made on the existing knowledge.
  • Introspection – The student had the opportunity to look back at his own knowledge and capabilities. The combined process of Sravana (listening), Manana (contemplation) and Nididhyasa (concentrated contemplation) of the truth so as to realize it was another method to study Brahma Vidya (Vedanta).
  • Story telling – Use of stories and parables to explain philosophies and principles was the most popular method of that time. The use of ballads was also very common in that period.
  • Question and Answer Method – In this method, the students would ask questions and the teacher would discuss at length on the topics, clearing their doubts. It was the same as the modern Socratic Method.
  • Seminars – The students gained and expressed knowledge through talks, elocutions, debates and discussions which were held at frequent intervals.

Period of Study

Mastering the Vedas took 12 years normally. Hence, depending upon the wish and capacity of the student to learn more subjects, the period of study varied from 6 to 12 years or more. A learnt student was called Snataka and the graduation ceremony was called Samavartana.

Types of Teachers

            Classifying the teachers during the Vedic period is not an easy task. Based upon the method of their approach, they could be broadly classified as follows –  

  • Upadhyayaka was the one who adopted teaching as a profession to earn his livelihood
  • Charakas were scholars who taught at various centers. They were wandering scholars who toured the country teaching and seeking of higher knowledge.
  • Guru was the one who used to lead a family life and earn his livelihood after imparting education to his disciples. It must also be noted that the term Guru was also used broadly to represent all types of teachers of that time. 
  • Acharya was a type of teacher who taught his pupil without charging fee from them.
  • Sikshaka was a teacher who gave instruction in arts like fine arts, music and dancing.

Concluding Note on Aims, Ideals and Objectives of Vedic Education

            The major features of the Vedic Education system could be summarized as follows:

·         Vedic Education considered Moksha (Liberation) and Self-Realization as the ultimate aims of education

·         Education in ancient India trained the individual in such a way as to prepare him for attaining the greater objectives of Liberation, or, acquire oneness with the Paramatma (the Universal Soul), to be liberated from the cycle of births & deaths.

·         Vedic Education aimed at infusing Piousness and Religiousness in the minds of the pupils.

·     Vedic Education had also aimed to train individuals for making a livelihood like many vocational activities.

·         Character formation and development of value sense – Education was regarded as a means of inculcating values such as obedience to elders, respectfulness, truthfulness, honesty and temperance.

·       Significant stress on Social duties - Individual student had to perform his duties towards the society in many capacities conscientiously and efficiently.

·         Development of all-round personality through (a) Self-restraint (b) Self-confidence (c) Self-Respect (d) Discrimination and judgment    

·     Teachers had the role of Spiritual as well as Intellectual Guides

·         Opportunities were provided for the education of women, but there had no equality of opportunities as it was availed to male people.

Autonomy of Educational Institutions and teachers was a very special feature of the Vedic period education. Teachers had the complete authority over the admission and assessment of students. The teacher was the sole pedagogic authority who decided whether the student was fit for admission and also whether he had completed the studies meritoriously.

·      While the Upanayan (Upanayana) was the initial ceremony of education, the Samavartan (Samavartana) was the convocation.

·         Process of Instruction was based on three steps – 1. Sravana  2. Manana 3. Nididhyasan.

Sravana:  Listening to words of texts as they were uttered by the teacher.

Manana: The process of deliberation or reflection of the topic which was taught.

Nididhyasana:  The highest stage or a meditation on the knowledge.