CORE PAPER I - PRACTICUM I/2010 - PROBLEM BASED LEARNING SCENARIO

How Far Has the School Scenario Changed in Recent Times?

Now- a- days people are much worried about the changes in school curricula. For example, the recent decision of the Central Board of Secondary Education to do away with 10th standard examination – that once considered being very sacrosanct- has been received with shock by many. The Kerala school system also has been in a flux of sweeping curricular changes for more than a decade. What is the true nature of these changes? Are these changes influenced by the system itself or by outside forces? Have the teachers, headmasters and the general public imbibed the real spirit of curricular changes? Is there a shift in the very purpose of schooling itself? What will be the nature of schooling in the coming decades? Are we going in the right direction?
To raise more questions and search for answers you are requested to have a revisit of the school scenario in terms of the following four sets of components.
1. Physical appearance of the school, buildings, facilities, profile of students and teachers, management, cost of education, interest of various stake holders etc.
2.Curriculum and syllabus, teaching- learning approaches, assessment practices, technological inputs for learning, importance of co- curricular activities etc.
3. Planning and implementation of lessons, students’ role in learning, student- teacher relationship, professional development of teachers, etc.
4. Parents’ involvement, community participation, local bodies and government initiatives etc.
Have a close look at them taking at least one component each from the above four areas. Prepare your report and share your findings.