Online Education Blog

This is the first part of the 3 part assignment that I am doing currently. I’ll post the other parts tomorrow when I’m done with it. Word limit for this part is 350 words and my answer is 373. I hope there is some concession as its quite difficult to write on such a large topic within those words!

Activity Based Instruction:

What does activity based instruction classroom look like? Well .. active! Here, the teacher is mostly that of a facilitator rather than of authority in knowledge. He engages the learners into tasks and makes abstract ideas into concrete ones. It is learning by doing rather than learning by listening It can be done in two ways – i) Student cantered instruction where students have freedom to choose a problem and formulate strategies to solve them and ii) Teacher cantered instruction where the teacher takes the lead role.

Advantages of Activity Based Instruction:

1) The most important feature of activity based instruction is learning by doing. So this method of instruction can fulfil the natural urge of a growing child on one hand also can help them learn their lesson.

2) The method also promotes better understanding of a lesson among students as they learn the lesson by practicing the task themselves.

3) It inspires the students to apply their creative ideas, knowledge and minds in solving problems as well as promoting competitive spirit among them.

4) It also helps learner psychologically as they can express their emotions through active participation in something useful.

5) The method also helps in developing their personalities, social traits and inter-personal management skills.

Disadvantages of Activity Based Instruction:

1) The activity based instruction method requires long-term planning with minute details of the whole process because before engaging the learners, the teacher has to make sure that all students have sufficient knowledge and skills regarding the task they are going to perform. So this method can not be used on a regular and daily basis as it involves a lengthy procedure.

2) The objectives of the method can only be fulfilled if the planning of the lesson is flawless. If there is slightest flaw in the planning, this method would do more harm than good.

3) Learners have varied levels of merit and understanding. So less meritorious students might not prepare for a task as other which might lead to failure of objectives of the whole process.

4) Many renowned educationists also are of the opinion that the activity based method is more suitable for branches of experimental sciences and less useful for subjects of social sciences.

Some old readers might remember that I was doing an advanced course on teaching. Unfortunately I could not finish it completely. So this year I enrolled for the same course with Indira Gandhi National Open University. I have to submit my first assignment by Monday, the 8th March. AT the moment - the class 10th & Higher Secondary examinations are also going on and most of us, teachers have been deputed to the board as invigilators. Hence, I’ll have little problem arranging couple of days of holidays without taking any official leave.

Here, I am posting what type of assignments I’ll have to do in the coming months including time schedule

(Note: I have downloaded the assignment from IGNOU  University website)

Once I finish each assignment, I’ll post them here.

ASSIGNMENTS-SUBMISSION SCHEDULE FOR B.ED.

It will help you to complete the assignment in time if you start working on the assignments as soon as you get the print material. You should pace out your work in such a way so that the assignment for each theory course is submitted by the date specified in the schedule.

Last Date of Submission Course Code Assignment Code
March 8, 2009 ES-331 01-ES-331
April 2, 2009 ES-332 01-ES-332
April 26, 2009 ES-333 01-ES-333
First Teaching Subject (ES-341 to ES-345)
Choose any one subject
May 22, 2009 ES-341 to ES-345 01-ES-341 to ES-345
First Teaching Subject (ES-341 to ES-345)
Choose any one subject
June 15, 2009 ES-341 to ES-345 01-ES-341 to ES-345

Please note:

a) There is one compulsory assignment for each theory course.
b) The Assignment Responses (AR’s), may be submitted by hand at your Programme Centre or sent by post to the Coordinator of your Programme Centre.
c) You should retain a copy of all the assignments in your own interest.
d) If the last date for the submission of assignment falls on a holiday, the Assignment Response should be submitted on the following working day.

Assignments
B. Ed. (1st Year)

ES-331 : CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Assignment 1
Answer the following questions in about 1500 words.
i) What is ‘activity-based instruction’? Discuss its advantages and disadvantages with examples? (350 words)
ii) Explain the importance of instructional objectives in teaching, learning and evaluation?
(350 words)
iii) What do you mean by effective management of instruction? State any two problems commonly faced by you in managing your classroom. Explain as to how you dealt with those problems. (800 words)

ES-332 : PSYCHOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
Assignment 1

Answer the following questions in about 1500 words.
i) What do you mean by motivation? Why is it important in the teaching-learning process?
(350 words)
ii) How do learners differ on the basis of creativity? Explain in brief. (350 words)
iii) Develop a plan to identify maladjusted children in your class and discuss the strategies you would apply to help those maladjusted children. (800 words)

ES-333 : EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION
Assignment 1

Answer the following questions in about 1500 words.
i) Explain three important criteria of a good evaluation tools with examples. (250 words)
ii) Define rating scale and state their uses and limitations. (250 words)
iii) While evaluating your students’ performance, you must have used oral test. Provide the one test used and write a report on their preparation and also explain how did you make it meaningful and purposeful? (1000 words)

ES-341 : TEACHING OF SCIENCE

Assignment 1

Answer the following questions in about 1500 words.
i) Explain briefly the nature of Science. (250 words)
ii) Describe “Scientific Method” with examples. (250 words)
iii) While evaluating Science practicals, you must have conducted Science practical examination. Write a report of practical examination highlighting the following:
(a) How did you set question paper for Science practical examination? (Enclose the question paper.)
(b) List of apparatus and chemicals to be used.
(c) General instructions for students.
(d) Key to the question paper. (1000 words)

ES-342 : TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS
Assignment 1

Answer the following questions in about 1500 words.
i) Explain briefly the principles of formulating Mathematics’ curriculum. (250 words)
ii) Differentiate Analytic Method with Synthetic Method. (250 words)
iii) While evaluating mathematical learning you must have used observation method. Mention two aspects of Mathematical learning taken for evaluation through observation method and write a short report on the use of observation method with the help of rating scale. (1000 words)

ES-343 : TEACHING OF SOCIAL STUDIES
Assignment 1

Answer the following questions in about 1500 words.
i) What are the approaches to organizing Social Studies curriculum at secondary school level? Which one of the approaches would you adopt and why? (250 words)
ii) Formulate specific instructional objectives and teaching-learning activities for transacting the content ‘social life and economic conditions during Indus Valley Civilization”. (250 words)
iii) Choose themes from Class IX Social Studies Curriculum. Organise instructional activities for the same themes using the following group-directed instructional techniques.
(a) Debate
(b) Panel discussion
(c) Brainstorming
Write a comprehensive report mentioning the planning and organization of the instructional activities and the experience gained by you as well as students.
(1000 words)

ES-344 : TEACHING OF ENGLISH
Assignment 1

Answer the following questions in about 1500 words.
i) Discuss how the physical and social environment of a learner helps him/her to acquire language skills. (250 words)
ii) What should be the criterion for selecting texts for reading purposes? Illustrate your answer with a variety of texts that can be selected for the purpose. (250 words)
iii) What is the role of the controlled and guided writing tasks and free writing in teaching writing? Illustrate your answer by framing tasks of each type. (250 words)

Physical growth and development describe the physical as well as psychomotor changes in an individual. Physical development of children are grouped into different categories and the period of adolescence is of vital in shaping the child into a useful citizen of the society. The adolescence period of development begins with puberty.  Early adolescence is a time of rapid physical and intellectual development. Middle adolescence is a more stable period of adjustment to and integration of the behavior patterns of early adolescence. Later adolescence is marked by preparations for the responsibilities, choices and opportunities of adulthood. The major changes during adolescence are : -

i) Variability in onset and rate of puberty:

Directly related physical development/change that adolescents must face is the consciousness of sexual identity. This includes the expression of sexual needs and feelings and the acceptance or rejection of sex roles. Puberty is a series of physiological changes that make the organism capable of reproduction. Nearly every organ and system of the body is affected by these changes. The pre-puberty child and post puberty adolescents chages in outward appearance because of the changes in the stature and proportion and the development of primary and secondary sex characteristics.

Although the sequence of events at puberty is generally the same for each person, the timing and that of weight gain vary widely. The average girl typically begins pubertal changes around eleven years, one and a half to two years before the average boy. In each sex, however, the normal range of getting sexual maturity is approximately six years. Like the onset, the rate of change also varies widely. Some persons take only one and a half to two years to go through the pubertal changes to reach reproductive maturity, while others may require six years to pass through the same stage.

These differences mean that some individuals may mature before others of the same age who may have just entered puberty. The children make comparison among themselves. The tendency to hold maturity in high regard can be a problem for the less matured students. On the other hand, early maturers are also to experience temporary discomfort because they stand out from the less matured majority.

ii) Reactions to Puberty:

One of the most important challenges adolescents have to face is to adapt to the changes in their bodies. Coordination and physical activity must be adjusted rapidly as weight, height and skills change. The new developments in body must be integrated into the existing self-image. New habits have to be developed. As adolescents become more like adults in appearance, they are expected to behave more like adults regardless of their emotional, intellectual or social maturity.

The purpose of puberty is to make people able to reproduce. Thus the adolescent is faced with a new potential that includes increased interest in sexual activity, erotic fantasy and experimentation. Masturbation becomes a regular activity for many adolescents and some adolescents even indulge in sexual acts. The sexual activity necessitates facing the possibility of conflict with parents, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases etc.

iii) Early and Late Maturing:

Researchers have long been interested in the possible differences between children who enter puberty early and those who enter it late. Peskin (1967) demonstrated that early maturers have a harder time at puberty. Youth who mature earlier experience more anxiety and have more temper tantrums, more conflict with their parents, and lower self-esteem at puberty than those who mature later. But by the time early maturers are in high schools, long post puberty and having accommodated its changes they are more at ease, popular, and mature than are late maturers. The late maturers are still experiencing pubertal changes.

If early maturity is an asset for teenage boys, it is a real liability for teenage girls. They develop breasts. They have fewer changes to discuss with peers the physical and emotional changes they are undergoing.

Peskin’s data suggest that the early maturer may need more help in understanding pubertal changes, while the late maturer may need more help coping with being relatively immature and less able to compete in situations where maturity and size are important.

One clear conclusion that we may draw from research on puberty is that this period is a relatively difficult one for for most children. neither they nor their peers nor adults find puberty easy to cope with. Moth self-esteem and peer-esteem decline temporarily during puberty.

Creativity is a blessing from nature but we can develop it by careful planning through education.
This is all the more important in a democratic country like India, where we accept even the mediocres to contribute their best and create something new.
Hence, it is necessary that parents and teachers provide healthy conditions at home and the school. This would enable children to express themselves and contribute something new for the society, which may be termed as creativity.

Our suggestions

1. Freedom of Response:

Children generally respond teachers in a usual and routine manner. Parents and teachers should encourage children to respond in their own way. They may be allowed to say what they would like to say. This would lead to creativity. If there is problem in the class, let every child respond in his own way. The teacher should keep in view that every child has a contribution to make. Allow them to think in various directions and express their creativity.

2. Satisfy the ‘Ego’ of the Child:

All of us have a ‘self ego’. We want to be recognized by others. This ‘ego’ is all the more stronger during the childhood stage. We, as parents and teacher should try to provide opportunities to satisfy it.

3. Encourage Original Ideas:

If we find that a child achieved his original ideas about a particular aspect of life, we should encourage it. Constant submission to facts suppresses the opportunity of the child. It has been correctly said, ‘Uniformity is the enemy of originality’.

4. Remove Hesitation and Fear:

Children are generally kept under strict control. They fear their parents and hesitate in speaking their mind. This kills the initiative of the child. Originality is only possible when we give enough freedom and space to children to express their own views.

5. Provide Suitable Atmosphere:

The watchwords for the provision of this type of atmosphere are: Sympathy, liberty, and the proper provision of co-curricular activities in the school.

6. Development Special Habits:

Children require special habits to be creative. These habits are hard work, persistent effort, self reliance and self confidence. We should encourage children to develop these habits. We can then expect any thing that is creative from them.

7. Let the Children Meet Creativity:

Every community has centers where creativity can be seen easily. We may organize excursions to centers of art, art galleries, museums, and places of artistic excellence. Thus the children will come in contact with creativity and get an inspiration to create something new.

8. Avoid the Stumbling Block to Creativity:

Certain factors like conservative outlook, an unsympathetic attitude towards children, fixed and rigid habits of works, unnecessary anxiety, over emphasis over school works, authoritarian attitude of teacher, etc. are some of the stumbling blocks in the path of creativity. We should try to avoid these stumbling blocks as far as possible.

9. Reorganize the Curriculum:

Certain principles should be kept in view while reorganizing the curriculum. These are:
a) The Curriculum should be a child-centered
b) The Curriculum should highlighted ideal concepts then facts
c) It should highlight that children have the capacity to find out truth and discover things.
d) It should reduce the importance of annual examination.
e) It should allow the child to do something in the academic field freely without the fear of examination.

10. Reform the Evolution System:

Much has been said about the reforms in the system of evaluation. We can say that the child’s progress should be judged for what he dose during the entire year and not on the basis of his achievement in the annual examination. The day to day progress of the child should be properly assessed and entered in the cumulative card. Any other observation showing the creativity of the child should be clearly indicated in the card.

11. The use of some Special Techniques:

Mention may be made for special psychological techniques to find out the creativity of the child.
These are:

a) Brain Storming:

It implies storming the brain of the child with new ideas and nothing down the reactions and techniques of solving them as suggested by the child. This reaction takes place in the classroom where every child gets an opportunity to express his ideas. When the reactions of the entire class are noted down, a free discussion follows. Common suggestion are weaned out and these lead creativity.

b) Using of Teaching Models:

Certain teaching models suggested by psychologists are of immense value form locating the creativity of the child. Mention may be made of such two models:
i)

Bruner’s Concept Attainment Model

and
ii)

Suchman Inquiry Training Model.

c) Use of the gaming technique: Children like pay. We should like to find out their creative talent through games. We may organize games of this type in the class. Some examples of such games are
1. Name all the square things you can think of.
2. Name the new type of programs you will like to have on T.V.
3.Tell all the aspect in which a cat and a dog are alike.
4. What will do if you get oil paints and a brush, etc.
They may also be given some materials like. They may also be asked to play with wooden cubes and construct some new and novel designs. They may be asked to color a picture, etc.

12. Self Example is Better than Precept:

Parents and teacher may keep in view that if they want their children to create something new they themselves should be devoted persons and put forward an example before their children in the field of creativity.