QUALITY IMPROVEMENT APPROACHES IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
‘Quality’ in
Education-
The quality of education is concerned with a child’s
experience of education-an-amalgamation of the school, teachers, teaching as
well as the nature of infrastructure and facilities. It is difficult to arrive
at a universally acceptable articulation of what quality in education means. At
the same, such articulation is critical since it plays an important role in
shaping the practice of education. The purpose of universalizing elementary
education is to bring to every child at a bare minimum, the ability to
participate in social, political and economic processes. It has often been
possible to bring about such quality in education at a small scale with
intensive utilization of resources. However, the provision/distribution of
quality education by a large-scale system is a daunting challenge.
‘Quality’ as a term refers to ‘how well’ certain
objects and processes achieve their given aims. It is validating as well as
comparative. Its most immediate connotation is ‘better’. ‘Better’ as
differentiated from ‘good’ and implying the existence of at least two objects
or processes, between which a comparison across a decided set of parameters can
be established. Understanding quality in education requires an appreciation of
the aims of education; the social and philosophical roots of these aims as well
as determining the nature of the organization and system that is best oriented
to achieve them. Educational quality concerns typically encompass topics such
as teacher-training, textbooks and materials, evaluation and physical
infrastructure especially school buildings.
To define quality in the field of education, it may
be instructive to examine the more widely practiced usage of quality and
explore its appropriateness or applicability for education. Quality is
contextual. It is very difficult to give a comprehensive definition of quality.
However, the quest for quality has been the major concern of the entire human
civilization. Quality is not an act, it is a habit. It generally signifies the
degree of excellence.
Quality Improvement
Approaches-
1) Quality
Infrastructure- According to finance minister, this is the
most important equity issue considering that almost 85% of the children in our
country are in government school and they deserve much better school. It is not
acceptable that these children who don’t have a choice are made to learn in
dilapidated, leaky room sitting on the floor. In many school the current
quality of access doesn’t meet the government’s own norms provided for in the
Education
Bill.
Another point regarding quality of education in
primary school is that researcher found most of the government primary school
having the system of the multiple classes being conducted simultaneously in the
same room. This implies that students of more than one standard are made to sit
in a combined class taken by a single teacher due to insufficient number of
classrooms and/or teachers.
2) The
Attitude of the Teacher- The most
important aspect of the approach is the attitude of the teacher, which should
be that learning is a form of play which fosters the blossoming of the child’s
nature development. Learning should and can be made interesting, enjoyable and
fun.
3) Teaching
Materials- A large portion of the teaching materials are
produced at the school by the teachers, who customize their teaching aids suit
the interests and knowledge levels of students.
4) Evaluating
the Status of Learning- The current
status of the learning assessment was quite revealing. Surprisingly, 50% of the
children in any village could not read fluently and 70% of the children
attending school didn’t understand the basic concepts of numbers and
arithmetic. To tackle these underachievement patterns, simplifying the
evaluation becomes a natural choice. Participation of the community must be
sought to improve the current education scenario in general and primary
education, in particular.
5) Teacher
- Pupil Ratio- Among the most crying needs for the
development of the country is the quality of education. Several surveys,
researches and reports have established the current poor quality beyond doubt.
The current national average is 1:40. Elementary Education Budgets has
suggested that the quality is probably the best when the ratio is between 1:25
to 1:35.
6) Demonstrating
The Change- To demonstrate a
change requires multi-pronged and strategic reforms in teaching. Focus on
specific goals or skills, assessing what the children know, designing activities
specific to the child’s level, recognizing small improvements and using all
these to change perceptions of children’s activities, were discussed as change
factors.
7) Mid-Day
Meal Quality- The decision to provide mid-day meal to all
children in elementary schools was the best thing to happen and has positively
impacted health, attendance and reduction in drop-out rates. However, the
current budget provision of approximately Rs.1.80 to 2.50 per meal in various
states is unable to ensure achievement of the nutrition norms of the government
itself. Finance minister estimate is that a decent, nutritious meal would cost
at least of Rs.5.00. The government has to, therefore, double its current
budget to bridge the gap considering that in many cases that is the only decent
meal the child has. This will go a long way in making of a healthy educated
nation.
8) The
Act of Teaching- The act of teaching consists primarily of
presenting sensory images, objects and information to the child in a pleasant
and interesting manner and permitting the child to observe and inquire about
the subject, without compelling the child to memorize. Coloured flash cards
with large images are utilized as convenient, low cost teaching aids.
9) Curriculum
Reviewed & Reformed- There is a clear
need for relevant curricula in order to provide quality education. Curricula
must be regularly reviewed and reformed to reflect these changes and to
adequately prepare pupils to respond to their environment and its challenges.
Improved curricula, relevant to the life of the
learner, can increase participation in schooling and improve the quality of the
education provided. UNESCO is implementing a number of activities worldwide
that include curriculum strategy, curriculum development and reform, textbook
revision, training and publications.
UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE) has a
mandate to support and strengthen national capacity to lead and facilitate
renewal of curricula and to adopt the context and methods of school education.
The regional networking seminars, workshops and projects presented here provide
a platform for promoting exchange and dialogue on national experiences. They
are focused on a host of curriculum development issues ranging from management
of curriculum reform, to citizenship education, multiculturalism, social
exclusion, violence and learning to live together through the teaching of
history and geography.
10) NEW Approaches
to Active Pedagogical Learning- New
approaches to active pedagogical learning and innovative modalities need to be
developed to encourage teachers to change from using a traditional lecture
approach to a more interactive style of teaching. Pedagogical techniques should
include participatory and gender-sensitive teaching and learning methods and
strategies that foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They
should instill in pupils willingness and motivation to continue learning beyond
the classroom.
11) Rapid
Acquisition of Basic Math Skills- Rapid
acquisition of basic math skills is achieved through the use of number line
method which enables the child to physically experiment and act out differently
combinations of addition and subtraction.
12) Story
Telling- Story telling is used to make learning fun and to
communicate basic values of goodness, beauty, harmony, responsibility and right
conduct. Information on people and living things, places, history, geography
and other cultures are presented to the child in the form of stories, pictorial
information and explanations combined together to present facts in a living,
integrated context rather than as a series of separate divorced subjects.
13) Evaluation
Methodologies- As an answer to the
various problems posed by current scenario(such as meaningless aggregation of
skills etc.), evaluation methodologies can be evolved in the direction of skill
by skill testing, competing with oneself rather than others, and providing
adequate opportunities to better one’s performance.
