RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES Most of the programmes of the department emerged on the basis of analysis of field situations identified through observation and interaction with NFE functionaries working at the grassroots level. The training Programmes and the follow-up activities like Refresher Courses for Key-Resource Persons provided the department critical areas of intervention for gearing up educational programmes in response to the obtainable situations. The department has been adding newer dimensions to its training programmes on the basis of gap areas identified during the massive training phase of the department during 1988-1991.
Even the developmental programmes were deeply interlinked with the problems faced at the field level. The department initiated all its developmental programmes to provide resource support to the States and voluntary Organisations, keeping in view the specific demands of States and Voluntary Organisations.
Although research elements were inbuilt in very process of training of NFE functionaries and development of designs of curriculum and material development, it became the thrust area of the department during 1993-1994.
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RESEARCHES DURING 1988-1989 One of the earliest research studies of the department dates back to 1988-1989. The department took up the field oriented research investigation titled Study of NFE Curriculum and Instructional Materials and their Implications for Instructional Programme.
This was an ERIC sponsored study which aimed at rational and empirical analysis of NFE curriculum and instructional materials of different States and to evolve effective curriculum transactional strategies.
Objectives The specific objectives of the project were to
- analyse and review the existing NFE curriculum and instruc- tional materials that generated better teaching-learning activities ;
- help the Instructors with relevant information about the gaps in curriculum and materials;
- evolve better approaches and strategies for making curriculum and materials effective and relevant for the instructional process.
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The study basically aimed at rational and empirical analysis of NFE curriculum and instructional materials.
Procedures The procedures adopted in the study were:
- review of related literature and reports on the status of NFE curriculum and instructional materials of nine States;
- collection of instructional materials including curriculum from fifteen States;
- development of criteria and tools for collection of data;
- rational and empirical analysis of data;
- processing of data in terms of percentages;
- qualitative analysis of materials for identification of effective designs for the development of quality teaching- learning materials.
Outcome The analysis of the curriculum and instructional materials helped in categorising and classifying the available curriculum and instructional materials for NFE. The analysis revealed that States were broadly following four types of curriculum, namely
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condensed formal school curriculum, separate integrated NFE curriculum, partially integrated curriculum and formal school curriculum. The analysis of materials revealed that there was wide variation among the States with regard to the type of books in use in NFE centres. In addition to Primers and Readers the States were using problem based Modules, Activity Books, Charts, Posters, Cards, Picture Books for numeracy, literacy and Environmental Studies (EVS).
In pupil evaluation both Teacher and Child Centred approaches were followed. In majority of the cases pupil evaluation covered both cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions of child's life.
With regard to duration of NFE Programme, except Bihar, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal all other States were following two-year Primary Level NFE Courses. In the case of middle level NFE Programmes, except Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan other States were following two year courses. Some of the States initiated curriculum renewal activities in the light of the recommendations of National Policy on Education, 1986 and the revised scheme of NFE. Accordingly, the States were engaged in the task of development of new sets of Instructional Materials from 1988 onwards.
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The major findings of the study equipped the department with profiles of NFE curriculum and instructional materials in vogue in different States and Union Territories. This also helped in identifying the potential effective approaches of material development process. The department got an insight into the gap areas related to curriculum and material development wherein more attention would be needed to perform its responsibilities as a Natrional Resource Centre for NFE.
As an offshoot of the above mentioned research study the department launched another field-based study in 1989-90. This was a status study of selected NFE centres. IN this project the main emphasis was to locate potentional NFE centres with a view to identify the educational strategies, materials and organisational skills that contributed to the development of a meaningful NFE programme.
The analysis of the inputs and process variables of the successful organisations provided rich experience to the department in planning its-programmes and activities towards generating a resource- base at the State and Voluntary Organisation levels.
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The study revealed that academic leadership of the organisational Incharges, congenial interpesonal relationship within the organisation, team spirit, holistic approach based planning, interface between various units of an organisation are some of the contributory factors leading to success stories. Other important factors are adoption of variety of joyful participatory activities, teacher involvement in various developmental programmes and intensive community partnership programmes.
Adoption of Selected NFE Centres The experiences gained through these field-based studies put the department on a sound footing to adopt some NFE centres with a view to develop these as model centres. This project was initiated in 1990 under a specific grant from the MHRD.
Under this project two centres each from the States of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan were selected.
The department put a lot of inputs into these centres by way of supplying materials and organising on-the-spot training to the Instructors and other functionaries for promoting experimentation in evolving effective teaching-learning strategies, keeping in view the specific environmental set-up. The department also evolved some mechanisms for close monitoring of these centres and providing re- current training to the Instructors on a continued basis.
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The department tried-out some of its materials in these centres which were located in divergent environmental situations.
This area-specific experimentation equipped the department with field situations and the problems that emerged at different levels in providing relevance-based educational programmes to heterogenous groups of learners with different ability levels.
The department utilised this first-hand experiences gained from the project in preparing guidelines for material development as well as in demonstrating alternative teaching-learning strategies during its training programmes.
During 1990-1991 the department carried out some research projects along with its major tasks of providing refresher courses for the Key Resource-Persons of different states and developmental programmes.
Some of the projects that were initiated during 1990-1992 are as under :
State Profiles of Non-Formal Education The department took up the above mentioned study during 1990- 1991.
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The main objectives of this project were to develop profiles of Non-Formal Education Programmes in all aspects at different levels- material, teacher development programmes, monitoring and evaluation strategies. The study was mainly directed at finding out the contributory factors and the strategies that helped the states in the effective implementation of NFE programme.
Under this study a set of tools for finding out information with regard to NFE programmes were prepared and finalised on the basis of a try-out on a limited sample. Some schedules were also developed to collect data from parents and learners.
The data were collected on the basis of these tools from the States of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh.
The main focus of the study was to generate a resource-base at the department level for planning its intervention strategies with regard to participating States. The data regarding profiles of NFE in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh were completed during 1995-1996. The preparation of profiles of other States is in progress.
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Some of the major findings of the study are :
1. The States where SCERTs and DIETs are actively involved in planning, monitoring and extending resource supports to NFE projects the implementation process was successful and smooth.
2. Some of the SCERTs and Resource Centres provided considera- ble support to the programme at the district and project levels.
3. The success of NFE programme resulted from adoption of a flexible approach at different levels, sharing of responsi- bilities by all organisations as per the demand of field situations and timely interventions at appropriate levels.
In the absence of these factors, the NFE programme implementation process failed to achieve the desired results.
STUDY OF PROGRAMME DESIGNS, MATEIALS AND PROCESSES OF EDUCATION FOR
WORKING CHILDREN IN RAILWAY PLATFORM SCHOOLS OF ORISSA, PAVEMENT
SCHOOLS OF CALCUTTA AND SLUM CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES -
PRAYAS, DELHI One of the areas of special concern in educational planning at the primary level relates to the problems of providing suitable educational programmes for the twenty five million Street and Working Children in the urban and rural settings. This is one of the critical areas of concern both at the National and International Levels.
In India, a number of organisations have come up to protect the young child from the abuses of working life.
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Basically these programmes were initiated to provide social security, love and care to these special categories of children. These programmes also had educational inputs so as to empower these children to grow up as useful citizens. A good number of these Institutions generated a variety of learning activities for these children.
To get an insight into the intricacies of this delicate area in Primary Education the department launched a study for the identification of designs, materials and processes evolved by different organisations of the education of street and working children.
The main objectives of the study were to
1. identify the programme designs evolved for providing educational facilities to the different categories of Street and Working Children;
2. review and analyse the curriculum and instructional materials in use in various programmes;
3. identify the teaching-learning strategies and children's involvement in the learning processes;
4. find out learning difficulties of learners;
5. determine the level of community involvement in various programmes.
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Findings of the Study :The study revealed some significant points that have deeper relevance in the context of planning alternative strategies for schooling.
The main findings of the study were
1. A variety of educational designs were evolved by the Institutions covered under the study. Some of these programme gave wider skill orientations to the learners. But in large number of cases, attainment of academic competencies for entry into formal school was the main focus of the programmes and activities.
2. The organisations did not evolve detailed curricular frames for planning instructional strategies, preparation of materials, teacher upgradation process and pupil evaluation design.
3. The educational materials were based on the environmental situations in and around the learners. But in the majority of cases, these materials were not attractive and suitable for the target group.
4. There was not much emphasis on the learner-centred approach.
5. The teachers did not find themselves properly equipped for handling teaching-learning situations and attending to learners' special needs.
6. Detailed curriculum frames were not available.
7. Expansion of operational activities gave rise to co-ordina- tion and management problems.
9. Level of community involvement varied from organisation to organisation. There was need for evolving proper strategies for enlisting community support for strengthening of educational programmes.
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STUDY OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES FOR STREET AND WORKING CHILDREN IN
FOUR SOUTHERN STATES The study focussed on the learning needs of various categories of Working and Street Children in the context of the four Southern States.
The main objectives of the study were to
- identify various categories of learners attending educational programmes for Street and Working Children;
- analyse curriculum and instructional materials in use in different organisations;
- identify learning needs of various categories of learners;
- identify perceptions of teachers, parents, community leaders, employers and children.
The main findings of the study that have significant bearing for designing of educational programmes and curriculum planning are :
1. the Educational programmes are mostly of three years duration. In some organisations the skill training is provided at a later stage;
2. in some cases modified formal school curriculum and materials are used with inclusion of some local-specific materials in the form of bulletins, magazines, thematic modules, etc.;
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3. in some organisations a separate set of curriculum and learning materials have been developed for the education of street and working children jointly by the State Resource Centre and Non-government Forum (NGO Forum). These are activity based integrated learning materials. Besides Primers, some books on specific vocations have also been developed and are in use;
4. there are some organisations where separate set of Primers for NFE Learning Centres are not available. These organisations use Adult Education, State Resource Centre's Primers as well as Total Literacy campaign mateials;
5. the instructional materials are of general type which fail to reflect the learning needs of specific groups of learners;
6. the children attending educational programmes are mostly engaged in unorganised sectors of economy or are self- employed, as porters, labourers, rag pickers, tea-shop workers. Some are engaged in plantation activities, work as house maids, work in auto-repair shops and road-side restaurants, etc;
7. the Street and Working Children engaged in various types of unorganised sectors in urban and rural areas would like to attend some form of part-time functional educational programme. Such programmes, according to them, must provide along with other learning skills, some pre-vocational skills so as to provide them opportunities for better earning;
8. majority of these children find multiplication and division very-difficult;
9. variations in mother tongue and medium of instruction create learning difficulties to a large extent;
10. street and working children mainly working as rag pickers, coolies and scavengers prefer some alternative employment opportunities to ensure better earning which would relieve them from their present miseries;
11. all the children in all the four States of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka want to continue their education through Non-formal modes of learning;
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12. parents prefer vocational education and job-oriented educational programmes for their children;
13. community leaders prefer suitable skill-oriented educational programmes for children;
14. teachers urgently feel the need for adequate and suitable teaching-learning materials and teaching aids;