State Curricular Reforms

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SCERT, A.P., Hyderabad

• State Curricular Reforms Development of State
  Curriculum Framework Position Papers

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A. Understanding Curriculum
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Curriculum

• Curriculum is a set of planned activities which
  are designed to implement well defined
  educational aims in terms of the content of what
  is to be taught and the knowledge, skills and
  attitudes which are to be deliberately fostered,
  together with statement of criteria for selection
  of content, and choices in methods, materials and
  evaluation.
• The curriculum is a source of every thing that is
  done in classrooms and schools towards childrens
  education. It tells us what is worth teaching,
  how much should be taught and in what sequence,
  with what methods and materials, how learning
  should be assessed, teachers prepared, schools
  monitored,
• Curriculum is the source of all works related to
  education.

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Curriculum Framework

• It is a plan that interprets educational aim
  vis-a-vis both individual and society to arrive
  at an understanding of the kinds of learning
  experiences schools must provide to children.
• The curriculum framework document provides
  direction to take up various educational
  activities, development of syllabus and textbooks
  etc.
• Syllabus
• Syllabus refer to the content of what is to be
  taught in a subject and the knowledge, skills and
  attitudes which are to be fostered in a child
  together with state specific objectives

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The Mandate

• SCERT is expected to review school curriculum as
  a regular activity ensuring the highest standards
  of rigour.
• National Policy of Education 1986, National
  Curriculum Framework 2005 and Right to Free and
  Compulsory Education Act 2009 assign a special
  academic role to SCERT in preparing and promoting
  State Curriculum Framework.

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B. Why a State Curriculum Frame Work -
Context and Challenges
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Why a State Curriculum Framework Context

• The NCERT, developed the National Curriculum
  Framework 2005 and communicated to the states
  with a request to take up state curricular
  reforms and development of State Curriculum
  Framework.
• Curriculum Load and insights of Learning without
  burden
• The size of textbooks has been growing over the
  years even as the pressure to include new topics
  mounts and the effort to synthesize knowledge and
  treat it holistically.
• Learning without burden recommends a major change
  in the design of syllabi and textbooks and in the
  way we conduct exams that leads to stress, strain
  and fear among children.

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Curriculum Load and insights of Learning without
burden contd...

• It requires a fundamental change in organizing
  the school curriculum and in the system of
  education which force children to memorize
  information and reproduce it.
• Teaching at school cannot become a joyful
  experience unless we change our perception of the
  child as a receiver of knowledge to construction
  of knowledge and move beyond convention of using
  textbooks as a major source of knowledge.

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Why a State Curriculum Framework Context
contd...

• Recent researches on brain development and
  alternative active learning pedagogies such as
  higher order thinking skills, critical pedagogy,
  social construction, multiple intelligences,
  learning styles etc., have changed the landscape
  of teaching learning processes in schools and
  this must be reflected in the curriculum.

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State Vision

• The vision of AP is that ALL children should
  receive high quality education and become
  responsible citizens with an acute sense of the
  other. They should be aware of their environment
  and think about it critically. They should listen
  carefully and speak fearlessly. They should be
  able to understand what they hear and read but
  they should also be able to question it. Teachers
  should promote these skills, provide meaningful
  teaching learning processes in natural and
  friendly environment that enable children to
  express themselves freely and ask questions.
  Teachers are collaborative learners and
  reflective practitioners. Parents and community
  should have a sense of ownership and participate
  in the life of the school. In a world which is
  becoming increasingly materialistic and
  competitive, school should become a space for
  reflection, cooperation and promotion of human
  and ethical values.

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C. Major Challenges
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Major Challenges

• Enrollment - decreasing enrollment in State owned
  schools.
• Large no of vacancies of MEOs, DEOs, Teacher
  Educators due to Court Cases causing negative
  impact on children learning and children suffer
  for system level deficiencies.
• Teacher preparation and professionalism most of
  the teachers rely on textbooks for transaction
  without much value addition by preparing and
  referring resource books / material, planning
  tasks etc.
• Lack of reading habits and professionalism of
  teachers.

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Major Challenges contd...

• Child Rights oriented pedagogy and sensitization
  among parents and teachers.
• Child friendly inclusive schools and respect for
  diversities and focus on equity.
• Making School Environments healthy, safe with
  drinking water and toilets and develop school
  climate.
• Teacher availability Teacher positioning and
  absenteeism.
• Poor learning achievement of children in basic
  competencies of Reading, writing and arithmetic
  especially at elementary level.
• Inadequate community participation and ownership.

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Major Challenges contd...

• Monitoring and Supervision
• A higher rate of teacher and pupil absenteeism
  and poor performance levels of children shows
  need for urgent measures to improve the system.
• Lack of appropriate supportive academic
  monitoring focusing on classroom processes,
  teacher preparation, child performance and
  providing appropriate on job support.
• The field functionaries lack adequate
  professional preparation and knowledge of
  pedagogical processes, tools to improve the
  situation, reflecting the contemporary
  pedagogical renewal process.
• Classroom Process and children engagement
• The teaching learning process is mostly in
  traditional type with lecture mode and textbook
  oriented.
• The classroom processes show that the children
  copy from textbooks without any challenging and
  meaningful engagement with learning tasks.

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Major Challenges contd...

• Assessment and examinations the entire school
  practices and preparation are increasingly
  examination oriented.
• The assessment is information oriented and memory
  based and test paper developed by outside
  agencies which are not competency based leading
  to tension and fear of exams among children.
• Early Childhood Education
• Early years are very crucial for child
  development and development of language.
• Integration of ECE / Pre-primary / anganwadies
  with primary schools.

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Major Challenges contd...

• Teacher Education Increased privatization and
  commercialization no proper perspective
  building for would be teachers. There is no
  representation of contemporary innovations in
  Pre-Service Teacher Education (PSTE) curriculum.
  Mostly it becomes theory based rather than field
  based practice.
• Research and Studies There is not much relevant
  database generated through studies to guide
  curriculum practices and support educational
  policies and decision making processes.

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Major Challenges and Issues to deliberate contd...

• Decentralization, Delegation and deregulation
• Decentralization and capacity building
  Encourage local capacity building, participation
  and decision making and improvement.
• Academic Leadership District, Mandal and School
  level Erosion of professionalism.
• Identifying and promoting teacher innovations.
• Encouraging and Use of technology ICT, Video
  Conference, Teleconference effectively.
• Curriculum sources going beyond textbook, issue
  based topics for critical perspective building.
• Rationalization of school timings and vacation
  period to engage teachers for their professional
  preparation.
• Regulation of un professional practices of
  private schools viz., working hours, working
  days, corporal punishments, homework, assessment
  practices etc.

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D. State Curriculum Framework Structures
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State Curriculum Framework (SCF) Structures

• State Advisory Committee (SAC) setup
• SAC comprises 30 members with a Chairperson and
  Co-Chairpersons.
• SAC also invited special invitees representing
  various sections i.e., Teachers, Teacher
  Educators, Administrators, Public
  Representatives, NGOs etc.
• A State level Steering Committee (SSC) have been
  set up with experts to draft the state curriculum
  framework.
• The SSC supported by 18 State Focused Groups to
  prepare well researched Position Papers.

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State Focus Groups (SFGs)

• Focus Groups have been formulated in eighteen
  areas to develop position papers to guide the
  educational practices.
• 1. Curricular areas
• 1.1 Position paper on Language and Language
  Teaching
• 1.2 Position paper on Teaching of English
• 1.3 Position paper on Science Education
• 1.4 Position paper on Mathematics Education
• 1.5 Position paper on Social Studies Education
• 1.6 Position paper on Habitat and Learning
• 1.7 Position paper on Art Education

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State Focus Groups (SFGs) contd...

• 2. Systemic Reforms
• 2.1 Position paper on Aims of Education
• 2.2 Position paper on Systemic Reforms
• 2.3 Position paper on Teacher Education and
  Teacher Professional Development
• 2.4 Position paper on Assessment of Learning
• 2.5 Position paper on Education technology
• 2.6 Position paper on Curriculum and Textbooks

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State Focus Groups (SFGs) contd...

• 3. State Concerns
• 3.1 Position paper on Diversities S C, ST,
  Minorities, Girls and Inclusive Education
• 3.2 Position paper on Health Education and
  Physical Education
• 3.3 Position paper on Early Childhood Care and
  Education
• 3.4 Position paper on Work and Education
• 3.5 Position paper on Ethics, Values and Human
  Rights

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E. Major Directions of Curriculum Reforms
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Major Directions of Curricular Reforms

• RTE 2009 It focuses on eight factors which
  should be taken into consideration by the SCERT
  as academic authority for the state to lay down
  the curriculum and evaluation procedures.
• The eight factors are
• Conformity with constitutional values
• All-round development of the child
• Building of the childs knowledge, potentiality
  and talent.
• Development of physical and mental abilities to
  the fullest extent
• learning through activities, discovery and
  exploration in a child friendly and child
  centered manner,
• the childs mother tongue serving as far as
  possible as the medium of instruction

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Major Directions - contd...

• Curriculum to address diversities and various
  levels of children as a result of mainstreaming
  of out of school children / dropouts in age
  specific grades.
• making the child free of fear, trauma and anxiety
  and helping the child to express views freely, no
  punishments, child abuse etc.
• Comprehensive and continuous evaluation of
  childs understanding of knowledge and the
  ability to apply it.
• These factors can be deemed to provide a fairly
  comprehensive coverage of the indicators of a
  child centred curricular policy for the school
  education. RTE clearly envisaged to re-examine
  the curriculum keeping the above factors in view.

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Major Directions - contd...

• National Knowledge Commission Recommendations
• Flexibility and autonomy of local level
  management the village panchayats must be given
  with power and autonomy to manage the elementary
  education as the spirit of 73rd 74th
  Constitutional Amendments.
• Management of Private Schools control mechanism
• Focus on Early Childhood Education 0 5 years
  are crucial for learning.
• Administration of School Education Departments
  and accountability.
• Effective mechanism of monitoring the quality of
  schools and schools made accountable primarily to
  the community.
• Social Audit of School Performance.

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Major Directions - contd...

• National Knowledge Commission Recommendations
  contd...
• Strong Mechanisms and programmes for professional
  development of teachers and on job support.
• Improved School leadership for managing schools
• Professional sharing and exchange between the
  schools
• Building of Strong Curriculum Groups and Textbook
  writers and promote curriculum action research.
• Education of marginalized groups, respect of
  diversity and equity.

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Major Directions - contd...

• The National Curriculum Framework for Teacher
  Education 2010 Focus on
• Effective pre-service teacher education
• Strategies for the professional development of
  in-service teachers.
• Focus on research on curriculum implementation
  and studies on programme evaluation.
• Professional ethics and teacher preparation.

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Major Directions of Curriculum Reforms contd

• Learning without burden reducing physical and
  cognitive load.
• Create a warm and encouraging atmosphere in the
  school.
• Ensure more inclusive classroom participation
  through visible and continuous reduction in
  discriminatory classroom practices.
• Uniformity and links between syllabus, textbooks,
  teaching learning, assessment and teacher
  training.
• Formulating academic standards Standards for
  schools, standards for content, standards for
  teaching learning process, teacher performance,
  standards for teacher training, childrens
  learning and learning achievement, standards for
  school management.
• Focus on Human Rights and Values as a part of
  school curriculum.

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Major Directions of Curriculum Changes contd...

• Development of complete person not only cognitive
  but effective, moral, ethical, aesthetic terms.
• Focus on higher order learning with the objective
  of building childrens knowledge, potential and
  talent.
• Learning to be positive values, socialization
  of learners, formation of world outlook and life
  outlook.

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Major Directions of Curriculum Changes contd...

• Full flowering of human potentiality as
  individual learners and tapping talents hidden in
  every person.
• More learner directed activities, projects.
• ICT as a subject and as a tool applied to
  teaching learning in all subjects.
• ICT as educational resource for all learning
  areas and learning to learn.
• Enquiry / exploratory learning as a cross cutting
  principle across curricular subjects.
• Capacity building of teachers and field
  functionaries.

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Major Directions of Curriculum Changes contd...

• Address fully teacher related issues, vacancies,
  absenteeism, non teaching assignments and fix
  accountability for learning outcomes of pupil,
  teacher certification.
• Make DIETs, SCERTs fully functional and
  organically linked with BRC, CRC and NCERT.
• Improved quality in operational terms through
  clearly identified outcome indicators viz.,
  learning levels of students, teacher competence,
  classroom process, teaching learning materials
  etc.

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Major Directions of Curriculum Changes contd...

• Change in the pupil assessment procedures and
  examination reforms.
• Schools self appraisal / evaluation and
  assessment for learning to track children
  learning i.e., formative assessment to improve
  the learning and it is ongoing and a component of
  teaching.
• Assessment of learning which is a summative used
  for certification, standard setting and
  accountability.

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Curriculum Framework, Curriculum Areas

• In addition to traditional subjects i.e.,
  Languages, Mathematics, Science and Social
  Science, other creative areas shall be focused
  i.e., Art Education, Health and Physical
  Education, Education for Value and Peace, Habitat
  and Learning.
• The subjects such as Human Rights / Child Rights,
  disaster management, traffic education, gender
  perspectives, Right to Information Act,
  Environmental Education shall be integrated in to
  curricular subjects.

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G. State Curriculum Frame Work - Perspectives
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State Curriculum Framework Perspective

• The aims of education should never be lost sight
  off. The primary purpose of education is to
  produce rational and responsible citizens who can
  appreciate their heritage and also become agents
  of social change.
• The needs and aspirations of the learner are
  central to the process of curriculum formation.
• There is a certain cognitive sequence in
  learning. The curriculum should be in consonance
  with the cognitive levels of children. The
  curriculum should focus more on the process
  rather than the product.

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State Curriculum Framework Perspective (contd)

• The curriculum should be dynamic. It should not
  be confined to the prescribed textbooks only. It
  must embrace the world outside the school as well
  as the creativity of the child and the teacher.
• Decentralization of all aspects including
  academic work and administration should be at
  heart of all educational activities in the State.
  
• The SCF lays the foundation of a completely fresh
  perspective on the education of children keeping
  their potential to learn at heart of curriculum
  planning.

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SCF - Perspectives

• Understanding assumptions about
• Society Characteristics of Indian Society,
  Political Economy to work with children,
  teachers.
• Assumptions about knowledge What kind of
  knowledge we propose to give to the children in
  the context of diversities Physical, Social,
  Cultural, Geographical etc.
• Assumptions about learning Emphasis of theory
  of construction, child centered pedagogy and
  active learning, multiple intelligence.
• Assumptions about learners Inherent
  potentialities of the child and trust all the
  children learn.

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SCF Perspectives - Learning and Knowledge

• Focuses on the child as an active learner
• Primacy to childrens experiences, their voices
  and their participation
• Need for adults to change their perception of
  children as passive receivers of knowledge
• Children can be active participants in the
  construction of knowledge
• The school should recognize the innate ability of
  each child to construct his/her own knowledge,
  and the fact that every child comes to school
  with a fund of pre-knowledge.
• Therefore children must be encouraged to ask
  questions, relate what they are learning in
  schools to things happening outside and answer in
  their own words rather than by memorizing.
• Local culture specific, traditional
  technologies, literature, products are the source
  of knowledge to be linked to school curriculum.

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SCF Perspectives - Learning and Knowledge
contd...

• Recognizes the need for developing an enabling
  and non-threatening environment
• Emphasizes that gender, caste, class, religion
  and minority status should not constrain
  participation in experiences provided in school
• Highlights the value of interaction with
• environment,
• peers,
• older people to enhance learning
• Learning tasks must be designed to enable
  children to seek out knowledge from sites other
  than textbooks.
• Need therefore to move away from rigid lesson
  planning to planning and designing activities
  that challenge children to think and try out what
  they are learning.

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SCF Perspectives Pedagogical shift

• From Teacher centered to learner centered.
• From Teaching to Learning.
• From Textbook oriented to Experiential oriented.
• From Lecture method to activity based.
• From memorising the knowledge to construction of
  knowledge.
• Cooperative, collaborative and communicative
  classrooms and learning.
• Continuous and comprehensive evaluation become
  part and parcel of learning and recording learner
  development continuously.

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SCF Perspectives Students

• Child is given importance and the curriculum is
  learner centred learning through engagement of
  children in challenging activities, projects.
• Focus on learning environment and on student
  learning outcomes.
• Assessment is continuous and comprehensive, focus
  on assessment for learning, evaluation system
  de-emphasis memory.
• Life skills to be reflected in the competencies.
• Values to be integrated with classroom
  activities.
• Curriculum and textbooks reflecting our
  democratic and secular heritage.
• Medium of instruction shall be in children
  mother tongue as far as possible at elementary
  level.

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SCF Perspectives Students contd...

• Multi Lingual approaches should be applied in
  various subjects.
• Learner centered approach based on constructivism
  in language education and non languages.
• Textbook is treated as one of the many material
  to be used in the classrooms.
• Promotion of thinking process of the child with
  critical pedagogy.
• Focus on learning based on cognitive and social
  construction including multiple intelligences.

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SCF Perspectives Teacher

• Teacher as reflective practitioner and
  collaborative learner.
• Focus on teacher empowerment through self and
  support by system focus on teaching strategies
  and methodologies and understanding the nature of
  subjects.
• Focus on teacher competencies, teaching
  standards.
• Undertaking teacher appraisals
• Focus on improved parent teacher collaborations
  intended process and outcomes.
• Studies on training needs of teachers
• Teachers as Researchers conducting action
  researches and case studies.
• Focus on identification of sources of information
  and using.
• Focus on teacher preparation and active learning
  pedagogies

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SCF Perspectives Teacher contd...

• Teacher role as facilitation and scaffolding.
• Making classroom environment challenging with
  interactive, questioning, discovering and
  deliberating providing opportunities to
  children to construct knowledge.
• To develop teacher capacity in creative arts and
  heritage crafts.
• To develop teacher made test papers and implement
  formative assessment and help child to improve
  learning.
• Use of ICT in classrooms.
• Teachers work collaboratively breaking working in
  isolation and take up whole school based
  programmes.
• To make teachers feel multi grade teaching and
  diversities as advantage rather than limitation.
• Using the technology and assisting devices for
  improved classroom transaction.

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State Curriculum Frame Work - Guiding Principles
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Guiding Principles

• keeping the potential of the child to learn
  always in focus,
• respecting the systems of knowledge such as
  languages children bring to school,
• connecting knowledge to life outside the school
  children should not feel that what they are
  learning at school has no relevance to their
  lives.
• ensuring that learning is shifted away from rote
  methods and the focus should be on interactions,
  project work, analysis etc.
• enriching the curriculum to provide for overall
  development of children rather than remain
  textbook centric.

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Guiding Principles (contd.)

• making examinations more flexible and integrated
  into classroom life more focus on assessment for
  learning than assessment of learning,
• promoting social constructivism, issue-based
  curriculum and critical pedagogy across
  curricular areas,
• nurturing towards flora and fauna and respect for
  bio-diversity and social diversity, respect to
  the work shall be promoted as a part of school
  curriculum.
• locating classroom practices in the languages and
  cultures of children.

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Development of Syllabi and Textbooks Key
Principles

• Development of syllabi and textbooks based on the
  following considerations
• Appropriateness of topics and themes for relevant
  stages of childrens development
• Continuity from one level to the next
• Pervasive resonance of the values enshrined in
  the Constitution of India in the organization of
  knowledge in all subjects
• Inter-disciplinary and thematic linkages between
  topics listed for different school subjects,
  which fall under discrete disciplinary areas

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contd...

• Linkages between school knowledge in different
  subjects and childrens everyday experiences
• Infusion of environment related knowledge and
  concern in all subjects and at all levels
• Sensitivity to gender, caste and class parity,
  peace, health and needs of children with
  disabilities
• Integration of work related attitudes and values
  in every subject and at all levels
• Need to nurture aesthetic sensibility and values

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contd...

• Linkage between school and college syllabi avoid
  overlapping.
• Using the potential of media and new information
  technology in all subjects.
• Encouraging flexibility and creativity in all
  areas of knowledge and its construction by
  children.
• Convergence and partnership with NGOs and
  National level institutions / universities in
  sharing good practices.

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Future Steps - Finalization of State Curriculum
Frame Work and Development of textbooks
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Future StepsA) finalizing the State Curriculum
Frame Work

• Keeping the draft State Curriculum Framework,
  position papers, Syllabus and Academic Standards
  in the web site of SCERT and inviting public
  comments.
• Conducting workshops at regional / districts
  level in the DIET to discuss on the curriculum
  framework and inviting suggestions /
  modifications.
• consolidation of suggestions and recommendations
  across different sources and place before the
  focused groups and steering committee for
  discussion and incorporation of appropriate
  suggestions and keep ready final versions of
  SCF-2011, Position Papers, syllabus, Academic
  Standards etc.,
• Convening the meeting of State Advisory Committee
  Meeting on Curricular Reforms and finalization of
  SCF-2011, Position Papers, Syllabus and Academic
  Standards.

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Future Steps Revision of Textbooks

• Revising the existing textbooks classes I and
  II textbooks were revised during 2010-11 and
  introduced in the academic year of 2011-12.
• Revision of Textbooks for classes III, VI and VII
  during 2011 and the new textbooks are to be
  introduced during the academic year of 2012-13.
• Revising the textbooks classes IV, VIII and IX
  during 2012 and introducing the new textbooks
  during 2013-14.
• Revising the textbooks of class V and X during
  2013 and introducing the new textbooks during
  2014-15.
• Developing teacher manuals and appropriate
  teaching learning material on State Curriculum
  Framework and new textbooks and orientation to
  the teacher before introducing the new syllabus
  and textbooks.
• undertaking studies on curriculum implementation
  and reviews for improved practices and support.
• Capacity building of field functionaries on the
  effective implementation of curriculum and on
  providing on job support.

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Capacity Building of Textbook Writers

• Formulating subject specific curriculum groups
  and their capacity building for the development
  of syllabus, textbooks and related reforms in
  collaboration with National level institutions /
  experts viz., NCERT, RIE, Mysore, RIESI,
  Bangalore, Homibaba Centre for Science Education
  Mumbai, Eklavya Madya Pradesh, EFLU Hyderabad,
  Central University Hyderabad, Vidyabhavan Society
  Udaipur, State Universities etc.

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• The day will come when Nations will be judged not
  by their military or economic strengths, not by
  the splendor of their capital cities and public
  buildings.
• But by the well being of their peoples by their
  levels of health, nutrition and education. But by
  their opportunities to each a fair reward for
  their labours. By their ability to participate in
  the decisions that affect their lives, by the
  respect that is shown for their civil and
  political liberties, by the provision that is
  made for those who are vulnerable and
  disadvantaged and by the protection i.e.,
  offered to the growing minds bodies of their
  children (UNICEF Progress of Nations 1998).
• And also the care concern and compassion the
  people shows towards flora and fauna around them
  and respect, observe the bio-diversity and social
  diversities and feel committed to take forward
  this beautiful earth to the future generations.

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• Thank you