The Progressive School Vol 02 Issue 04

for both the world of work and success in
life. The pedagogy should address deeper
learning and foster higher order thinking
skills. The pedagogy needs to be changed
to make the learner to communicate and
collaborate and not to be a passive listener.
Deep understanding and actionability
for the real world will occur only by
embedding skills within the knowledge
domain such that each enhances the other.
Emotional stability and health education
are to be factored in the school curriculum.
The in-service education for the
teachers should reflect the above and to
make students equip for future challenges,
we need to give them a voice (i.e) they have
to be responsible for their likes and choices.
The goals of education and of a school
should aim to synthesize and contribute
on why skills matter and which skills
are important for learning and future
outcomes.
TPS: Many schools believe that
provision of informal support to
learning for extended and impactful
learning comes with the cost which
parents cannot afford and hence find
it convenient to marginalize them.
Is there a scope for integrating such
learning experiences with curricular
architecture and how do you think
this can be done?
Uma: According to me, it’s a myth that
quantum of learning is directly proportional
to the cost of learning materials. The
curriculum design of a school should create
learning outcomes and learning objectives
to match the learning environment
without compromising the standards.
Mapping the available resources with
the curriculum will be an added value to
provide significant learning experiences.
Seminars, study sessions, workshops
provide opportunities for the students to
meet the standards. Retaining teachers
with such skills who care about the
subject, their learners and about teaching
and learning will be productive for the
organization. Usage of active learning, the
system of feedback that promotes impactful
learning, interaction with the students,
www.progressiveschool.in
Uma Ramesh
challenging students to make progress
in learning could be considered in the
curricular design of the school. A mindset
is required to thoughtfully integrate
various disciplines that provide a strong
foundation in conceptual understanding
and optimizing the usage of resources.
TPS: Learning beyond” is fundamental
to “Learning always” and“Life long
learning.” It is development of a
mindset and attitude to learning
which is required for a vibrant
knowledge society and a global
learning environment. How can this
idea be seeded in the young mind
which would trigger them to be
powerful “Self learners”?
Uma: Children come to school with an
open mind and willing to learn. The
schools should foster and strengthen this
predisposition and ensure that young adults
leave the school with the motivation and
capacity to continue learning throughout
life. To do this, the school should establish
the goals, to persevere, to monitor their
learning progress, to adjust the learning
strategies as necessary and to overcome
difficulties in learning in the big picture of
the curriculum map. Students interest to be
fostered and positive attitude towards the
subject to be reflected in the curriculum.
As the majority of students, learning
time is spent in school, the climate of
the school is important for the creation of
“Learning beyond,” and effective learning
environment. Learning beyond always
kindles the curiosity of the child and some
of the non-cognitive outcomes of schooling
that serves the purpose of education. The
concept of personalized learning and
individual learning targets are the force
behind learning which steers the plan of
the curriculum.
TPS: In a world haunted by technology,
most learners spent their time with
the instruments of technology for
further and extended learning. What
are its advantages and shortfalls?
How do you think this mindset can be
changed to a positive and personalized
interactive social learning culture?
Uma: “We are living in the world where
technology almost surpass humanity,”
said Albert Einstein. Use of these hi-tech
mechanizations hinders the steps of
learning and also demolishes the creativity
and thinking skills of learners. The learners
are misguided by wrong information
available that become a serious obstacle in
their development. The click of a mouse has
the power to control everything and makes
the learners lazy and disconnected from
the real world. Students use technology
in place of handwriting which slows
down the writing skill and thinking
processes. Though e-books are handy
and eco-friendly, replacing books with
e-books causes eye strain and are not
cost effective at times. On the other hand,
technology should be fused with the
method of teaching to make learners’ brain
working instead of being totally dependent
on them. If used appropriately, it has
the great potential to enhance students’
achievement and teachers learning. The
new software and applications which
are interactive could be used to create
environment in which students can learn
by doing, receive feedback and continually
refine their understanding and build new
knowledge. Bringing exciting curricula
based on real world problems by providing
scaffolds and tools to enhance learning will
provide expanding opportunities for the
teacher and the taught. Create an active
environment in which students not only
solve problems and also find their own
problems/queries could be done through
appropriate software. For example in a
banking simulation, students assume
roles, such as vice president of a bank
and learn about the knowledge and skills
needed to perform various duties.
JUL-AUG-SEP 2018
THE PROGRESSIVE SCHOOL
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