Kaur, Gurjeet. (2016). CURRICULAR INTENTIONS, TEACHER’S COMPREHENSION AND TRANSACTION OF CONTEMPORARY EVS TEXT BOOKS: A STUDY. Unpublished. ERIC, Education

Objectives of the study:

The main objective of the study is :

• To examine the teacher’s understanding and implementation of EVS textbooks in light of their curricular intention.

This broad objective may be achieved through the following sub objectives.

• To study the curricular objectives of EVS as stated in the syllabus.

• To observe the transaction of the EVS textbook by the teachers.

• To understand the teachers comprehension of the intended curriculum.

• To analyze the role of teachers as the crucial mediating link between the intended and the transacted curriculum.

• To identify the gaps, if any, in intended, comprehended and transacted curriculum.

• To analyze the reasons for these gaps.

• To reflect and suggest measures for addressing these gaps.

Research Question:

How closely does the teacher’s understanding and implementation of EVS textbooks align with the curricular intention?

Sample

The sample consisted of 5+1 (in one of the schools only four observations could be carried out) school of Delhi and 6 teachers.

Tools used:

• Interview schedule for the advisor and authors.

• Interview schedule for the teachers.

• Classroom observations.

Methodology:

The study was analytical in nature and followed the following broad steps:

• Curricular objectives as stated in the NCERT syllabus were studied.

• Authors and the advisors of this book were interviewed to understand the philosophical backdrop of these books.

• Based on the above two steps, a template highlighting the various aspects of classroom transaction was developed.

• A template was similarly developed that highlighted the various aspects of the textbooks whose comprehension among teachers was to be ascertained.

• 100 EVS classes of 6 different schools were observed.

• 6 teachers were interviewed regarding their understanding and assessment of the various aspects of the textbook.

• The data collected was reflected upon to understand any gaps in intention, transaction and comprehension of these textbooks.

Statistical techniques:

Percentage analysis

Findings:

Findings related to curricular transaction have been written school wise and sum up teacher’s general transactional pattern based on the 20 observations. Findings related to teachers comprehension are based on the interviews of all teachers and try to make a general comment about teacher’s understanding of the various aspects of the text book.

1. Transaction of class V EVS textbook- school and Teacher wise.

Observations were conducted in 6 schools and 7 teachers. In one school only 4 classes could be observed due to teacher reluctance and circumstantial hindrances.

1. S. D. M. C. Primary Boys School

1. Teacher spoke more than the students on 18 days but there was not too wide a gap between the number of times students and teacher spoke on any given day.

2. The board was used by the teacher on 16 days but only on two days was it used more than once. Students used the board on two days.

3. Student read out the text on 20 days and teacher on 9 days.

4. Students asked questions on three days.

5. Activity was carried out in class on two days and once it was given as homework. A globe was shown on one occasion and solubility of various materials in water was demonstrated on another.

6. Space for children to express their ideas was provided on 14 days.

7. No community resources were accessed.

8. Sensitives were addressed on 6 occasions. These pertained to conservation of water, respect for heritage and environment, feeling of sympathy for those who are different from you, accepting diversity of language and gender was dealt with twice.

9. Transaction style: Students are generally made to read out the text. Hands-on activities are not frequent and when performed they are teacher centric with children being observers. There is reasonable space for expression of children's ideas. Sensitives are addressed occasionally.

2. S. D. M. C. Primary Girls Model School

1. Teachers spoke more than the students on 15 days but there was not too wide a gap between the number of times students and teachers spoke on any given day.

2. The board was used by the teacher on 14 days and on eight days it was used more than once. Students did not use the board on observed days.

3. Students read out the text on 12 days and teacher on 4 days.

4. Students asked questions on three days.

5. Activity was carried out in class on two days, including a nukkad natak performed in the community and once it was given as homework.

6. Space for children to express their ideas was provided on 12 days.

7. Sensitives were addressed on 6 occasions. These pertained to cleanliness, health and hygiene, respect for heritage and monuments, environment conservation on two occasions and ethical treatment of animals on two occasions but rationale was human centric.

8. There was one interdisciplinary reference.

9. Transaction style: Students are generally made to read out the text. Hands-on activities are rare. Students ideas are encouraged and sensitivities are addressed.

3. Government aided Senior Secondary School

1. Teacher spoke more than the students on 20 days but there was not too wide a gap between the number of times students and teacher spoke on any given day.

2. The board was used by the teacher on 12 days and on five days it was used more than once. Students used the board once during the observations.

3. Teacher read out the text on all 20 days and students did not read at all.

4. Students asked questions on seven occasions on five days.

5. Activity was carried out in class on five days and once it was given as home work.

6. Space for children to express their ideas was provided on 18 days and a substantial number of students participated.

7. Community resources were not used.

8. Sensitivities were addressed on 4 occasions. These pertained to water conservation, protection of heritage and monuments, resource environment conservation and ethical treatment of animals.

9. There was no interdisciplinary reference

10. Transaction style ; Teacher reads the text, explains and discusses, Activities are performed but they are teacher. There is ample space for expression of children's ideas. Sensitivities are addressed occasionally. There are frequent references to popular culture- films, serials etc.

4. Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Directorate of Education, Delhi (Days observed- 16)

1. Teacher spoke more than the students on 5 days.

2. The board was used by the teacher on 14 days and on 10 days it was used more than once. Students did not use the board on observed days.

3. Teacher read out the text on all 14 days and students did not read at all.

4. Students asked questions once.

5. Activity was carried out in class on five days.

6. Space for children to express their ideas was provided on one day.

7. Community resources were not used.

8. Sensitivities were addressed on 6 occasions. These pertained to environment conservation on two occasions and gender concerns on four.

9. There was one interdisciplinary reference.

10. Transaction style: teacher reads the text and explains. student’s responses are invited but not attended too.

5. Kendriya Vidyalaya (class V A- No of days this particular teacher was observed-11)

1. Teacher spoke more than the students on 5 days and both spoke equally on two days.

2. The board was used by the teacher on 11 days and five days. It was used more than once. Students use of blackboard was observed on one day.

3. Teacher and students did not explicitly read out the text on any of the observed days.

4. Student(s) asked questions on eight occasions on five days.

5. Activity was carried out in class on five days.

6. Space for children to express was provided on 5 days.

7. Community resources were not used.

8. Sensitivities were addressed on 3 occasions. These pertained to environment conservation respect and protection of heritage and monuments and gender concerns.

9. There was one interdisciplinary reerence.

10. Transaction style : Teachers and students discuss the text. Explicit line by line reading is not carried out. There is fair amount of ICT incorporation with videos and ppts being used. Students are invited to share and discuss. Children's ideas are built upon on occasions.

6. Kendriya Vidyalaya (class V B- No of days this particular teacher was observed-08)

1. Teacher and students spoke nearly equally on all 8 days.

2. The board was used by the teacher on 4 days and the use was extensive. Student use of blackboard was observed on one day.

3. Teacher did not explicitly read out the text on any of the observed days. Students read out from text book on one day.

4. Student(s) asked questions on eight occasions on five days.

5. Activity was carried out in class on four days.

6. Space for children to express their own ideas was not provided.

7. Community resources were not used.

8. Sensitivity was addressed on one occasion. This pertained to respect and protection of heritage and monuments.

9. There was no interdisciplinary reference.

10. Transaction style : Teachers and students discuss the text. Explicit line by line reading is not carried out. There is fair amount of ICT incorporation with videos and ppts being used. Students are invited to share and discuss

7. Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Directorate of Education, Delhi (No of days this particular teacher was observed-04)

1. Teacher spok for considerably longer period than students on all 4 days.

2. The board was used by the teacher on 2 days and the use was minimal.

3. Teacher read out the text on 3 days and students read out from text book on one day.

4. Students did not ask any question on any of the four days.

5. Activity was carried out in class on two days in which pictures of trees, step wells and paper cut outs of old coins were shown.

6. Space for children to express their own ideas was not provided.

7. Community resources were not used.

8. There were no sensitivities addressed.

9. There was no interdisciplinary reference.

2. Teachers comprehension of class V EVS textbook.

Individual teachers were interviewed regarding their understanding of the various aspects of the textbook.

• Conceptual comprehension

5 of the 6 teachers interviewed correctly identified “importance of water”, “water shortage”, “water conservation”, judicious use of natural resources as central themes of the chapter while one remarked that it was an SST chapter thereby implying that there were no science' concepts that she could identify. Four teachers identified mountaineering, camps, camping, leadership, courage, dealing with challenges etc. as themes addressed in the chapter “Up You Go”. One teacher who said that the chapter was about different places in North India like J&K, probably confused it with another chapter. One teacher was of the view that the chapter had no content, only social message. Five of six teachers mentioned gender disparity and stereotyping as understandings communicated through the chapter “Across the wall”. One of them even added excellence in sports as an underlying theme. One teacher commented that the chapter dealt with Social Studies, implying that there were no EVS concepts that could be identified. In the context of the chapter, what if it finishes themes like pollution, limited availability of fuels, degradation of natural resources, judicious use of fuels were mentioned by four teachers. One commented that it was an SST chapter and quite general but some issues are covered and one said that he had not done the chapter yet intending to clarify why he was not in a position to talk about the content. Issues like sympathy, development vs. displacement, migration, poverty, rural vs. city life were identified in the chapter ‘No Place for Us' by three teachers while three confessed that they did not know what the chapter was about. In the chapter When the earth shook' five teachers identified 'Dos and Don'ts during earthquake, precautions to be taken, sympathy and helpfulness as the major themes. Interestingly one teacher mentioned global warming, possibly confusing this chapter with some other.

• Identification of process skills

None of the teachers were at the outset aware of the term ‘process skill’. On being explained however there were two who meaning fully responded. Their responses comprised the following- observation, inquiring, classification, identification, learning by doing and experimentation.

• Appreciation of pedagogic stance

To gauge teacher’s appreciation of the pedagogical stance of the book one would need to understand their transaction of the text book along various dimensions:

1. Use of teaching learning material

Two teacher’s said that they did not ‘always use’ TLM. Two said that they did but did not elaborate. There were two who said that they mostly used audio visual aids like power point presentations.

2. Feasibility of the textbook activities

The question was raised in the specific context of the chapter ‘ A treat for mosquitoes’. Five of the six teachers commented that it was feasible to carry out all the activities. One of them even said that textbook was not sufficient and one had to give examples from outside (of textbook). One teacher shared that he did not do surveys and that he had tried it once but there were complaints from students. He added that one has to realise that the stuff (students) they get is poor.

3. Appreciation of EVS as a composite discipline

One teacher found the reference to Dandi March in the chapter Experiments with water confusing and felt that it should have been given separately. Other 5 teachers could make the linkage between separation of salt from water as the key idea being placed in the context of Dandi March. One of them made an interesting comment that the reference made her realize how a thing as small as salt could lead to big revolutions.

4. Understanding of narratives as pedagogic devices

To find out the teachers' understood the intent of the narratives provided in the textbook they were asked to elaborate on what they thought was the purpose of three life episodes in the textbook- i) Al Biruni's - One teacher confessed that she could not recall what the narrative was about. The rest identified the episode as talking about water conservation practices of ancient India and acquaint students with history. One of them felt that it included 'too much detail". ii)Scientist peeps into mosquito's stomach- one teacher expressed unfamiliarity with the episode. One felt that the example was relevant but too high above the 'level' of students. The rest four found it useful as it gave an opportunity to children to learn more about Ronald Ross and cure for malaria. Of these four, three used the word interesting' to describe the purpose of including this example. ii) Sunita in Space.- All the teachers identified gravity and space experiences as the key ideas being communicated. One teacher observed that the episode was written as if one was directly speaking to Sunita. Another shared that she didn 't have to do it because she had already shown a film on gravity to her students. Interestingly, one of the teachers commented that inclusion of Sunita’s account was justified because theirs was a girl’s school.

5. Incorporation of picture reading as a pedagogical exercise

Teachers were questioned about the understanding communicated by the picture which showed people getting water from different sources. One teacher seemed unfamiliar with the picture and its purpose. All the other five teachers mentioned that the picture was about sources of water. The elaborations comprised different ideas- pictures showed the difficulty faced by people in accessing water, children learn better from pictures, children can relate the concept to their daily lives. One teacher said that she carried forward the concept by asking students to conduct a class survey as to how children from different localities got water.

6. Pedagogical purpose of including children’s ideas

In the specific context of the children's conversation given in the beginning of chapter 'Sunita in Space, teachers were queried about its purpose and use. One teacher felt that the conversation was 'senseless' and another felt that there was no need for it. Two teachers felt that it helped children understand better. One teacher commented that the conversation aroused the curiosity of children and one opined that it created a kind of backdrop for the chapter and set children’s thoughts in motion.

7. Need to refer to teacher’s notes

Given at various points in boxes in the textbook ,are certain directions for the teachers which cue them about the purpose and pedagogical intent of particular chapters. Teachers were asked about these to see whether or not they made an effort to navigate their transaction in the desirable direction. While two teachers showed unfamiliarity, one shared that he found them helpful. Two teachers found them useful in some cases and one teacher found these notes 'very helpful'.

• Accessing resource other than the textbook to prepare for teaching

Two teachers cited the length of their experience to justify that there really was no need for them to take help but one of them shared that she did it out of hobby'. one teacher said that she drew on her own experiences. Three teachers mentioned internet(google) as helpful resource. One said that she used books from the library

• Incorporation of all the textbook tasks

One teacher said that she was able to incorporate all the activities of the textbook. Four said that they could not do all of them citing time constraint, vastness of syllabus and lack of material as reasons. Interestingly one teacher shared that she had to hunt for matter in the textbook and that it lacked content.

• Suggestions for improvement

All the teachers expressed that the syllabus was too vast and there was a need to cut down on chapters. There was a multiplicity of opinions in this regard : concepts like hemoglobin are far above the level of students and should not be included; some chapters could be dropped and some merged; length of chapters needs to be reduced. Three of the teachers specifically said that activities like surveys or of the find out' type should be reduced or avoided. Two teachers said that the chapters were not coherent and there were sudden conceptual jumps and digressions. One teacher was of the view that EVS was essentially related to Science and this should be reflected in textbook. One suggestion was that considering the issues of contemporary Indian society, there should be one chapter on communal harmony.

Keyword(s): Curricular Intention, Curricular Comprehension, Curricular Transaction