The Journal of Indian Education is a peer reviewed periodical published in May, August, November and February by the National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi. The NCERT encourages original and critical thinking in education. The JIE provides a forum for teachers, teacher educators, educational administrators and researchers through presentation of novel ideas, critical appraisals of contemporary educational problems and views and experiences on improved educational practices. Its aims include thought-provoking articles, challenging discussions, analysis, challenges of educational issues, book reviews and other related features.
A Learning Community of Reflective Teachers
PM SHRI Transforming India’s Education Landscape through Excellence and Innovation
Indian education system is evolving throughout its journey since independence. Over the period, landmark initiatives taken up by the Government become the benchmark for many developing countries. However, some issues and challenges still persists that need to be addressed. The paper critically examines the existing structure of India’s education system, focusing on its key challenge to achieve equitable and quality education. Constraints that hamper effective functioning and achievement of desired outcomes, such as inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortage, outdated curricula, rote learning methods and regional disparities in access to education are explored in detail. Despite continuous efforts to reform the system taken up from time-to-time, like policy interventions and expansion of educational coverage, many challenges persist, particularly in ensuring student engagement, fostering critical thinking and bridging the digital divide. This paper aims to understand the systemic bottlenecks that hindered the holistic development of students, and hastened the progress toward achieving desired goals and targeted outcomes. While the need for comprehensive reforms, which paved the way for new policy frameworks like the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the path breaking initiative like PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) standing up to the challenges posed in 21st century challenges, such as infrastructure gaps, digital divides, and disparities in learning outcomes across rural and urban areas. This paper highlights how PM SHRI schools are set to redefine the learning experience through modern pedagogical approaches, eco-friendly infrastructure and a stronger emphasis on foundational literacy and numeracy skills. Additionally, the paper evaluates the programme’s potential to foster holistic development, integrate skill-based education and promote equity by enhancing access to quality education for underserved communities aligning with the national goals of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020
Portrayal of Weaker Sections in Secondary Level School Textbook of English
Textbooks can have a significant impact on how a certain social groups is portrayed through both literary and visuals means. To help students comprehend the needs and reality of every people, public institutions must provide a realistic and non-judgemental image of all in their curriculum. The current study set out to locate and evaluate, how the English textbook which is utilised for the CBSE Board, portrays the weaker sections of the Indian society. Using coding–based categories, a content analysis of the text and visuals from a sample textbook was carried out. The three main categories that steer the analysis are—socially disadvantaged populations, people with disabilities and gender identities. When we looked at the textbook, we saw that majority of the chapters were focused on men as compare to females and features just one disabled character in the textbook. The textbook comprises a chapters on poverty like chapter of 5 ‘The Snake and the Mirror’ by V. M. Basheer (Bechive, 2006 pg 56) where the narrator is a poor homeopath doctor with little money that comes under socially disadvantaged populations. Suggestions were also mentioned in the study for improvement of the textbooks.
Adolescent Well-being under Siege The Burden of Academic Stress
Academic stress is a prevalent issue among students at various educational levels, significantly impacting their mental and physical well-being. Understanding the sources, consequences, and coping mechanisms associated with academic stress is crucial for developing effective interventions. This study aims to identify the primary factors of academic stress in Adolescents. A sample of 350 adolescents was taken and Confirmatory Factor analysis was conducted using PLS SEM. The findings revealed that major sources of academic stress include heavy workload, pressure from study, high expectations from self, worry about grades and despondency. The effects of academic stress manifested as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, suicidal thoughts and decreased academic performance. Academic stress is a multifaceted issue that significantly affects students’ mental health and academic success.
This article is based on primary data collected in Delhi Government schools that point towards gendered practices and processes within the schools, and how the teachers navigate and negotiate with them. The school represents the microcosm of the society, and presents its own version of private and public spheres, within which the female and male teachers find themselves getting segregated, in terms of duties, responsibilities and key expectations. Through in-depth interviews and discussions with teachers across two government schools in Delhi, this study aims to highlight that the gendered structure, system and norms within a school, decided and actioned upon by the teachers, impact them as well as their worldview. The school cultures at both schools were found to reflect the inherent biases of the society, and creates a version of private and public spheres within the institutions that govern the interactions between the teachers and the spaces as well as their professional outcomes.
Assessing the Organisational Climate for Secondary School Teachers Based on Gender and Locality of School
Assessing variety of aspects that contribute to the overall work environment and culture of the school is necessary when evaluating the organisational climate for secondary school teachers. Main objectives are to assess the quality of organisational climate and compare for secondary school teachers with respect to various components based on gender and locality of school. In this descriptive study, with the application of mixed method research design a total of 403 teachers have been considered as sample from the population of secondary school teachers in West Bengal, randomly. Mean, SD, t-test and SPSS-20.0 version for quantitative analysis and convergent parallel method has been used to analyse the qualitative data. There is no significant difference with respect to gender (t-value=0.663, P=0.508>0.05) and locality (t-value=0.726, P=0.468>0.05) to their organisational climate. Male teachers have better knowledge of leadership, and organisational structure and design; and female teachers are found to be better in interpersonal relations and member quality; and also rural school teachers are better at member quality, and organisational structure, and design while urban school teachers are better at knowledge about interpersonal relations and leadership among different components of organisational climate
A Framework for Socio-scientific Issue based Pedagogy
Socio-scientific Issues (SSI) based pedagogy has been internationally recognised as one of the most effective pedagogical strategies to ensure meaningful engagement of learners in science education discourse so as to promote scientific literacy. SSIs are real life contextual scientific issues which are often open-ended, and can be controversial involving multiple viewpoints stemming from the social, political, economic, ethical and environmental perspectives. SSI not only promotes scientific literacy but also critical thinking, socio-scientific reasoning as well as other 21st century skills in learners across all grades and stages. However, SSI based approach is not easy as the teacher needs to be aware of the complexity of issues and should also have the ability to bring in the multiple perspectives so as to enable the learners to comprehend and appreciate various dimensions. In this backdrop, the present paper discusses the importance and possibilities of positioning SSI in pre-service science teacher preparation. Insights developed from a designbased intervention in pre-service teacher education are discussed. In order to promote preservice science teacher’s socio-scientific reasoning, an SSI based module was designed and implemented. Delving into the analysis of this pedagogical approach of engaging pre-service teachers in SSI, a framework for SSI based pedagogy in science classroom at all levels is proposed. Four aspects of this framework designed by the authors—SSI unit, teacher, learner and the learning environment are elaborated.
Remote Learning, Academic Stress and Mental Health of Learners
This comprehensive review explores the psychological consequences of remote learning on students’ mental health, with a focus on the broader implications of remote education beyond the context of COVID-19. Drawing from established psychological theories, the review highlights the challenges students face in remote learning environments. It identifies isolation and loneliness as key factors affecting emotional well-being, increased screen time as a contributor to psychological stress and the absence of traditional social interactions impacting social well-being. The review emphasises the importance of recognising and addressing these challenges, and provides strategies to foster mental health support, social connectedness and proactive self-regulation in remote learning. It concludes by advocating for a holistic approach to education that prioritises both academic success and the well-being of students in remote learning environments.
Prosocial Behaviour and Mental Well-being of Higher Secondary School Students
This study explores the correlation between prosocial behaviour and mental well-being among higher secondary school students, aiming to understand how acts like helping, sharing and cooperating influence the psychological health of individuals in this pivotal developmental stage. It seeks to assess the levels of prosocial behaviour and mental well-being among higher secondary school students while examining the disparities across various categorical variables, such as gender, school location and academic stream. A sample of 200 Government-aided higher secondary school students aged between 15 to 18 years participated in the study, drawn from North and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal. Employing a survey methodology, the study utilised two scales, i.e., Prosocial Behaviour Scale and the Mental Well-being Scale developed by the researchers themselves. The study revealed significant disparities in prosocial behaviour based on gender and school location as well as variations in mental well-being concerning these factors. Crucially, the research uncovered a statistically significant positive correlation between prosocial behaviour and mental well-being among higher secondary school students, highlighting the importance of fostering prosocial behaviours to enhance students’ psychological health.
Associate Professor, NSS Training College, Ottapalam, Palakkad, Kerala
The effect of concept mapping strategy on learning outcome in Geography of Class IX students was investigated. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test control group design was adapted. Two Government-sponsored bengali medium schools in Kolkata were selected randomly. The experimental group (n=40) and the control group (n=40) were assigned randomly. The sample for this study consisted of 80 students of Class IX. The Learning Outcome Test with a reliability coefficient of 0.75 and a validity coefficient of 0.86 developed by the researcher was used for collecting the data. For analysing the data, one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and 2×2 factorial design ANCOVA were employed. The findings of the study showed that the experimental group students achieved higher learning outcome in comparison to the control group students. Further, finding of this study also revealed that there was no significant effect of interaction between treatment and type of family on students’ learning outcome in Geography, when pre-learning outcome was considered as a covariate. Therefore, it can be recommended that concept mapping strategy might be incorporated in teaching-learning of Geography as well as in other school subjects at different grades for enhancing learning outcomes
Cultural Sensitivity among Tamil Linguistic Minority Students
Education plays a key role in increasing cultural sensitivity by teaching students to be aware of different cultures, traditions and perspectives. To gain insight into how students from the Tamil linguistic minority group interact with and appreciate different cultures, their cultural sensitivity needs to be studied. In the pursuit of investigating the research problem, a simple random sampling technique was employed to select participants within the Kerala. The sample for the present study consisted of 200 Tamil linguistic minority students. A survey Methodology was employed, and statistical analyses, including percentages, means, standard deviations and t-tests were conducted to evaluate the hypotheses. The study reveals that Tamil linguistic minority students possess different levels of cultural sensitivity, and also that there exists significant difference in the mean scores of cultural sensitivities to gender, locale and type of management of schools. To improve cultural sensitivity among Tamil language minority students, targeted educational programmes should be implemented, intercultural interactions should be promoted and diverse perspectives should be included in the curriculum
Achieving Sustainable Development through the Study of Geography
The Agenda 2030 of Sustainable Development (SD) identifies quality education as its fourth agenda towards reaching SD. This has added an enhanced emphasis on education, which aims towards sustainability. Education, which is regarded not only as means to achieve other goals but also an end in itself, has overarching impact on the well-being of individuals. Study of geography, armed with pedagogy and technological intervention fulfils the agenda four and covers many of the agendas identified towards reaching SD. These include no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, gender equality, and clean water and sanitation, etc. This paper, therefore, tries to bring forward the role of education in general and the study of geography in particular, in reaching out to these goals. The paper attempts to discover the manner in which various concepts of SD can be incorporated in the learning-teaching of geography, primarily at school level. An analysis of the NCERT’s curriculum on the education on SD has also been attempted. An attempt has also been made to devise a course plan and pedagogical integration of the idea of SD at various stages of education to form a synergy with the real world.
Issues in Curriculum and Pedagogical Practices in Madarsa under Modernisation Programme
Before the arrival of colonial education, madarsa system of education along with the indigenous system of education flourished well in India. However, the repercussion of the revolt of 1857 gave a serious setback to madarsa education. After India gained independence the secular nature of the state led to the establishment of secular system of education in India. Though Muslims can access the secular schools as well, sometimes madarsas can be the only educational option available to muslim children especially those belonging to the marginalised community. Many of the previous researchers pertaining to the review of muslim education in India have highlighted the fact that the children of the educationally backward muslim community attend maktabs, madarsas and darul-ulooms with very little participation in the national mainstream education system. These religious institutions to a larger extent provide religious teaching. In order to provide them access to education in modern subjects, the Union Government has been implementing the scheme of even Madarsa Modernisation Programme (MMP) since the 1990s. Unfortunately, even after such a long time, madarsa graduates cannot compete with the students of mainstream education (with a few exceptions). This investigative paper tends to explore those curricular issues and pedagogical practices, which are prevalent in madarsa education that create hurdle in the educational development of the students studying in these madarsas. For the study of the pedagogical practices inside madrasa, the researcher conducted classroom observations in one of the Government-aided madarsa in Varanasi city registered under Madarsa Modernisation Programme and to study the issues in curriculum of madarsas, content analysis of the curriculum framework of Uttar Pradesh Madarsa Board of Education in the light of National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 has been done.
Digital Inequity and Knowledge Divide among Intersectional Identities
In the 21st century, the development, distribution, and utilisation of knowledge are crucial and digital equity is a prerequisite to building an egalitarian knowledge society. Nearly 9 per cent of students enrolled in any course had access to a computer with the internet, according to NSS data. Only 25 per cent of the total number of registered students had access to the internet via any type of gadget. More than 40 per cent of students in the Northeast region of India were devoid of any digital tools to attend online classes during COVID-19, according to the NAS report 2021. According to ‘India Inequality Report 2022: Digital Divide’ released by NGO Oxfam India, barely one-third of Internet users are women. The existing global digital inequity widens the knowledge divide between the haves and have-nots. As a result, sociotechnical discrepancies are often magnified leading to the emergence of diverse forms of social exclusion, marginalisation and vulnerabilities. Intersectional discrimination acknowledges social disadvantages result from the intersection of multiple social identities. The purpose of the study is to reveal the variations in digital accessibility across different intersectional identities and identify the potential barriers in our schools and society that impede students’ legitimate digital access. The study has indicated that access to digital infrastructure and devices has created a significant disparity between students from different socio-economic and caste groups, making online learning difficult for many.
Student-Teachers’ Perspectives on Bilingual Education and Resources
This research study explores student-teachers’ perspectives on bilingual education and the availability of hindi-english resource materials for the Bachelor of Education programme at the University of Lucknow. Using a qualitative, exploratory case study approach, the study involves a purposive sample of twenty student-teachers (10 preferring hindi for exams and 10 preferring english), six university teachers, and three booksellers in Lucknow. The findings reveal mixed responses among participants, with some student teachers viewing bilingual teaching as supportive, while others perceive limitations due to the unsatisfactory quality of teaching. The study highlighted the scarcity of updated, high-quality hindi resource materials and the use of guides or kunji by student-teachers. The biases of a few university teachers toward the english language are also found in the study. The empirical evidence suggests that various assessment methods are required as it is significant to focus on student-teachers’ thoughts and dispositions, integrating bilingual teaching approaches to strengthen teacher education programmes. The study concluded that there is a need to prepare the ‘bilingual teacher preparation programme as a linguistic model’ for university teachers and student-teachers.
Needs Analysis for Incorporating Translanguaging in EMI/ELT Classrooms Exploring Multiculturalism in NEP 2020
This paper investigates ‘Translanguaging’ in English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and English Language Teaching (ELT) classrooms. With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, this study reflects on translanguaging and investigates its implications for multilingual education. A needs analysis involving 177 participants from central universities in North India assesses student attitudes, preferences, and challenges related to translanguaging. The findings reveal positive student reception, emphasising benefits in comprehension, inclusivity and cultural exchange. Despite challenges, respondents express a favourable stance, advocating for selective translanguaging. The study contributes to ongoing discussions on inclusive language pedagogies, cultural awareness and transformative approaches aligned with NEP-2020 goals. It highlights the potential of translanguaging to reshape language education paradigms, fostering a more inclusive, multilingual learning environment.
Transition of a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from Special School to Inclusive School
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental neural condition that typically becomes apparent in early childhood and continues throughout a person’s lifetime. Children with ASD encounter significant challenges in the development of their social skills, making their inclusion in mainstream schools a complex task. To address this issue, a case study was carried out on a 10 year old student with ASD who is currently attending a special school in Kolkata. The primary objective of this study is to pinpoint the gaps in the child’s learning in six distinct facets of social skills, which include social relationships and reciprocity, emotional responsiveness, speech-language and communication, behavioural patterns, sensory aspects and cognitive components. To achieve this, the INCEL diagnostic tool and a custom-designed interview schedule were employed. Subsequently, a transition plan tailored to the specific needs of the student was created to facilitat
A Study of Vocational Trainers Competence Gaps in Schools Implications for Effective Teacher Training Programmes
The study investigates the perspectives and experiences of vocational educators regarding key competencies, competency gaps, challenges in acquiring required competencies, strategies for addressing these gaps and the implications for teacher training. Results from the administered questionnaire reveal that educators recognise the importance of technical expertise, pedagogical skills, ICT proficiency, employability skills and effective assessment. However, despite this recognition, competency gaps persist in areas such as, pedagogy, ICT, employability skills, assessment, awareness about NSQF, NCrF and NEP-2020. Challenges faced in acquiring these competencies include low status and priority assigned to vocational education, inadequate awareness, comparatively lower salaries and limited access to training opportunities. Respondents unanimously emphasise the critical role of training programmes, networking, and ongoing support to bridge these competency gaps. Specific competencies requiring emphasis include job roles, pedagogy, employability, technology integration, industry partnerships and student support systems. Further analysis of pre-test and post-test results highlights improvements in technical skills, pedagogical skills, learning outcomes, instructional resources, and employability skills following training programmes. Positive shifts are observed across various competencies, indicating enhanced understanding and application of NEP-2020, NCrF and NCF. While substantial progress has been made, the study underscores the need for continued professional development and targeted support to ensure vocational trainers are well-equipped for evolving job market demands. This research underscores the critical need for sustained efforts to enhance competencies of vocational educator. Effective training programmes, increased recognition, and support for vocational education, along with addressing financial disparities, can lead to a more competent workforce, benefiting students and the vocational education sector. Continuous professional development and targeted support are vital for further improvement, ensuring that vocational trainers are well-prepared to navigate the evolving job market.
Challenges in Schooling of Muslim Minority Children
The Constitution of India has established various provisions to safeguard the interests of minority groups. At national level, Muslims constitute the largest minority, comprising approximately 17.22 crores or 14.2 per cent of India’s total population. India is home to nearly 11 per cent of the global Muslim population, ranking third in terms of Muslim population after Indonesia and Pakistan. According to the 2011 Census, Muslims have the highest percentage of illiteracy at 42.7 per cent. To address the concerns of minority communities, including Muslims, the Ministry of Minority Affairs was established as an apex body. The Ministry is tasked with formulating overall policies and plans to address issues affecting notified minority groups. The Sachar Committee Report of 2006 extensively reviewed the educational status of minority communities highlighting their educational backwardness, economic marginalisation, and social exclusion. This paper reviews progress in participation of Muslim minority children in schools by reviewing policies and programmes related to access and participation post-2006. It also explores the issues and challenges on the educational development and socio-economic upliftment of the Muslim community with particular reference to Madarsas. It further investigates the prospects for addressing these issues within the framework of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
Comprehensive Review of Cultural Entrepreneurship Initiatives
Cultural entrepreneurship is a growing field that combines entrepreneurial pursuits with cultural aspects to produce commercially feasible goods and services. This study explores the relationship between cultural entrepreneurship and technical and vocational education and Training (TVET) programmes, focusing on empowering girls in India. TVET programmes provide essential knowledge and skills and when combined with cultural entrepreneurship, they offer females new opportunities to use their cultural legacy for economic development. The study uses a multimodal approach to assess the integration of cultural entrepreneurial activities within TVET programmes, focusing on empowering girls in India. Theoretical foundations emphasise the intersection of cultural legacies and entrepreneurial pursuits, emphasising TVET’s role in providing real-world experience and business aptitude. TVET programmes foster gender equality, inclusive policies, career diversity, and entrepreneurship, promoting economic growth and preserving cultural heritage. National educational policies like the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and National Policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (NPSDE) 2015 align with the integration of cultural entrepreneurship into TVET, addressing difficulties in scaling skill development and satisfying market demands. Despite obstacles like gender stereotypes, curriculum relevance and access to high-quality education, TVET programmes provide opportunities for empowerment through entrepreneurship, skill development, gender-inclusive policies and teamwork. Investment and cooperative efforts are crucial for successful cultural entrepreneurship activities within TVET programmes and ensuring girls reach their full potential as cultural entrepreneurs, contributing to national prosperity and sustainable development.
nvestigating the Influence of Lifestyle Attitudes on the Pedagogical Responses of Pupil Teachers towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have grown significantly in the educational sector. It is essential to examine the factors influencing student teachers’ pedagogical responses with the SDGs. Lifestyle perspectives are one such element that may affect how pupil teachers approach teaching about sustainable development. The study employed a particular observational survey methodology to examine how lifestyle attitudes affect how pupil teachers approach teaching about the SDGs. A sample of 220 student teachers from a teacher training school was recruited using stratified random sampling. A questionnaire was used to gather information about student teachers’ lifestyle attitudes and pedagogical responses to the SDGs. The data analysis employed a structured questionnaire. The findings revealed a statistically significant positive association between lifestyle attitudes and student teachers’ pedagogical responses to the SDGs. Particularly, it was discovered that student teachers with healthy lifestyle perspectives have more effective pedagogical responses to the SDGs. Furthermore, it was shown that student teachers who had undergone SDG training reacted to the goals more positively from a pedagogical perspective. The study demonstrates that SDG training helps encourage supportive pedagogical responses to sDGs. The study discusses the significance of developing quality pedagogical responses to SDGs among student teachers through training on SDGs and lifestyle perspectives. The findings have significance for institutions that educate teachers and decision-makers who want to advance sustainability education and meet the sDGs.
Transcend Urban Edges An Empirical Study on the Role of Teachers in Rural Education
Education is pivotal in shaping societies and individual growth, with teachers playing a central role in influencing student outcomes and educational quality. This study investigates the experiences, opportunities and challenges faced by teachers in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, India and assesses their impact on education quality. Using qualitative methods, including observations and semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 25 teachers across three schools. Key themes identified include job satisfaction, teaching methods, technology integration, holistic development and educational challenges. Findings reveal that supportive environments and innovative teaching are integral to teacher satisfaction, thereby enhancing education quality. This research provides insights for stakeholders and policymakers, offering a basis for strategies to improve education in Jhabua by addressing challenges and fostering an inclusive and effective learning environment.
The Effect of Concept Mapping Approach on Scientific Attitude and Achievement in Science among Students with Learning Disability
Students with dyslexia must be equipped with means to develop their metacognitive capacities especially the ‘learning to learn’ skills for effective lifelong learning. Concept Mapping is one such teaching approach and this study aims to determine the effectiveness of this approach on scientific attitude and achievement in science among students with dyslexia. A two group, pre-test or post-test, quasi-experimental design was employed, where 35 dyslexic students of Class VI studying in government schools of Chandigarh were selected, and randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The control group consisted of 18 students, 10 boys and 8 girls, who received conventional teaching whereas the experimental group consisted of 17 students, 8 boys and 9 girls who received teaching via Concept Mapping Approach for a period of 20 days. Their scores were measured on SAS-KAGS by Kaur and Gakhar and SAT by the researcher herself. Analysis of pre- and post-test data revealed that the Concept Mapping Approach is more effective in improving achievement in science, scientific attitude as well as retention of learned knowledge among dyslexic students as compared to conventional teaching method. It was also found that there exists a positive correlation between scientific attitude and achievement in science among these students.
Exploring Gender Disparities in Science Achievement
This research is a cross-sectional survey that investigates the influence of student engagement on science achievement. Multistage sampling procedures were used to determine the sample of secondary school students (n = 1232). The responses from the respondents were gathered using the student engagement in learning scale and end-of-year examination marks in physical science subject were considered as science achievement. Confirmatory factor analysis and moderation analysis were utilised for data analysis. The findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between student engagement and science achievement. The results show that emotional sub-scale is a better predictor of science achievement (β = 0.23, p<0.05), than behavioural sub-scale (β = 0.32, p<0.05), and cognitive sub-scale (β = 0.38, p<0.05). Thus, this study suggests that school administrators and instructors need to plan and implement interesting activities to increase student engagement.
‘Knowing about Knowing and Learning about Learning’
This paper studied the metacognitive awareness and academic achievement of science and humanities students. Metacognitive awareness has been investigated with special reference to its components, i.e., knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition, which are further divided into three and five subcomponents, respectively. Data has been collected from 490 Grade 12 school students. The major findings indicated that metacognitive awareness varies significantly between males and females with respect to the sub-components declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge, information management strategies, debugging strategies and planning but not on the overall MAI scores. Also, the results revealed that science students possess better metacognitive awareness than humanities students, with their scores being significantly higher in procedural knowledge and planning. The correlation analysis showed that there is a strong association between metacognitive awareness and academic achievement and the prediction analysis showed that metacognitive awareness can be a significant predictor of academic achievement. This study alerts the teaching community to the necessity of helping students develop metacognitive components and teaches them how to recognise themselves as learners. In order to frame teaching-learning settings appropriately, more study on the metacognitive awareness of students from various academic streams is also necessary.
An Assessment of the Need for School Librarianship Courses in India
School librarians as partners in education, contribute to the educational goals of their schools, effectively performing multi-faceted roles. They manage the library’s physical facilities, develop and organise its varied collection and utilise human resources to provide a range of services to the school community. They also play the role of instructor to students and faculty, teaching information and digital literacy, inquiry-based learning, use of technology for teaching and learning and inculcating a habit of reading and lifelong learning. They collaborate with school administrators and teachers in curriculum development, and provide information and library resources for teaching and learning activities. Such librarians have to be nurtured through adequate targeted training to respond to the unique environment of the school library. School libraries have not been given due recognition in India. A few schools have good libraries and librarians trained in school librarianship are lacking. This paper advocates introduction of specialised school librarianship courses at various levels throughout the country for new and practising librarians in schools. Contents and the subjects or skills of such proposed courses are discussed. It is suggested that legislation mandating trained school librarians in all urban and rural schools that will increase the employability aspect of these courses.
Symbolic Interactionism in Performing Arts Integrated Pedagogy and its Relevance in Future English Language Classrooms
How man influences humankind is determined by the experiences that people encounter through interactions. The nuances of meanings that we attach to particular pieces of spoken or written transmission reflects our perspectives. The theory of symbolic interactionism assumes that people respond to elements of their environment according to subjective meanings that they attach to these elements. Meanings are being created and modified through social interaction involving symbolic communication with other people. The performing arts are the creative expressions that use various mediums such as music, dance, theatre, and visual arts to convey messages, and emotions to the audience. Performing arts integrated pedagogy is an approach to teaching and learning through constructing meaning by utilising the possibilities of the performing arts. The symbols inherent in theatrical arts transmit specific meanings through interactions that evolve from the cultural and social contexts. This is successfully done by creating auditory, visual and kinesthetic imagery through theatrical techniques in classrooms thus, fulfilling the major objective of interaction.