Abstracts

Exploring students' understanding of species: a Study with class VIII students

Shome, Saurav. (2013). Exploring students’ understanding of species: A study with class VIII students. epiSTEME, 5 158-164. Retrieved from ‎ episteme5.hbcse.tifr.res.in/index.php/episteme5/5/paper/download/.../23‎

The paper reports an exploratory study on middle school level textbook representation of concepts of species and Class VIII students ideas of species. Thirty seven students (mean age: 13) participated in this study. It was found that students hold complex or hybrid views about species. Students' idea of the ability to inter-breed and similar characteristics among individuals of a species category, is similar to the textbook definition. However, their idea about species remain restricted to animals only. It is found that even school textbooks portray diversity of animals more than diversity of plants. Students hold several alternative views and misconceptions about species. The paper attempts to link textbook representation of species and students' understanding of species.

For more information write to: shomesaurav@gmail.com

National Study on Ten Year School Curriculum Implementation

Yadav, S.K. (2011). National Study on Ten Year School Curriculum Implementation. Department of Teacher Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training. 1-154. Retrieved from http://ncert.nic.in/rightside/links/national_curriculum.pdf

Curriculum development is a continuous and ongoing process. It requires regular feedback through different sources including research studies for its revision and updating from time to time. This study focuses on the status of the ten year school curriculum in the country.

The results and findings are discussed separately for primary, upper primary and secondary stages in Chapter II, III & IV in terms of structure of different school stages, agency for curriculum construction, nomenclature of different subjects, approaches of teaching different subjects, periods allotted for teaching of different subjects, time allotted for annual examination, mechanism for evaluation of curriculum and suggestions for improving school curriculum. The study presents the important findings, conclusion and implication for action which will be useful for by policy planners, administrators and practitioners in constructing the school curriculum. 

 
A Short Guide to Gross National Happiness Index

Kamra, Ura., Alkira, Sabina., Zangmo, Shoki., & Wangdi, Karma (2012). A Short Guide to Gross National Happiness Index. The Centre for Bhutan Studies. 1-104.

Retrieved from http://www.grossnationalhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Short-GNH-Index-edited.pdf

The guide introduces to Gross National Happiness (GNH) Index of Bhutan. It explains the origins of the concept of GNH, its grounding in Bhutanese culture and history, and describes how the concept is being operationalized in the form of the GNH Index in some novel and innovative ways.
 

Bhutan’s GNH Index is a multidimensional measure and it is linked with a set of policy and programme screening tools so that it has practical applications begins and ends with oneself and is concerned for and with oneself. The GNH Index is meant to orient the people and the nation towards happiness, primarily by improving the conditions of those who attain less in education, living standards and balanced use of time.

 
Education for Sustainable Development Lens: A Policy and Practice Review Tool  

UNESCO. (2010). Education for Sustainable Development Lens: A Policy and Practice Review Tool.  Education for Sustainable Development in Action, Learning & Training Tools no. 2. 1-99. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0019/001908/190898e.pdf

The Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Lens is focused on providing tools for reviewing educational policy and practice towards sustainable development (SD).The ESD Lens supports the goals of the DESD, and encourages policy-makers and practitioners in Member States to initiate the process of re-orienting education, particularly the formal education system, towards sustainable development.  It is not prescriptive, but provides guidelines and starting points for reviewing education policy and practice using an ESD perspective. The tools helps in planning, building knowledge of ESD, review national policy and the aims of education; review quality learning outcomes; review more specific and detailed aspects of the education system such as curriculum, learning materials, assessment and teacher education. ESD Lens can be adapted to different educational contexts, and country specific policy and practice needs.

 
Linking Thinking: New perspectives on thinking and learning for sustainability

Sterling, Stephen., Maiteny, Paul., Irving, Derek., & Salter, John. (2012). Linking Thinking: New perspectives on thinking and learning for sustainability. WWF. 1-308. Retrieved from www.eauc.org.uk/file_uploads/linkingthinking-302.pdf‎

Linkingthinking is for teachers, lecturers and other educators, and their students, about thinking and acting in more relational ways: the why, what and how, to generate new perspectives, introducing systems ideas and develop relational thinking skills which are broadly applicable to different situations and contexts. The term used here to describe thinking about the nature and consequences of relationships. Similar terms are ‘systems thinking’ and ‘holistic thinking’. Linkingthinking is the necessary complement to analytical and critical thinking: approaches to problem solving and ways of thinking that are more holistic, systemic, ecological, inclusive and integrative.

The Linkingthinking Series was written as an introduction to systems thinking, to help educators and students develop their own latent abilities to think relationally. The units have been designed so that they can be used flexibly – either as a professional development course, as a teaching course, or as a resource that can be dipped into and adapted to help enhance teaching across a wide range of disciplines.

 

Politicizing Participation: Towards a new theoretical approach to participation in the planning and design of public spaces.

Calderon, Camilo. (2013). Politicizing Participation: Towards a new theoretical approach to participation in the planning and design of public spaces. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. 1-108. Retrieved from http://pub.epsilon.slu.se/10390/

The involvement of local communities in public space planning and design processes is widely promoted as an essential element of landscape architecture and urban design practice, but the implementation of ideals and principles commonly found in theory  are far from becoming mainstream practice, indicating a significant gap between the theory and practice of participation. This thesis aims to contribute to the development of theories of participation in the planning and design of public spaces. It steps away from the prevailing normative and procedural approach to theory development, and instead adopts a critical approach grounded on the deep understanding of the challenges of participation in the planning and design of public spaces. This thesis proposes a new theoretical approach to participation in the planning and design of public spaces, that allows context-based distinctions and judgments’ about the qualities of participatory practices for just decision-making.                                                                                              

 
Continuously and Comprehensively Evaluating Children             

Nawani, Disha. (2013, Jan 12). Continuously and Comprehensively Evaluating Children. Economic and Political Weekly, XLVIII (2).  34-40. 

In Indian school education system the nature and manner in which students’ learning is examined has been a central and oft-repeated concern of educationists, policymakers, teachers and parents alike.

Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation is a key educational reform in assessment proposed by the Central Board of Secondary Education for primary and upper primary classes in affiliated schools. This article makes an attempt to analyse the teachers’ manual for class sixth to eighth. CCE is not so much about assessment per se as it is about understanding the ways in which children learn, reflecting on the teaching-learning processes employed in schools and empowering both students and teachers in processes related to schooling.