Unit 2 Modern child centred education

Gandhiji and Activity based education

1. Activity Based Learning

History of Activity Based Learning • ABL started some time during world war II • David Horsburgh is
considered as the pioneer of ABL system. • He opened a school called NEEL BAGH in Kolar. • School has
a diverse Curriculum which included music, carpentry, sewing, gardening, as well as school subjects. •
Teaching materials were systematically planned with different learning activities.

Meaning of Activity •The state of being active. •Any specific behaviour or action of a particular kind. •A
thing that a person or group is doing or has done. •An educational task that involves direct experience
and participation of students. •A specific pursuit or deed in which a person participates. Examples:
Acting, performing, demonstration, playing a game, thinking, writing, reading, reasoning, questioning,
answering, operating something etc.

Meaning of Activity Based Learning • An activity or activities used in an educational process to make
students learn. • Learning through and from activities. • Activity based learning means that the teacher
incorporates activities of some type in teaching to make students learn. • Using an activity or activities
as a base for learning.

Different types of ABL • Dramatization: Conversion in to a dramatic form or reconstruction of an event,

novel, story etc in a form suitable for dramatic presentation. • Quizzes: Competitive activity in which
participants should give the answers to the questions in a prescribed span of time following some pre-
determined rules. • Group discussions: Discussing in smaller groups(four to fifteen students) about a
given topic and reaching a decision or arriving at some conclusions. • Role play: Enacting some
situations or playing the role of things, persons, characters etc.

• Educational Games: These are games that are designed to help students to learn about certain
subjects, enhance concepts, understand different contents, learn a skill etc. • Brainstorming: It is a
group activity in which group members are encouraged to produce a large number of ideas quickly on
theme or a problem without commenting on any one’s view points for subsequent discussion and
evaluation. • Problem solving: Problem solving is a process of finding the solution to the problem by
using one or more concepts or principles or formulae or required information.

• Debates: Arguments (discussion involving Arguments) between two groups in which one group argues
to defend the controversial issue or theme and other group puts up the arguments against the theme. •
Discovery learning: Learning through exploration or discovery. Learning by exploring or discovering
many aspects of the environment on their own. • Project: It is a practical unit of activity having
educational value and aimed at achieving one or more definite goals of understanding, involves
investigation and solution of problems, planned and carried out to completion by pupils in a natural ‘real
life’ situation.
 • Field work: Going to the real life situations for observing the phenomenon, collect relevant data,
process and analyze the data and arrive at conclusions. • Experimentation: Carrying out or conducting
the experiments in the laboratory.

• Concept mapping: It is a process of representing the concepts or different things in hierarchical

fashion with most inclusive, general concepts at the top and less general concepts at the bottom in a
pictorial form. Construct a concept map using the following: Jean Piaget, Neel Bagh, Field Trips, Field
visits, Discovery Learning, Indoor Activities, Different types of ABL, Individuals recommended ABL,
Horsberg, Outdoor activities, activity based Learning, Drama and Jerome Bruner.

Why do we need ABL? • Children can learn well when they learn in their surrounding environment. •
When they actively participate and involved in learning. • When they learn on their own.

How will you organize ABL? • Decide Instructional Goals • Understand the learners’ cognitive level and
characteristics. • Consider the nature of the subject. • Know the time available for achieving the
instructional goals.

• Availability of human and non-human resource • Select or design the suitable activities. • Prepare for
implementing that in the class. • Provide for link between different activities and previous knowledge. •
Implement it in the class room. • Follow it up and bring about required changes in the activities for
better use.

GANDHI’S VIEWS ON EDUCATION

1. Objectives of education: The ultimate objective of the new education is not only a balanced and
harmonious individual but also a balanced and harmonious society – a just social order in which there is no
unnatural dividing line between the haves and have-nots and everybody is assured of a living wage and the right to
freedom.

2. Education through craft:

3. Feauters of craft centred education 1. The uniqueness of this scheme is that education is to be given
through village crafts. 2.The need for a machine-less society, Gandhi developed his ideas on education. The
core of his proposal was the introduction of productive handicrafts in the school curriculum. The idea was
not simply to introduce handicrafts as a compulsory school subject, but to make the learning of a craft the
centre piece of the entire teaching programme. Knowledge of the production processes involved in
crafts, such as spinning, weaving, leather-work, pottery, metal-work, basket-making and bookbinding had
been the monopoly of specific caste groups in the lowest stratum of the traditional social hierarchy.

3. Curriculum: Curriculum in Gandhi’s scheme is activity centered and craft centered. As M.S Patel has put
it in style; “Craft occupies the position of the sun in the vast solar system of human life” satisfying our material
needs in perfect harmony with the higher values of life. The subject in the curriculum includes in the following:
1. Basic craft – Agriculture, Spinning, Weaving etc.

2. Mother – tongue.

3. Mathematics – useful for craft and community life.

4. Social studies – social and economic life of the community, culture the community, history of craft etc.

5. General science – nature study, zoology, physiology, hygiene, physical culture, anatomy etc.

6. Drawing and music.

Gandhiji advocated uniform education for boys and girls up to the fifth grade and diversified education there
after - general science to be replaced by domestic science for girls along with craft for both. He laid special stress on
development of good handwriting. The technique of correlation is another characteristic of the scheme. This will
encourage self - activity rather than role memory. In his scheme of education Gandhiji proposed a life centred and
activity centred curriculum where knowledge and skills are imparted through self supporting productive craft.

Methods of teaching: Gandhiji’s aims of education were different from those prevalent during his days.
Current education was subject centred. Gandhiji disapproved that educational method considering as defective and
emphasized to make crafts and vocations as means of education. He wished that some local craft should be made as
medium of education for children so that they develop their body, mind and soul in a harmonious way and also
meets the ends and needs to their future life. In this way, Gandhiji’s method of teaching was therefore, different
from the current one. He emphasized the importance of the following principles in his method of
teaching -

v To achieve mental development, training of senses and parts of the body should be given.

v Reading should precede the teaching of writing.

v Before teaching of alphabets, art training should be given.

v More opportunities should be given for learning by doing.

v Encouragement should be given to learning by experience.

v Correlation should be established in the teaching methods and learning experiences.

v Mother tongue to be the medium of instruction.

v Productive craft as the basic of all education.

v Teaching through creative and productive activities.

v Teaching through creative and productive activities.

 v Learning by living, service and participation, self – experience.

v Lecture, questioning and discussion method.

v Oral instruction to personal study.

v All syllabi should be woven around vocational training.

In addition to the above, Gandhiji emphasized the need of co curricular activities, planning, realistic
experiences, initiative and sense of individual responsibility to be associated with the craft centred
teaching method.

Role of teacher: He wanted the teacher to be a model of behavior an image of society a

compendium of virtues. He wanted teachers to teach by example than by precept. He opposed corporal
punishment. How can an apostle of non – violence advocated anything like that? Teacher must be well
trained, proficient, man of knowledge, faith action and devotion. Teachers are responsible for carving the
statues of their students. A teacher should be the epicene of character, a symbol of values, well
disciplined, a unique personality, cultured and having a good mentality. His serenity and magnanimity
should be outstanding and shining. He should be polite, pious, and having sea of knowledge. He should
be a psychologist, a philosophies, a historian, a technologist in the matters of knowledge and seduction.
He should be a guide, mentor, and guru for imparting knowledge to the students – the valuable pearls.

Concept of discipline: His concept of discipline is based on self - control. Self control refers to inner
discipline which leads to self - discipline. His concept of discipline was, however in tune with social
discipline. He emphasized the value of self - discipline in life. He assists that every individual is a
productive citizen, a worker and a parent. Education is to be recognized as a potent means for generating
then us - feeling among the individuals to make them, useful and responsible citizen of their country.

BASIC EDUCATION

To materialize the vision of society Gandhi evolved a scheme of education after many trials and
experiments over a period of 40 years. His ideas revolutionized the current thinking about education. This
 scheme of education is known as Basic education or Wardha scheme of education or Nai Talim or new
education or Buniyandi Shiksha. Gandhiji used the term basic to describe his scheme of education
because it is intimately related with the basic needs and interest of Indian children. Moreover, it is closely
related to the people living the villages. It is an educational scheme for common man who constitutes the
base or backbone of our country. The goal of a basic education is to enable a student to acquire the
desired fruit through his or her own actions.

Features of basic education: Basic education was an embodiment of Gandhi’s perception of an ideal
society as one consisting of small, self reliant communities. The basic scheme of education has the
following important features:
v The core aim of basic education is to help students to develop self sufficiency.
v Basic education laid a strong emphasis on manual work.
v There should be free, compulsory and universal education within the age group 7 to 14.
v It envisages providing education through the medium of craft or productive work so that the
child gains economic self reliance for his life.
v The medium of education should be mother tongue.
v Education should develop human values in the child.
v It is aimed to achieve the harmonious development of the child’s body, mind heart and soul.
v In basic scheme education is imparted through some local craft or productive work.
v The basic education is self supported through some productive work.
v It is geared to create useful, responsible and dynamic citizens.
v Play is an essential part of basic education.
v Subjects are taught in correlation with craft, with environment and with other subject
RELEVANCE OF GANDHI’S VIEWS ON EDUCATION IN THE MODERN CONTEST
The most important point in Gandhi’s scheme of education is its emphasis on relating school education to
the needs of the society. He wanted to achieve this objective through a system of Learning while earning. He gave
an important place to the learning of craft. It will be seen from the curriculum of the present day schools that work
experience and socially useful productive work find an important place. His views on early childhood education are
quite relevant to – day. Parent education is stressed for the proper development of the early stages of the life. His
emphasis on education through the mother tongue is the accepted principle throughout the period.

CONCLUSION
Gandhiji’s contribution to education is unique. He was the first Indian who advocated a scheme of education
based upon the essential values of the Indian culture and civilization. The methods and techniques advocated by him
and the environment he prescribed revolutionized Indian thinking and way of living. At heart he was devoted to
idealism. He wanted to translate his ideals and values into practice. His philosophy of education is a harmonious
blending of idealism, naturalism, and pragmatism. According to Gandhiji, “Education is an all round drawing out of
the best in child and man – body, mind and spirit”. He advocated that literacy should never be the end of education
or even the beginning. True education according to him is that which draws out and stimulates the intellectual and
physical facilities of children. He gave greater importance to the child, than the techniques and method of education.
It was him firm belief that a sound education should produce useful citizens of the entire humanity. Education in its
true and broad sense is a lifelong process, which begins with beginning of life and ends with the end of life going on
unceasingly.

Discovery based leaning and

What is discovery learning?

Discovery learning is an approach to learning that can be facilitated by specific teaching methods
and guided learning strategies. For this essay the term discovery learning will refer to learning
that takes place within in the individual, the teaching and instructional strategies designed by the
teacher, and the environment created when these strategies are used. Direct or traditional
instruction are strategies used in teacher led classrooms, including lectures, drill and practice,
and expository learning. Bicknell, Holmes, and Hoffman (2000) describe the three main
attributes of discovery learning as 1) exploring and problem solving to create, integrate, and
generalize knowledge, 2) student driven, interest based activities in which student determines the
sequence and frequency, and 3) activities to encourage integration of new knowledge into the
learner’s existing knowledge base.

The first attribute to discovery learning is a very important one. By exploring problems, and
coming up with their own solutions, student’s are taking an active role in creating integrating,
and generalizing knowledge. Student’s are not passively taking in information, as they would
during a lecture, but are coming up with broad applications for skills by taking risks, solving
problems, and examining unique, but useful experiences (Bicknell-Holmes & Hoffman, 2000).
This attribute of discovery learning dramatically changes the role of students and teachers, which
some traditional teachers find hard to accept.

The second attribute of discovery learning is that it encourages students to learn at their own
pace (Bicknell-Holmes & Hoffman, 2000). This attribute allow students learning to progress
freely as the student is ready to learn new material. Students must obtain a high level of
motivation and take ownership in their learning for this attribute to be met.

The third major attribute of discovery learning is that it is based on the principle of using existing
knowledge as a basis to build new knowledge (Bicknell-Holmes & Hoffman, 2000). Students
must be encouraged and provided with knowledge they already know to extend this knowledge
and build new ideas. A good example of this is when students discover how to multiply a three
digit number by a three digit number, by using their knowledge of multiplying a two digit
number by a two digit number. The student would build on what they know about multiplication
to come up with a new way of multiplying three digits by three digits.

Firstly, in discovery learning students are active in constructing their own knowledge. Learning
is not defined as sitting back and taking in what is being said, but is defined as one seeking and
creating their own new knowledge. Students are participating in hands-on, real life learning
activities and solving real problems. The students have a purpose for finding answers and
learning more (Mosca & Howard, 1997).

Secondly, the focus of learning is on the process and how the content is learned, rather than on
the final product. Discovery learning focuses on how to analyze and interpret information in
order to understand what is being learned. In traditional teaching and learning a lot of times the
focus is on recalling information by rote memorization. This type of process oriented learning
can be applied to many different topics instead of producing one correct answer for a specific
question in a specific topic. Students will achieve a much deeper level of understanding in
discovery learning. The emphasis is placed on mastery and application of overarching skills
(Bonwell, 1998).

Thirdly, failure in discovery learning is seen as a positive circumstance (Bonwell, 1998). Failure
in discovery learning is related to a unique lesson learned from Thomas Edison. Edison is said to
have tried as many as 1,200 designs for light bulbs before he found one that actually worked.
When asked if he felt discouraged from all this failure, Edison responded by saying he never felt
discouraged because he learned so many designs that didn’t work. Discovery learning does not
stress finding the correct answers each time. Cognitive psychologists have shown that failure is
central to learning. In fact, if the student does not fail while learning, the student probably has
not learned something new (Schank & Cleary, 1994).

Fourthly, an essential part of discovery learning is an opportunity for feedback in the learning
process (Bonwell, 1998). Student learning is enhanced, deepened, and made more permanent by
discussion of the topic with other learners (Schank and Cleary, 1994). In discovery learning,
students are encouraged to discuss ideas with other students to deepen understanding. This is the
opposite of the expectations in most traditional classrooms where students are expected to work
in silence and find answers on their own.

Lastly, after incorporating each one of the differences of discovery learning understanding
becomes deeper. Learners internalize concepts when they go through a natural progression to
understand them (Papert, 2000). Discovery learning is a natural part of human beings that begins
from the time they are born. Humans are born with curiosities and needs which is the driving
force behind why they learn. Infants learn to talk by discovery. The infant listens to others
around them talk, mimics the sounds they hear, and begin to put together the pieces of language
that they have discovered on their own (Percy, 1954). Discovery learning is a natural process in
which students should be involved in on a day to day basis during school. Discovery learning
allows for a deeper understanding by encouraging natural investigation through active, process-
oriented methods of teaching (Percy, 1954).

According to the research, how should we then teach?

After analyzing the research on discovery learning, five main teaching ideas emerge: 1) case
based learning, 2) incidental learning, 3) learning by exploring/conversing, 4) learning by
reflection, and 5) simulation-based learning (Schank & Cleary, 1994). Teachers can use these
ideas to incorporate discovery learning into their classroom environment on a daily basis.
Case-based learning is the first teaching idea that comes forth in discovery learning. Case based
learning has been around for a very long time as Harvard business school was one of the first
schools to use this method (Merseth, 1991). Case based learning is just how it sounds, examining
real life scenarios and cases and then applying them in new situations. Case based learning can
be easily used when studying business, law, and medicine because there are numerous
documented cases that deal with aspects of each of these. To use case based learning in the
classroom a teacher must have cases readily available and easy for student access.

Incidental learning in the second teaching idea that comes forth in discovery learning. Incidental
learning takes place when students gain knowledge “in passing” (Schank & Cleary, 1994). Many
times incidental learning can take place in the form of game in which students are engaged in.
This type of learning is best used when studying uninteresting topics or pure memorization
because it gives students a motivation to learn these topics. Two good examples of incidental
learning are having a classroom game show and creating a crossword puzzle on a topic of choice.

The third teaching idea that emerges with discovery learning is learning by exploring. This type
of learning is based on an organized collection of answers to questions that students can ask
(Schank & Cleary, 1994). This learning by exploring idea is very similar to the Socratic method
of questioning. Curiosity is utilized with this method of teaching as students are given a problem
to solve but they can only solve it by asking many questions. A good example of learning by
exploring is a game called “What’s in the bag?” (Bicknell-Holmes & Hoffman, 2000). To play
this game, an object that is related to the topic being studied is placed in a bag. Students must
then ask as many questions as it takes to try to figure out what this object is. This game helps
students use prior knowledge and experiences to categorize information and discover what is in
the bag.

The fourth teaching idea that comes from discovery learning is learning by reflection. In this type
of teaching the students learn to apply higher level cognitive skills because they must reflect on
what they know to learn new information (Schank and Cleary, 1994). This type of learning by
reflecting also helps students learn to ask better questions, and in turn do more sophisticated
analyses (Bicknell-Holmes & Hoffman, 2000). An example of a teacher using the learning by
reflecting strategy will many times answer a students question with questions of their own to
guide the student. This is also a model of how the student can ask better questions to themselves
so that answers to unknowns can be found. The teacher does not directly answer the students
question but rather guides the student with questions so they can find their own answer. This
type of teaching requires lots of patience by both the teacher and the student as mistakes will be
made. Students will learn to use these mistakes to help them better reflect on the topic and ask
more sophisticated questions.

The last teaching idea that comes from the research on discovery learning is simulation based
learning. This type of learning is basically just role playing. The teacher will give the students a
made up environment and situation in which the students must develop a complex set of skills or
witness other students apply abstract concepts (Bicknell-Holmes & Hoffman, 2000). Simulation
based learning allows the environment and situation to be manipulated and adapted, with no real
life consequences. This helps guide discovery as students can make mistakes and not have to
worry about real consequences. Simulation based discovery also allows students to do things that
would be impossible in real life, such as taking and planning field trips to other countries, or
even outer space. Ever growing use of technology makes this even more possible as computers
allow students and teachers to easily manipulate an environment without using much time or
effort. This also makes the simulations much more realistic and authentic as pictures and videos
from real places can be accessed at any time.

Advantages of discovery learning: What the research says

Of the research that exists looking at the advantages of discovery learning over traditional
learning, three main areas of focus have emerged: 1) motivation (Hardy, 1967), 2) retention
(Alleman & Brophy, 1992; Nelson & Fayer, 1972; Peters, 1970), and 3) achievement (Hardy
1967; Mabie & Baker 1966).

A great advantage of the discovery learning method over traditional method is its ability to
highly motivate students to learn. Discovery learning does this because it gives learners the
opportunity to seek information that satisfies their natural curiosity. Discovery learning gives
students an opportunity to explore their desires and therefore create a more engaging learning
environment for themselves. To put it in simpler terms, discovery learning makes learning fun
(Schank & Cleary, 1994). In a study done by D.W. Hardy (1967), the students learning the
principles of archaeology and anthropology through the discovery method of an archaeological
dig were better organizers of information, more active in the task of learning, and more highly
motivated that those who were taught in a traditional, lecture method. This example makes it
easy to see that students would have much more fun actually digging out artifacts from
thousands of years ago and making conclusions, than they would if they were to just read the
same information from a textbook.

When looking at information retention, discovery learning seems to at least match the level
found when using traditional teaching methods, but could possibly increase information retention
as well. Alleman and Brophy (1992) conducted a research study with college students by asking
them to recall a memorable social studies activity that they did in kindergarten through the eighth
grade. Many more students could easily recall activities that involved experimental learning,
higher order applications, which are characteristics of discovery learning. Students also could
recall more of the information that was retained from discovery learning type activities than they
did from the traditional activities. Another study looked at the level of information retention in
kindergarteners, but over a shorter timeframe. Peters (1970) compared kindergarten students
learning mathematics using discovery learning methods and their learning using traditional
methods. The results of this study found that students taught using a discovery learning method
had equal, if not more, retention levels to those taught using a traditional method. Nelson &
Frayer (1970) also looked at the retention of concepts when they compared discovery learning
methods to traditional methods. After studying 228 seventh graders who were learning geometry
concepts, they found the same results as Peters (1970).

When students are learning skills rather than facts, discovery learning has been shown to
increase student achievement. Hardy’s (1967) archaeological study showed that students who
were taught using the discovery learning method showed a positive difference in scores on both
pre and post tests which measured anthropological understandings, over students taught using the
traditional teaching method. Mabie & Baker (1996) also conducted a study which yielded similar
results. In this study, three groups of fifth grade students were taught concepts about nutrition
using three different methods. One group used garden projects, one group used short, in class
projects, and the other group was taught by traditional teaching methods. The group being taught
using traditional methods only saw an 11% increase in pretest knowledge, compared to a 70%-
80% increase in the other two groups that were being taught using discovery methods.

Although discovery learning has many benefits over traditional learning, many teachers and
school districts still teaching using the traditional lecture methods. Many educators believe that
discovery learning cannot be used to cover the course content, discovery learning takes too much
effort and time, and discovery learning will not work well with their large classes.