Experts stress need for child-oriented education

VADODARA, May 11: Examinations were not the only way to evaluate the educational standard of a student, said experts at a national seminar o...

VADODARA, May 11: Examinations were not the only way to evaluate the educational standard of a student, said experts at a national seminar on Innovative Practices in Pupil Evaluation8217;.

Speaking about evaluation of children B K Passi said that while schools played the lead role in formal teaching, mothers were responsible for informal learning, the community for non-formal learning and computers for virtual learning.

D R Goel, head of the Centre of Advanced Studies in Education CASE, stressed the need to evaluate the students at the primary level on their activities, objectives, approach and enriching experience. He suggested that evaluation of the children should be on something that is joyful and enjoyable for the students.

Goel recommended open-book examinations for primary school children. While praising teachers, who preferred to go in for oral examinations, he observed that children could express themselves better in oral rather than in writing.

Goel suggested performance tests, objective exams and co-curricular activities as suggestive methods for evaluating students8217; performance.8220;Children should be taught only what they can grasp, they should not be taught something that exceeds their capacity,8221; said H K Senapathy of Bhopal. Senapathy added that children should be taught and evaluated on things that come naturally to them.

Expressing his opinion, Anshuman Das of CASE stressed the need for joyful learning to be kept as the medium of instruction, particularly at the primary level. He observed that though computers were a potent medium, it was yet to be established whether it was the right medium for language too.

Das pointed out that listening, speaking, reading and writing LSRW abilities were the best ways to judge a student8217;s ability. He added that it was noted that children showed more interest towards rhyme rather than lessons that were thrust upon them.