3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv

Issue #  23  /  December 15 , 2020

Opportunities are unequally distributed. Performance and opportunities are connected. Social disparities result in unequal societies. How do we move on from providing equity to providing excellence despite it all?

Time for reflection. Especially in the current situation of school closures and difference in access to quality education. Data has shown that similar investments have resulted in different output in quality. How much a country spends is not as important as how that money is spent… Check out today’s issue to get some pointers. Many paradigms are being challenged in quality and equity. 

How do you pay the teachers compared to other high paying jobs?

How does the media talk about the teachers?

How have our leaders convinced the citizens to value education, future of their children and society?

Placing value that all children are capable of success? Without segregating? Can parents and teachers both expect that each of their effort will result in personalising education with clear and ambitious standards? Recruiting, training, improving standard of teachers is key. An environment where teachers can grow. That enables them to figure out how they can deliver what the children need?

Three Images For The Week

Two Thoughts For The Week

Evaluation is creation: hear it, you creators! Evaluating is itself the most valuable treasure of all that we value. It is only through evaluation that value exists: and without evaluation the nut of existence would be hollow. Hear it, you creators!

One Video For The Week

How can we measure what makes a school system work? Andreas Schleicher walks us through the PISA test, a global measurement that ranks countries against one another — then uses that same data to help schools improve. Watch to find out where your country stacks up, and learn the single factor that makes some systems outperform others.

Guest column :

ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT IN COVID TIMES: UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS

We in India are already deeply mired into figuring out our lives and daily activities amidst multiple ‘Lockdowns’ and ‘Unlock’ directives. School level education has been the topic of serious debate and it has spilled across media channels, virtual platforms, and even the MHRD is facing a tough time trying to satisfy all parties. However the dust has settled and questions of cancellation of school fees, teachers’ plight, the novelty of online classes, and everything encountered at the initial stages has been dealt with. Even the two national boards, and the different state boards have published results taken partially prior to the first lockdown period.

So, when the virtual classroom is the new normal in our daily lives and schools are gearing up to take online assessments through all kinds of virtual methods, as per the adaptability of each school’s internal system, there are yet some unanswered questions that need immediate attention.

First, the switchover from pen and paper to online assessment is completely a smooth transition if we are only doing it for the Primary and Middle section students. But what is the correct way to assess students of senior section, namely of classes 9 to 12, which will be similar to the method of assessment that will be followed during the board exams, in this new and changed situation?

Second, there is no standardisation of these various online tests taken by different schools according to their structural fit. Hence how fair is it to take the scores of these tests as a clear assessment of the student’s merit?

Third, when in the middle of an academic session, teachers are rushing through Board batch syllabi, what is the clear cut directives regarding the method of assessments to be adopted and the common platforms which can be used to conduct the said assessments? Although the two national Boards have hinted vaguely that alternative and divergent methods of assessments are to be encouraged, there is no agreement on the pattern and type of tests to be adopted across schools.

Fourth, students from underprivileged backgrounds, who are unable to access the online classes are also not able to take any interim assessments given by schools. This is a dangerous marginalisation taking place which goes against the basic tenet of “Equality” as envisaged in our Constitution.

Fifth, what about students with special needs? What is the directive regarding their assessments? What about students in the NIOS stream? The 10th and 12th NIOS exams which were supposed to have taken place on 17^th July 2020, as announced by the government, have been cancelled. The question arises regarding the fate of these candidates who could not appear for their exams. What happens to them and the next batch waiting in the wings?

It is perhaps not a time to wring our hands and keep mulling over the situation. It’s high time that the Education department thinks quickly and acts fast. Otherwise in a domino effect all batches of students of the next three years will be severely affected.

Showcase: Got your Christmas gift  sorted yet? Here’s a great one. Check this out.

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This is a weekly newsletter on education. Once a week, curated by me from amongst the  articles, videos and long form articles that I read. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here.

For whom? Students, educators and parents

When? Every Tuesday

Where? my blog post, register with your e-mail id, it is free.

I have been a research scientist, a journalist and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and I write.  With this weekly newsletter, I intend to share what I read, learn and experience while I engage with students, parents and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions and ed-tech organisations.

3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv  is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. This week, it consists of:  3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.

If you have created any material, virtual or physical that you think can be reviewed and/or featured in this news letter, please feel free to write to me at : niveditamukerjee10@gmail.com

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