FUNCTIONAL MODEL

 Introduction

            Models of disability are tools for defining impairment and ultimately for providing a basis upon which government and society can devise strategies for meeting the needs of the disabled people. Models are influenced by two fundamental philosophies. The first sees, disabled people as dependent upon society. The second perceives disabled people as customers of what society has to offer.  

What is Functional or Economic Model

            The functional model defines “disability by a person’s inability to participate in work.”

            It limits the functioning or the ability to perform functional activities.

            It also assesses the degree to which impairment affects an individual’s productivity and the economic consequences for the individual, employer and the state.    

Economic Model: Disability as a Challenge to Productivity

            The economic model of disability approaches disability from the view point of economic analysis, ‘focusing on the various disabling effects of an  impairment on a person’s capabilities and in particular on labour and employment capabilities.’  

                        The economic model is used primarily by policy makers to assess distribution of benefits to those who are unable to participate fully in work.

Drawbacks of Economic Model of Disability

1.     The challenge facing the economic model is how to justify and support, in purely economic terms, a socially desirable policy of increasing participation in employment.

2.     The private entrepreneurs refuse to provide jobs for the disabled for the reason that their production capacity is low.

3.     The employers pay disabled employees less or have the losses met through subsidy.

4.     Question is raised whether the social contribution of the disabled could be measured by their economic contributions, ie. this model did not specify the rehabilitative measures in their job.

5.     This mode finds it difficult to determine one’s disability.  Those who have lost their legs are considered disabled and as such they are unable to go to workplace and perform the job. However, in the present day technology driven world, one could earn his livelihood by performing his job from his home using the internet and computer technology; but he cannot involve himself fully in social activities.

Conclusion

            Economic or functional disability model exhibits the factors which denied the disabled persons from accessing to job and employment. Thus, to realize the problems faced by disabled people in getting jobs. And also it helps us to make   proper provisions for the economic productivity of the disabled persons by means of establishing various laws and job policies.

Bibliography

Nagarajan, K. , & Gnanam, D. (2016). Creating  an inclusive school. Chennai : Sriram                               

            Publishers.

Adivoo, K., &  Esther, K. (2016). Creating   an inclusive school. Madurai: Shanlax

            Publications.

Wehmayer, M.L. (1997). Functional model of disability. Retrieved from : https://

            www.researchgate.com.

Knowledge and curriculum

                Curriculum as an Enacted Process

Introduction

          Curriculum is the basic component of education system. The curriculum is the factor which contributes a lot to the development of learning and teaching activities. As we learned earlier, curriculum is a plan for action, i.e. for learning purpose.

Components of a Curriculum

          There are three components for any set of curriculum.

Þ    Written /intended Curriculum

It is the formal or adopted curriculum constructed by following the policies of state or related bodies, which proposes what students are expected to learn and experience the prescribed academic year or years.

Þ    Received Curriculum

It stands for what students actually learn by indulging the experiences provided by the teachers and going through the intended curriculum. It is the outcome of their communication with the intended curriculum and enacted curriculum.

Þ    Enacted Curriculum

Meaning

It is the implemented or practiced curriculum that is the actual experiences provided to the students, which reflects the decisions and strategies made by the teacher.

Definition

The enacted curriculum comprises the teacher and the students interactions focused on instructional materials and the teacher-intend curriculum.

Factors influencing the enacted curriculum

          The following factors influence the enacted curriculum process;

a.      Policy makers

b.     Curriculum materials

c.      School factor and

d.     Teacher factors.

a)    Policy makers

Policy markers make influence with:

·       Their active influence

·       Effective monitoring

·       Decentralization of power

·       Valid and reliable assessment

·       Timely revision.

b)    Curriculum materials

These influences are as follows

·       The prescribed text books

·       The prescribed workbooks

·       Teacher’s handbook

·       Instructions for extra reading

·       Guidelines for innovations.

c)    School factors

·       The social relationship at school

·       The vision and mission

·       The resources available

·       The institutional planning

·       The survey on curriculum.

d)   Community Factors

·       The active participation of the community

·       The relationship between school and community

·       The cultured variety of the community

·       The economic status of the community

·       The geographical environment.

e)    Teacher Factor

·       Teacher’s vision

·       Teacher’s knowledge on curriculum aims and objectives.

·       Teacher’s pedagogical approach.

·       Teacher’s knowledge on the community of the students

·       Teacher’s own experience

·       Their knowledge on child psychology.

·       Their relationship with the learners.

·       Their content competency

·       Their creativity

·       Their communication skill

·       Their assessment skill

Curriculum as process and practices

                We can approach curriculum in four ways. They are;

       i.          Curriculum as product

     ii.          Curriculum as process

   iii.          Curriculum as practice

   iv.          Curriculum as context.

Þ    Curriculum as product and curriculum content

It is used to be that there were certain skills to master and facts to know. So in this sense knowledge was seen as something similar to a product that is manufactured. Generally one starts with knowing nothing,  is taught and then use the gained knowledge often by transmitting it into action.

Þ    Curriculum as a process

          Lawrence Stenhouse produced one of the best known explorations of a process model of curriculum theory and practice. He defined curriculum as a process as follows:

‘A curriculum is an attempt to communicate the essential principles and features of an educational proposal in such a form that it is open to critical scrutiny and capable of effective translation into practice:

            Stenhouse proposed that curriculum is the process by which the experience of attempting to put an educational proposal into practice.

Þ    Curriculum as practices

We can describe this in three ways. The first one is the nation of curriculum as practices  holds that the practice should not focus  on individuals alone or the group alone but pays careful attention to the way in which individuals and group create understanding and practices, as well as meaning.

Second, one is, we could be looking for a commitment expressed in action to the exploration of educator’s values and their practice.

The third one is, we could expect practitioners committed to practice to be exploring their practice with their pass.

Personnel Participated in the Development of Curriculum

The following personal participated in the development of curriculum,

Curriculum Community

The committee for developing a curriculum may consists of the following personal.

a.      Curriculum policy maker and developer

b.     Curriculum administrators

c.      School or college principles

d.     Communities

e.      Law maker

f.      Educational researchers

g.     Teacher Educators

h.     Publishers and directors

Stakeholders of curriculum

v Learners

v Teachers

v Curriculum managers and administrators

v Parents

v Community members.

Role of Stakeholders in Curriculum Implementations

a . Learners at the centre of the curriculum

          Generally stakeholders are individuals or institutions that are interrelated in the school curriculum. They are the one who put into action and give life to the curriculum.

©     Learners are the very reason for the development of a curriculum.

©     They make and unmake the curriculum by their active and indirect involvement.

©     The way the learners contribute to the implementation of a curriculum would depend on the interaction and internalization of the different learning activities.

b.    Teachers as Curriculum Developers and Implementers

          A   teacher is a curriculum maker hence planning and writing the curriculum are the primary role of the teacher. Actually teachers are writing curriculum daily through their lesson plans or their year plan. They address the goals, needs and interests of the students can learn. They are part of a textbook committee and school evaluation committee. Hence teachers are the architects of school curriculum.

c.     Curriculum Managers and Administrators

          Curriculum manages and administrators supervise curriculum implementcetion, select and recruit new teachers, admit students, and procure equipment and materials for effective learning. They also plan for the improvement of  school facilities.

d.    Parents as Supporters to the Curriculum

          Parents support the curriculum as follows

ü  It means that the parents are the best supporters of the school, especially because they are the one’s paying for their children’s education.

ü  Effective parent involvement in school affairs may be linked to parent’s educational programme which is central to high quality educational experiences of the child.

ü  The parents follow up the lesson of their children.

ü  They provide curriculum materials that are not provided in schools.

ü  They give permission for their children to participate in various activities outside the campus.

e.     Community Members

The Community members may provide materials in the existing local community members are included in the school committee. They can also provide books, materials and facilities to the school.

f.      Other stakeholders of the curriculum

ü  Professional organizations

            These organizations are being asked by the curriculum review because they have experience in curriculum enhancement.

Conclusion

As curriculum is the fundamental factor for the teaching-learning process, we must give proper importance for the curriculum development. That’s why stakeholders are organized to develop the curriculum according to the needs of the learners and society.

Bibliography

Mohan, N.,&  Kamalakannan.R.(2016). Knowledge and curriculum. Darasuram : Thiruvalluvar publications.

Kamalasanan, L. (2005). Curriculum development.  Chennai : Sree Ram Publications.

Hillsdon.M.  (2017).  Enacted  curriculum. Retrieved from: www.researchgate.com. 

EVS

Introduction

                                       Environment consists of both formal and informal standards of living organisms and non living organisms. Human beings  destroying the environment as day passes, it will lead to the destruction of birds, animals, plants and human beings. Environmental education aims to provide general awareness to the humanity about the protection of environment.

Environmental Education

                                              Environmental education is the teaching of individuals, and communities in transmitting to a society that is knowledgeable of the environment and its associated problems and motivated to solve them.

Environmental Education in India

                                              Environmental education in the formal school curriculum has been influenced by two national policy documents: National Curriculum Framework (2005) and the Directive of the Supreme court in response to a 1991 petition filled by shri M C Mehta. Based on it, an environment perspective is to be added to all subjects, from standard I to XII.  The Government of India also makes environmental education as a compulsory subject in the higher education system. And even in the B. Ed curriculum, environmental education has a major role.

Problems Faced in Imparting Environmental Education

                                              Some of the major problems facing environmental education in the country can be described as follows:

1.    Attitudinal Barrier

                                              Research findings show that children consider several areas are more important than EE and also felt that it is not useful for their career. Thus, they totally ignore environmental education and most of the institutions neglect environmental education from the curriculum and include some other subjects like Yoga, spoken English.

2.    Lack of Environmental Training Modules

                                              The status of environmental training programs and its contents are not satisfactory.

3.    Lack of Preparedness of Teachers

                                              Another barrier to EE activities is the reluctance of support and lack of preparedness on part of the teachers.

4.    Inadequate School Curriculum

                                              No one can deny that the current curriculum is focused on age old teaching practices prevailing over decades and is responsible for development of stress among students and thereby affecting their normal developments. We need to develop curriculum which will develop skills and attitudes in the students.

5.    Ineffective Environmental Education Programs and Policies

                                              Without a doubt, the present EE programs are not satisfied or sufficient to drive students for opting environment as a career option. Few steps are taken by Ministry of Environment and Forest, India. However, the implementation of these steps and policies is a major challenge.

6.    Lack of Environmental Awareness and Lack of Organizational Support

                                              There is also need for better communication and collaboration with developed countries. There is need of extensive teachers training and their participation in workshops and conferences to expose them with new environmental education materials, techniques and information.

7.    Resource Constraints

                                              Lack of resources is one of the major problems that is being encountered in the promotion of education in the country. Any environment education programme requires adequate resources, both in terms of money and personnel, if it is to be implemented successfully.

8.    High Dropout Rate

                                              Because of high dropout rate in our education system, teachers are left with no option but to begin the Environmental Education component from the primary classes to ensure that the students, even if they dropout later, are sensitized to the environment problems.

9.    Social Constraints

                                              Sometimes conclusions drawn from the study of EE may dash with the prevailing social, religious and political thinking. This clash thinking may lead to undesirable confrontation too.

10.Difficulty in Assessment

                                              Assessment of the  work done as part of EE is difficult as many a time it is difficult to think of a common yardstick to evaluate the work done under different projects.

11.  A shortage of trained education officers in EE in the government to plan, organize, implement and monitor environmental education programmes in schools.

12.  Weak monitoring system.

13.  Lack of good communication networks, cooperation and coordination within and among the various governmental and non- governmental organizations.

14.  Lack of appropriate legislative frameworks, enforcement and institutional support.

15.  Lack of commitment and involvement on the part of the people concerned.

16.  High turnover of staff in schools and government

Conclusion

                                              As environmental education is needed to protect our environment, we must pay proper attention to the environmental education in our education system. Thus, we must make proper remedial measures to overcome the hurdles in the implementation of environmental education.

Bibliography

Nagarajan,K., & Nithyasri, N.(2017). Environmental education. Chennai: Sriram Publishers.

Singh,Y.K.(2014). Environmental education. New Delhi: APH Publishing House.

Chand, J. (2014). Teaching of environmental Science. Delhi : Anash Publishing House.

Ham,S. (1998). Barriers to environmental education. Retrieved from:

        https://www.researchgate.com.