Unpacking the Cognitive and Ethical Dimensions of

High Achieving Schools and Its Implications for

Early Schooling.

Presented at the 6th International Conference

on Creating High Achieving Schools

IIT- New Delhi, December, 2014

Dr. John Kurrien

Director Emeritus, Centre For Learning Resources, Pune

Issues for Discussion

• Gender Equality

• Diversity – Tolerance /Respect –Religions

• Diversity –Tolerance/Respect – Immigrants from

other states

• Sensitivity to Differently Abled Persons/ Persons

with Disabilities

• Voting criteria/ for the best candidate

• Disposal of garbage into streets/canals

Ethical/social values and attitudes of students in

Classes 4,6 and 8 and explore with participants the

implications of this for their schools

Cognitive learning of Class 4 students and explore

with participants the implications of this for their

schools

Data on social values and attitudes and cognitive

learning based on “Quality Education Study” by

Wipro and Educational Initiatives conducted in

2010-11 and a similar smaller study done in 2006

entitled “Student Learning in the Metros”

Focus of Presentation

Attitudes of Students in Best Schools

Gender Equality

• Gender Equality: About 40-43% of students in

classes 4, 6 and 8 felt that education for a girl is

not as important as responsibility towards the

family.

• If a choice has to be made between a boy or girl

child in providing education, boys are to be

preferred over girls.

• Some of them also felt that in the long run,

educating a girl is a waste of resources.

Attitudes of Students in Best Schools

Acceptance of Diversity

Nearly half the students surveyed believed that

people come closer to each other due to

mutual respect and understanding, and not due

to religion.

However, the other half had preconceived beliefs

about people from other religions and that

religious differences matter and need to be

defended by violence if necessary.

Attitudes of Students in Best Schools

Acceptance of Diversity

• 29% of students believe that Indians can live

and work freely in any state of India.

• However, nearly 60% students showed less

acceptance towards immigrants from other

states perceiving them to be taking away jobs

from natives of the state, and being also a

source of communal disagreements.

Attitudes of Students in Best Schools

Sensitivity towards Others

• A large majority (70-80%) of students think

of differently abled people as either

burdensome, unhappy or not able to do well

in studies.

• Acceptance of differently abled peers as

capable people is very low though slightly

higher among older students (21.0% in

class 4 to 29.0% in class 8).

Attitudes of Students in Best Schools

Civics/Citizenship Issues

Only about 30% of students feel that garbage

should never be disposed off by people into

the streets , out of the bus, into canals.

Nearly 20% of students also would vote based

on their community affiliation.

Issues for Discussion

Are students in your school significantly

different in terms of the social attitudes and

values expressed by students in the best

schools?

What two major steps can be taken in your

school which can have a significant positive

impact.

Attitudes/Valuing and Ethical

Development and High Achieving

Schools

1. Limitations of current efforts in schools

2. Need for conscious attention from preprimary

through secondary school.

3. The impact of the hidden curriculum.

4. High achieving schools and ethical development

relationship

Improving Cognitive Skills

and Its Implications for Your Schools

Cognitive Skills Crisis/ Challenge/ in

India

Young people with fundamental cognitive skills in

extreme short supply.

Government and industry acutely aware of this crisis

Cognitive skills evaluated in selection for jobs,

entrance tests for higher education

Internet- Education/All Information

High Achieving Schools in India

Need for a Larger Vision

Cannot be limited to outstanding board

examination performance and coscholastic

activities

Need for a larger vision of education which

includes developing a range of cognitive and

practical skills beginning in the early years.

Learning Outcomes of Class 4 Students

in Best Schools - Main Findings

Students perform relatively well in rote-based

questions that required the use of formulae and

familiar procedures learnt in class.

Instead of acquiring concepts, they seem to be

learning to handle a limited number of familiar text-

bookish type questions ody text

Learning Outcomes of Class 4 Students

in Best Schools - Main Findings

Students understanding of concepts and ability to

apply them was found to be particularly weak.

• Practical competencies such as estimation,

problem solving, general observation and using

good sound language were also fairly

undeveloped.

Issues for Discussion

• In English and Mathematics, what major practical

steps can be taken to decrease rote learning and

improve other cognitive and practical skills in

Classes 3-5.

Summing Up – Cognitive Skills

Are children in your school acquiring grade level

competencies in Classes 3-5.

NCERT has listed these competencies by class in

most subjects

Need for remediation as some/many in Classes 3-5

will not have acquired grade level skills skills.

In the longer run, cannot deal with Classes 3-5 in

isolation and need to look at learning outcomes in

preceding classes

Summing Up – Cognitive Skills

Communicate to teachers, students, parents , the

importance of cognitive practical skills and the role

of rote learning/textbooks/ etc

Institute evaluation procedures that gives cognitive

skills an important focus communicated to

teachers, parents and students

Training and help for teachers to change styles of

teaching and learning.

Improving Cognitive Skills in English

and Mathematics

Emphasise language skills including use of home

language in preprimary and gradually move to

English.

Considerable attention to speaking and listening

skills in English from preprimary through Class 5.

Talking and questioning

Need to “understand” numbers, place value, and the

4 basic operations in different ways including the

use of concrete materials.

Teach practical mathematics beginning in Class 1 .