Education in Residential School: Implications for Learning to Live

Together

InvestigatorKalpanarani Dash

Prof. Nityananda Pradhan

• Rising of crime and violence , global terrorism, intra-state and inter-religious conflict proved threats to peace and harmony of human life.

• Learning to live together in peace and harmony is a dynamic, holistic and life long process.

• The ethics, human values ,culture and social skills need to be inculcated in the school curriculum.

• To promote the potentialities like memory, reasoning, aesthetics, imagination, creativity, communication skills as well as physical capacities among students.

Core values of learning to live together

• Health and harmony with nature• Environmental concern• Love and wisdom• Love and compassion• Creativity and appreciation of beauty• Peace and justice• National unity and global solidarity • Global spirituality

Techniques• Discussion- based learning• Introspection based learning• Experience-based learning• Problem solving strategy• Cooperative learning• Constructive learning• Focus group discussion

• To explore the quality of education in schools under Shiksha Vikash Samiti Odisha and the implementation of core values in these schools for living together , a case study was conducted. The Saraswati Vidya Mandir, Kesabdham was the site/case of the study.

Objective of the Study 1. To make an in-depth study of Saraswati Sishu/Vidya

Mandir residential school with reference to the major dimensions of quality education such as: school environment, classroom environment, teaching learning process and student evaluation, organization of curricular activities, teacher-pupil relationship, school community relationship.

Research Questions1. Whether the school environment (e.g. classroom,

playground, boundary wall, toilets, residential rooms, drinking water, kitchen, and dining hall) is conducive for learning?

2. Whether the teaching learning processes followed in the residential school under study are appropriate so as to promote learning?

3. Whether the practice of student evaluation followed in the school under study is continuous and comprehensive?

4. Whether the teacher-pupil relationship in the school under study is cordial?

5. What are the curricular activities (e.g. physical, literary, sports, NCC, yoga) organized in the school under study?

6. Is the classroom activities learner centric (e.g. participatory, joyful, activity based)?

METHODOLOGYDesign: The method of the study was a case study. The Case: Saraswati Vidya mandir (Residential),

Gatiroutpatana, Keshav Dham, Cuttack of Cuttack District in the State of Odisha was selected purposively as the unit of study, i.e. the case.

Key Informants within the Case

The details of informants constituted the sample of this case study include:

• The Head Master/ Pradhan Acharya : One• Teachers/ Acharyas : 22• Students participated in FGD : 72 (Six students in

each group for Twelve FGD)• Parents : 17

Tools and Techniques

1. Interview Schedule for Head Master/ Pradhan Acharya

2. Interview Schedule for Teachers3. Schools Observation Check List4. Classroom Observation Schedule5. Guideline for Focus Group Discussion with students6. Interview Schedule for Parents

Procedure of Data Collection

The investigator visited the school and collected the data personally with the help of above mentioned tools. The interview was conducted with the Pradhan Acharya Sri Binay Kumar Das and the other teachers/ Acharyas; and focus group discussions were conducted with the students by the investigator through a series of personal visits to the site.

Interaction with Acharyas……..

FGD

Data Analysis

The data collected with the help of above tools were analyzed using qualitative technique of thick descriptions. In order to cross-check and validate the data collected through different sources the method of triangulation was followed.

The FindingsSchool Environment

Twenty (20) acres of land as the campus. The school infrastructure has been created in about 04 acres of land. The ‘U’ shaped school building looks very beautiful. There are 20 classrooms with well sitting arrangement (Desk & bench) with place for keeping school bags. Each classroom is suitable for minimum 50 students to be seated.

Residential EnvironmentVery good accommodation for 428 (up to 2012) students in the hostel; 28 Living rooms; 06 or 09 or 16 students live in each room as per the size of the rooms. wooden cots, cup boards, table, chairs, and good electricity facility with fan (High powered silent generator available). Toilets are well cleaned with proper hygienic environment .Sufficient and safe drinking water facility is available with aqua guard fittings.

Health/Dispensary Facilities The dispensary facility includes, first aid treatment, one pharmacist is appointed for the purpose. One ambulance is provided by the school management for the students and staff.

Sports Materials and OthersVolley ball, foot ball, carom, cricket, badminton, ring ball, chess etc are available in the school. The musical instruments such as harmonium, flute, tabla, dholak, ginni are available in the school.

• Botanical Garden

Kitchen Garden

Classroom EnvironmentThere are 20 numbers of classrooms. The room size is very suitable for minimum 50 students to sit in the class. The inside and outside walls of the classroom are well decorated with different images, quotations pertaining to value, ethics.

Dining Hall for Mouna BhojanThe big dinning hall carrying unique features : discipline and silence. The process of taking lunch and dinner is named by the organization as “Mouna Bhojan”, which means Silently Taking Food.

Teaching Learning Process and Classroom ActivitiesTeaching learning process was observed with the help of a Classroom Observation Schedule on 12 aspects regarding teacher behaviour as well as pupil behaviour.Set Induction; Statement of Aim; Explaining; Questioning; Reacting; Stimulus Variation; Use of teaching aids; BB Works; Classroom Management; Master over the teaching unit or subject; Closer; Evaluation/ home assignment

Classroom observation

Classroom observation

Life skill class

Teacher-Pupil RelationshipIt is very cordial. Every care is taken by the teachers and other assigned members for the holistic development of the students. Emotional, social maturity is developed with the creation of the homely environment. Every teacher seems to be very cautious about the health of each and every student. Teachers enquire about the personal problems about the stude.nts

Organization of Curricular Activities

Sports Games and Physical ActivitiesThe sports, games and physical activities include Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Football, High Jump, long jump, discus throw, running, cycling, volleyball, Wheel Bell with one iron stick (low weight), Tick wood for malkhamb practice, kabadi , Kho-Kho etc. are played by the students under the guidance of the experienced physical education teacher.

• Yoga and Meditationstudents practice yoga, pranayams, sakha, drills in the morning for concentration in mind.

• Moral and Spiritual Educationdifferent prayers are organized and all the students, teachers participate in the process. They worship the images / photographs of goddess Saraswati, Sri Guruji (the founder), the Bharat Mata in the assembly hall of the school. Vidya Bharati has accordingly developed the syllabus for inculcating moral and patriotic values and to foster proper spiritual outlook.

• Literary CompetitionEssay, Debate (Sishu Sabha) , Quiz, Vedic Mathematics (Vaidika Ganita), general knowledge, and other creative writings in English, Sanskrit, Odia are organized in the school for the students of different classes separately and also in group. Spoken English classes are also organized for the students. This creates a competitive mind academically among the students.

• NCC and Ghoshstudents participate in the NCC and prepare for serving the nation. This creates a patriotic feeling among the students who participate and others learn about the patriotic values out of NCC programme. Besides, there is Ghosh wing meant for parade. During the celebration of Independence Day and Republic Day etc.

Ghosh

Ghosh

Recreational Activities• Drama, Dance programmes are performed in the

annual function of the school. The students practice the same before the schedule date of the annual function.

THANK YOU ALL

Kalpanarani Dash