Kerala Curriculum Framework(2007)

Kerala Curriculum Framework(2007)

                The existing syllabus in kerala is based on kerala Curriculum Framework 2007. Activity oriented learning is emphasizes in the syllabus and the teaching process is student centric. Teacher’s role is more like that of a facilitator than that of a guide or an instructor. Even though there were serious concerns about the existing syllabus. It was later well admitted and appreciated by experts all over India. It has certainly brought about a positive change in class rooms and the back benchers who were no responding and getting involved. There may be  a need for revision of syllabus as periodic revision of syllabus is inevitable. But this is that it should be carried out after elaborate preparation and deliberations. Prior to the formation of a framework, discussion with all teacher organizations needed. The main contention against the present curriculum reform is that it is being done without extensive discussion on the framework and textbook revision is progressing and nearing completion.

                    Discussions at various levels were conducted before the finalization of KCF 2007. This is not done in the care of present curriculum revision. KCF 2007 was introduced with the strong support of NCF 2005 which was a paradigm shift from the existing system. Curriculum reforms should be multi faceted and comprehensive

Learning and Knowledge

o  Focuses on the child as an active learner

n  Primacy to children’s experiences, their voices and their participation

n  Need for adults to change their perception of children as passive receivers of knowledge

n  Children can be active participants in the construction of knowledge

n  The school should recognize the innate ability of each child to construct his/her own knowledge, and the fact that every child comes to school with a fund of pre-knowledge.

n  Therefore children must be encouraged to ask questions, relate what they are learning in schools to things happening outside and answer in their own words rather than by memorizing.

n  Recognizes the need for developing an enabling and non-threatening environment

n  Emphasizes that gender, caste, class, religion and minority status should not constrain participation in experiences provided in school

n  Highlights the value of interaction with:  environment, peers, older people to enhance learning;

n  Learning tasks must be designed to enable children to seek out knowledge from sites other than textbooks.

n  Need therefore to move away from rigid lesson planning to planning and designing activities that challenge children to think and try out what they are learning.

School and classroom environment

o  Critical pre-requisites for improved performance

n  Availability of minimum infrastructure and material facilities

n  Support for planning a flexible daily schedule.

o  Focus on nurturing an enabling environment

o  Revisits traditional notions of discipline

o  Discusses need for providing space to parents and community

o  Discusses other learning sites and resources

n  Texts & books

n  Libraries, tools and laboratories

n  Media and ICT

o  Addresses the need for plurality of material and teacher autonomy/ professional independence to use such material.

Systemic Reform

o  Covers need for academic planning for monitoring quality

o  Reaffirms faith in local self government

n  Proposes systematic activity mapping of functions appropriate at relevant levels of local self government

n  Simultaneously ensuring financial autonomy on the basis of the funds-must-follow-functions principle.

o  Teacher education should focus on developing professional identity of the teacher

o  Examination reforms to reduce psychological stress, particularly on children in class X and XII

n  Recommends changing the typology of questions so that reasoning and creative abilities replace rote learning

                                                

Learning and Knowledge

o  Highlights the value of interaction with:

n  environment,

n  peers,

n  older people to enhance learning; grandpa

o  Learning tasks must be designed to enable children to seek out knowledge from sites other than textbooks.

Need therefore to move away from the ‘Herbartian’ lesson plan to preparing plans and activities that challenge children to think and try out what they are learning