Last date for nomination: July 5, 2024
Course Objective
Educational practice throws up questions that can be articulated and beneficially understood using ways of thinking, concepts, principles, and theories developed in several other disciplines. The nature of the most fundamental questions in education can be understood by studying the philosophical perspectives on education, sociology of education, and perspectives on learning and development. These three are considered foundational disciplines of education. The bedrock series is designed to acquaint participants with these perspectives. The series should enable the participants to make connections between what is being taught therein, and educational practice on the ground. Perspectives of Learning is the second course in the Bedrock series of courses.Course Outcomes
The course will help the participants to start the journey of becoming a reflective practitioner in education. A step back from everyday action helps in forming a larger perspective and clarifies the purpose of one’s work. This course will provide such an opportunity in collaboration with another practitioner. Participants will learn to connect theoretical concepts with real-world educational practice. This ensures that they gain a deeper appreciation for the relationship between theory and practice, ultimately enhancing their effectiveness as educators.Pre-requisites
This series is ideal for those aiming to grasp educational thought and practices from the first principles - educators, teachers, education administrators, coordinators, leadership team, and program team members of NGOs, etc. While individuals with 3-4 years of education experience or those who have studied the field will benefit the most, it is also valuable for recent graduates considering a career in education. However, anyone who has a keen mind and is interested in the rigorous study of education would benefit and enjoy these courses. No formal requirement of educational qualification is there. However, the ability to read, write, and understand the English language is a must, with a graduation degree. Another pre-requisite for this course is self-motivation.Expected Commitment
All sessions will be held at the Digantar Campus in Jaipur.Participants enrolled in the six-day face-to-face course are expected to dedicate a total of 74 hours toward their learning experience. This includes 42 hours of in-class sessions spanning seven hours each day. This is to be supplemented by an additional two hours per day for preparation. Additionally, participants are required to allocate three hours toward pre-course tasks, along with 10 hours for mini, and course completion, assignments.
Course Details:
This course is part of a series of short intensive independent courses that form the bedrock of key ideas in educational theory. These courses are specially designed with a focus on developing a holistic understanding of three foundational areas of educational understanding and theorizing viz. philosophical perspectives on education, perspectives on learning, and sociology of education. All the courses within this series will be conceived, developed and transacted by well-known education practitioners and academicians.An understanding of pedagogy and curriculum necessarily requires insights into the child’s developmental processes. To decide what to teach at what age, and to help the child learn what is selected to be taught, it is imperative to understand their ways and processes of learning. The course will discuss different conceptions and debates regarding “child” and “childhood” and their implications for understanding the developing child in school and non-school contexts. It will take a life-span developmental perspective to emphasize the continuity of development and learning.
A child’s journey of learning is a complicated path. It comprises of developmental changes and processes in the closely interconnected and overlapping domains. These include the biological, the cognitive (including language), the socio-emotional and the moral domains. Classroom teaching, which is practised right now in most schools, does not do justice to children. This is because it does not treat a child as a unique person. Rather, the child is treated as a part of a system of assumed uniformity.
An educator’s approach, their behaviour, their ability to connect with children, their insights into the child’s developmental stages should help them guide the child’s learning better. The course “Perspectives on learning” is designed to address this aspect of educators’ capabilities.
About The Resource Organization
Digantar Shiksha Evam Khelkud Samiti is a non-profit founded in 1978. It is dedicated to educational innovation and social upliftment. Key objectives include running schools, advancing educational thought and practices, conducting research, and promoting cultural and social development. Currently, it operates two non fee paying schools in Jaipur, Rajasthan, serving marginalized communities.Digantar's approach integrates theory and practice through its following units -The Academic Resource Unit (TARU) and Digantar Publications. TARU offers capacity-building programs for educators, emphasizing the importance of grounding practice in educational principles. The organization advocates for quality alternative education, aiming to cultivate autonomous, rational and caring democratic citizens. Its schools and various initiatives reflect this commitment, including teacher training, research, and curriculum development.
Course Facilitator
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Rajashree S. joined Azim Premji University as part of the core group that worked together to start its academic programs. She has taught at various levels of education: school, undergraduate programs, and postgraduate programs. Prior to joining APU, she was a teacher educator in the four-year Bachelor’s in Elementary Education Program at Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi. She has also worked closely on a large-scale NGO program evaluation project on inclusion in higher education from 2002 to 2010. Her doctoral work, carried out at TISS, focused on families, education and children with disability. Currently, she teaches courses in Child Development and Teacher Education in APU Bengaluru. |
