The Hindu : Front Page : Government to study impact of ABL method

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Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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Government to study impact of ABL method

Karthik Madhavan

ERODE: Two years after implementing activity-based learning (ABL) in all primary schools in the State, the State Government has gone in for a massive evaluation exercise. According to sources, the Government has availed itself of the services of an international expert, education consultants and department staff to study how the new teaching-learning method had impacted the school heads, teachers, parents and above all students.

In all the districts in the State, the Government has chosen five per cent of the primary schools for the evaluation, which has been carried out by a team.

For example in Erode district, the Government is conducting the exercise in 85 schools in all the 20 blocks, involving 5,593 students. The evaluators will test the students in written and oral skills, comprehension, participation in group activity, classroom performance, etc. They will also check on students’ managerial skill and self-confidence.

Further, they will also take into consideration classroom spacing, cleanliness, headmaster’s or headmistress’ response, teachers’ difficulties, parents’ interaction with the teachers, the feedback of village education committee among others. The Government has conducted the exercise using block resource trainers. And, the evaluation is an exercise in surprise.

The sources say the Government wants the feedback so as to fine tune the ABL methodology and if necessary make changes. More than that it is to find out if ABL has benefited students and if so, how far. They say the Government will also share the details with the Union Government to help other State Governments implement ABL. This is because Tamil Nadu is the first State to introduce the alternative teaching-learning methodology. ABL apart, the State Government has introduced a similar learning methodology for middle school students: active learning methodology or ALM. This has been in force for about two years now.

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