“Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon” — E.M. Forster
Unfortunately, most of our textbooks, immaterial of the sector they serve have adopted the culture of spoon feeding the information. There are several reasons for the same. But if one closely examines whether the design of textbooks have really contributed to pathbreaking methods to facilitate our learners, it is indeed a question mark. While several people might advocate to justify their designs and while I do acknowledge there have been some limited efforts to progress in this area, the larger universe of textbooks have not really responded to challenges of the existing and futuristic needs of learning.
Some reasons that can be attributed:
- Market forces determine the design and quality of the textbooks.
- Teachers resist innovative designs if the books do not support their customary delivery systems and reduce their workload, relieving them from the exercises of imagination.
- Focus is on adhering to the text of the syllabus rather than the themes notified in the syllabus
- A lot of time, energy and investment might be required for developing new models.
- There is no professionalism in marketing of the content; there is focus only on the textbooks as a marketing product.
In this background I would like to highlight the following ten issues with the current designs with the hope there would some rethinking on this issue eventually, especially in the context of NEP suggesting to all agencies that there is need to review the existing design.
1 NARRATIVE DOESN’T REFLECT QUALITY
In most cases, the narratives in the textbooks follow the letter of the syllabi and the curriculum, rather than the spirit of it. Hence narratives adhere to facts, opinions, and reinforcement of the established views rather than provoking thinking. The narratives look more authoritarian deliveries of packages of information rather than authentic deliberations that would invite unbiased consideration of the insights. They appear more like a documentary than a creative exercise, more like a bland diet with inadequacy of spices to make learning more delicate and delicious. Very often the repetition of the content from earlier editions to a newer edition without application of mind, without examining the relevance of context make them out of place.
2 DATA INTENSITY JUST AS INFORMATION DOESN’T MAKE SENSE
Over the years, there is increased tendency to stuff more data into the print to increase the volume of the textbooks to impress the learners as if they have a greater value. Such loads of information in the form of data are ignored by the learners as they do not carry any direct value for the kind of learning and assessment system they have in place. Such data call for pedagogical analytics in the classrooms as a joint collaborative exercise by the teacher and the learner if at all they must make an impact on the thought architecture of the learners. Hence, they have more a market perspective rather than any significant pedagogical perspective in the absence of time and opportunity for deliberations.
3 IT DOESN’T GIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROVOKING QUESTIONS
Treatment of the content in a number of textbooks is linear and follows a flow-chart pattern without any inter-disciplinary and cross-cultural thought provocations, thereby encouraging their acceptance value than the deliberation value. While the policies of the Government call for integrated, inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary learning approaches, the design of the textual content from most sources including those of the government institutions do not address to these vital needs. The content writing group needs to have elaborate and intense discussion not only on the flow of the content but develop intrinsic insights into the pedagogy to be put in place.
4 IT DOESN’T PROMOTE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
It is said that learning is not linear. With a validated constructivist approach to the process of learning being suggested globally, the textual inputs do not subscribe to any efforts for the construction of knowledge. With technology becoming a powerful integrator to content delivery, there is a huge opportunity to promote construction of knowledge both individually and collectively. With increasing informal tool to facilitate social constructivism of knowledge to enhance their acceptance, relevance and democratic value, there is evidence of a huge mismatch between the formal tools of learning and the informal tools of learning, which the content developers need to take note of. This would be possible only when the designs would move towards thematic considerations rather than subscribing to the demands of the words enlisted in a document enshrined as syllabi.
5 SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RELEVANCE IS MISSING
With the focus on meeting the needs of examination systems, the content writers tend to provide power-packed words that would be value points pleasing the evaluators, rather than ideas or concepts that would relate to and facilitate reflection into social and environmental concerns related to the concept under consideration. Theories on social constructivism demand consideration of ideas and concepts to a larger humanistic need than as a piece of information that would fetch validation for a job opportunity. It is important to note that such interventions should help in enhancing the social consciousness of the learners and to have a better purposeful approach to a holistic living.
6 DOESN’T GIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXTENDED LEARNING
The objective of any learning is to experience the joy of learning which would catalyse or trigger the curiosity for further learning. Hence, the content in the print material or on e-media should not be a staple diet, which would deprive that joy. Be it poetry, play, adventure, thriller, memoir, or any narrative it has its own clientele who have an aptitude for such writings. Hence, any type of input should house in its soul the elements required to fire the intent for future learning or extended learning. In case of textual material, there is a huge opportunity for case studies, anecdotes, historical or social perspectives, experiences or events from the lives of great men which relate to the topic concerned, to be included as a part of the reading inputs which can meet such requirements. The content writers need to do enough research about the topics to include such beneficial references.
7 THE TEXT IS MORE WORD-CENTRIC AND HAS POOR VISUAL PROVOCATIONS
A large number of textbooks are flooded with words and lack any visual, auditory, or other sensory inputs as associates. Hence, the learning becomes taxing, painful, uneventful, and challenging. It is important to make the text content broad- based and provide inputs which gravitate several sensory experiences to meet the requirements of both cognition and emotion. Further, such inputs should not be intended to fill in pages to increase the volume but should bear intellectual gravity so that the learner could relate, make meanings or use them for effective analysis of the concepts in the context of such references. This will also re-engineer the modus operandi of the content development to make them more inclusive and integrated.
8 IT DOESN’T ENCOURAGE PROBLEM SOLVING
The outcome of any learning process should help the learner in meeting the routine challenges effectively and gain the ability to engage with problems with confidence and conviction. Seeking solutions to problems in the context of learning should become a routine course of learning or cultural evolution of an evolving mind. The design of current textbooks hardly gives any opportunity to expose the learner to problem solving sills both in context as well as in the outer framework of the cognitive experience. Typical modular illustrations that would underscore the types of problems that might creep in or need to be addressed both in the current context and in the light of the futuristic needs.
9 POOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTEXTUAL DISCUSSION
In the descriptive of the new NEP, it has been advised that the text books should focus on core concerns and values of the theme; it should be left to the teachers to position their framework in the classroom appropriately and encourage discussions, debates and brain-storming. Contextual discussions on themes among the peers facilitate their relevance and help the learners to develop a positive and persuasive attitude towards such issues. Eventually, such contextual discussions in classrooms boost holistic learning by allowing the learners to take 360-degree view of the problems. The content writers need to provide scope and opportunities for such in-text interventions for learning.
10 POOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR SKILL ACQUISITION
A large part of the textual content focus on the cognitive aspects of the content and keep away from any reference to the relevant skills associated with such content. The fact that the syllabus for a subject also does not make any reference to the appropriate skills of the content, restrains the content developers to go beyond the defined territories. Hence, texts do not reflect any case studies with reference to the concerned topic. It is important that content writers should envisage the scope for skill acquisition through experiential inputs, taking care that such skills are not exclusively cognitive but do address to other types of skills also.
 Dr G Balasubramnian | G. Balasubramanian was born at Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu on 17th February, 1946. He had his initial schooling at Madurai and graduated in Chemistry from Presidency college, Chennai. He obtained a Post-graduation in Analytical & Inorganic Chemistry from Madras University, Post-graduation in Hindi from Sri Venkateswara University and Post-graduation in Education from Annamalai University. |
He obtained a Diploma in German from University of Madras, a Certificate in Project Technology from Trent College of Education, Nottingham U.K and a Certificate in Computer Education from Leeds University, U.K
Starting his career as a Post-graduate Teacher in Chemistry in a public school, he took over as a Principal of Hindu Senior secondary School, Triplicane, Chennai. He joined the Central Board of Secondary Education as a Joint Secretary in 1984 and has worked in several capacities in Academics, Examination, Confidential and Administration branches of CBSE.
Elevated to the Post of Director (Academic) in 1997, he held the additional charge of the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Board. He retired from the services of the Board on 28th Feb, 2006.
He was associated with several Boards of education and leading organizations like Quality Council of India, NABET, National Institute of Open Schooling, Global Indian international Schools in Singapore, Malaysia and Japan. He is the current chairperson of the international council for school leadership. He was the Chief Editor of the magazines – ‘The Progressive School’ and ‘The Progressive Teacher’ published by S. Chand group of companies. He is currently Advisor to the following companies – “Knowledge Tribe” and “Teacher Tribe” at Bengaluru.
His interests include philosophy, psychology, poetry and Literature. He has widely traveled to many countries and participated in several national and international conferences and presented papers on a wide variety of academic interests. Post retirement he has conducted over 7000 training programs for teachers and Principals covering over 85000 teachers.
His publications are:
- Mindscaping Education
- Case Studies in classrooms
- Quality Spectrum – A school’s Bandwidth
- Safety in schools – Issues and concerns
- Academic Leadership – ebook
- Schooling the kid – learning form K to 12
- Creativity in classrooms – eBook
- Unlearning Learning – eBook
- A Happy Journey (Poetry)
- Apologies to an Existence (Poetry)
His latest book “Walk with Viswa”- a journey to Leadership along the Farmlands is due for publication.
Awards won:
- Vocational Excellence Award from Rotary Club, Chennai
- Seva Rathna in Education from The Centenarian Trust, Chennai
- Lifetime Achievement Award from VIMHANS (Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences) Delhi
He has been a member of the High-Power committee constituted by the Government of Tamilnadu for School Education and has also been the chairperson of the Curriculum Reforms Committee and the Examination Reforms Committee for School Education in the Government of Tamilnadu.
If you would like to get connected to Dr G Balasubramanian write to editor@acadnews.com.
