THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The draft curriculum framework on adult and continuous education, brought out by the state education department, has recommended major changes in the current assessment methods to measure learning outcomes. Instead of conventional assessment techniques, a ‘self-assessment’ model -- that enables the adult learner to identify his or her drawbacks and take appropriate corrective measures -- has been mooted.
Major reforms recommended in the draft curriculum framework for the assessment of adult learners include ‘on-demand examination’ (assessment only when the learner is confident to attend it), ‘open book exam’ (that allows a learner to refer to study material during an exam) and ‘take-home exam’ (attempted from home). Exams in which question papers are given beforehand and conducting exams in an online format have also been suggested.
The draft has also recommended giving weightage to the learner for participation in interviews, discussions, viva voce, project work and seminars. The learners’ capabilities in arts, sports, social awareness, vocational skills and other activities should also be assessed. The draft recommends converting the scores and grades of learners into credits and an academic bank of credits to deposit them. Certification of the learners at a later stage by agencies, including universities, should also take into account the credits earned through such activities.
Along with conventional classes, financial, constitutional, health, gender and physical education should also be part of the learning process, the draft has recommended. It has also laid special stress on physical training to keep adult learners away from intoxicants and narcotic substances. Local bodies and government agencies should arrange spaces and open gyms for such activities.
LIMITATIONS OF STUDY MATERIAL
The draft has also highlighted the limitations of the existing study materials used for adult and continuous education. Only a limited number of study centres were using facilities such as digital equipment, school libraries or local workplaces. To devise appropriate study material for adult learners, a separate research wing in the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has been mooted. “The study material should include websites, e-books, digital resources, artificial intelligence-based material and text-to-speech. The learners should also be given basic ICT training and be equipped to use digital devices such as computers and smartphones,” the draft has recommended.
ADULT & CONTINUING EDUCATION
Major recommendations