Dear all,
Arvind, Amman and I are meeting on the 12th to try to finalise the baseline
stuff. Please read the following and tell us if something is missing or
incorrect:
Siddhi from TDD informed us that there is tremendous mistrust about surveys
among Ashram school teachers. There has been an instance of breach of
trust. A particular student assessment survey was initially declared to
have no bearing on teachers' future salary increments/promotions. However,
later on, the survey results were used for these purposes.
Given this background and the fact that the engagement is in the initial
phase and that we need to build trust and rapport with the teachers, it
might prove counterproductive to conduct an all-out student-assessment
baseline survey at this stage. We decided took rework the order and form of
the baseline.
In a discussion at the recent Amravati workshop (attendees: Anish, Uma,
Madhav, Arvind, Rudra, Pallavi, Hani, Siddhi, Shrikant, Anu, Priyanka..-
did I leave out anyone?), a broad consensus was reached on the following
points related to the baseline:
We propose to consider data on classroom observations in aggregated reports
generated by AFSPs' fortnightly school visits (changes in classroom
processes, science-kit use, do children ask questions in class...), as an
important portion of the baseline survey. Clear and simple norms and
categories will be created for the observation framework. Incremental
changes in well-defined parameters will be studied once the data is
aggregated. We might have to take a decision on maintaining
confidentiality about the data so that teacher-profiling doesn't happen.
Teacher interviews will be conducted to understand any changes in
attitudes, beliefs and practices. Teachers can also respond to questions
like-
--what are your students struggling to learn?
--what are you struggling to teach?
The infrastructural school profiling is also a component.
Another part can be the number of questions generated in the question-box.
After a year, we can conduct a content-based student-assessment. If
possible, we should try to evolve this assessment tool in collaboration
with teachers. A suggestion was to select "sensible" parts of the
Maharashtra board science textbooks, where there is a possibility of
Incremental change in content knowledge.
We need to communicate to TDD and convince them on the rationale behind
this baseline framework.
The previous baseline conversation over email (between core team, Subbu and
Amman) have to be consulted for points that we might have missed here.
e.g. Subbu had written:
"Perhaps the initial baseline can be focussed on infrastructural and
processual matters. We can do a student assessment *after *a length of
teacher orientation, class room practice etc when teachers are more
comfortable and understand the utility of student assessment for developing
tailored teaching strategies for their students.With the strict proviso
that it will not be used as a tool for inter school comparison or for
project report purposes.
All this involves reconceptualising our intervention - most interventions
assume one size fits all- we need to move towards developing an ability to
understand diversity of orientation among students and developing science
teaching strategies which are also diverse."
Two online spreadsheets for baseline framework:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10ZrIU_zIBlmJj_9F2Hdwk5ovsMSFWkZlVke3Pd3DSRI/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CARVFKkxoPqRQAph4Mw42QwkO4iF2kRQNxhe99sxQhY/edit?usp=sharing
The Government notification (translated by Mrs. Anjali Chavhan) says the
following regarding baseline:
*Actions to be Taken Before Implementation*
Baseline Survey - Eklavya will conduct base line survey of Ashramshalas in
2 to 3 Project Offices regarding the methods of science teaching in ashram
schools, teachers, vacancies, teacher-student interface, science
laboratories and their current status, literature, computers, community
resource support etc..
*Monitoring and Evaluation of the Scheme/Program:*
Baseline Survey - Base line survey of Ashramshalas in 2 to 3 Project
Offices will be conducted regarding the methods of science teaching in
ashramshalas, teachers, vacancies, teacher-student interface, science
laboratories, literature, computers, and their current status, The
information will be analysed and report prepared. This report will be sent
to the Tribal Development Department and the inferences will be used as
baseline for evaluation of the programme.
The MoU doesn't mention baseline.
