CBSE tells students to focus on practical knowledge

Asks them to look beyond textbooks; teachers say such activities will be useful for students amid lockdown

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has suggested principals of all the schools affiliated with the board to ask students to focus on practical learning and construct knowledge through all sources around them, such as people, their vocation, nature and environment, technology, tools and equipment etc. This suggestion was made by CBSE to the school principals in a news letter, which is also published on its website (http://www.cbse.nic.in/).

HT Image

It also advised that textbooks cannot be the only source of knowledge and to understand how things actually work, students can have a better understanding of concepts through experiments.

Giving example to understand the technology behind the household items, such as working of a pressure cooker, the students can learn how the food items can be prepared quickly by using the pressure cooker and its working with the help of their parents. The pressure cooker has a sealed pot with a valve that controls the steam pressure inside. As the pot heats up, the liquid inside forms steam, which raises the pressure in the pot which further raises the boiling point of the water in the pot and the higher level of heat cooks the food quickly. Through these experiments, children can understand the functioning of other items such as clothes iron, TV remote, wall clock.

Punita Singh, a science teacher of a private school, said, “Apart from online classes, I have asked my students to select any household item and understand its functioning, advantages and submit it as part of their project work after the school reopens. They have been asked to take help of their parents and this project will definitely teach them important survival skills.”

A student of Class 8, Ashish Singla, said, “Since April 3, I am receiving online assignments from the school teacher and two topics of science and mathematics have been covered. Today, the teacher has asked the students to write observations regarding the recent changes in environment due to lockdown as a project work. It was also advised that pictures can be clicked to support the explanation.”

Ludhiana school principals were of the view that the time can be utilised in developing skills among the children. Parents can also teach them the value of yoga/pranayam and meditation in reducing cortisol levels in the body and raising immunity.

Gunmant Kaur Gill, principal of Guru Nanak International Public School, Model Town, said, “Practical knowledge will give more clarity of concepts to the students and will develop confidence in them. To make the students busy in these tough times, we have assigned a task to the students of Class 10 to write advantages of this 21-day lockdown. The aim was to make them think, so that they can remain positive and can learn the most important survival skills by staying at home.”

The board also suggested the students to use the kitchen as the laboratory to conduct experiments with real tools.

Nankana Sahib Public School principal Harmeet Kaur Waraich said, “Parents can make the best use of this time and teach skills to their children. Students can be motivated to read books, engage in indoor games and help their parents in household works. We can also encourage the students to do projects on Indian art, language and culture to sharpen their understanding of the sustainable aspects of our culture.”