What are the most effective strategies for implementing curriculum innovation models in low-income schools?

Identifying needs, wants, interests and desires amongst the target audience / potential parents and pupils is key. However a clear idea of budget is also - there is no point aiming for the moon if your budget is the second floor. Then considering how key prerequisites might fit within that budget - from textbooks and physical materials to hardware and software one off and subscription costs.

En primer lugar un diagnóstico lo más preciso (indicadores sociales, económicos y culturales), determinar el presupuesto específico de dicha institución, luego vendrán las adaptaciones curriculares, escoger las metodología más adecuadas a una escuela de pocos recursos, retroalimentación permanente a nivel de cuerpo docente, involucrar a diversos actores sociales.

A la par de desplegar estas acciones específicas de levantamiento de información sobre las necesidades de aprendizaje para poderlas traducir en requerimientos curriculares. Lo cierto es que, también, debemos de analizar que es innovación y mejoramiento para el colegio. Sin esa definición capital podríamos errar en la elección de modelos, estrategias o posiciones que lleven a en vez de mejorar la propuesta curricular termine sucediendo que esta se ve disminuida sustantivamente en su capacidad de innovar.

Curriculum innovation in low-income schools of India will require research based strategies to enhance learning outcomes and inclusive growth. Innovation must be based on educational objectives given in NEP 2020 to include socio-economic challenges and existing learning gaps. F2F engagement with EWS and DAG parents would not be helpful. Hence, it will be better to utilise CBSE, U-DISE and even NSSO data. Initial focus should be on improving literacy and numeracy skills based on challenges from students' lives. Thereafter, transformative emphasis should be added to foster critical thinking through experiential episodes like syndicated project work in the classroom, having the potential for transfer of learning to vocational competencies.

Mi recomendación en este caso es primero tener claridad de los principios u opciones didácticas de un área, antes que elegir un modelo. Mi preocupación en este caso es que no podemos elegir fácilmente o irreflexivamente un modelo de aprendizaje basado en problemas, si antes no hemos establecido que nuestra didáctiva va a privilegiar un aprendizaje colaborativo. Sino hacemos dicha conexión el peligro de elegir por elegir o por moda simple es muy alto. Y ello trae, regularmente, que al no estar anclado el modelo en un principio pedagógico claro y establecido por la institución, termina convirtiendose el modelo en una forma y no en una innovación que realmente llegue implantarse o implementarse en el ámbito institucional.

Customisation of curriculum being permitted in non-board classes, syllabus of each subject to be created online with help of NCERT resources. Expenditure on paper sheets can be minimised by making collaborative files on Google / Microsoft apps. Smartphone penetration being very high at all levels of Indian society, reading work can be done with them. Procurement of unavoidable stationery items for essential written work by students to be sourced from governmental outlets. Teaching aids to be created from cardboard wood and plastic obtained through community sources. Measurement and Evaluation of compatible categories in Bloom’s taxonomy to be done with the help of Google Forms. Project work and Viva to be used for the remaining.

Es fundamental incorporar en el plan de implementación una serie de estrategias que permitan manejar o gestionar el cambio que va a implicar los nuevos modelos pedagógicos. Si no consideramos esta variable crucial podemos lesionar las posibilidades de éxito de la implementación de la propuesta desarrollada.

Mid-Day Meal scheme in low income schools of India provides a basic incentive for students. However, erratic attendance and truancy persist. The bottom line of curricular innovation therefore, would require raising student involvement through gamification of learning on one hand and empowerment of teachers with resourcefulness and improvisation abilities on the other, to create effective Lesson Plans. The transaction should be in the flipped classroom mode to reduce homework pressure for which parents are forced to pay extra for tuition and also enable children to help parents in their work after school. Additionally, maintaining excellent hygiene sanitation of premises and ensuring punctual attendance by teachers will bring success.

Lo que no se evalúa se devalúa dice el dicho. En este caso es clave pero propongo mirar el enfoque de la evaluación desde la perspectiva del error. Me refiero a buscar las áreas donde nos hemos equivocado para sobre la base de la data poder describir una mejor estrategia de implementación del modelo. Si enfocamos esa mirada lo que vamos a conseguir es justamente alzar la mirada de cara al modelo implementado.

The final step is to monitor and evaluate the impact of curricular improvisation. Mid-Term Formative Assessment should be done using rubrics to generate qualitative and quantitative data on each student. Data from year-end Cumulative Assessment should be collectively reviewed by entire team of teachers from present and next higher standard, to prepare a composite, yet customised report for each student containing the list of areas aligned with her/his needs that will require remedial / supplementary work in the next session. In addition to attendance record and academic outcomes, student report cards should also contain a reflection of their psychomotor and social skills, as well as participation in community work.

Existen diversas metodologías agrupadas como educación popular, dichos métodos serán muy útiles para trabajar en instituciones educativas de bajos recursos. Otra idea sería organizar a los estudiantes a crear sus propios materiales didácticos.