Week7 Seasons of my learning

If the last week is mentally upsetting for me, this week is no way better. I lost my father-in-law suddenly. I am shell shocked with his premature death. I am still trying regroup my focus to get back to the track.


The reading and discussion this week focuses on Learner Autonomy. Empowering learners in the process of learning is an effective means to get desired goal in education but it is difficult to implement. What I tried to ponder on in this week's discussion is contexual constraints against fostering autonomy in the form of syllabus and curriculum from the adminstrative authority. Still, I believe, the creativity of the teachers even within the limitations can liberate students from the hurdles that apparently make them passive rather than (pro-)active in learning.

Our guest teacher Rachel comes with a question that I don't know I can reply in nicenet as it  is going through some technical upgrades and I can' log in. The question is if I were a part of designing syllabus and curriculum what changes I would make.

The first thing that comes to my mind is changing the assessment policy. I am simply fed-up with it. The burden of exams is making both students and teachers mechanical in our context. Students only think of exams; what will come there, how to get good grades and what to memorise etc. Tecahers, on the the other hand, concentrate on those aspects that might feature in the coming exams. If a teacher happens or tries to be innovative or experimental in trying out new things, everybody, students, parents, authority, will start screaming 'why?why?why?'. So, I prefer less exams if 'no exam' policy is not viable. And instead of summative assessment I would introduce formative assessment policy.

For all the changes to be successful I believe the mindset of the teachers need to be tailored in line with the innovations proposed. No matter how learner centred the syllabus and curriculum is, teachers are expert enough to alter it and use it in their traditional teacher centerd way.  In our context, CLT has been introduced but in classrooms it has hardly been visible. New aproach but old teaching method is like old wine with new label. So, teacher training is a must on different approaches to teaching such as learner-centred approach, project based learning, task based learning etc. along with practical demonstration on how to implement them in classrooms. Afterwards, the follow-up activities should ensure teachers are transferring their knowledge from training to the classroom.

Regarding the syllabus and curriculm I feel teachers should at the very begining make a mind map of the students of what they they want to be, what skills they need to master for the goals they set. In other words, the syllabus should be need based rather than the one  that comes from the top and for everybody irrespective of leaners with diverse nature. After determining the needs, the materials for the syllabus should be different projects and/or tasks. Such innovations teacher can not design and implement unless he/she is unburdened from excessive number of exams.

Padlet task has helped refine my thoughts on my project,  Ealier I was thinking of blogs for my research students to have reflective diary. It would have been nice but students need to learn blogging as it is new for them. Since I am planning to use padlet in classroom for ensuring interaction, it would be easier for them to use it for other purpose. They could write their reflection in doc file and paste it to the wall prescribed. Even if they are not comfortable writing on the computer they can do it in a diary and later paste the scanned page of the diary to the wall.


The progress of project work is sloth due to unavoidable circumstances. Foli has kindly agreed to partner me in the project. I should not do anything to let him down.

Overall, it is a great week with personal calamities.


Eftekhar