Findings of Second User Study

This blog summarizes the findings from a discussion with teachers and a principal at a remote PM SHRI of Assam. The discussion focused on the difficulties educators face while teaching various subjects to students across different grade levels and explored current teaching methodologies and potential improvements.

Summary of Findings (Subject-wise Challenges)

The discussion revealed several subject-specific areas where students face difficulties in understanding key concepts:

• Mathematics:

  • Surface Area and Total Surface Area: Students, particularly those who are weaker, often get confused between the concepts of surface area and total surface area.

  • Conic Sections: Visualizing and understanding conic sections presents a significant challenge for students in classes 11 and 12. Teachers find it difficult to demonstrate how these shapes are formed by cutting a cone.

  • Trigonometry: The multitude of identities in trigonometry leads to confusion among students, with some struggling to grasp the fundamental relationships and apply them effectively.

  • Basic Arithmetic (General Observation): While teachers at this specific school report that students generally grasp basic multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction by grades 8 and 9, it was mentioned that external reports (e.g., Pratham) indicate a broader issue of students in higher grades lacking these fundamental skills in other schools.

    
    

• Social Science (Geography & History):

  • Geography (Abstract Concepts): Students struggle to relate to and understand geographical processes like soil erosion, weathering, and the formation of different landscapes. The inability to physically experience these phenomena contributes to this difficulty. Differentiating between geographical features like cold and hot deserts, and mountains and hills (especially in the context of regions they haven't seen, like the Himalayas) is also challenging.

  • History (Imagination and Relevance): Teaching history often requires students to imagine past events and contexts, which can be difficult. Relating historical periods like the Stone Age, Ancient History, and Modern History to the present can also be problematic.

  • Political Science (Conceptual Understanding): Students face challenges in differentiating and synchronizing the roles and powers of the President and the Prime Minister. Remembering constitutional articles also poses a difficulty.

    
    

• Biology (Physiology & Molecular Biology):

  • Human Physiology: Understanding the functions of the human body, such as the heart and nervous system, is challenging when students cannot visualize these processes directly.

  • Molecular Biology: Concepts in molecular biology, particularly DNA replication and the mechanisms involved, are difficult for students to grasp. The lack of visual aids and relatable explanations contributes to this. Language barriers in available resources (e.g., YouTube videos in English) further complicate learning.

    
    

• Physics (Waves & Electricity):

  • Wave Phenomena: Concepts related to waves, oscillations, and electromagnetic waves are hard for students to understand.

  • Electricity and Magnetism: Students struggle with the abstract nature of how electric current flows, how magnetic fields are generated by moving charges, and the working principles of electronic components like cathodes and anodes. The inability to perform related experiments exacerbates this issue.

    
    

• Chemistry (Atomic Structure & Organic Chemistry):

  • Atomic Structure: Visualizing the 3D structure of atomic particles and understanding different atomic models (e.g., Rutherford model) is difficult for students. Understanding what happens when subatomic particles are added or removed is also challenging.

  • Organic Chemistry: Representing and understanding the structure of organic molecules, such as Benzene and its resonating structures, poses difficulties for students. Grasping the movement of electrons within these structures is also a hurdle.

  • Symbols and Formulas: Students in classes 9 and 10 struggle to remember the symbols of elements and write chemical formulas. They also often lack an understanding of the real-life applications of these formulas.

    
    

• Languages (Reading, Writing, Pronunciation):

  • Basic Literacy: A significant challenge, as highlighted by external evaluators and the principal, is that a few students across all language mediums (English, Assamese, Hindi) are weak in basic reading and writing skills.

  • Pronunciation and Spelling: Students, particularly in regional languages, struggle with correct pronunciation, which directly impacts their spelling abilities. Regional language influences on pronunciation of standard words create confusion.

    
    

Current Teaching Strategies and Resource Utilization

Teachers currently employ a variety of methods to address these challenges:

• Traditional Methods: Blackboard teaching and verbal explanations remain primary modes of instruction.

• Storytelling and Analogies: Teachers use storytelling and create analogies to help students relate to abstract concepts, such as personifying the roles of the President and Prime Minister in political science.

• YouTube Videos: YouTube videos are utilized as a visual aid to explain certain concepts. However, several limitations were noted:

  • Content may not always be educationally appropriate.

  • Language barriers exist as many videos are in English.

  • Students may not always take them seriously.

  • Access to viewing infrastructure (tele-lab) is limited to a central facility and not available in all classrooms.

• Practice and Repetition: For subjects like mathematics and languages, practice problems, dictation, and word memorization are used to reinforce learning.

• Translation and Visual Aids (for Literacy): Teachers use translation into local languages and visual aids like pictures to help students with reading and comprehension. Letter-sound association is also employed.

  
  

Limitations of Current Approaches

The discussion highlighted several limitations of the current teaching methods:

• Abstract Nature of Concepts: Many scientific and mathematical concepts are inherently abstract and difficult for students to grasp without concrete visualization or experiential learning.

• Limited Resources: The lack of readily available and relevant educational resources, particularly in local languages and for specific topics, poses a challenge.

• Infrastructure Constraints: Limited access to technology like tele-labs restricts the effective use of visual aids and online resources in regular classrooms.

• Passive Learning: Traditional methods like lecturing and watching videos often lead to passive learning, which may not result in deep conceptual understanding.

• Rote Learning: The examination system often encourages rote learning, where students memorize facts without truly understanding the underlying concepts. This is reflected in students being able to answer direct questions but struggling with conceptual application or problem-solving.

• Varied Learning Abilities: Teachers need to cater to students with varying levels of understanding, which can be challenging with limited resources and time.

  
  

Conclusion

The discussion highlighted significant challenges faced by teachers in helping students grasp abstract and complex concepts across various subjects. Issues related to visualization, real-world relevance, language barriers in resources, and a tendency towards rote learning were identified as key impediments to deeper understanding. The planned integration of technology through VR labs, a focus on experiential learning, collaborative content creation by teachers, and a strong emphasis on foundational literacy and numeracy offer promising avenues for improving teaching effectiveness and enhancing student learning outcomes. Continuous feedback from educators will be crucial in tailoring these interventions to address the specific needs of the students and the curriculum.