Health education

CONSCIENTIZATION PROGRAM

Health education is a profession of educating people about health.^[1] Areas within this profession encompass environmental health, physical health, social health, emotional health, intellectual health, and spiritual health, as well as sexual and reproductive health education.

Health education can be defined as the principle by which individuals and groups of people, learn to behave in a manner conducive to the promotion, maintenance, or restoration of health. However, as there are multiple definitions of health, there are also multiple definitions of health education. The Joint Committee on Health Education and Promotion Terminology of 2001 defined Health Education as "any combination of planned learning experiences based on sound theories that provide individuals, groups, and communities the opportunity to acquire information and the skills needed to make quality health decisions." 

The World Health Organization defined Health Education as "compris[ing] [of] consciously constructed opportunities for learning involving some form of communication designed to improve health literacy, including improving knowledge, and developing life skills which are conducive to individual and community health.

weekend report

6th week in KPM

They must train before they enter the classroom, and they must receive ongoing training even as they work in the classroom. It is the message I got out of my last 5 weeks of experience in KPM. There happened inauguration of the Adult lungering lab and installation of the Cctv cameras in school.

All this training gives new teachers the greatest chance of success as well as sustain veteran teachers as they meet new challenges in education.  When this training does not happen, there is a risk that teachers may leave the profession early. The other concern is that when training is insufficient, students will invariably respond and non diligently behave.

Adaltingaring lab inauguration at Kpm hss

My fourth week in KPM HSS, Cheriyavelinelloor

My fourth week in KPM HSS, Cheriyavelinelloor

As part of my B.Ed course,  we had to get practical training so during the lessons and completing our syllabus we all went to special and mainstream levels of students to teach the children values and awareness programmes. I was sent out to teach an out bound training sessions to train  how to be positive all the time. I also conducted a story telling class at KPM in this week. This was a good learning experience for me and my students as well.

After the practical classes our teacher Mrs Lakshmi at the training college told us that we had to do a group and an individual presentation on one of the topics that we had studied. My topic for the individual presentation was gender equality. Post the presentation we were required to give a final written examination.

ICT IN EDUCATION

Computer Based Learning

Computer Based Learning, sometimes abbreviated CBL, refers to the use of computers as a key component of the educational environment. While this can refer to the use of computers in a classroom, the term more broadly refers to a structured environment in which computers are used for teaching purposes. The concept is generally seen as being distinct from the use of computers in ways where learning is at least a peripheral element of the experience (e.g. computer games and web browsing).

Debate

Since its inception, Computer Based Learning has been a subject of close scrutiny and debate, with myriad arguments being advanced both in support of and against CBL.

Among the arguments advanced by the proponents of CBL is its ability to provide quantifiable and instantaneous feedback for its users. It also often allows for educators to measure progress in an environment that is often more structured than the typical classroom, limiting stress and allowing for a focus on non-technical elements of pedagogy.

In particular, Computer Based Learning is often seen as the most efficient and effective manner in which to conduct distance education, as a lesson plan can be created that allows people to study at their own pace, either via the Internet or software installed on individual computers at various sites.

One strain of thought advanced by some advocates of Computer Based Learning suggests that the best use of CBL is alongside a more traditional curriculum, playing a supplementary role, facilitating interest in a topic while developing the technical and informational skills CBL promotes. Companies now providing CBL products, including Blackboard and iLearn, have often taken this approach in creating and promoting their services.

Those skeptical of the value of CBL have often argued that it can only teach to its programmatic limitations; that it is not as good as having a human teacher because it can only answer questions which have been programmed into it.

In addition, critics such as Neil Postman have argued that a curriculum with a computer at its core teaches a "technocratic" belief system, making all education into an uncritical type of vocational training. Rather than developing the more generalized skills of reading, writing, and critical inquiry, the prominent use of computers in the classroom teaches how to manipulate the technology to elicit the desired response in a non collaborative, non rational manner. In contrast, CBL advocates such as Jonathan Bishop believe that the use of computers in education can lead to social justice and can be successful when web logs are used as reflective learning logs.

MODELS OF TEACHING

MODELS OF TEACHING

Meaning and Definitions:

  The term "Model" carries different meaning in our day-to-day life. We look out the model of Taj Mahal and find it an exact replica of the original. This is why models prove a quite effective aid as a substitute for reality in the classroom situation. 

    

               In behavior modification and in the task of helping individual to learn good habits, to imbibe desirable attitudes, interest and other may personality characteristics, we generally use the term "model" or modelling in presenting some ideal figure of behavior for the purpose of its copying or imitation by the individual concerned. A teacher, a leader or a screen hero may work as  a model for a child and he may pick up the behavioral traits of the personality of that model.

               In another way the term "model" profoundly used by artists, architects or engineers in their professional activities, Initially, the models of dams, projects, installation or construction of machinery and equipment are prepared and then the work is carried out exactly as it has been laid down in the model.

               thus, different meanings may prove quite helpful in understanding or defining the term "Models of Teaching" or "Teaching Models". It has been defined by the research workers and writers in a number of ways. Some this definitions are produced here:

JOYCE and WELL (1972:2):  Teaching models are just instructional designs. They describe the process of specifying and producing particular environmental situations which cause the student to interact in such a way that specific change occurs in his behavior 

JAYCE and WELL (1972:3):  Teaching model is a "pattern or plan" which can be used to shape a curriculum or course, to select instructional materials and to guide a teachers action.

JAYCE and WELL (1978:2): A model of teaching consist of guidelines for designing educational activities and environments. It specifies ways of teaching and learning that are intended to achieve certain kinds of goals.

PAUL D. EGGEN, ET AL. (1979:12): Models are prescriptive teaching strategies designed to accomplish particular instructional goals.

JANGIRA AND OTHERS (1983:10): A model of teaching is a set of interrelated components arranged in a sequence which provides guidelines to realize specific goal. It helps in designing instructional activities and environmental facilities, carrying out of these activities and realization of the stipulated objectives.

Analysis of the Definitions

The first definition considers models as instructional designs, These designs helps in the process of teaching in the following ways:

• They suggest the ways and techniques of creating a favorable environmental condition for carrying out the teaching process
• They help in achieving desirable teacher-pupil interaction during teaching. 
• The ultimate goal of bringing desirable changes in the behavior of pupil may be achieved through these designs.

The second definition considers models as a sort of some patterns or plans prepared in advance for the success of the learning teaching process:

• In the construction of a curriculum or contents of a course.
• In the proper selection of the instructional materials for teaching the prepared curriculum or course 
• In guiding the teacher to select appropriate teaching techniques, strategies and methods for the effective utilization of the teaching situation and material for realizing the set of objectives.

The Third definition considers models are sort of specific guidelines helpful in the accomplishment of the following task:

• Designing appropriate educational activities 
• Arranging proper teaching environment
• Specifying suitable ways and means of teaching learning
• Directing all resources of teaching to achieve the specific objective or  goals.

The fourth definition views models in terms of some specific teaching strategies aimed at the realization of the set objectives.

The fifth definition considers models as a well planned guide sheet helpful in realizing the stipulated objectives of teaching by controlling the teaching environment and specifying the teaching activities.

Characteristics of Teaching Models

1. Models of teaching are some sort of pattern or plans prepared in advance for the success of the teaching learning process.
2. The differ from general teaching techniques  and strategies in the sense that they are designed to meet specific objectives or goals.
3. Provide specific guidelines or blue print in advance for the realization of the specific objectives by specifying the teaching activities and controlling the teaching- learning environment.
4. Give specific instructional design for particular type of instruction in specified teaching-learning situation.
5. Help in creating a proper teaching- learning environment
6. help in specifying the criteria of acceptable performance expected from the learners in a specific teaching- learning situation.
7. Provide systematic procedure and organized efforts for the desirable modification of the behavior of the learners.
8. They first specify the teaching or learning outcomes in behavioral terms and then lay down a step by step procedure for the attainment of these outcomes.
9. Help the teacher in the task in the same way as an engineer is helped in the construction of a building or bridge by an appropriate model or blueprint prepared in advance.
10. Save the energy, time and efforts of the teacher and the learners besides providing economy  to the best utilization of the other teaching learning resources.
11.  Models of teaching are known to serve three major function in a given teaching learning situation:

RESEARCH PROJECTS

RESEARCH PROJECTS

Ideas about purpose, audience and structure that apply to writing essays also apply to research writing; however, a research project asks students to spend more time on the collection of materials and to develop their sense of purpose, audience and structure as their growing knowledge about the subject becomes more complex.

The most important thing for students to remember about completing a research project is that, in the end, most professors are interested in the way students can combine their use of outside sources with their own personal insights about the topic. It should not be a regurgitation of facts and ideas from other sources. It should be the careful integration of those sources with the ideas students have developed as a result of their reading and thinking.

Students certainly do need to use skills of summary and synthesis as they share with their audience the various ideas they have learned about in their research, but merely summarizing and synthesizing material from others is not research. Instead, the research project should represent a higher level of abstract thinking, one that illustrates an ability to summarize, connect, find patterns, critique, and ultimately take a carefully considered position.

The seven research steps listed here can be integrated into a course schedule so that students have opportunities for feedback at important points in the research process.

Seven Steps:

1. Develop a Research Question
2. Find Sources: Reading and Note Taking
3. Evaluate Sources
4. Establish a Working Bibliography
5. Prepare to Write: Consider Audience and Purpose
6. Put It All Together
7. Final Steps

Develop a Research Question

The best kind of research projects emerge from personal interests and/or commitment to a specific area of study. In the best case scenario, then, students will have time to explore various ideas within a particular course, perhaps doing some informal writing in order to discover interests. Active reading and discussion in the classroom, combined with regular note taking and perhaps conversations with the professor, can help students figure out a particular interest worth the time and effort of research.

Students do not always have to feel drawn to a topic positively, however, to make it a good research project. Sometimes topics that we feel negative or neutral about can provide a strong starting point as well. A good research question is one that a student probably hasn?t been able to answer from the classroom sources or one that lingers and feels unresolved.

Find sources: Reading and Note Taking

Students need to use the library and browse the web, keeping track of key ideas and information on note cards or in a research log (see documentation format). The most general way to begin is through broad reference sources like bibliographic entries such as the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, the Book Review Digest, or the New York Times Index. Specific indexes for specific disciplines can also be found with the librarian's help or with suggestions from the professor. Encyclopedias and internet search sites are also useful for initial, general references. These sources should help students refine the process and lead to more specific sources and a refinement of the research question.

Remember that internet research can never replace print research because only a fraction of the world's printed resources can be found electronically.

Distinguish between primary and secondary sources. If an author has direct knowledge of the topic in question, if an author was a participant or observer to an event, such a source is primary. Authors with indirect knowledge of topics or event are secondary sources, such as biographies, literary criticism, historical surveys and textbooks.