Academic Audit in Schools – The need today!
Quality at the workplace has been a thing of demand by the majority and its inception has been of repute by the Parents, the ultimate stakeholders including the students and the society at large. The particular conjunction to the need delivers a demand to pursue the quality learning environment which otherwise remains of the junction to a limit only.
The class organization and the opportunities to the children given within the classroom by the teachers really pertain to the existing norms and liking of the teachers at pace in particular. Also, the factors which influence the need for audit limit to planning for continuity and progression in learning, match of work to student’s needs, interests and the clarity of objectives without which the tots do not feel at home within the four walls. Above all, the teaching tools in practice need to be evaluated with reference to the usage during the lesson being appropriate or not. With this the teachers’ subject knowledge, enthusiasm, methods of questioning, exposition and problem solving related to multilevel dimension for judging. Also whether the work is tailored to individual needs or not is a concern for parents and management of the school.
As rightly judged and defined by the researchers that Schools need to switch over from academic excellence to overall excellence. This can be done only if we re-engineer the human resources available with the teachers. They have to be retrained to the modern aspects of multimedia technology and the current thinking in education. The classrooms must be made centres of excellence.
It is required to judge the following factors in particular on priority:
a. Curriculum Planning
b. Teaching Learning Processes
c. Student Assessment and Performance
The Teaching Learning Process forms the basis of the academic process and products. The need for Quality Assessment is a novel way by the Central Board of Secondary Education to pave the delivery in the best possible manner. It relates to the following objectives viz.
- To assess and endorse that an institution/ school meets established standards.
- To assess the effectiveness of an institution in creating the most innovative, relevant, socially conscious eco-oriented learning ambience for all its staff and students.
- To involve the faculty comprehensively in institutional evaluation and planning for enhancing the effectiveness of a school.
- To establish criteria for professional certification and upgrading of standards.
- To encourage continuous self-assessment, accountability and autonomy in innovation in school education.
- To encourage continuous professional development and capacity building of teachers.
This type of an audit or an assessment is intended to be a means to document the strengths and weaknesses of educational practices and institutional effectiveness leading them to the desired accountability towards the society and the stakeholders further. The process is bound to entertain issues related to the strengths of the school with areas of development, professional skills and upliftment required and the classroom management format of demand.
Dr. Dheeraj Mehrotra
The Author is a Vice President, Academic Audits & Training with Next Education India Private Ltd. www.nexteducation.in
Email: dheerajm@nexteducation.in
Phone: 9335358916
