Indian Secondary School Research Articles

Decentralisation in School Management and Student Achievement: Evidence from India

This paper examines the link between decentralisation in school management and student achievement levels in secondary schools in India. It employs observational data from two school surveys conducted as part of the Young Lives project in the southern Indian states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to create a measure of decentralisation as a latent construct. The relationship between decentralisation and students’ abilities in mathematics and English is measured using linear mixed effects models. Contrary to the expectations in much literature, we find a negative association between decentralisation and students’ scores on Maths and English assessments, even when controlling for a variety of individual and school characteristics. The results from the analysis therefore problematises decentralisation initiatives such as school-based management to improve student achievement.

Perceptions and beliefs of Indian secondary school teachers regarding story telling

ABSTRACT India’s long tradition of storytelling is well integrated into the social and cultural lives of people. It is a recognized resource for religious and secular moral education. While the desirability and usefulness of storytelling as a general pedagogical tool finds mention in national school and teacher education policy, there is limited research on teachers’ beliefs and actual practices. Writing tends to be directive, based on deficit assumptions regarding practice. This paper presents perspectives and beliefs of secondary school government teachers from one State in India. It is based on an exploratory study involving observations of two schools and interviews with seven teachers. Observation and interview data were thematically analysed. Five thematic areas are presented: teachers’ personal experiences and related beliefs; their beliefs about usefulness; their views regarding suitability in their school; their own preparedness as storytellers; and their current practices. In conclusion we note that all teachers recalled having positive personal experiences of listening to stories as children, yet they were sceptical about usefulness for “serious subjects”, practicality in large classroom settings and risks of failing as performers in front of the class. A few exceptional teachers were able to foster interaction in large classroom using stories.

We have efficacy but lack infrastructure: teachers’ views on online teaching learning during COVID-19

PurposeThe coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led education institutions to move all face-to-face (F2F) courses online. The situation is unique in that teachers and students can make a direct comparison of their courses before (F2F) and after COVID-19 (online). This study aims to analyze teachers’ viewpoints for this unprecedented change.Design/methodology/approachThe study followed a mixed-method approach within an ex post facto survey research design. Research tools were distributed among 200 Indian secondary school teachers following a heterogeneous purposive sampling technique. As the study was conducted during the pandemic backdrop researchers used Google forms and telephonic interviews to collect data.FindingsTeachers viewed positively to this shift from F2F to online teaching-learning (OTL). They were found to have an overall moderate level of online teaching efficacy and where good efficacy prevails there found minimal concern for infrastructure, an attitude showing least concern for “what is not” and more concerned with “what they can do with what is having.” A statistically significant effect of teacher efficacy was found on their perception of OTL infrastructure that supports this strong conviction among few teachers. Statistical analysis revealed for every 1 standard unit increase in self-efficacy, the perceived OTL infrastructure was to be increased by 0.997 standard units which support the strong correlation between the two chosen cognitive variables (r = 0.8). Besides, teachers were not found as a homogeneous group concerning their reported readiness for online teaching yet, different subgroups of teachers exist which may require different approaches for support and counseling.Originality/valueThe paper reports an original empirical survey conducted in India and the write-up is based strictly on the survey findings only. An exclusive analysis of teachers’ views of their efficacy and perceived OTL infrastructure. At the same time, path-breaking in analyzing the chemistry between the two variables which will help improving apposite culture, practice and understanding of the digital pedagogy securing quality OTL in the long run.

Socio-cultural Sustainability through Study Material: English Language Teaching in India

Teaching materials are the primary source of input in the language classroom. The potential of English language teaching (ELT) materials to preserves and transmit our culture, value, identity, and language make it significant for socio-cultural sustainability. The materials developed by the National Council of Education and Research Training (NCERT) are far and wide running study materials in primary and secondary schools in India. India exhibits a massive variety of cultures, customs, languages, and religious beliefs. The selection and development of apt materials is, therefore, a matter of serious deliberation. The centrally developed material, despite numerous benefits, often lacks in representing different groups of students, especially the backward and marginalized ones. The contents, in most cases, are representative of the mainstream. Therefore, the study suggests teachers developed supplementary materials to which learners from all the groups can relate. The researcher has taken the context of Jharkhand and illustrates self-developed supplementary materials prepared using contents from learners’ social and cultural backgrounds. The article offers various suggestions on how to develop such materials that could bring socio-cultural equity in the classroom, making a significant contribution to social sustainability.

Geography Syllabus in the Secondary Schools of India: Issues and Challenges

Constructi ng the syllabus of a school subject coul d be a highly contested exercise given the fact that it must cater for the concerns of competing stakeholders and pressures to incorporate all possible aspects of that discipline. For geography, whose field of study is extremely vast, and its nature is not clearly defined, developing its syllabus is particularly challenging. This paper discusses some key issues concerning the status of the geography syllabus in the secondary schools in India. The central theme of t he paper is built on the study of documenta ry sources, research works, as well as on the survey of schoolteachers and geography experts from some school boards. The paper concludes that the educational value of school geogr aphy can only be realized by inco rpo rating both physical an d human aspects of the Earth in the syllab

“Work Experience Education” in secondary schools in India: a women’s empowerment perspective

This study looks at women’s education in India, arguing that young women should be empowered to enter the labor market. Women’s empowerment, along with school education, is one of the main contributors to women’s participation in the workplace. This study examines Work Experience Education (WEE) in secondary schools from the perspective of women’s empowerment. WEE, as a subject, reduces socio-economic disparities and helps participants achieve self-improvement through practical activities and experiences. Interviews with teachers and student questionnaires were conducted in secondary schools in X city in Maharashtra to examine current teaching approaches and students’ acceptance of teaching. Results showed that first, current classroom activities differ from the original curriculum. Second, teachers and students, especially male students had expectations associated with teaching/acquiring disciplinary knowledge and multiple skills (two out of the three components of WEE). Third, WEE contributes to three aspects of women’s empowerment: access to resources, job opportunities, and the acquisition of decision-making skills. However, few students or teachers expected to receive a boost in self-esteem, one of the key aspect of women’s empowerment. The present study indicates that enhanced self-esteem is a crucial element in women’s work-related education in South Asian developing countries, where development is based on a patriarchal system. The results of this study indicate that WEE in its current form does not establish sufficient levels of self-esteem, a crucial component of women’s empowerment.

Identifying the Factors Affecting Performance of Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools in India

Identifying the Factors Affecting Performance of Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools in India

Impact of Technology on Government Higher Secondary School Administration

Technology plays a decisive role in enhancing the effective operation of a school as an organisation which requires an efficient and effective administration. With the advent of 21th century the whole world has become a ‘Global Village’. The modern technology has transcend the manual work in the organisations to make life expeditious. The efficient and effective administration governs the objectives of a school to accomplish. Technology may be considered as a substitute for the modernization of all the organisations for administrative transactions including school administration. Contemporarily, the application of new technologies in the government higher secondary schools in India has been promptly snowballing. This adoption of new technology reinforces the administrative as well as teaching process in the school. The technological resources can be unified with the administration transversely. Technology has been used for the enrichment of students’ e-learning; instructional and professional purposes for both teachers as well as administrators in the development process of the school. Lack of technological sustenance impedes the administrative functions towards the development process in the school. Effective administration leads to quality work in the organization and quality teaching in the school. The study nexus the progress of administrative technical support with institution effectiveness.

Food and nutrition education in private Indian secondary schools

PurposeThe current Indian secondary school curriculum has been criticised for its failure to deliver relevant skills-based food and nutrition education for adolescents. The purpose of this paper is to understand the views of adolescents, their parents, teachers and school principals on the present food and nutrition curriculum and the role of the schools in developing food skills.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were held with 15 students aged 14-15 years, 15 parents, 12 teachers and ten principals in ten private schools in Kolkata, India. The interview questions were primarily based on the content, merits and demerits of the curriculum. The digitally recorded data were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.FindingsAll the 52 interviewees observed that the food and nutrition curriculum created awareness in students about the importance of healthy eating. However, they also described certain weaknesses of the curriculum. These included lack of practical assignments, an out-dated and a limited curriculum, which failed to initiate critical thinking and was contradicted by sales practices in the school food environment. The interviewees prioritised the inclusion of food skills in the curriculum.Practical implicationsThe emerging evidence suggests the need for the development of a skills-focussed food and nutrition curriculum to encourage healthy eating behaviours among adolescents.Originality/valueMost of the work on food and nutrition education has come from developed nations – this is the first study in the Indian context of the secondary school food and nutrition curriculum.

Rewarding schooling success and perceived returns to education: Evidence from India

This paper tests two specific mechanisms through which individuals can form expectations about returns to investments in education: recognition for schooling performance, and exposure to successful students through family or social networks. Using a regression discontinuity design, we study the impact of two fellowship programs recognizing educational performance in secondary schools in India. We find that the fellowship award is associated with a significant increase in the perceived value of education, by both increasing the perceived mean of earnings (0.74 standard deviations (SD)) and decreasing the perceived variance in earnings (1.03 SD) associated with additional years of schooling. The effects spill over only selectively to social and family networks. Peers exposed to successful students do not update their beliefs but parents of fellows report higher perceived returns to education. Peers of fellows are however more informed about fellowship opportunities and report a higher intention to apply for the fellowship, thus contributing to the persistence of the potential impact of the fellowship across different cohorts.

What influences urban Indian secondary school students' food consumption? – A qualitative study

Indian adolescents' over reliance on foods such as nutrient-poor snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages and take-away foods puts them at significant risk of obesity and several diet-related chronic diseases. Therefore, the factors that influence their dietary behaviours need to be better understood in order to develop effective nutrition promotion strategies. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to investigate adolescents', parents', teachers', and school principals' perceptions of the main influences on adolescent eating behaviours. Fifteen adolescents aged 14–15 years, 15 parents, 12 teachers and 10 principals from 10 private English-speaking schools in Kolkata, India, participated in semi-structured interviews. The digitally-recorded conversations were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. The 52 interviews revealed a number of factors that may influence adolescents' eating habits including parent and peer influences, home and school food environments, and the mass media. Emerging evidence suggests that future health and nutrition promotion interventions need to target the different influences on Indian teenagers' food consumption.

Making silent voices heard: Using participatory video to address sexual violence

abstract Sexual violence is a worldwide phenomenon; one that surpasses the confines of race, culture, colour, creed, and religion and touches practically every community in the world. Often sanctioned by custom, sexual violence survives and flourishes on gender disparities. Today, as in the past, violence against women still constitutes one of the most unpunished crimes of all. Sexual violence is increasingly recognised as a significant driver of the HIV epidemic, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where the frequency of HIV infection is growing at alarming rates among young women in particular. Youth’s vulnerability to HIV is an important reason to focus on how they understand sexual violence in the age of AIDS in order to address it. This article focuses on Indian secondary school youth in Durban, South Africa – where the biggest Indian community outside of India is found - and explores how participatory video, as ‘research as intervention’, is used to not only understand but also address sexual violence in their community. The theory of Triadic Influence (TTI) provided a frame to make meaning of the findings of the study. The participants were 10 Indian boys and 10 Indian girls who were purposively selected from Grade 11 classes from a secondary school in Durban. The findings of the study suggest that Indian youths’ understanding of sexual violence is underpinned by an Indian culture of concealment which perpetuates sexual violence and that the participatory video work – as intervention - opened up opportunities for them to engage critically with issues of Indian culture, peer pressure, and trauma, enabling them to be critically aware of the world around them. In this way, participatory video contributed to the participants empowering themselves in becoming agents of change.

Barriers to the Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Secondary Schools: Teacher’s Perspective

This study investigates the teachers’ perceptions of barriers to using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in secondary schools in India. Even though the progress of ICT for teaching is growing, very few studies address ICT particularly regarding secondary schools in India. This study has reviewed the existing literature pertaining to ICT in secondary schools and has analyzed barrier factors in relation to secondary schools in India. A 10-item questionnaire was administered to 749 secondary school teachers in India. Results from the study shows that lack of funding, lack of ICT integration and lack of connectivity were found to be most critical barriers to the use of ICT in secondary schools. Three barrier-factors were extracted: lack of support, lack of ICT infrastructure and lack of motivation and self belief from factor analysis.

The sex education debates: teaching ‘Life Style’ in West Bengal, India

This paper examines the recent controversies surrounding the decision to introduce sex education in secondary schools in India to combat the rapid spread of HIV and AIDS in the country. While 11 Indian states have banned it, the Left-ruled state of West Bengal has designed a teachers' manual to impart sex education. However, a close analysis of this material shows that it suffers from the same anxieties about ‘western licentiousness’ that will affect ‘pure’ Indian youth and delivers the same message of sexual abstinence that characterizes the arguments deployed against the teaching of sex education. Both the proponents and opponents of sex education see sex education as a part of a larger programme of globalization that is threatening Indian culture and needs to be resisted either by rejecting the programme or by using it to construct a sexually abstinent nationalist youth force.

Who makes it to secondary school? Determinants of transition to secondary schools in rural India

Despite considerable progress made, a significant proportion of children continue to drop out before reaching secondary school in India. This study investigates factors influencing parental decision-making with regard to children's secondary schooling in the context of a rural area of Uttar Pradesh. The study finds that cost, distance to the nearest secondary school, membership in traditionally marginalised social groups, and being a girl child have a significant effect on a child's chance of transition. It also finds that factors influencing participation at the primary level may influence the transition decision, having key implications for education policy formulation across education levels.

School‐based instructional supervision and the effective professional development of teachers

This paper considers how academic supervision and support by educational authorities help improve the teaching–learning process and the professional development of teachers in government and private‐aided senior secondary schools. To date the research into this field in India has tended to focus on the mechanics of supervision. A comparative study was carried out of selected government, private‐aided and private senior secondary schools in India. The paper examines how heads of government and private‐aided institutions feel about placing emphasis on providing instructional supervision for teachers. They and their staff obtain little or no feedback or academic support from educational authorities in this field. It also investigates how heads improve the teaching–learning process and provide effective professional development of teachers at school level. The paper argues for the provision of effective school‐based instructional supervision and support for the professional development of teachers by heads. It concludes by recommending various measures for strengthening the efforts of the heads of government and private‐aided institutions, given the lack of academic support from educational authorities.

Environmental Attitudes and Behavior of Primary and Secondary Students in Asian Cities: An Overview Strategy for Implementing an Eco-schools Programme

Environmental education is essential to the success of Agenda 21. Yet currently it is without focus and effectively side-lined. This paper presents the results of preliminary investigations on the environmental attitudes and knowledge of Indian and Filipino primary and secondary school students, and their readiness to engage in pro-environmental behavior that could involve some change in their personal lifestyle. For the most part, environmental education efforts are embedded mainly into various science subjects. The relationship between environmental education and environmental awareness is analyzed to examine whether schools' environmental education could contribute to the shaping of environmental attitudes. A strategy and accompanying methodology for establishing environmental education is supplied.

English Usage of South African Indian Pupils

Abstract South Africa Indians come from a variety of linguistic cind cultural backgrounds. Although most South African Indians have adopted English as their mother tongue, their variety of English tends to deviote from Standard English. In this paper a number of common errors of South African Indian secondary school pupils are presented and reasons for these errors are discussed.

American Indian Secondary School Students' Preferences for Counselors

Researchers examined the importance of similar ethnicity and the preference for a counselor of the same sex among American Indian secondary school students.

Implementation and evaluation of computer science in an Indian secondary school

This paper discusses the various issues and factors involved in planning and implementing an introductory computer science course in an Indian secondary school. The implementation scheme, acquisition, selection and funding for computer resources, location and access to the computer facilities were analysed. The training programme, teaching style and classroom management processes were also evaluated. Criteria for selection of students and students' academic performance in computer science were compared with those of science and commerce subjects. The study also highlighted the school management and students' viewpoints on the introduction of this new course. The study showed that the Indian school has successfully integrated the introductory computer science course into the school curriculum. It followed a similar pattern to that of British secondary schools by introducing computer studies at this level. Based upon this study, a five-stage model could be prepared as a guideline for the gradual introduction of computer literacy and studies programmes into the secondary school curriculum of developing countries.