Primary School Curriculum Analysis

Theoretical approaches on school education:

Importance of school education to all is well known to common man. Along with it, various ways of enhancing the quality of compulsory primary education is vital. ‘It is the quality of teaching more than anything else that determines the success of child’s learning and development in school.’ (Department of Education and Science: Primary School Curriculum, 1999). When children are given a positive school experience, which includes training in literacy, numeracy and communication skills it builds their self-esteem, confidence and motivation to learn. In literature, peer learning in primary school is one important model. There are a number of benefits from peer learning like reduction in misbehaviour,

Objectives for including ICT in curriculum are developing basic knowledge, skills and concepts; creating communicating and collaborating; thinking critically and creatively; understanding social and personal impact of ICT. Technological skills are needed for improvements in quality of education, work and leisure. ICT performs the function of integrating teaching into the learning process. But a major problem is that schools lack the financial resources to purchase and update hardware. (Carr, 2007, pp. 34-35, 40).

Primary School Curriculum supports technology in every area of the curriculum because the potential of ICT is huge, it provides opportunities to work on language skills (tools like word-processing helps in writing), provides education softwares and interactive white boards to teachers. It also plays a role in enhancing learning of kids in need of special education by allowing them to work at their own pace, there is no pressure to catch up with the rest of the others. It also provides techniques to cater to visually impaired students thereby increasing motivation and self-esteem. (Carr, 2007, pp.

But there are other strategies like ‘talk and discussion’, ‘guided discovery learning’, ‘use of child’s immediate environment’ which is preferred over ICT. (Carr, 2007, p. 38). No medium is likely to improve learning when it is used to deliver instruction. A convincing case exists for the web in areas like making learning accessible and promoting improved learning. However, it largely depends on how effectively the medium is exploited in the learning situation. (Owston, 1997, p. 29). Governments trying to implement similar programmes should develop integration of laptops with a strong component of teacher professional environment. They should consider the alternatives of public funds before implementing capital-intensive use of technology in poor countries. (Cristia, Ibarrarán, & all, 2012, p.