Shikshangan presented papers on Best Practices in Teaching in 2 conferences in 2009

1) Quality Council of India And DAV Schools conference, Mumbai 2009
2)Teaching conference for the Association of International Schools (TAISI) Jaipur, 2009

Building Employability Skills

Client : Modern College of Engineering (Wadia)
Capacity : Capacity building
Location : Pune
Time frame : 50 hours, August 2009

Brief description :
This program is designed to help young adults improve their Work-life skills, by engaging with areas of self development that are usually not dealt with in educational institutions. We helped students build their basic abilities , which are essential when you step out of college, as also, English Communication skills.

Activities :
Some highlights were
Decision Making- ability to select one option from several
Presenting ideas- ability to present your ideas effectively
Critiquing other’s ideas- ability to understand other’s ideas and critique them
Self awareness- ability to understand oneself so that one is able to deal with one’s emotions, stresses, ambitions etc
General awareness- ability to understand the economic, political, and social environment around us

Evaluation for Word & Deed Schools and Vocational Centre

Client : Woord & Daad – Netherlands
Category : Audit and Evaluation
Location : Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh
Time frame : 30 days

Brief description :
Word and Deed India has been operating in India since 1984. It is providing humanitarian assistance to the poor and needy since then. WDI’s program contains two schools (primary & secondary), one residential school and one day school. In addition, WDI supports students for higher education, ie for graduation and professional courses.
A need was felt to have the program externally evaluated, from certain perspectives mentioned by the parent body, in order to learn and further improve the program. WDI was also interested in comparing its day -school approach with the residential school to make a better choice between the two. Currently, WDI’s education efforts reach out to nearly 3000 children.

Activities :
Some sampling of Shikshangan’s approach, in carrying out this evaluation:
- Measuring learning achievement of students
- Studying the curriculum being employed at various levels
- Checking Pedagogy, or Teaching- Learning process being employed
- Looking at Teacher development – current capability& future plans
- Community/ parent engagement
- Academic management
- Human resource management
- Financial Management- both assest management and working capital management
- Quality Management- that is, how the organisation is engaged in continuous development
- Studying the overall impact of the education program

Shikshangan saw all these components from the angle of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and impact, and separately for the residential and day-school.