it is based on Experiential learning and how to engage Community

1. 1
Unit -3
Community Engagement and Experiential Learning
At the end of the unit we shall be able to understand the following:
3.1 Community Engagement –Concept and School, Family and Community Partnership
3.2 Participative Rural Appraisal: Interaction with School Education Committee and other village
Groups, engaging with Rural Community / Schools Community living camps and also:
3.3 School Functions and Festivals school management committees: parents Teacher Meetings,
teachers and parents in promoting community engagement to study local occupation and
profession
3.1 Community Engagement –Concept and School, Family and Community Partnership:
Community engagement does not occur in a vacuum. It involves history, geography, human
relationships and other considerations. Because of this, understanding community context is
imperative to co-creating positive and sustainable change. Attempting to create change in
communities without understanding the context and working with community stakeholders can
potentially have negative consequences or result in more harm than good.
Bidirectional benefits of engagement- recognizing community expertise
It is really important to recognize that the community members are experts of their own lives. It
can be challenging to gather all the information needed to have a successful community
engagement experience because we do not always know all of what we do not know. This is why
it is especially important to listen to community expertise and include the community in-or-better
yet, let the community lead-the planning of community based projects.
Community asset mapping
a) Survey of house – holds
b) Interaction with Parents
c) Interaction with SDMC/SMC members
d) Understanding craft Traditions of India and their relevance in Education ;
traditional crafts as a pedagogical tools

2. 2
There are strategies that instead focus on identifying resources and strengths community asset
mapping is one such tool that focuses on the resources, capacities and assets with in the
community.
Ethical engagement and responsible engagement
As you go about your community work you should stop to reflect on how the community feels
about your presence. You should regularly feel if you were in the community members’ shoes.
It may include careful planning and preparation, motivation and values, inclusion and demographic
diversity, collaboration and shared purpose, openness and learning, transparency and trust, impact
and action and sustained engagement and participatory culture. Schools may play crucial role in
the learning development of a citizen as experiential learning is more permanent and effective,
various theories and learning models also support this kind of thoughts.
Experiential learning
Experiential learning is a well-known model in education. It is an immersive, participant focused
active approach to learning that engages learners. It is effectively used in schools, and other areas
of educational learning. The concept of experiential learning was first explored by John Dewey,
Kurt Hahn, Kurt Lewin and Jean Piaget, among others; it was made popular by David a Kolb.
Experiential learning:
Combines direct experience with focused reflection and requires active involvement in meaning
construction. Also encourages collaboration and exchange of ideas and perspectives. It can be
course focused or in-class, community focused or work focused. The basic model of experiential
learning cycle is “do reflect decide” Kolb’s defines experiential learning as “the process whereby
knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from
combination of grasping and transforming experience.”
Experiential learning Theory (ELT-Kolb’s Model)
It presents a Cycle of four elements. Kolb’s described two different ways of grasping experience:
Concrete Experience and Abstract Conceptualizations. He also identified two ways of
transforming experience: Reflective Observation and Active Experimentation.

3. 3
Four Learning Stages:
1. Concrete Experience: Learning encounters a new experience or reinterprets an existing
experience.
2. Reflective Observation: Learning reflects on the experience on a personal basis.
3. Abstract Conceptualization: learner forms new ideas, based on the reflections arising
from the reflective observation stage.
4. Active Experimentation: learner applies the new ideas to his surroundings to see if these
are any modification in the next appearance of the experience. The second experience
becomes the concrete experience for the beginning of the next cycle.
For Example learning about How to run a Machine? Learners may learn in following manner:
1. Someone might choose to begin learning via reflection by observing other person as he runs.
2. Another learner might prefer to start more abstractly by reading and analyzing a machine
instructional Manual.
3. Yet another learner might decide to just jump right in and get behind the seat of a machine to
practice-running on a test course. This process can happen over a short of long time.
Learning a bicycle:
Concrete
Experience
Reflective
Observation
Abstract
Conceptulization
Active
Experimentation

4. 4
How do we decide which mode of experiential learning will work best? While situational variables
are important, our own preferences play a large role. Kolb notes that people who are considered
“watchers” prefer reflective observation, while those who are “doers” are most likely to engage in
active experimentation. Because of our hereditary equipment, our particular past life experiences,
and demands of our environment, we develop a preferred way of choosing. These preferences also
serve as the basis of Kolb’s learning styles. In this learning style model, each of the four types has
dominant learning abilities in two areas.
Diverging Concrete Experience , Reflective Observation
Assimilating Abstract Conceptualization, Reflective Observation
Converging Abstract Conceptualization, Active Experimentation
Accommodating Concrete Experience, Active Experimentation
Kolb theorized that the four combinations of perceiving and processing determine one of fours
Kolb believes that learning styles are not fixed of behavior that is based on their background and
experiences.
Learning styles: Are on the basis of the two dimensions
1. How a person understands?
2. How a person processes the information?
Reflective Observation
Thinking about riding
and watching another
person ride a cycle.
Abstract
Conceptulization
Understanding the
theory and having a
clear grasp of the
cycling concept.
Concrete Experience
Receiving practical tips
and techniques from a
cycling expert.
Active
Experimentation
leaping on the cycle
and have a go at it.

5. 5
Learning Styles:
1. Diverging: learners of this kind of learning style look at things different perspective
• Prefer watching to doing
• Have strong imagination capacity, emotional, strong in arts, prefer to work in groups
• Open minded to take feedback
• Have broad interests in different cultures and peoples.
2. Assimilating: learners:
• Prefer good clear information
• Can logically format the given information
• Can explore analytic model
• They are more interested in concepts and abstracts.
3. Converging: learners
• Solve problems
• Apply their learning to practical issues.
• Prefer technical tasks, and they experiment with new ideas
• They tend to be unemotional
Accommodating: Learners
• Prefer to do things practically
• They are attracted to new challenges
• Solve problems intuitively.
A
learner
Processes
the
Information
Through Active
Experiment
Concrete Experience
& Abstract
Conceptulization
Reflective
Observation
Concrete Experience
& Abstract
Conceptulization

6. 6
Educational Importance and Implications:
❖ Makes learning relatable to learners- learner build on what they already know and are
provided with opportunities to make connections between new concepts and existing ones.
❖ Increases the effectiveness of learning- learner engages in critical thinking acquire
problem solving skills and engage in decision making.
❖ Links theory to practice- learners have a chance to engage in the experience and practice
what they have learned, see the application of the theoretical concepts in practice, process
that application and make generalizations.
❖ Increases participations’ engagement- by encouraging collaboration and scaffolding
between learners.
❖ Assists in memory retention- by building strong relationships between feelings and
thinking processes, learners have the capacity to learn successfully when the information
is associated with values and feelings.
❖ Leads to development of skills for lifelong learning by assisting in the acquisition of
essential skills and encouraging learners to reflect, conceptualize, and plan for next steps.
❖ Helps teachers to develop more appropriate learning opportunities for target learners.
❖ Helps teachers design activities that will give opportunities to learners to learn in ways
that suit the learner’s learning styles
❖ Focuses on activities that enable learners to go through each of the four stages of the
experiential learning cycle.
❖ Experiential learning is said to happen when participants get immersed cognitively,
affectively, behaviorally, and are supported by a facilitator in reflecting, processing the
experiences, emotional, thoughts and actions to get a insight in a safe learning
environment, leading to change in perspective, understanding, thoughts and behavior. Is
1
•Diverging
Learning
characteristics
are of concrete
experience and
reflective
2
•Assimlating
Learning
characteristics
include abstract
conceptulization
and reflective
observation
3
•Coverging
Learning
chacterisics are
abstract
conceptulisation
and active
experience
4
•Accomodating
Learning
charactristics are
concrete
experience and
active
experience

7. 7
able to apply the newly a acquired learning in a different real life situation there by
demonstrating change.
Schools use experiential learning by having students engaged in hands-on-learning:
a. Mock-trials or debates
b. Organizing field trips
c. School camps or a boarding component to campus life, here students are responsible for
some aspects of their daily life such as cleaning, time management and study.
d. Undertaking drills to develop specific physical skills.
e. Community service opportunities, such as work trips to support disadvantaged
communities.
f. Study tours to international universities where students experience on-campus life and
undertake undergraduate study.
g. Film or novel study in English where a student enters the world of the story and lingers on
the complexities of the perspective of the protagonist.
h. Scientific experiments or open-ended inquires to determine cause and effect.
i. Case studies of urban development in Geography
j. Role playing influential historical figures in order to understand personal motivation in
history class.
k. Interactive classroom games.
3.2 Participative Rural Appraisal (PRA)
Participatory: means that people are involved in the process a “bottom up’ approach that requires
good communication skills and attitude of project staff.
Rural: the techniques can be used in any situation urban or rural with both literate and illiterate
people.
Appraisal: the finding out of information about problems, needs and potential in a village. It is the
first stage in any project.
It is considered one of the popular and effective approaches to gather information in rural areas.
PRA is the methodology for interacting with villagers and seeking their participation in putting
forward their points of views about problems, analyzing them and utilizing the information to
Debates
School
Camps
Field Trips Mock-Trials Drills
Scientific
Experiments
Games
Community
Service
Study Tours Case Studies Role Playing Novel Study

8. 8
acquire learning Why PRA?. PRA encourages self-reliant development with most of the
responsibilities to manage and execute the developmental activities done by local people. This
creates a sense of ownership and enthusiasm among the local people and thus the efficiency to
achieve the goal also increases.
• The approach was developed in early 1990s with considerable shift in paradigm from top-
down to bottom up approach and from blue print to the learning process.
• Is based on village experiences where communities effectively manage their natural
resources.
• Is a methodology of learning rural life and their environment from rural people?
• It requires field workers to act as facilitators to help local people conduct their own
analysis, plan and take action.
It is based on the principle that local people are creative and capable and can do their own
investigation, analysis and planning.
Techniques:
Is an approach used by Non Government Organizations involved in International development,
aims to incorporate the knowledge of rural people in the planning and management of development
projects and programmes. The approach owes that the poor and exploited people can and should
be enabled to analyze their own reality.
The PRA has two statutory objectives:
1. To promote the safety and soundness of the firms.
2. To contribute the securing of an appropriate degree of protection for policyholders.
Key principles;
Participation- participation by communities
Flexibility- time and resources available
Teamwork-conducted by a local team with local language
Optimal ignorance- both time and money
Systematic- generated data, qualitative nature.
Participatory Methods (PMs): it includes a range of activities with a common thread: enabling
ordinary people to play an active and influential part in decisions which affect their lives. This
means that people are not just listened to, but also heard; and that their voices shape outcome. The
principle of participation the active involvement and empowerment of stakeholders is the core of
1
•Visualization –
verbalization-
documentation
2
•Sequencing
3
•Optimal
ignorance
4
•Triangulation
5
•. Direct
observation-
what? When?
Where? Who?
Why? How?
6
•Do it yourself

9. 9
all our work. Participatory learning and action is an approach for learning about the engaging with
communities.
Mapping and Modeling:
Using local materials, villagers draw or model current or historical conditions. The researcher then
interviews the villagers by “interviewing Map”. This technique can be used to show soil, water
sources, wealth rankings, household assets, land-use patterns, changes in farming practices,
constraints, trends, health and welfare conditions and the distribution of various resources.
Transect walks and guided field walks
The person and key informants conduct a walking tour through areas of interests to observe, to
listen to identify different zones or conditions and to ask questions to identify problems and
possible solutions. By this method, the outsider can quickly learn about topography, soils, land
use, forests, watersheds, and community assets.
Seasonal Calendars:
Variables such as rainfall, labor, income expenditure, debt, animal fodder or pests and harvesting
periods can be drawn (or created with stones, seeds, and sticks) to show month-to –month
variations and seasonal constraints and to highlight opportunities for action. An 18 month calendar
can better illustrate variations than a 12 month calendar.
Daily- activity calendar
Person can explore and compare the daily activity pattern of men, women, youth and elder by
charting the amount of time taken to complete tasks
Semi structured interviewing
Transect walks and guided field walks
Mapping and Modeling
Venn diagrams
Daily- activity calendar
Seasonal Calendars
Permanent-group interview
Matrices
Time line
Profile, case studies and stories
Local histories
Diagram, exhibition
Semi structured interviewing
Night halts

10. 10
A semi structured interviewing and listening technique used some predetermined questions and
topics but allows new topics to be pursued as interview develops. The interviews are informal and
conversational but carefully controlled.
Permanent-group interview
Established groups, farmers’ groups or people using the same water source can beinterviewed
together. This technique can help identify collective problems or solutions.
Time line
Major historical community events and changes are dated and listed. Understanding the cycles of
change can help communities focus on future actions and information requirements.
Local histories
Are similar to timelines but give a major detailed account of how things have changed or are
changing. For example histories can be developed for crops, population changes, community
health trends and epidemics, education changes, road developments and tree and forests.
Venn diagrams
To show the relationship between things, overlapping circles are used to represent people, village
or institutions, lines are added to reflect inputs and outputs.
Wealth and well-being ranking
People are asked to sort cards (or slips of papers) representing individual or households from rich
to poor from sick to healthy. This technique can be used for cross checking information and for
initiating discussions on a specific topic such as poverty.
Matrices
Can be used together information and to facilitate or focus analyses and discussions for examples,
a problem opportunity matrix could have columns with the following labels: soil type, land use,
cropping patterns and available resources and rows with the following labels: problems,
constraints, local solutions, and initiatives already tried, traditional management system and local-
resources collections. Local people collect samples of soils, plants. This can be an efficient way to
learn about the local biodiversity, management systems and taxonomies.
Profile, case studies and stories
Household histories or stories of how a certain conflict was resolved are recorded, this can provide
short but insightful descriptions of characteristics problems and how they are dealt with.
Folklore, songs, poetry and dance are analyzed to provide insight into values, history, practices
and beliefs.
Diagram, exhibition
Diagrams, maps, charts and photos of the research activity are displayed in a public place to share
information, facilitate discussions, and provide an additional crosschecking device. The exhibition
can inspire other villagers to take part in research activity.
Shared presentations and analysis
Participants are encouraged to present their findings to other villagers and to outsiders, providing
other opportunity for crosschecking, feedback, comment and criticism.
Night halts

11. 11
This facilitates all interactions between the outsiders and the villagers; invites change in the
outsiders’ attitude and allow for early morning and evening discussions, when villagers tend to
have more leisure time.
Tools
Semi-structured interview
Purpose: to gain information from an individual or small group on an issue.
PRA method engages villagers in a conversation through a series of guided questions (not
structured questionnaire) relevant to the villagers. Important information is generated by talking
with villagers about topics that interest them. It can be used with individuals, key informants,
interest groups or other small groups of villagers (women groups)
Maps
Participatory mapping is one of the most versatile tool and is powerful in generating pictures on
an aspect of the physical reality. Maps can be produced for big regions ( movement of animal herds
of pastoralists), villages, farms or even of a single plot depending on questions people are
interested in.
Social mapping
Social mapping involves the sketching/drawing of houses and other social facilities and
infrastructure such as temple, stores, rice mills, school pharmacy, trails and roads, water pumps,
irrigation and recreation facilities in a village. It helps to visualize and situate the location of
households and other social facilities/infrastructures in a village. It serves as a baseline for
planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of village development activities (including
selection of village organizing strategies)
Resource map
Resource map is a tool that helps to learn about a community and its resource base. The primary
concern is not to develop an accurate map but to get useful information about local perceptions of
resources.
Timeline
history
mapping
Social
mapping
Semi-
structured
interview
Tools
Seasonal
calendar
Maps
Pair-wise
ranking
Tools Key
informant
interview
Wealth
ranking
Resource
map
Tools

12. 12
Objectives: to learn the villagers’ perception of what natural resources are found in the community
and how they are used?
Timeline history mapping
The timeline with basic events can be used for focused discussions on problems, social and
technological innovations or on communities’ history of cooperation and activities which helped
them to solve in past problems successfully.
Seasonal calendar
PRA method determines patterns and trends throughout the year in a certain village. It can be used
for purposes such as rainfall distribution, food availability, agricultural productions, income and
expenditures, health problems, and others. The seasonal calendar can also be used to collect
information on how villagers allocate their time as well as their labor in various activities within
the village.
Wealth ranking
Wealth ranking determines the economic attributes of households in a village. It shows
information on the relative wealth and well-being of households in a village. It helps in determining
the social and economic status of households in a village.
Pair-wise ranking
Is a method that helps villagers to set priorities such as problems, needs, action etc. ranking can be
undertaken with key informants or group of villagers that represents a good mixture of interests.
It can also be conducted based on gender to determine different preferences between men and
women.
Key informant interview
Depending on the nature and scope of inquiry, the investigator identifies appropriate groups from
which the key informants may be drawn, and then selects a few from each group. People belong
to group e.g. families, castes, villages etc. farming practices and decisions are often discussed in
families with friends and relatives. Farming or fishing practices, unlike other knowledge domains
e.g. medicine are common.
Advantages of PRA
I. Identification of genuine priorities for target groups.
II. Devolution of management responsibilities.
III. Motivation and mobilization of local development works.
IV. Forming better linkages between communities and development institutions.
V. Use of local resources.
VI. Mobilization of community resources.
Disadvantages
I. Raising expectations which cannot be realized.
II. Proposal of development plans which participating agencies cannot respond to.
III. Risk of ‘capture’ of activities by local interests.
IV. Failure to take account of stratification in communities.
a) Survey of households:

13. 13
A household survey is the process of collecting and analyzing data to help us understand the
general situation and specific characteristics of individual household or all households in the
population during a household survey, record facts, observations and experiences from the sample
households which are representative of all households in area. Questionnaire of such survey had
been given under heading (village school) in the same unit.
b) Interaction with Parents:
Parent Teacher Meeting (PTM)
Parent teacher meeting is an effective way through which parents can discuss issues that they feel
are hindering their wards learning. Face to face interaction immensely helps the parents to plan
out the learning process of the child PTM play a crucial role in enhancing a child’s education.
Often dreaded by children, parent teachers meeting is an effective way for parents and teachers to
interact and discuss about their ward’s progress. Parents on the other hand can play and active role
in their ward’s education and can further encourage and influence their ward to do well in school.
Teacher also gets the chance to know more about overall personalities, like dislikes, strengths and
weakness of their students. This is only possible through PTM. Parents can well inform the
teachers about their children, on the basis of the information provided by the parents, teachers too
can make several modifications and devise new ways to make students understand and learn more
effectively
How teachers can prepare for PTM

14. 14
Parent teacher meeting works as a bridge between parents and teachers where through mutual
cooperation both can decide what further steps should be taken so that a child can get most out of
his/her studies. Since schools are not only meant to teach certain subjects, it also works on
improving different set of skills and social and emotional aspects of a child, parents should discuss
these points so that a teacher can help in improving the same, parents should also try to
communicate with their children about their experience at school, what they like, what they find
difficult, as much as they can. This helps parents to become aware about the opinion o f their ward
and the feedback of the teacher. PTM helps parents about the activities and academic progress of
the child evaluated through regular assessment, assignments and observation and it also helps
parents to properly communicate and coordinate with teachers about participation of the child in
class and different activities. PTMs are not only meant for highlighting the problems related to
academic and activities but also serves as a platform for appreciation. Pointing negative aspects in
a child can sometimes make them feel discouraged. Since every child is unique in his/her own
way, so children too feel motivated when they try to work more effectively. A positive interaction
between teachers and parents leaves a positive impact on the child who further looks forward to
come to school. There are certain hidden talents a child develops in school through active
participation in different activities, communicating with others and working in a group, so parents
are also informed about their ward’s qualities by the teachers in the meeting.
c) Interaction with School management Committee (SMC)
Be proactive
Be welcoming,
Polite and Patient
Explain objectives
and expectations
Be prepared
Create an action
plan
Use of the Good -
Bad – Sandwich can
be avioded
Do not tolerate
abuse
Keep lines of
communication
open
Focus on the
positive attributes
of their wards
Never talk in front
of the child
Maintain secrecy to
the child of your
meetings with
parents
Keep performance
or teacher
worksheets close
by

15. 15
School management committee is a form of community interaction and involvement in school
functioning. SMC works towards enhancing parent community participation in the school and
provide mechanism for more efficient management at school level.
Composition of SMC:
• SMC shall be constituted in every school, other than an unaided school, within its
jurisdiction, within six months of the appointed data, and reconstituted every two years.
• Seventy five percent of the strength of SMC shall be from amongst parent / guardians of
children.
• Fifty percent of committee shall be women.
• Proportionately representation shall be given to the parent or guardians of children
belonging to disadvantaged group and weaker section.
• The remaining twenty five percent of the strength of the SMC shall be from:
a) One third members from amongst the elected members of the local authority, to
be decided by the local authority.
b) One third members from amongst teachers from the school, to be decided by the
teachers of the school.
c) One third from amongst local educationist/ children in the school, to be decided
by the SMC parents in the committee.
• To manage its affairs SMC elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson among the parent
members. The head of school or where the school does not have a head teacher, the senior
most teacher of the school shall be the ex-officio member-convener of SMC.
• Where there are two or more schools in a panchayat, the panchayat president will be the
member of the SMC of one of the school. Remaining schools shall have ward members
members of SMC.
School
Management
Committee
1 Chairman (PTA)
Member
12 Membesr (Parent
including from
disadvantage group and
weaker section )
1 Member(Teacher
representative)
2 Members(Elected
member of Local Body)
1 Member
(Educationist/Philanth
ropist/NGO/Retired
Official )
1 Member (Self Help
group member
Parent)
1 Vice Chairman
(Parent)
1
Convener

16. 16
• SMC shall meet at least once a month and the minutes and decisions of the meeting shall
be properly recorded and made available to the public.
Composition of school management committee:
S. No. Category Number of persons Position Preference
1 Parent (PTA) member 1 Chairman Women
2 Parent of CWSN/Vulnerable 1 Vice
Chairman
Member 1
(Preferably the
chair person)
3 Head master 1 Convener Women
Member-14 Teacher representative 1 Member
5 Parent including from disadvantage
group and weaker section
12 Member Women
Member-7
6 Elected member of Local Body 2 Member Women
Member-1
7 Educationist/Philanthropist/NGO/Re
tired Official
1 Member
8 Self Help group member (Parent) 1 Member Women
Member-1
Total 20
Out of 20 members,50% must be women i.e. 10 must be women.
Out of twenty members, parents should be 75%
Functions of School management Committee
The SMC shall perform the following functions:
1. Monitoring the functions of the school
1.
Monitor the
functioning of the
school
2.
Preparation,
recommendation,
implementation and
monitoring of the
School Development
Plan (SDP)
3.
Monitoring of
utilisation of the
grants received
from government
or local authority
4.
Performance of
other functions

17. 17
• Ensure the regularity and punctuality in attendance by teachers of the school.
• Assess the learning ability of each child and accordingly supplement additional instructions
of any required.
• Ensure the enrolment and continued attendance of all the children from the neighborhood
of the school.
• Bring to the notice of the local Education Authority any deviation from the right of the
child, in particular mental and physical harassment of the children, denial of admission and
timely provision of free entitlements.
• Communicate in simple and creative ways to the population in the neighborhood of the
school, the right of the child as enunciated in the act as also the duties of the appropriate
government, local authority, school, parent and guardian.
• Ensure that no child shall be liable to pay any kind of fee or charge or expense which may
prevent him or her from pursuing and completing the elementary education.
• Identify the needs, prepare a plan, and monitor the implementation of the provisions, where
a child above six years of age has not been admitted in any school or though admitted,
could not complete his or her Elementary Education then, he or she shall be admitted in a
class appropriate to his or her age.
• Monitor the identification and enrolment of CWSN and mobilize facilities for education of
children with disability, as per equal opportunities, protection and full participation Act
1995 and ensure their participation in and complete of Elementary Education
• List out specification for equitable quality of education in a school.
• Monitor the implementation of the mid day meal in the school
• Ensure that no teacher engage himself or herself in private tuition or private teaching
activities.
2. Preparation, recommendation, implementation and monitoring for the school
development plan
• Every school management committee constituted under sub-section (1) section 21
prepares a school development plan every year in such manner as may be prescribed.
• The school management committee shall prepare a school development plan at least
three months before the end of the financial year in which it is first constituted under
Act.
• Monitor that teacher are not burdened with non academic duties other than those
specified in section 27. No teacher shall be deployed for any non-educations purpose
other than the decennial population census, disaster relief duties or duties relating in
elections to the local authority or the state legislatures or parliament, as the case may
be.
• Assess financial requirement and needs of the RTE Act 2009, including for providing
special training facility specified in section 4. Entitlement of children such as free text
books and uniforms, and any other additional requirement for fulfilling the
responsibilities of the school under Act.

18. 18
• The school development plan shall be signed by the chairperson of Vice chairperson
and convener of the school management committee and submitted to the local authority
before the end of the financial year in which it is prepared.
• Subcommittee and sub groups with co-opted members for effective implementation
and monitoring of the school development plan may be form as requested/needed by
the SMC preferably with parents. Head Master teacher, children educationist, local
Engineers, elected representatives, civil society members supporting the school.
c) Monitoring the utilization of the grants received from the appropriate Government or
Local authority or any other source
• Prepare an annual account of receipts and expenditure of the school. Any money received
by the said committee for the discharge of its functions under this Act. Shall be kept in a
separate account to be audited annually.
• The annual account should be signed out by the chairperson or Vice –chairperson and
convener of the said committee and make available to the local authority within one month
of their preparation.
d) Performance of other functions
The school management committee shall play such roles and functions as ordered from time
to time.
Role of the Self -Help Groups (SHG) in rural development
1. Women Self-Help Groups (WSHG)
Women self help group is a village-based financial intermediary committee. These are small
groups of people facing similar problems. The members of the group help each other to solve
their problems; most of the self-help groups are located in south and southeast of Asia,
including India it is estimated that more than 25 million rural women of India have been
benefitted by the SHGs.
Structure of Self-
Help Group
10-20 members
3 representatives
for minimum 1
year
Chairperson for
each meeting

19. 19
WSHG objective is social transformation and women empowerment through:
Major functions of SHG:
❖ Small amount of regular saving is done by the members of the SHG.
❖ Group contributes to common corpus.
❖ Decision making is done on collective basis.
❖ Problems are resolved through mutual discussion
❖ Group tries to meet emergency needs.
2. Farmer Interest Group (FIG) in rural development:
A farmer Interest group (FIG) is a self-managed, independent group of farmers with a shared goal
and interest. The members work together to achieve this goal by pooling their existing resources,
gaining better access to other resources and to share in the resulting benefits.
Objectives of the group:
➢ To address production and marketing issues to develop self-help approaches.
➢ To provide pooled resources.
➢ To allow members to exploit economic scale.
➢ To provide a forum for training and information sharing
➢ To provide a local point technical and training activities.
Activities of aFIG group
a. Group conducts meetings
b. Peoples are engaged in information sharing (Including network with other groups)
WSHG
objectives
Social
mobility
Organisng
in small
groups
Government
subsidy &
Bank cradits
Capacity
Building
Financial
Training

20. 20
c. Members receive technical trainings.
d. Conduct field trials.
e. Organize bulk selling and purchasing.
f. Develop market networks and make market assessment.
g. Support individual member on a needs basis
h. Manage a ‘revolving’ fund for group activities.
i. Identify technical and product opportunities.
j. Invest in issues that cannot be covered by individual.
k. Gain access to credit not available to individuals.
3. Village schools
Rural schools traditionally have played a central role in their communities. Besides providing for
basic education, they often have served as a Experiential learning centers, cultural center in the
community. Athletics, drama, programs, music and other social activities conducted at schools
have played an important part in rural community life.
Schooling contributes to economic productivity because:
I. Individual acquire skills in school that enable them to be more productive.
II. What individuals learn in school makes them more likely to adopt new technologies and
practices.
III. Schooling helps individuals to do functions more effectively in modern production
organizations.
IV. School socializes people into functioning effectively in modern society.
V. The discipline of learning taught in school helps individuals learn new skills outside the
school. These skill can be given to students through small surveys of Households /projects
such as:
Household Survey
S.No. Field of Survey Description
1 Name of the State
2 District
3 Tehsil
4 Village
5 Gram Panchayat
6 Geographical area
7 Location
8 Population
9 Sex Ratio
10 Literacy rate
11 language
12 Total number of household
13 Number of Buffaloes, cows. Cattles etc.

21. 21
14 Agricultural products: wheat, rice etc.
15 Annual income and mean of income such
as : agriculture, irrigation and farming,
teaching and small business
16 castes
17 Name of the Sarpanch
18 Name of the BDO
19 Name of Gram Sevak
20 Name of the Gram Sahayak
21 Name of the Accountant Officer
22 Infrastructures:
23 Roads kuchcha or Pukka
24 Hygiene and toilets etc.
25 Educational facilities; school collage etc.
26 Medical facilities; hospitals, dispensary
etc.
27 Drinking water facilities
28 Bank
29 Transportation
30 Communication
Such type of surveys and small projects help the students to understand the structure, geography
and other aspects of a village. And will also help them to apply the knowledge acquired by them
in real life situations and is best example of experiential learning.
d) Understanding Craft Traditions of India and their relevance in Education; traditional
crafts as a pedagogical tool
Craft heritage of India is unique and diverse. Each part of the country has its own cultural ethos,
crafts and handicraft traditions are influenced by local topography, climate and socio-religious
factors. These crafts not only cater to the day-to-day needs of the people but are also used for
decorative and religious purposes. Artistic activities in the school foster intellectual development
and some of their benefits are: stimulates both sides of the brain. Increases the capacity of memory,
attention and concentration and helps to develop reading skills. Craft education can be a part of
the school curriculum keeping in mind following points:
 Easy availability of abundant raw materials like cotton, wool, silk, jute etc.
 Widely prevalent social customs.
 Variety of distinct local cultures
 Constructive geographic and climatic conditions.
 To revive an interest in Indian crafts and study their relevance in contemporary life.
 To help teachers to value and recognize the importance of local craft resources.

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Different types of crafts in India are
a. Basket weaving and mat making:
It is one of the oldest craft forms; tribal do most of the basketry and mat making work. Cane and
bamboo and other locally available natural material like grass, reeds, leaves etc. is used for mat
and basket making. States like Bihar, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and the Northeastern
states are known for their basket weaving and mat making skills. The production of cane furniture
is one the rise these days.
Jute and coir are relatively new materials, which are being used in various items coir fiber is
obtained from coconut husk, Kerala is the largest producer of coir products such as mats,
Mattresses, Pillow-covers, Carpets, Bags wall hangings etc. West Bengal is the largest producer
of a variety of jute crafts: mats, flooring cushion covers, table covers, bags garments, stuffed toys,
Clay crafts and pottery.
There is hardly any festival or ritual, which is completes without use of earthen lamps or diya.
Terracotta work is centered in the states of West Bengal, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. West Bengal
is also known for unfired clay sculptures. The Bankura Terracotta horse is popular all over India.
Translucent blue pottery is made in Delhi and Jaipur.
b. Toy making Tradition:
Basket
weaving
and Mat
Making
Toy
Making
Coconut
Shell
Papier
-
mâché
L eather
Craft
Furniture
Home
Decor
wood and
Stone
carving
inlay
work
Sari Textile

23. 23
Clay, papier-mâché, coir, leather, cloth etc are used in making traditional toy and Dolls, painted
woods toys from Trupati and stuffed leather toys from Madhya Pradesh and Karnatka. Lacquered
woods toys from Gujarat and Rajasthan are also popular.
c. Papier-mâché:
Articles are made of waste paper and are molded according to requirement Kashmir is well known
for day-to - day articles made from Papier-mâché. Boxes, trays, articles made from Papier-mâché
and then painted in bright colors large items also have gold and silver leaf applied to them Madhya
Pradesh and Punjab are known for Papier-mâché toys, utensils and strong vessels.
d. Shola Pith
Shoal is a plant that grows in marshy areas. The shoal pith has been utilized in Bengal, Orissa and
Assam as art decoration.
e. Coconut shell
In Kerala lamps, pots vases etc. are made from coconut shell, while coconut pith is used in making
small figurines in West Bengal.
f. Leather craft
Population leather items are footwear, bags, saddles etc. Kohlapur is known for its Chappals.
Rajasthan is a home of decorated leather products.
g. Furniture Tradition
Each state has its own distinct furniture tradition which is reflected in the motifs and patterns
adoring them such as: sofa sets, settees, bookshelves, racks, cabinets, table etc. Gujarat and
Maharashtra are known for lacquered traditional wood furniture. The furniture from Rajasthan is
not only decorated with delicate carvings but is also painted in the local miniature style of painting,
depicting folklore.
h. Home Décor
The list is endless; wall hangings, bed covers, curtains, showpieces, photo frames, candle stands,
carved doors, masks, silver and brassware, carpets and flooring etc.
i. Wood carving and stone carving:
Wood carving is popular in the states of Kashmir, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and the Southern states.
The material varies from walnut, redwood, sandalwood and teak etc. stone carving is practiced
throughout the country. Marble work from Rajasthan and Agra is popular.

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j. Inlay work
The technique of inlay basically involves making shallow carving on the surface of wood or stone.
The shallows between the normal carvings are then filled either with metal or precious stones. A
large number of products like: tables, pots, trays, boxes have been endowed with inlay work
Kashmir, Gujarat, Karnataka are known for it.
k. Metal Craft
Metal craft is an integral part of the Indian ethos; pots, utensils, vessels, tools weapons etc have
been made out of the a variety of material like iron, copper, bronze, bell metal, white metal, silver
etc.
The ladhakh is known for traditional vessels, Moradabad is world famous for brassware.
l. Painting
Different areas of India have different paintingtraditions. They differ from each other in technique,
style use of material. Ladhakh is known for its Thanka paintings. Tanjore is known for ornate glass
paintings. Paintings of Bhimbetka caves of Madhya Pradesh are world famous. India also boasts
of numerous tribal and folk painting traditions.
m. Textile Tradition
Weaving in India had been conditioned by geographical, cultural, economic and social factors. A
variety of material like silk, cotton, wool, jute etc is used by the weavers.
n. Sari weaving
Is the main weaving tradition of India, Mysore, Banaras, Surat, Kanchipuram, Paithan, Chander
etc. are some of the important sari weaving centers. Woven woolen items are also popular in India.
Woolen Pashmina and Shahtoosh shawls of Kashmir are world famous.
o. Embroidery
Embroidery is the beautification of woven material with various types of stitches. A number of
embroidery styles flourish in India. Punjab, Gujarat, Karnataka and Utter Pradesh are main centers
of embroidery.
These are some of the crafts mostly used in local areas of India. School curriculum must include
some of the skills related to these carts through small projects such as:
Project learning a craft – Steps
Students can learn basics of a chosen craft from a practicing local artisan, such as
pottery/weaving etc.
1. Innovations in design and processes
2. Material
3. Environment and resources management

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4. Economic and marketing
5. Time management
School Functions and Festivals
Celebrating events and festivals in school have become an integral part of learning and building a
strong cultural belief in students. Schools encourage students to embrace other traditions and
culture just like the way they do with their own. Students will remember an important day only if
they are told what the occasion signify, making them aware of the world in more fun way. The
events and festivals organized at the school are often celebrated with great pomp and gaiety. Apart
from classroom activities, other important festivals must be celebrated in order to understand our
country’s traditions.
Such celebrations will bring students closer to traditional and cultural belief. A close bond is build
between the students as they understand each other’s different customs, being a diverse country,
the student will get to know more about our country. Some festivals celebrated in the school are:
annual school function, exhibitions, school camps, educational tours etc. apart from building
relationship and friendship, such celebration will bring happiness and love amongst the students.
Annual school function
It is the most partied event in the school, where everyone participates with keen enthusiasm.
Students, teachers, parents and other guest facilities are invited and make the event very goal
orientated. On this day students perform and participate in activities, receive awards, the teachers
and the head of the school announces annual report, performance of the students share some lighter
moments and there is more.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions are strictly organized to give the student exposure and appreciation for their faculties,
arts and painting exhibitions are the most celebrated occasions. The school management makes all
arrangements.
Picnic and Excursions
Picnic and excursion trips arranged by the school are also very entertaining for the students. It
gives then opportunities to initiates social interactions and group formation.
Student Exchange program
Students exchange programmes are meant to share learning experiences amongst the students who
come from different institutions. Students visits are organized to selected educational institutions
and tours are conducted.
Teachers-parents Meet
This event is the single most illustrious event that establishes a relationship between the educators
and the parents. In the normal working days Schools normally do not encourage for frequent parent
teacher meets. It is on this day that parents can enquire about the children for the sound
development of the students.

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References:
[1] Weber, L. and Ison, R. (1995)’Participatory Rural Appraisal designs: Conceptual and
process issues.’
[2] Participatory Rural Appraisal, Mohan Dhamdhran, 1998-Dhaka.
[3] Methods of Participatory Appraisal, Phil Bartle, 2003 CSMED.
[4] Participatory Rural Appraisal, 2003 World Bank.
[5] Chambers, R. (1994a) “The origins and practices of Participatory Rural Appraisal.”world
Development, vol.22,No.7, pp 953-69
Model Questions:
1. Explain the concept of community engagement in a village. How a village school
can play a role in community engagement?
2. What is community engagement in education? What are the different forms of
community engagement?
3. What is experiential bade learning? What are the benefits of experiential learning
explain with examples.
4. What is Kolb’s theory of experiential learning, its stages of learning and learning
cycles?
5. Write educational importance of Kolb’s theory of experiential learning. How a
school can engage students in experiential learning on the basis of Kolb’s Model?
6. Why participatory rural appraisal (PRA) is needed? What are the principles of PRA
also write the different tools for PRA and advantages and disadvantages?
To do Activities:
1. You are planning to set up a dairy related business in a village, to chalk out a
plan prepare a survey report of household of that village.
2. You are working as teacher in a school. First term exams are over and school
has called parents teacher meeting (PTM) on the last working day of the month.
What factors would you consider while preparing for the PTM.
3. Take an example of traditional craft and frame a small project work for students
of class 9th
in which by experiential learning they will be able to learn about the
following
I. What kind of traditional handicrafts are there in India?
II. Knowledge of craft tradition and its relevance in education.
III. Raw material and finished good of that particular craft.
IV. States where this type of craft can be easily available and why?
4. What role school festivals and functions play in community engagement? Take
the examples of two different school functions of a school in particular year and
explain how the school could engage the community of that area in those
functions.