Contextualized differentiated instruction in contemporary issues vis-à-vis the development of its COVID-19 model

The study analyzed the effectiveness of Contextualized Differentiated Instruction (CDI) in the teaching of Contemporary Issues, a Social Studies subject in Grade 10 with these of objectives by: (1) Determining its pre-post-test results; (2) Testing its significant mean difference; (3) Analyzing its learning competencies and identifying appropriate strategies; and (4) Formulating an enhanced CDI Model of Contextualized Teaching and Learning (CTL). A one group quasi-experimental design, using pretest-and-posttest, determined the respondents’ performance on Contemporary Issues. A significant difference in the pre-posttest demonstrated an increase of proficiency manifested by an increase in the mean scores and enhanced qualitative equivalents. An above proficiency level revealed in the posttest was attributed by the engagement of the respondents in the learning process using contextual differentiated learning activities. Matching the learning competencies with the three learning domains of Gardner’s multiple intelligences resulted in a substantial utilization of the interactive and prospective teaching strategies, except on the analytic teaching strategies that were found inadequate. Hence, the creation of the COVID-19 Model may juxtapose the essence of an enhanced CDI Model of CTL. The findings have social and practical value to support differentiation of instruction in the 21st century education.

Irrelevance of Basic School Education in Nepal: An Anti-Colonial Critique on Problems and Prospects

Despite its contextual, theoretical, and practical relevance, contextualized teaching and learning has not been the priority of school education of Nepal. The policy provision of local curriculum and the use of locally available resources for teaching and learning have continuously lost its position in educational circle. To this background, taking anti-colonial critical stance, this paper analyses problems and prospects of contextualized teaching and learning in school education of Nepal. Taking evidences from the first author's lived experiences, and experiences from a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project in a public school of Nepal, the paper exposes manifold challenges and dilemmas initiated by Western-modern educational ideologies, and promptly illustrates how those uncritically imposed/accepted schooling agendas were responsible to demolish rural (and indigenous) identities of Nepal. The paper eventually proposes policy makers and curriculum practitioners of Nepal to pursue agency in school education, making it more place-relevant; enabling school graduates to learn to ‘live’ (rather than ‘leave’) their place.

Empowering the Disadvantaged Students in Mathematics Education: Relevance of Social Justice, Equity and Mainstreaming

Mathematical knowledge is indubitable in various sectors, but diversity in culture and tradition in society causes inequality, injustice and backwardness among the students learning mathematics. Study of cultural heritage, customs, behavior in mathematics education is the demand of post-modern paradigm. Efforts of self-organization and co-construction in the initiation of students and teachers through their active participation, interaction and mathematics classroom discourses could be instrumental towards the generation of mathematical knowledge in classroom – which can support to reduce the western domination in mathematics education; and societal negative mind-set about mathematics education will also be minimized in this way. Ethno-mathematics, diversified mathematical strategies, culturally responsive mathematics classroom and enhancing equity in learning mathematics are the major dimensions that mathematics professionals need to exercise for the effective, reflective and contextualized teaching and learning of mathematics. This is a phenomenological study conducted among secondary level mathematics teachers. Using written interview and informal sharing of participants’ experiences towards teaching and learning mathematics, three major themes were developed and discussed. This article primarily shows that there exists the intertwined relation among these themes; and it is essential to properly address these themes for more effective learning of mathematics in the context of Nepalese secondary level classrooms.