Question Discussion & Solution

Mistakes and Errors:

• When a learner can’t master a topic, he/she is vulnerable to make errors. Errors are nothing but incorrectness made by a child during learning. 
• It also takes place due to the mismatch in previously assimilated and newly accommodated knowledge. 

Key Points

Children’s Errors and Mistakes:

• are a window into how they think and learn. 
• are a significant step in the teaching-learning process. 
• are necessary in the learning process to give insight into children's thinking.
• help the teacher to be aware of learners' learning styles, to cater to them according to their needs.
• are considered as a part of the teaching-learning process as it helps to understand the child.

Hence, we conclude that errors of learners often indicate how they learn.

Additional Information 

Teacher’s Approach on Learner’s Error:

• The teacher should assess the types of errors made by the learners.
• Teachers should emphasize more on correcting errors affecting a large percentage of their students.
• The teacher should look upon the errors as a feedback.
• Remedial teaching should be done to overcome the errors made by learners.

Jean Piaget, a swiss psychologist, is famous for his work on child development. He made a systematic study of cognitive development in his theory that is categorized in four stages.

Key Points

Piaget used 'Schemas' for 'Organised packets of information stored in long term memory' as according to Piaget:

• Schemas are mental representations of how information is organized and interpreted.
• schemas refer to a small packet of information that is used to organize and store information.
• Schemas are specific psychological structures, constructed in organized ways to make sense of experience.

Hence, it could be concluded that Piaget used 'Schemas' for 'Organised packets of information stored in long term memory'.

Additional Information 

Other key Concepts of Piaget Theory:

• Accommodation: It is the modification of an existing schema to suit the new experience.

• Assimilation: It is the addition of a new concept or experience into an already existing schema.
• Equilibration: It refers to the process to find a balance between existing schemas and new information.

Development refers to an increase in structure for better and enhanced functioning of organs. It is a product of the interaction of hereditary and environment. The major domains of development such as physical, mental, social-emotional, and language are developed in an integrated and holistic process.

Key PointsAnal powers of a child-like imagination power, intelligence, ability to make decisions, etc. are related to the child's 'mental development' as mental development:

• refers to the development of the ability to understand, learn, reason, think, perceive, and solve a problem.
• refers to the development of the ability to explore and process information to learn and understand the things around him.
• includes the acquisition of those abilities which help the individual to make sense i.e. perceiving, organizing, storing, retrieving, utilizing, and transacting. ​ 

Important Points

Other domains of development:

Hence, it could be concluded that the analytical powers of a child-like imagination power, intelligence, ability to make decisions, etc. are related to the child's 'mental development.

The role of the textbook and the teacher, the NCF 2005 emphasizes that learners formulate their own knowledge by connecting new ideas to existing ones on the basis of material/activities (experiences).

Key PointsThe section on ‘Do this and find out is included in different topics in the EVS textbook to -

• In NCF 2005, the teaching-learning of EVS is visualized as including children’s interaction with real-life situations.
• Through, Do this and find out, children get actual engagement, hands-on experience, and reflections on day-to-day activities.
• This approach of learning is referred to as ‘Learning by doing’ which suggests that children actively construct their understanding or knowledge while directly interacting with their environment.
• In this approach children learn (construct new knowledge) by fitting new information together with what they already know, this helps build learning on what is known developing positive attitudes, values, and practices such as respect and care for all life on earth, compassion, caring for self and others, conservation of natural resources, appreciation of cooperative learning, sense of belonging, social responsibility, valuing culture, etc.

Hence, the section on ‘Do this and find out’ included in different topics in EVS textbooks aims at providing direct hands-on experiences.

Motivation is the encouragement that drives a person to work for a specific cause. It allows a person to put efforts in a focused manner to achieve a goal.

• For example, Athletes are motivated to win the competition to earn the gold medal and the glory that comes with it. Corporate companies are motivated to develop new products to earn more profits.
• Motivation is also linked with learning. A motivated person enables himself/herself to learn new skills to overcome the challenges faced to achieve the goal. 

Key Points

• Motivation controls and directs/channelizes the focus of a person towards the work. E.g. an athlete is always conscious about the diet and calorie intake and eats strictly according to the diet plan. It helps an athlete learn about the significance of nutrition. 
• Motivation is objective and can be defined. An objective idea is one that does not change with persons. Motivation to win a gold medal speaks for the objective and is indifferent to the person who sets the target. A definite objective also defines the learning requirements as it clearly enlightens the skills required to complete the objective. 
• Motivation is concerned with reinforcement and rewards as the objective of the motivation always encourages a person to work for the reward. Reinforcement occurs through motivation as on the path of achieving something, a person undergoes skill development which bolsters a person and boosts the morale to achieve the desired results.

Thus, it is concluded that all the above options are correct in the context of motivation and learning.